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Jalapeño Popper Roasted Potato Salad

This jalapeño salad delivers a spicy potato side with roasted potatoes, bacon, cream cheese, and cheddar. Roasting the potatoes first gives crispy edges, then everything gets tossed in a tangy cream cheese dressing and finished with green onions.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Cooling 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 610
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Baby potatoes
  • 3 lb baby potatoes Halved.
Olive oil
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
Seasoning
  • 0.5 salt Use to taste; season the potatoes.
  • 0.25 pepper Use to taste; season the potatoes.
Bacon and jalapeños
  • 8 slice bacon Cooked and crumbled.
  • 2 jalapeños Seeded and diced.
Creamy dressing
  • 8 oz cream cheese Softened.
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
Cheddar and garnish
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese Shredded.
  • 0.25 cup green onions Sliced.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Preheat and roast the potatoes
  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F and place a sheet pan inside to warm for 5 minutes. The hot pan helps the potatoes roast with crisp edges.
  2. Toss halved baby potatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until evenly coated. Make sure the cut sides are well seasoned for flavor.
  3. Spread the potatoes cut-side down on the hot sheet pan and roast for 30-35 minutes, turning once halfway, until golden. Look for browned, crisp edges and tender centers.
Cool and make the dressing
  1. Let the roasted potatoes cool for 1 hour at room temperature. Cooling prevents the cream cheese dressing from melting into a thin sauce.
  2. Mix cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. Stop when the mixture looks creamy with no lumps.
Assemble and serve
  1. Combine the cooled potatoes with crumbled bacon, diced jalapeños, and shredded cheddar. Fold gently so the cheese begins to melt just slightly from residual heat.
  2. Toss the potato mixture with the cream cheese dressing until evenly coated. The salad should look creamy and glossy rather than dry.
  3. Top with sliced green onions right before serving. Add them at the end for bright color and a fresh bite.

Notes

Pro tip: roast the potatoes cut-side down and don’t rush the 1-hour cooling—this keeps the dressing thick and clingy. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; for best texture, wait to add green onions until serving again. Freeze is not recommended due to the creamy dairy texture. For a lighter swap, use low-fat cream cheese and sour cream while keeping the same seasoning and cheese amount for the loaded popper flavor.