Crispy Chipotle Ranch Potato Salad
This crispy chipotle ranch potato salad is the cookout dish nobody sees coming. Smashed tater tots get baked until shatteringly crispy, then tossed with bacon, pickled jalapeños, corn, and a smoky, tangy chipotle buttermilk ranch dressing. It's easy to pull together, bold enough to steal the show, and flexible enough to scale up for a crowd. Pro tip: To save on time, we put the tater tots in the oven right away and prep the rest of the ingredients while they bake. Whether you're bringing it to a backyard barbecue or just leveling up your weeknight side dish game, this one's a keeper.
Tasty Team
Total Time
1 hr
1 hr
Prep Time
10 minutes
10 min
Cook Time
45 minutes
45 min
Total Time
1 hr
1 hr
Prep Time
10 minutes
10 min
Cook Time
45 minutes
45 min
Ingredients
for 4 servings
Potato Salad
- ½ lb frozen tater tots
- 8 slices bacon
- ⅔ cup defrosted frozen corn, or canned corn
- ⅓ cup chopped pickled jalepeños
- 2 tablespoons minced red onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives, plus more for garnish
Chipotle Buttermilk Ranch
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- ⅓ cup buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 chipotles in adobo, finely minced
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- kosher salt, to taste
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 400˚F (200˚C).
- Spread the frozen tater tots in an even layer on a large sheet pan. Bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.
- While the tater tots bake, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, cilantro, minced chipotles, chives, garlic powder, and a pinch of kosher salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon for 4–5 minutes per side, flipping once, until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool, then roughly chop.
- Remove the tater tots from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 425˚F (220˚C). Using the bottom of a glass or mug, gently flatten each tater tot, being careful not to press so hard that they break apart. Rearrange them evenly on the sheet pan and return to the oven for another 20 minutes, or until deeply golden brown and crispy. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
- Place the cooled tater tots in a large bowl. Add the red onion, pickled jalapeños, corn, chopped bacon, and as much of the dressing as desired, and toss to coat. Garnish with additional cilantro and chives. Serve immediately.
- Enjoy!
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