BBQ Ranch Potato Salad
This BBQ Ranch Potato Salad puts a sweet and smokey spin on a summer classic! It’s the bold and flavourful mash-up you never knew you needed.
JUMP TO RECIPEINGREDIENTS & INSPIRATION
I’m not gonna lie: Classic potato salad hasn’t ever been one of my go-to summer dishes… until now! Don’t get me wrong, I love potatoes in all their forms, but cold semi-mashed potatoes drowning in mayo-based dressing sometimes just doesn’t do it for me. But this BBQ Ranch Potato Salad is next level delicious, boasting homemade ranch powder seasoning, fresh grilled corn and smokey-sweet BBQ sauce.
The combination of creamy potatoes, juicy charred corn, and all the delicious seasonings is a mouth-watering flavour explosion that just works.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
- mini potatoes
- fresh corn on the cob
- red onion
- vegan mayo
- bbq sauce (the smokier the better)
- lime juice
- ranch powder
ranch powder
- nutritional yeast
- dried chives
- dried parsley
- dried dill
- onion powder
- garlic powder
- black pepper
- sea salt
make it your own
There’s plenty of room to switch things up here to make this BBQ Ranch Potato Salad the best for you. Only have russet potatoes? No worries, just cut them into smaller bite-sized pieces before boiling. Don’t have red onion? Replace it with more green onion. Already have a bottle of vegan ranch dressing in your fridge? Use that instead of the mayo in the recipe. The possibilities are only as endless as your creativity!
why we ♥︎ this bbq ranch potato salad
I’m pretty sure the last thing that will come to your mind once you try this BBQ Ranch Potato Salad is ‘boring’. More like ‘boo-YEAH’!
You’re going to love this recipe because:
- It uses inexpensive and accessible ingredients
- The recipe is über customizable to suit the ingredients you already have
- It’s perfect for summer potlucks and BBQs
- It’s really satisfying and hella delicious
How to make BBQ Ranch Potato Salad
- Chop and boil your potatoes until fork tender, rinse in cold water and set aside to cool.
- Dice the red onion and soak in boiling hot water for 15 minutes to reduce its harsh sharpness.
- Grill the cobs of corn on the BBQ until evenly charred on all sides, about 8 minutes. Let cool before handling.
- Slice off the grilled corn into a large serving bowl. Add the potatoes, red onion, mayo, ranch powder, mayo, BBQ sauce and lime juice and stir well to combine together.
- Serve chilled, garnish with green onion and ENJOY!
The Perfect Mash-Up
If you’re looking for an actually interesting way to change up the old potato salad recipe you’ve been making for years, this BBQ Ranch Potato Salad is it. It’s family-friendly, easy to throw together, and great for school or work lunches! Keeps well in the fridge for up to 5 days.
If you digged this recipe you might love some of my other summer salads like my Crunchy Cashew Noodle Salad, Asian-Inspired Tofu Salad Rolls or Zesty Black Bean Mash!
Lastly, if you made this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @SteamyVegan and use hashtag #SteamyVegan! I seriously love seeing what you’re cooking up! Plus make sure to check me out on YouTube — I have HUNDREDS of videos to give you limitless plant-based inspiration!
BBQ Ranch Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 3 lbs. mini potatoes, chopped (red, yellow, mixed)
- 2 corn on the cob
- 1 cup red onion, diced
- ⅓ cup vegan mayo
- ¼ cup plus 2 tbsp BBQ sauce
- juice of 1 lime
- water to thin out as needed
- 3 tbsp ranch powder (see below)
Ranch Powder (makes extra!)
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp dried chives
- 2½ tbsp dried parsley
- 1⅓ tbsp dried dill
- 1½ tbsp onion powder
- 1½ tbsp garlic powder
- ¾ tsp black pepper
- 1½ tsp sea salt
Instructions
- 1. Wash and halve your mini potatoes into bite-sized pieces, then add to a pot with enough water to just cover them. Bring to a boil then cook the potatoes on medium-high heat for 10-12 minutes or until they become fork-tender. Drain and rinse with cold water and set aside to continue cooling.
- Boil about 2 cups of water in a kettle. Add your finely diced red onion into a small bowl and then pour the boiling hot water overtop. Soak the onion while you prepare the rest of your ingredients, about 15 to 30 minutes or so (this helps reduce the sharp bite of the red onion).
- Turn on your bbq to high heat. While it's heating up, shuck your cobs of corn and lightly coat each one with olive oil. Turn heat down to medium-high and grill the cobs for about 8 minutes, turning them frequently to ensure each side gets nicely charred. Remove from grill and set aside until they're cool enough to handle.
- Make your ranch powder: In a blender or food processor, add all of the ranch powder ingredients, cover with the lid and pulse several times until it forms uniform, blended powder with not many large pieces of herbs remaining. Transfer into a sealable jar or container and set aside.
- Place your cooled grilled corn cobs flat-side down on a cutting board and carefully slice off the corn from top to bottom using a large sharp knife. Add the sliced corn into a large serving bowl.
- Add the cooled potatoes to the serving bowl. Drain the red onion and add to the potatoes and corn.In a small bowl, whisk together the mayo, bbq sauce, lime juice, ranch powder, and if needed, a couple tbsp of water to thin out the sauce. Pour over the veggies.
- Mix everything together well until all the veggies are coated in the bbq ranch sauce. Cover the bowl and chill for at least an hour or up to overnight to allow the flavours to meld.
- Garnish with chopped green onion or dill and enjoy! Great on its own or with your favourite plant-based burger!
