Air Fryer Charred Red Onion & Cheddar Potato Salad

AF-200 Crew BBQ Recipe

Air Fryer Charred Red Onion & Cheddar Potato Salad

This is proper smokehouse potato salad with a twist. Baby potatoes are roasted until golden, while thick wedges of red onion are charred until sweet and smoky. Everything gets folded through a creamy wholegrain mustard dressing with mature cheddar, crispy bacon and fresh chives. It's rich enough to stand beside brisket but fresh enough to disappear long before the barbecue's finished.

Air Fryer Charred Red Onion & Cheddar Potato Salad
Air Fryer Charred Red Onion & Cheddar Potato Salad preparation stage

You’ll Need

For the Potatoes
800g baby potatoes, halved
1 large red onion, cut into thick wedges
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp cracked black pepper

Smokehouse Dressing
4 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp sour cream
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp smoked paprika
Freshly cracked black pepper

To Finish
80g mature cheddar, diced into small cubes
5 rashers smoked streaky bacon, cooked until crisp and chopped
3 spring onions, finely sliced
Small handful fresh chives, chopped

Optional but dangerous
Pickled jalapeños
Crispy fried onions
Dill pickle slices
Hot honey drizzle
Extra cracked black pepper

Method

Preheat your air fryer to 200°C.

Toss the potatoes and red onion wedges with the olive oil, smoked paprika, sea salt and black pepper.

Air fry for 18–22 minutes, shaking every 5–6 minutes, until the potatoes are crisp outside and fluffy inside, and

the onions are deeply charred around the edges.

Allow everything to cool for around 10 minutes so the dressing doesn't split.

Whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, wholegrain mustard, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, garlic

powder, smoked paprika and black pepper.

Fold the warm potatoes and charred onions through the dressing.

Add the cheddar cubes, crispy bacon, spring onions and most of the chives.

Mix gently until everything is evenly coated while keeping the potatoes intact.

Transfer to a serving bowl and finish with the remaining chives, extra black pepper and any optional toppings.

Serve slightly warm or chilled alongside brisket, pulled pork, ribs, burgers or grilled chicken.

Lad Tip: Don't worry if the onion edges look almost burnt—that deep char is exactly what gives this salad its smokehouse flavour. Sweet roasted onions, sharp cheddar and smoky bacon are an absolute game changer together.

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