A twist on the traditional potato salad, this one has pesto and peas and is fantastic. It's very simple and always a hit in my house or when I take it to barbecues and potlucks.
Few things make me happier, foodwise, than to open my refrigerator and find two or three different things that I can spoon or fork directly from the bowl - this pesto potato salad a favorite - often with the door open.
On days I'm feeling very proper, I present a nice plate with different things on it. Like an everyday mini buffet lunch or dinner.
I can't think of any better meal than one that involves a lot of dishes I like that get piled up on my plate. Maybe a very good sandwich, like this with serrano ham, mozzarella, and arugula, can compete with that.
Or a great barbecue, but then, they involve several types of meat and salads, so we'd be back to the buffet-like idea.
Though to tell you the truth, I dislike the word buffet a lot, have no clue to why, I just do, but it serves its purpose very well here.
It's pretty hard to post a potato salad that has not been made before or that we haven't seen everywhere. Is it that we all pretty much like the same thing? Probably.
For me, it has some kick from mustard or vinegar, and I really like it with parsley.
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 be used in sandwiches, pasta dishes and salads.
How can a pesto be so different?
I don't know, I make them all the time and have posted a few, like the wonderful cauliflower pesto, sun-dried tomato pesto, and the very popular cilantro pesto.
So, I dig pesto a lot. How come this one surprised me?
This recipe is adapted from Ottolenghi's cookbook Plenty. I don't think there ever was a recipe from him that I didn't like.
So line up your potatoes, peas, basil pesto and make this super wonderful potato salad, and go on a picnic, celebrate the spring or the fall, or some holiday that must be coming soon, or just that life is good.
Or do as I do, make a huge bowl for yourself, have a few tablespoons every hour and call it a meal.
Related recipes you might like:
Let me know in the comments below if you made this recipe and loved it and if you had issues so we can troubleshoot together. I love to hear what you think, always. Thanks for being here. It's much appreciated.
You might also consider subscribing to our FREE Baking the Best email series and our regular newsletter. Or connect via Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.
Potato Salad with Pesto
A twist on the traditional potato egg salad, this one has pesto and peas and is fantastic. Very simple, it's always a hit in my house and when I take it to barbecues and potlucks.
- Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
- 3 pounds potatoes (I use baby potatoes, unpeeled)
- 1 tablespoon wine vinegar
- 1 cup thinly sliced spinach or arugula leaves
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Chopped parsley, for serving
For the pesto:
- 1 and ½ cups basil leaves
- â…“ cup walnuts
- 1 shallot
- ½ cup 2oz (30g) asiago or parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 cup olive oil
Instructions
For the salad:
- In a saucepan, cook the potatoes in abundantly well-salted water, unpeeled, until they are 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.
- Add vinegar and pepper and mix lightly. Let cool to room temperature before adding anything else.
- In boiling water, cook peas for 1 minute for frozen and 2 minutes for fresh, and drain. Put in the bowl with the potatoes.
- Add ½ cup pesto, spinach or arugula, and mix. Add more pesto as you see fit. You might not use it all.
- Season with salt and pepper and test if it needs something else.
For the pesto:
- In a food processor or with an immersion blender, mix basil, parsley, walnuts, shallot, cheese, black pepper and half of the oil.
- Add the rest of the oil gradually and check a few times for salt and pepper.
- If not using it all in the salad, keep it covered in the refrigerator.
Notes
Salted water: I add a lot of salt to the water where I cook my potatoes, and it makes a difference in the finished salad. It works better than adding extra afterwords.
Quail eggs: a great addition if you want to vary. Use 3 eggs per serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cooling time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Salads
- Method: Boiling + Mixing
- Cuisine: International
Miss Messy says
I love quails eggs 🙂 This is such a great combination! Lovely idea.
Medeja says
This salad both looks beautiful and sounds delicious!
laurasmess.me says
Another completely gorgeous recipe. I love pesto with potatoes... great idea for a fancied up delicious potato salad! Re buffets. I don't like the word much either, mostly due to recollections of family-style buffets with children who stick their fingers in everything, mediocre salads and lukewarm meat. I usually use the Swedish word, 'smorgasbord', these days. Sounds much nicer, especially as I have family in Sweden so the word has warm association for me! I do love homestyle meals with lots of dishes though. That's the way that my husband and I eat most nights; I prepare lots of small things for variety and we pick and eat as we please! Thanks for sharing this recipe from 'Plenty'. I'll definitely be adding it to our repertoire 🙂 xx
Bam's Kitchen says
Pesto and potatoes is a lovely idea. Lets have a picnic!
Inside a British Mum's Kitchen says
Honestly - FANTASTIC!
Mary x
mividaenundulce says
Things like that happened to me in the night, just before going to bed...I always go to the kitchen to "drink" something, and suddenly I start eating leftovers, of course with the door opened, so I can have light...!!!
The Ninja Baker says
Quail eggs are such an elegant addition to potato salad, Paula. I bet the wine vinegar and the basil in the pesto kicks up an extra special notch, too. Thank you for this fantabulous recipe, my friend. Appreciate the tip about extra salt when boiling the potatoes, too =)
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says
Paula,
I feel the same way when I open my fridge. . and I almost always find something!! 🙂 I totally want to get my hands on Plenty. . I've heard so many great things. . ah! one more cookbook. . does it ever end?
I don't think I have ever had a quail eggs. . from your post, I can tell I'm missing out. . this looks amazing! I can't wait to try this!
Kate@Diethood says
Holy yum!!! That's what I'm talkin' about!! Who knew a potato salad could be so damn good!! LOVE THIS!!
I also love the fact that you eat right out of the bowl propped up against the opened fridge door ... that's my favorite way to eat! 😀
Guru Uru says
Your potato salad is so gorgeous, I love the flavours and the spring prettiness!
Cheers
CCU
Kay-Tom Van Treese says
Wow, looks good! Very creative.
Deb says
What a marvelous Potato Salad! With fresh spring flavors and elegant quail eggs, just divine!
Beth says
What a pretty salad! The flavors sound wonderful together.
Grandbabycakes says
That looks really incredible! I still have yet to have quail eggs.
Susan Lester says
Wow, Paula - I was just talking to some friends about the great health benefits of Quail Eggs. I sent them the link to your post. This is just so "Springy"!
Renee says
You have now given me the reason to get and cook quail eggs for the first time. What an amazing salad.
Donalyn @ The Creekside Cook says
This looks so good - and you can never have too many potato salad recipes, as far as I'm concerned! Beautiful!
Andrea_TheKitchenLioness says
Paula, what wonderful recipes there are in Yotam Ottolenghis, "Plenty" - I love potato salad (how could I not coming from where I come from) but what I love even more is potato salads like this one, with fresh, bright, healthy and delicious additions to make a potato salad "extraordinaire".
Lori @ Foxes Love Lemons says
I'll have to flip through Plenty again and find this, because I haven't noticed it yet - that book is too full of eye candy to see everything!
I totally know what you mean about eating a meal, a few tablespoons at a time, from the fridge. Easy to do when you work from home all day 🙂
Abbe@This is How I Cook says
Paula, i can't believe it-quail eggs. You'll have to see my latest post because I have a picture of quail eggs in a nest outside my mother's kitchen door. Can't say I've ever had them but now all I can think of is the nest! But this sounds very good!