Million Dollar Potato Salad – The Ultimate Creamy, Loaded, Crowd-Pleasing Potato Salad
Million Dollar Potato Salad is a creamy and indulgent twist on the traditional potato salad. It combines tender potatoes with crispy bacon, cheddar cheese, hard-boiled eggs, celery, and pickles in a rich dressing made from mayonnaise and sour cream. Every bite offers a perfect balance of creamy, crunchy, smoky, and tangy flavors. It is ideal for barbecues, potlucks, holiday dinners, family reunions, and meal prep. Best served chilled, this salad becomes even more flavorful after resting in the refrigerator for several hours. It's a guaranteed crowd-pleaser that disappears quickly at every gathering.
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 2½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
- 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- ¼ cup chopped dill pickles
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
For the Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon pickle juice
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Paprika for garnish
Instructions
- Wash and cut the potatoes into bite-sized chunks.
- Boil them in salted water for about 12–15 minutes until fork tender. Drain and cool completely.
- Cook bacon until crispy and crumble into small pieces.
- Prepare the hard-boiled eggs, celery, onions, pickles, cheese, and chives.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard, pickle juice, vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Fold the cooled potatoes into the dressing.
- Add bacon, eggs, cheese, celery, onions, pickles, and chives.
- Mix gently until evenly coated.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours.
- Sprinkle with paprika and extra chives before serving.
Notes
- Yukon Gold potatoes provide the creamiest texture.
- Cool potatoes before mixing to prevent a watery salad.
- Chill before serving for the best flavor.
- Freshly cooked bacon adds superior taste.
- Use freshly grated cheddar cheese.
- Adjust pickle juice according to your preferred tanginess.
- Prepare a day ahead for deeper flavor.
- Store refrigerated for up to four days