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.
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.
Use a different type of sauce (like a lemon spinach pesto), and you have 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.
Some popular potato varieties for salad include:
- New potatoes: New potatoes are young potatoes harvested before they reach maturity. They have thin skins and a firm, waxy texture, making them perfect for potato salad.
- Yukon Gold: These potatoes have a creamy texture and a slightly buttery flavor, making them a great choice for potato salad.
- Red potatoes: Red potatoes are another excellent option for potato salad because they have a firm texture and a slightly sweet flavor. Plus, their red skin adds color to the salad.
- Fingerling potatoes: Fingerling potatoes come in various colors and have a firm, waxy texture that holds up well in salads. They also have a unique flavor that can add interest to your dish.
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
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 new or baby potatoes)
- 1 tablespoon wine vinegar
- 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
- â…“ cup walnuts
- 1 shallot
- ½ cup 2oz (30g) asiago or parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 cup olive oil
Instructions
For the potato 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. If using small potatoes you can leave the skin on.
- 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 basil 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: 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.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cooling time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Salads
- Method: Boiling + Mixing
- Cuisine: International
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.