Stir This Seasoning Packet Into Potato Salad For 10x The Flavor

For many of us, no potluck is complete without a bowl of old-fashioned potato salad sitting in a shady spot on the buffet table. Tangy, starchy, and refreshing, this dish typically combines the hearty deliciousness of potatoes with summery flavor from herbs and citrus or vinegar. Like many other classics, 21st century cooks have created hundreds of variations of this al fresco favorite, from light and bright herbed potato salad sans mayo to a rich and tasty side doused with another American classic: ranch seasoning.

Featuring a combination of dried buttermilk, garlic and onion powders, and lots of dried herbs, this seasoning packet contains all the same flavors that made us fall in love with ranch dressing, but in powdered form. That makes it perfect for sprinkling on warm, freshly boiled potatoes and gently stirring them to coat, creating an incredibly flavorful potato salad that might just go perfectly with a burger also enhanced with ranch seasoning.

If you prefer a creamy potato salad, simply mix the ranch seasoning into the amount of mayonnaise you'd normally use, and stir that through your potatoes. Sour cream also works well here, as would thick and creamy Greek yogurt. Since potato salad typically needs to chill in the fridge before it's ready to eat, this is an excellent option when prepping for a gathering ahead of time, as that time in the fridge allows the ranch seasoning to fully marry with the salad and bloom all of its flavors.

Potatoes and ranch seasoning not only taste amazing together, but both are also compatible with similar flavor profiles. That means it's very easy to elevate your ranch potato salad to the next level with common ingredients that are pretty universally beloved, bacon being the most obvious choice. This option is unbelievably tasty with a spoon of stone-ground mustard and a sprinkling of fresh dill and parsley.

If you want pure ranch flavor without the heaviness of dairy dressings, you can also use a little olive oil to coat your potatoes — bonus points if it's infused with garlic or another flavor shared inside the ranch seasoning. You can balance the oil with a squeeze of lemon juice and some of the zest, as well as fresh tarragon or basil (not both, as they clash together).

Of course, it's especially important to choose the right kind of potatoes for your potato salad when adding ranch seasoning, as it takes a little extra stirring to mix it in completely. Yukon golds give the dish a pleasing color and don't become mealy when boiled, holding their shape so you can fully mix in your seasoning or dressing without accidentally making ranch mashed potatoes.