Grocery Review + Copycat
Kirkland Loaded Potato Salad: What's In It + a Copycat Recipe
Costco's deli-case favorite, broken down: what is actually in it, the honest nutrition picture, and a full copycat you can make at home and lighten.
Short Answer
Costco's Kirkland Signature loaded potato salad is a creamy potato salad built on the "loaded baked potato" flavor set: potatoes, bacon, cheddar, and green onion in a sour-cream-and-mayo dressing. It is a treat side, heavier on fat and sodium than a plain potato salad. Below is the honest nutrition picture, a full copycat recipe, and lighter swaps, plus how to scan the store version for its exact numbers.
The nutrition reality
Loaded potato salad stacks three things that add up fast: carbohydrate from the potatoes, fat from the mayonnaise, sour cream, and cheese, and sodium from the bacon and cheese. A plain cup of potato salad already runs high in calories and fat, and "loaded" versions push further. That does not make it bad, it makes it a side to portion with intent, much like other indulgent comfort-food favorites. If you want the precise numbers for the Costco product rather than an average, the fastest route is to scan it.
Want the real label, not a guess? Scan the Kirkland tub's barcode in easyChef Pro to see its exact calories, fat, and sodium and how it fits your day.
Copycat recipe
This makes a big, party-size bowl that tastes like the deli version. Amounts below; the dressing is where you control how rich it gets.
Ingredients
- 2 lb baby red or Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into bite-size cubes
- 6 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise (or plain Greek yogurt to lighten)
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Method
- Boil the cubed potatoes in salted water until fork-tender, about 12 to 15 minutes. Drain and let cool.
- While the potatoes cook, fry the bacon until crisp, drain on paper towels, and crumble.
- Whisk the sour cream, mayonnaise (or Greek yogurt), and Dijon together; season with salt and pepper.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled potatoes, cheddar, most of the bacon, and the green onions. Fold in the dressing until everything is coated.
- Top with the remaining bacon and green onion. Chill at least 1 hour before serving so the flavors set.
How to make it lighter
- Swap the mayonnaise for plain Greek yogurt (keeps it creamy, adds protein, cuts fat).
- Use turkey bacon, or less of the regular kind, to drop sodium and fat.
- Lean on more potato and less dressing, the ratio is what makes it heavy.
- Reduced-fat cheddar trims fat without losing the sharp flavor.
Tweaking the dressing? Paste your version into the Recipe Scorer and watch the calories, fat, and sodium move as you swap ingredients.
More potato sides
Related reading
Frequently asked questions
Costco's Kirkland Signature loaded potato salad follows the classic "loaded baked potato" flavor profile: tender potatoes in a creamy dressing with bacon, cheddar cheese, and green onions. The exact recipe and nutrition are on the deli label, which you can scan to capture precisely.
It is a treat side, not a light one. The combination stacks carbohydrate from the potatoes with fat and sodium from mayonnaise, sour cream, cheese, and bacon. A standard cup of potato salad already runs high in calories and fat, and "loaded" versions add more. You can lighten it meaningfully with the swaps below, or scan the store version to see exactly where it lands for your goals.
Boil cubed potatoes until tender, crisp and crumble bacon, then fold the potatoes together with shredded cheddar, green onion, crumbled bacon, and a sour-cream-and-mayo dressing. Chill before serving. The full copycat recipe and amounts are above.
Because it is mayonnaise-based, keep it refrigerated and eat within 3 to 4 days. Do not leave it at room temperature for more than about 2 hours (1 hour in hot weather).
Know what is in it before you serve it
Scan a deli tub or paste a recipe and see calories, fat, sodium, and a score for your goals.