A twist on the traditional potato salad, this one has pesto and peas and is simple but fantastic. Fresh and flavorful, it's perfect for barbecues and potlucks, easy to assemble and the components can be made ahead.
Potato recipe with an Italian flair
Few things make me happier, foodwise, than opening the refrigerator and finding potato salads that I can spoon or fork directly from the bowl, often with the door open.
Now, this one that I'm sharing today has probably everything that I like in a potato salad, and out of it, like a fantastic homemade pesto that can also be used in sandwiches.
This salad has diverse textures and layers and is quite customizable.
If you use a different type of sauce (like lemon spinach pesto), you can create a very different and uniquely flavored potato side dish.
Ingredient list
- Potatoes: new or red potatoes (small ones), Yukon gold, or fingerlings are best for salad in my opinion.
- Spinach or arugula: or a mix of both.
- Peas: fresh or frozen. Omit if you don't like them.
- Vinegar: I like red wine vinegar, but cider, white wine or sherry also work.
- Salt.
- Black pepper: freshly ground if possible.
- Fresh parsley.
- Fresh basil leaves: it doesn't work with dried.
- Walnuts: don't bother buying whole expensive ones, as they'll be processed. Cheaper, broken pieces work fine.
- Shallot: if unavailable use a mix of onion and garlic or green onions.
- Asiago or parmesan cheese.
- Olive oil.
Quantities are listed on the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
What potatoes are best for salad?
The best potatoes to use are waxy or all-purpose varieties. They hold their shape well when cooked and are less likely to turn mushy, which is important for maintaining the texture of the salad.
- New or baby potatoes: these are one of my favorites and are eaten with the skin on. They are young potatoes harvested before they reach maturity. They have thin skins and a firm and waxy texture.
- Yukon Gold potatoes: this variety has a creamy texture and a slightly buttery flavor.
- Red potatoes: they have a firm texture and a slightly sweet flavor. Plus, their red skin adds color to the salad. You can use them together with new or baby potatoes for contrast.
- Fingerling potatoes: they come in various colors and have a firm, waxy texture that holds up well in salads. Their unique flavor and longer shape can add interest to your dish.
- Russets: the most popular type, they're a good option. I like to cook them with their skin on and then peel them, as they hold their shape better in my experience.
Pesto sauce
We use a very simple, quite traditional pesto for this recipe. But you can vary it and create different salad flavor profiles.
- Cilantro pesto: easy to make with Mexican vibes.
- Spinach lemon pesto: my favorite one for pasta, this will add a stronger spinach flavor to the salad.
- Arugula: substitute half the basil for this peppery green.
- Pine nuts: you can use them instead of walnuts.
Kitchen Notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, utensils and equipment needed, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Salted water: make sure the cooking water is well salted as it makes a difference in the finished salad. It works better than adding extra afterwords.
- Make ahead: the pesto keeps for a week in the refrigerator. Use an airtight jar and cover it with a thin layer of olive oil before closing to prevent oxidization (turning brownish). Keep the baked potatoes in the fridge in an airtight container or covered bowl for up to 2 days. Let them cool down first.
- Storing leftovers: cover the bowl with plastic wrap or transfer to an airtight container. They keep for 3 days. I don't recommend freezing potato salad.
- Potato pesto egg salad: add some hard-boiled eggs cut into quarters or quail eggs, about 3 per serving.
Related recipes you might like:
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Potato Salad with Pesto
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 3 pounds potatoes, I use new or baby potatoes
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
- 1 cup thinly sliced spinach or arugula leaves
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the homemade pesto:
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, packed
- ½ cup fresh parsley leaves, packed
- ⅓ cup walnuts
- ¼ cup chopped shallot
- ½ cup 2 oz asiago or parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 cup olive oil
Instructions
For the potato salad:
- In a saucepan, cook 3 pounds of unpeeled potatoes in abundant salted water until tender but not too soft. Drain, peel as soon as you can, as they will absorb flavors better if hot, and put in a large salad bowl. If using small potatoes, you can leave the skin on.
- Add 1 tablespoon vinegar and black pepper to taste, and toss lightly. Let cool to room temperature before adding anything else.
- In boiling water, cook 1 cup of peas for 1 minute if frozen and 2 minutes if fresh, and drain. Put in the bowl with the potatoes.
- Add ½ cup pesto, 1 cup thinly sliced spinach or arugula, and stir to mix. Please feel free to add more pesto as you see fit. You might only use some of it.
- Season the salad with salt and pepper. It's important to taste the salad at this point to check if it needs more seasoning or any other ingredient.
For the basil pesto:
- In a food processor or with an immersion blender, mix 1 cup fresh basil, ½ cup fresh parsley, ⅓ cup walnuts, ¼ cup chopped shallot, ½ cup grated cheese, salt and black pepper to taste, and ½ cup olive oil.
- Gradually add the rest of the ½ cup olive oil and check for salt and pepper a few times.
- If you don't use all the pesto in the salad, store it covered in the refrigerator to maintain its freshness.
Cocoa and Lavender says
This potato salad rocks! I used some frozen pesto I had and froze peas, but fresh peas will soon be here and fresh basil is already abundant. I am with you, Paula, I am not a vegetarian (though I was in college out of self-defense - the cafeteria was execrable!), but Ottolenghi's book Plenty proved that vegetarian food like his could make a carnivor go veggie! ~ David (Sorry about the typos - I am on my iPad and it doesn't like it when you go back to change things!)
mygulitypleasures says
How strange ... I did the same salad the other day ... http://wp.me/p293Pw-6oT - and I love it.
It was Laura that told me that you had made a post about it too. Mine has maybe another angle to it.
Nice meeting you, Viveka
Marissa | Pinch and Swirl says
I dig pesto, all kinds. And DO NOT forget to post your sun-dried tomato version - sounds so good. I have never eaten a quail egg, but now I'll have to seek them out...
Laura Dembowski says
I would be more than happy to have this as a meal, Paula! I love that it has pesto instead of being weighed down with a ton of mayonnaise.