Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Potato pesto spinach salad in a white bowl with wooden tongs. Plates and bowl with pesto and potatoes in the background.

Potato Salad with Pesto

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

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

Units

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
  • 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, packed
  • 1/3 cup walnuts
  • 1 shallot
  • 1/2 cup 2oz (30g) asiago or parmesan cheese, grated
  • 1 cup olive oil

Instructions

For the potato salad:

  1. 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. 
  2. Add vinegar and pepper and mix lightly. Let cool to room temperature before adding anything else. 
  3. In boiling water, cook peas for 1 minute for frozen and 2 minutes for fresh, and drain. Put in the bowl with the potatoes.
  4. Add 1/2 cup pesto, spinach or arugula, and mix. Add more pesto as you see fit. You might not use it all. 
  5. Season with salt and pepper and test if it needs something else.

For the basil pesto:

  1. In a food processor or with an immersion blender, mix basil, parsley, walnuts, shallot, cheese, black pepper and half of the oil.
  2. Add the rest of the oil gradually and check a few times for salt and pepper. 
  3. 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.

  • Author: Paula Montenegro
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cooling time: 2 hours
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Salads
  • Method: Boiling + Mixing
  • Cuisine: International

Find it online: https://vintagekitchennotes.com/royal-potato-pesto-egg-salad/