In my family, we use any late spring/summer holiday (i.e. Labor Day, Memorial Day or 4th of July) as an excuse to have a barbecue. We’ll typically grill hot dogs and hamburgers and corn on the cob and my mom will make a potato salad. There will be chips with lots of dip, of course, and fruit, which will always include watermelon since it’s my favorite fruit. Because of this, I’m always looking for new and exciting BBQ side dishes. Just in case you are too, I thought I’d share this Buffalo Potato Salad this week so that you have it on hand if you too plan on grilling next Monday. It’s like chicken wings in salad form minus the chicken and with lots of potatoes and bacon instead. I didn’t really describe it well, but the post will speak for itself!
We’re double cooking these potatoes to make them crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. To do this, they first have to be boiled and then roasted in a very hot oven. Place the halved potatoes in a large pot and fill with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook until just fork tender, about 20 minutes.
**Note: I’m using baby yukon gold potatoes because they cook faster and you don’t have to peel them, but feel free to use baby red potatoes or a mix of yellow, red and purple!**
Drain well and transfer to a large bowl. Toss the potatoes with the melted butter, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika until well combined.
**Tip: I always use onion and garlic powder instead of garlic or onion salt, because you want to be able to control the amount of salt going into a dish!**
Pour out onto the prepared baking sheet in a single layer and cook until golden brown and crispy, about 20 to 25 minutes. Make sure to toss halfway through baking to ensure even browning. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
Transfer the cooled potatoes to a large bowl, along with the carrots, celery, half of the bacon, eggs, half of the scallions, and half of the blue cheese.
**Note: Because the carrots and celery are raw, it’s best to slice them as thin as possible so that you’re not chomping down on super crunchy vegetables.**
In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise and hot sauce. Then pour half of the sauce into the bowl with the rest of the ingredients. Give it a stir until combined, adding more sauce as needed so that the salad isn’t dry.
**Tip: I save any remaining sauce, especially if you make this ahead of time, because potato salad tends to dry out a bit the longer it sits in the fridge.**
Transfer the salad to a serving platter and top with the remaining bacon, scallions and blue cheese before serving.
This is a great salad because you can make it a few days ahead, and keep it in the fridge until you need it. It’s best for picnics or potlucks when you want to prep in advance. In fact, the longer it sits, the better it will taste.
That’s not to say that you can serve it right when you make it. It’s also great warm or at room temperature as well. And if you want to keep things vegetarian, you can definitely omit the bacon.
I hope you’ll keep this recipe in mind the next time you’re looking for a BBQ side or a potluck dish to make. I’m definitely adding this to my weekly Wednesday potluck night rotation. And Memorial Day is right around the corner, which is the perfect day to debut this dish!
- 1 pound baby Yukon gold potatoes, halved
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 2 small carrots, peeled, cut in half and thinly sliced
- 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
- 6 strips crispy thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 4 hard boiled eggs, diced
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup buffalo hot sauce, such as Frank's Red Hot
- ¼ cup crumbled blue cheese
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
- Place the halved potatoes in a large pot and fill with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook until just fork tender, about 20 minutes. Drain well and transfer to a large bowl. Toss the potatoes with the melted butter, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika until well combined. Pour out onto the prepared baking sheet in a single layer and cook until golden brown and crispy, about 20 to 25 minutes. Make sure to toss halfway through baking to ensure even browning. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.
- Transfer the cooled potatoes to a large bowl, along with the carrots, celery, half of the bacon, eggs, half of the scallions, and half of the blue cheese.
- In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise and hot sauce. Then pour half of the sauce into the bowl with the rest of the ingredients. Give it a stir until combined, adding more sauce as needed so that the salad isn't dry. Top with the remaining bacon, scallions and blue cheese before serving. Enjoy!
Oh yummmm!!! Just in time for our Memorial Day cook out!!! Can’t wait to try this!!
Oooohhhh, this looks awesome. I will be making this tomorrow for our Friday Memorial Weekend Kick-Off Party. Thanks for all your wonderful recipes!
Okay … I just finished making a double batch of this and popped it into the fridge to chill and meld for tomorrow, AFTER taking 2 or 5 forkfuls just to taste test. This is absolutely delicious! I cut back the Frank’s hot sauce by half because I’m going to be serving a group of wimps, but it’s still wonderful and the next time you can be sure I’ll use the full amount. Other than that, I followed your recipe exactly. Thank you … you make me look like a far better cook than I am.
I made this and it was fantastic! I subbed sour cream for mayo and still fantastic! Thanks for the new summer staple!