Cheesy Ranch Potatoes
Cheesy ranch potatoes: boiled potato chunks folded through a no-cook sauce of ranch dressing, sour cream and sharp cheddar, baked until bubbling and topped with more cheddar and crisp bacon. The photos show the cast-iron skillet version with sliced turkey bacon, described in the notes.
Ingredients
Potatoes
- 2 1/2 lb Yukon Gold or russet potatoes cut into 1-inch chunks, russets peeled
- 1 tbsp salt for the cooking water
Ranch Sauce
- 1 cup ranch dressing thick and creamy
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 cup sour cream full fat
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese shredded from a block, divided
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp black pepper freshly ground
- salt a pinch, to taste
Topping
- 6 slices bacon cooked crisp and crumbled; or 4 ounces sliced turkey bacon, chopped, as pictured
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
Equipment
- Large pot
- Large mixing bowl
- Skillet or 9x13 inch baking dish
- Frying pan
- Oven
Instructions
Cook the Potatoes
- Heat the oven. Set the oven to 400°F (200°C) and grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, or a 12-inch cast-iron skillet for the pictured version.
- Boil the potatoes. Put the chunks in a large pot, cover with cold water, add the tablespoon of salt and bring to a boil. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, until a knife slides in with a little resistance left in the center. Drain well and let them steam dry for 2 minutes.
Mix the Ranch Sauce
- Start with the ranch and sour cream. Spoon the sour cream into a large bowl with the ranch dressing.
- Add half the cheddar. Tip in 1 cup of the shredded cheddar.
- Season. Add the garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, black pepper and a pinch of salt.
- Stir until smooth. Stir with a wooden spoon until the cheddar and spices are evenly mixed through the sauce.
- Fold in the potatoes. Add the hot drained potatoes and fold gently with a spatula until every chunk is coated. Spread the mixture into the prepared dish without pressing it down.
Bake and Top
- First bake. Bake uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, until the sauce bubbles at the edges.
- Cook the bacon. Meanwhile, fry the bacon in a skillet until crisp, drain and crumble it. (Sliced turkey bacon, as pictured, is simply chopped and needs no pre-cooking.)
- Top and finish. Scatter the remaining cup of cheddar and the bacon over the top and bake for 5 to 7 minutes more, until the cheese is melted and browned in patches.
Rest and Serve
- Rest and serve. Let the dish stand for 5 minutes so the sauce settles, scatter the parsley over and serve hot.
Notes
Pictured version: the photos show the skillet version. Grease a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, bake the sauced potatoes in it for 15 to 20 minutes, then top with the second cup of cheddar and 4 ounces of sliced turkey bacon, chopped (pastrami or Canadian bacon works the same), and bake 5 to 7 minutes more. Serve from the pan.
Doneness: bubbling all the way around the edges, cheese melted and browned in patches, and a fork slides through a center chunk with no resistance.
Make ahead: assemble without the topping, cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Bake from cold with 5 extra minutes before the cheese and bacon go on.
Storage: refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave under a damp paper towel, or covered at 350°F for 20 minutes. Freezing softens the potatoes and can split the sauce; if you must, freeze baked portions up to 2 months.
Substitutions: Greek yogurt for the sour cream; smoked gouda, pepper jack or Colby for some of the cheddar; a 1-ounce ranch seasoning packet stirred into 1 cup of extra sour cream in place of the bottled dressing; cooked mushrooms in place of the bacon for a vegetarian pan.
Nutrition values are an estimate.
Nutrition
Calories: 410kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 760mg | Potassium: 880mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 650IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 270mg | Iron: 2mg