What’s not to love about a fully loaded ranch potato salad filled with bits of bacon and chunks of egg? This has been my kids’ favorite potato salad for over 10 years now.

This is a super easy-to-make potato salad with bacon, eggs, and ranch dressing and it’s been a huge hit with everyone who tries it.

Ranch Potato Salad

One day a few years ago, while I was making a fresh batch of Ranch Dressing, my eye fell on an enormous leftover baked potato and a few hard-boiled eggs waiting in the refrigerator.

The ingredients were almost begging me to make a potato salad. I won’t pretend that the bacon here was leftover, I cooked it fresh. Who ever heard of leftover bacon?!

Even with cooking the bacon, this ranch potato salad came together so easily that I instantly knew it would be one that would show up in the future on our lunch and dinner menus. This recipe multiplies beautifully and I usually double or triple it for get-togethers with friends.

I’ve served this to plenty of guests, brought it to potlucks, and made it as a dinner side dish just for the family. It’s a guaranteed hit every time.

Potato Salad with Bacon

When I decided to make a ranch potato salad that first time, my mind immediately turned to bacon. There simply isn’t a bad way to include bacon in a salad, right?

I wanted a salad with the flavors of ranch dressing, but also with some smokiness from the bacon. I used just a bit of the bacon grease to season the dressing and the whole salad picked up that slightly smoky flavor that we love.

With a few leftover hardboiled eggs and baked potatoes, this salad comes together quickly. Rather than using a storebought or pre-made ranch dressing, I made an extra thick dressing with mayonnaise and all the usual ranch seasoning suspects like dill and parsley.

Whether you’re dressing up a salad or slathering it on a burger, Thousand Island brings a punch of flavor that’s downright irresistible. Creamy mayo meets tangy ketchup along with the pop of diced pickles and a sprinkle of zesty onions in this recipe for Thousand Island salad dressing.

Thousand Island Salad Dressing

Want to know how to make your own Thousand Island dressing? It’s still a popular dressing for good reason. Thousand Island was the salad dressing most often seen on the table in my childhood.

And while this zesty-sweet old-fashioned dressing will never replace our beloved ranch, it’s nostalgic for me. Whenever it’s on hand, I can’t resist using it.

Did you know that you can turn Thousand Island salad dressing into Russian dressing? Add ½ teaspoon of plain or sweet paprika and 2 teaspoons of horseradish to the recipe below. Feel free to adjust both to taste.

We use Thousand Island or Russian dressing on these Reuben Sliders and in this Corned Beef Dip. Both of which disappear about as quickly as I can serve them!

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Crunchy greens, juicy tomatoes, and a medley of meats and cheeses are drizzled in a delicious creamy dressing to make this Italian Grinder Salad.

Grinder Salad

Whoa. This salad. It is SO good! As soon as I tasted the Italian Grinder Sandwich that I shared earlier this week, I knew that a salad needed to happen. The tangy slaw mixture topping the sandwiches was my favorite part, so I wanted to make the most of that flavor combination in a loaded salad.

Luckily, I had plenty of extra ingredients on hand, so I was able to make this salad the very next day. The whole family gave it two thumbs up and I’m pretty sure I’ll be making it again soon.

If you don’t need 8 servings all at once, or if you aren’t feeding 3 teenage boys, I suggest prepping all of the grinder salad ingredients and storing them separately in airtight containers, as instructed in How To Eat A Salad Every Day.

Just stash the meats and cheeses in a couple of ziploc bags or containers, and pour the grinder salad dressing into a jar until it is needed. This makes it so much easier to prepare salads consistently and quickly.

When you’re ready to eat a great salad, just combine however much of each ingredient you need in a bowl and toss your individual serving with a bit of dressing. These ingredients should keep well in the fridge for several days.

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Savory chunks of chicken mingle with sweet grapes, crunchy walnuts, and crisp apples in this easy Chicken Waldorf Salad. This is a lunch you will put on repeat!

Chicken Waldorf Salad

This chicken salad recipe is so ridiculously good. It balances so many different things all at once. It has savory and sweet flavors. It’s got crunchy, crisp, and tender ingredients. And, it’s so easy to make!

There is a reason that Waldorf salad has retained its popularity for over a hundred years. Adding chicken to the classic salad and turning it into a heartier meal, makes it a guaranteed win.

Give it a go and you’ll likely find yourself like me, making it on repeat for two weeks. It’s perfect for a quick lunch or picnic, or make a big bowl for your next potluck.

What is a Waldorf Salad?

The Waldorf salad originated in New York City, specifically at the Waldorf Hotel, which eventually became the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. It was created by the hotel’s maître d, Oscar Tschirky in the late 1800s, using just celery and apples.

Over time, the recipe evolved to include nuts, grapes, and various proteins. This chicken Waldorf salad recipe was inspired by my friend Gina’s Tuna Waldorf Salad. I used canned chicken, but you can use a rotisserie chicken, too.

For what it is worth, I have made this with both types of chicken and it turns out that I prefer it with canned chicken. (Making it about as easy as can be!)

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This Broccoli Slaw is filled with crunchy ribbons of broccoli and carrots, paper-thin onions, sweet chewy cranberries, and pecans before being tossed in a light, tangy dressing. You’re going to love all of the different textures in this salad!

Broccoli Slaw

Broccoli slaw served as a side dish makes a nice change from some of the underwhelming mayo and cabbage-heavy coleslaws out there.

I’ve found a great many slaw recipes I like (like this Sweet and Spicy Apple Coleslaw that’s loved by even the coleslaw-averse members of my family) but there’s something extra wonderful about a good broccoli slaw. The crisp broccoli and carrots keep their crunch for days, even after being mixed with the dressing. 

Broccoli Slaw Salad

I like my salad recipes abundant with fresh, flavorful ingredients and lots of different textures. Broccoli Slaw is no different! In this version, I added pecans and dried cranberries for a satisfying layer of crunchy fruity nutty goodness.

The finely sliced red onions bring zest, spice, and a gorgeous color to the salad. Be sure to slice the red onion as thinly as possible to get the right texture and balance of flavors in your broccoli slaw.

I can make this recipe again and again and not get tired of it. That’s how I know it’s a real winner.

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