Smoked BBQ Potato Salad is a smoky twist on a classic that's packed with bold flavor. Red potatoes, garlic, and jalapenos are smoked until tender and tossed in a creamy dressing with mayo, sweet and tangy barbecue sauce, and grainy mustard for a side that's anything but ordinary.

smoked bbq potato salad garnished with scallions in a white scalloped bowl on a wood serving board

Before You Start Cooking

Method: Pellet Grill/Smoker Skill: Intermediate

Wood/Pellets: We use a pellet blend that includes hickory and cherry for a well-rounded smoke flavor. Hickory brings a bolder, classic BBQ depth, and cherry adds a hint of sweetness.
Time Commitment: This isn't a quick side dish. The potatoes need 1-½ to 2 hours on the smoker, plus cooling time, and at least an hour of chill time (2-4 hours) once the potato salad is mixed. Plan ahead if you're serving it for a cookout!
Texture: The potatoes for this recipe are smoked low and slow until tender, but will have a more "al dente" bite compared to traditional boiled potato salad.

How to Make Smoked BBQ Potato Salad

overhead of ingredients needed for smoked BBQ potato salad on an ivory tile surface with text label overlays

Prep and Smoke the Potatoes

Start by cleaning your red potatoes and cutting them into ¾- to 1-inch chunks. No need to peel-the skins are thin and add nice texture to the potato salad. You can also use baby or creamer potatoes here (red, gold, or a mix). If they're around golf ball size (1 to 1-½ inches), just cut them in half.

To make sure the potatoes cook through on the smoker in a reasonable amount of time, we like to pre-steam them in the microwave. Add the cut potatoes to a microwave-safe bowl with ¼ cup of water. Cover with a vented microwave-safe lid and cook on HIGH for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring halfway through.

When you pierce the potatoes with a paring knife, you should still feel some resistance. You don't want them soft enough to mash-they should be just starting to become tender. Microwave times vary, so if they're still too firm, keep going in 1-minute intervals, up to 10 minutes total.

parcooked cubed red potatoes in a baking dish on a pellet grill

Drain the potatoes well, then transfer them to a smoker-safe baking dish or disposable foil pan for easy cleanup. Drizzle with about a tablespoon of olive oil and season with a few pinches of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Gently toss to coat them evenly.

Set your smoker to 250°F with indirect heat. Place the pan of potatoes on the grates and smoke for 1-½ to 2 hours, or until they're tender. Give them a gentle stir once or twice during the cook to help them smoke evenly.

Once the potatoes are tender, remove them from the grill and let them cool completely before assembling the salad.

smoked cubed red potatoes in a glass baking dish on a pellet grill

Prep and Smoke the Garlic and Jalapeno

You'll smoke the garlic and jalapeño for this Smoked BBQ Potato Salad right alongside the potatoes at 250°F.

Garlic: Slice the top off of a head (or half a head) of garlic to expose the tops of the cloves. This allows the smoke to infuse the garlic, not just the outer skins.

Place the garlic in a smoker-safe dish or nestle it in a piece of foil with the sides cupped up. Drizzle ½ to 1 tablespoon of olive oil into the cloves and sprinkle with a pinch or two of salt and pepper.

Smoke for 60 to 90 minutes, until the garlic is soft and golden. Let it cool, and then squeeze the smoked garlic cloves out of their skins and chop them finely.

Tip: You'll only need 4 to 5 cloves of smoked garlic for the potato salad, about half a head. You can break a raw head of garlic in half, or go ahead and smoke the whole thing (we often do!). Smoked garlic adds great flavor to all kinds of dishes and will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

smoked garlic in a white ramekin with olive oil

Jalapeno: Halve a jalapeno pepper lengthwise and remove the seeds and ribs (that's where the heat is). Wear gloves when handling hot peppers and keep your hands away from your face and eyes-capsaicin can be irritating.

Lightly brush both sides of the pepper with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and place the halves cut-side up directly on the grill grates. Smoke for 30 to 45 minutes, until softened.

Remove the jalapeno from the smoker to cool, and then finely dice it when it's cool enough to handle.

Assemble the Potato Salad

Once the smoked potatoes, garlic, and jalapeno are cooled, it's time to make the dressing and pull everything together. In a medium bowl, stir together:

Mayonnaise: Use a good-quality "real" mayo. We like the richness and tang of Duke's for this recipe.
Barbecue Sauce: We used Stubb's Original in the batch shown, but any style you like-milder, spicier-will work. Go with your favorite.
Grainy Mustard: A whole-grain Dijon (like Maille Old Style, one of our favorites) adds texture and a little extra zip to balance the creamy base.

mayonnaise, bbq sauce, and grainy mustard in a glass bowl next to a white rubber spatula on an ivory tile surface

mixed dressing for smoked bbq potato salad in a glass bowl with a white rubber spatula on an ivory tile surface

Stir the chopped smoked garlic and jalapeno into the dressing. Give it a taste and season it with salt and pepper to your liking.

Pour the dressing over the cooled potatoes-we do this right in the pan we smoked them in to save on cleanup. Add thinly-sliced scallions and gently toss everything together so the potatoes are evenly coated. Go easy when mixing so you don't break up the potatoes too much.

Give the potato salad one last taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Cover it tightly and refrigerate for at least an hour-2 to 4 hours is even better-to let it chill and give the flavors time to meld. Just before serving, we like to sprinkle a few fresh sliced scallions on top for a pop of color and freshness.

overhead of a pan of smoked potatoes, a bowl of potato salad dressing, and bowls of sliced scallions, chopped smoked garlic, and diced smoked jalapeno on an ivory tile surface

smoked potatoes mixed with bbq-mayo dressing and scallions in a glass pan with a gold spoon

Serving and Storing Smoked BBQ Potato Salad

This smoky, flavor-packed potato salad is a great make-ahead side for cookouts, tailgating, and potlucks. You can serve it with just about anything off the grill or smoker-burgers, hot dogs, ribs, brisket, pulled pork, grilled chicken, sausages-you name it.

Make-Ahead and Storage: If you're making this potato salad ahead or saving leftovers, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The potatoes will absorb some of the dressing over time, so it might be a bit less saucy than when freshly made. Give it a gentle stir before serving.

Food Safety: Mayo-based salads need to stay chilled when served outside. For food safety, don't leave the potato salad out for more than 2 hours at room temperature, or 1 hour if it's hotter than 90°F.

To keep it chilled, serve the salad in a cold bowl set over ice or use a chilled serving container. We're big fans of the Pampered Chef Cool & Serve Bowls we picked up at a friend's party a few summers ago.

Before You Start Cooking