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Jalapeño Popper Roasted Potato Salad

Jalapeño popper roasted potato salad with crispy, golden potatoes and spicy jalapeños plus bacon and melty cheddar. It’s tossed in a tangy cream cheese–sour cream dressing for a loaded, creamy salad.
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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: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

baby potatoes, halved
  • 3 lb baby potatoes
olive oil
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
  • 1 salt
  • 1 pepper
bacon
  • 8 slices bacon
jalapeños
  • 2 ea jalapeños seeded and diced
cream cheese and sour cream
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
green onions
  • 0.25 cup green onions sliced

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Roast the potatoes
  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. This ensures the sheet pan is hot for browning as soon as the potatoes go in.
  2. Toss the baby potatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread them in a single layer for even roasting.
  3. Roast the potatoes for 30-35 minutes at 425°F until golden. Look for crisped edges and a browned surface.
Make the dressing
  1. Mix the cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. The dressing should look creamy with no visible lumps.
Assemble and serve
  1. Let the roasted potatoes cool for 1 hour. They should be warm to room temperature so the dressing clings instead of melting.
  2. Combine the potatoes with bacon, jalapeños, and cheddar cheese. Fold gently so the jalapeños and bacon distribute through the whole salad.
  3. Toss the potato mixture with the cream cheese dressing. Mix until every bite looks coated and glossy.
  4. Top with green onions before serving. Serve with a visible scatter of green flecks over the top.

Notes

For the best texture, roast until the potatoes are clearly golden and crisp at the edges, then cool for the full 1 hour before mixing—this prevents a watery salad. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 4 days; stir once before serving. Freezing is not recommended due to texture changes in the cream cheese dressing. For a lighter option, use light cream cheese and reduced-fat cheddar (the flavor stays similar, but it’s less rich).