These 15 Twists on Potato Salad Are the Pride of the Picnic

Buttermilk Potato Salad
Photo: lutzflcat

Pile your plates high with these extra special potato salads — they're the stars of this summer's picnics, cookouts, and casual meals. Each of these 15 standout recipes adds a secret weapon to traditional potato salads, and it's time we reveal them.

01 of 15

Kristen's Bacon Ranch Potato Salad

Kristen's Bacon Ranch Potato Salad
Heather Harris

Creamy ranch dressing is this potato salad's secret weapon, proving that it isn't just for green salads. Here it combines with sour cream, shredded Cheddar, and bacon. "Add a little taco seasoning to spice it up — or you can add other veggies for texture," says KristenB, the recipe submitter.

02 of 15

Grilled Potato Salad

Grilled Potato Salad
bd.weld

Secret weapon? The grill. This recipe makes quick work of potato salad prep. You'll cook the taters whole on the grill. Then, simply quarter them. It's a German-style potato salad with an apple cider vinegar and olive oil dressing. Zero mayo. "Absolutely perfect for summertime grilling," says bd.weld.

03 of 15

Slow Cooker German Potato Salad

Slow Cooker German Potato Salad
lutzflcat

The slow cooker can act as your secret weapon, too. Sliced potatoes and aromatic veggies cook low and slow with vinegar and oil. Garnish with crumbled bacon and chopped fresh parsley.

04 of 15

Caesar Potato Salad

Caesar Potato Salad
Christina

This simple salad swaps creamy Caesar salad dressing for the mayo. Enjoy it warm or cold. Sadly, Caesar himself never sampled potato salad, much less Caesar salad. But this creamy potato salad makes up for it, deliciously, like the culinary equivalent of a triumphal arch.

05 of 15

Almost Fat-Free Green Onion Potato Salad

Almost Fat-Free Green Onion Potato Salad
Karen Gaudette Brewer

This potato salad does away with the mayo and replaces it with plain Greek yogurt seasoned with mustard, cayenne, and minced garlic. It's a sensational nearly no-fat alternative to regular potato salad.

06 of 15

Sweet Potato-White Potato Salad

Sweet Potato-White Potato Salad
T Shan

White potatoes pair up with sweet potatoes and go bathing in a tangy dressing with vinegar, mayo, sour cream, and fresh lemon juice. This potato salad gets a kick in the pants from curry powder and fresh cilantro.

07 of 15

Warm Steak and Potato Salad

Warm Steak and Potato Salad on a white plate
FrackFamily5 CA to CT

What happens when potato salad strives for main dish status? Total deliciousness. Grilled or broiled lean sirloin steak tops a simple salad of boiled potatoes and greens drizzled with a simple dressing of red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and tarragon. "Comfort food without the guilt," says frank11, the recipe submitter.

08 of 15

Buttermilk Potato Salad

Buttermilk Potato Salad
lutzflcat

Sour cream and buttermilk add great tang to this potato salad tossed with chives, Cheddar, and crispy bacon.

09 of 15

Corn & Potato Salad

Corn & Potato Salad
lutzflcat

"I liked the combination of ingredients in this recipe. It was tasty, quick, and easy, and it's a very different type of potato salad," says lutzflcat. "I'll definitely make this one again. It's a keeper."

10 of 15

Japanese Potato Salad

Japanese Potato Salad
Haven4Order

For something different at your next picnic, try this Japanese potato salad recipe including imitation crab, corn kernels, and cucumber.

11 of 15

Italian Potato Salad with Smoked Salmon

Italian Potato Salad with Smoked Salmon
alemarsi

When it comes to potato salads, we think smoked salmon could become the new bacon. "This potato salad is usually served as an appetizer in Italy. Potatoes are finely cubed and paired with a simple lemony cream dressing," says recipe creator Alemarsi.

12 of 15

Horseradish Potato Salad

Horseradish Potato Salad
lutzflcat

"Three ingredients really enhance this potato salad's flavor: bacon, dill and horseradish, the last of which I will increase in the future. The rest of the ingredients are fairly typical for a mayo-based potato salad, but that horseradish really makes it distinct." —lutzflcat

13 of 15

Papas Alins or Patatas Alinadas (Andalusian Potatoes)

Papas Alins or Patatas Alinadas (Andalusian Potatoes)
Soup Loving Nicole

"These were BOOZY! I love cooking with sherry, and the alcohol cooks off, but the flavor is still dominant," says Soup Loving Nicole. "If you are sensitive to the taste of alcohol in your food or do not like the taste of sherry, then I highly recommend you cut it in half in this recipe. I personally loved it."

14 of 15

Savory Spanish Potato Salad

Savory Spanish Potato Salad
lutzflcat

"Delicious potato salad! Double the dressing and served on a bed of spinach. Also, I doubled the amount of olives and added some capers," Elvira Silva says. Follow her advice for a deliciously briny dish.

15 of 15

Basil Pesto Potato Salad

Basil Pesto Potato Salad
Phoebe

"Pesto and potato salad lovers, rejoice!" Phoebe says. "Added a small amount of Dijon mustard and sliced some fresh basil to add with the red onion on the top for garnish and flavor."

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