Italian Pesto Potato Salad

Here is my favorite pesto potato salad recipe, with tender Yukon Gold potatoes, fresh parsley, garlic, parmesan, and toasted pine nuts, all tossed in a creamy pesto dressing.

This potato salad is my go-to side dish for summer barbecues and potlucks. It’s a fun twist on traditional potato salad that disappears fast every time I make it. Plus, you can make it ahead of time, which is always a win in my book!

What Kind of Potatoes Should I Use?

For potato salad, you’ll want to stick with waxy potatoes like red potatoes, Yukon golds, or new potatoes since they hold their shape better after boiling. Starchy potatoes like russets tend to fall apart and get mushy, which isn’t ideal for this recipe. Red potatoes are my go-to because they’re usually affordable and have a nice creamy texture that works perfectly with the pesto. You can leave the skins on for extra texture and nutrients, or peel them if you prefer – either way works great.

Options for Substitutions

This pesto potato salad is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps:

• Potatoes: Any waxy potato works great here – try red potatoes, Yukon golds, or fingerlings. They all hold their shape well after boiling. Avoid russets though, as they tend to fall apart and get mushy in potato salad.
• Italian parsley: If you only have curly parsley, go ahead and use it. You can also try fresh basil for a more traditional pesto flavor, or even a mix of both herbs.
• Parmesan: Pecorino Romano makes a good substitute and adds a slightly sharper flavor. In a pinch, you can use any hard Italian cheese you have on hand.
• Lemon juice: White wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar can replace the lemon juice if that’s what you’ve got. Start with about 2 teaspoons and adjust to taste.
• Mayonnaise: Greek yogurt or sour cream work well here for a tangier flavor. You can also use all olive oil (increase to 4 tablespoons total) if you want to skip the mayo entirely, though the dressing will be a bit thinner.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake with potato salad is overcooking the potatoes until they’re mushy and fall apart when you try to mix them with the dressing – aim for fork-tender but still firm, which usually takes about 15-20 minutes depending on the size of your potato chunks.

Starting your potatoes in cold salted water rather than dropping them into already boiling water helps them cook more evenly from the inside out, preventing that annoying problem where the outside is mushy but the center is still hard.

Don’t dress your potatoes while they’re still hot unless you want a gummy texture – let them cool to room temperature first so they absorb the pesto without turning sticky.

For extra flavor, try tossing the warm potatoes with a splash of the lemon juice before they cool completely, which helps them soak up more taste before you add the creamy pesto dressing.

What to Serve With Pesto Potato Salad?

Pesto potato salad is perfect for summer cookouts, so I love serving it alongside grilled chicken, burgers, or hot dogs. It also pairs really well with simple grilled vegetables like zucchini, bell peppers, or corn on the cob. If you’re keeping things vegetarian, try it with a caprese salad or some marinated mozzarella balls for a fresh Italian-inspired spread. This salad is great for picnics too since it holds up well at room temperature and tastes even better after sitting for a bit.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your pesto potato salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The flavors actually get better as it sits, so it’s a great make-ahead dish for picnics or potlucks. Just give it a good stir before serving since the pesto might settle a bit.

Serve: This salad tastes best when served cold or at room temperature. If you’re taking it to a gathering, pull it out of the fridge about 20 minutes before serving to take the chill off. You might want to add a drizzle of olive oil or a squeeze of lemon juice to freshen it up if it looks a little dry.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 900-1050
• Protein: 16-19 g
• Fat: 47-54 g
• Carbohydrates: 110-125 g

Ingredients

For the potatoes:

• 1.5 lb Yukon Gold potatoes
• 1 tablespoon salt (for boiling water)

For the creamy pesto dressing:

• 1/2 bunch fresh parsley
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1.5 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
• 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

Step 1: Prepare the Pesto Base

• 1/2 bunch fresh parsley
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1.5 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp mayonnaise

While waiting for water to boil, add the parsley, minced garlic, grated Parmesan, lemon juice, and sea salt to a food processor.

Pulse until the mixture becomes coarsely chopped, then drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil while processing until you reach a chunky pesto consistency.

Transfer to a bowl and stir in the mayonnaise until fully combined—this creamy pesto will be your dressing.

I like to make pesto a few minutes before the potatoes finish cooking so the flavors are fresh and vibrant when combined.

Step 2: Cook and Cool the Potatoes

• 1.5 lb Yukon Gold potatoes
• 1 tablespoon salt

Fill a large pot with water, add 1 tablespoon of salt, and bring to a boil over high heat.

Cut the Yukon Gold potatoes into evenly-sized chunks (about 2-3 inches) so they cook at the same rate, then add them to the boiling water.

Reduce heat to maintain a gentle boil and cook for 12-15 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender but still hold their shape.

Drain well and spread on a plate or baking sheet to cool to room temperature—this prevents the warm potatoes from breaking apart when mixed.

Step 3: Assemble and Season the Salad

• cooled potatoes from Step 2
• pesto-mayo dressing from Step 1
• 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
• 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

Once the potatoes have cooled, transfer them to a large mixing bowl and pour the pesto-mayo dressing over them.

Gently fold everything together until each potato piece is evenly coated, being careful not to break them apart.

Sprinkle the toasted pine nuts and freshly cracked black pepper over the top, then fold once more to incorporate.

I find toasting the pine nuts yourself (just 2-3 minutes in a dry skillet) gives them so much more flavor than store-bought ones.

Italian Pesto Potato Salad

Delicious Italian Pesto Potato Salad recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 42 minutes mins

Servings: 5 servings

Calories: 975

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the potatoes

• 1.5 lb Yukon Gold potatoes
• 1 tablespoon salt (for boiling water)

For the creamy pesto dressing

• 1/2 bunch fresh parsley
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1.5 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp toasted pine nuts
• 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

Method

 

1. While waiting for water to boil, add the parsley, minced garlic, grated Parmesan, lemon juice, and sea salt to a food processor. Pulse until the mixture becomes coarsely chopped, then drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil while processing until you reach a chunky pesto consistency. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the mayonnaise until fully combined—this creamy pesto will be your dressing. I like to make pesto a few minutes before the potatoes finish cooking so the flavors are fresh and vibrant when combined.
2. Fill a large pot with water, add 1 tablespoon of salt, and bring to a boil over high heat. Cut the Yukon Gold potatoes into evenly-sized chunks (about 2-3 inches) so they cook at the same rate, then add them to the boiling water. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle boil and cook for 12-15 minutes until the potatoes are fork-tender but still hold their shape. Drain well and spread on a plate or baking sheet to cool to room temperature—this prevents the warm potatoes from breaking apart when mixed.
3. Once the potatoes have cooled, transfer them to a large mixing bowl and pour the pesto-mayo dressing over them. Gently fold everything together until each potato piece is evenly coated, being careful not to break them apart. Sprinkle the toasted pine nuts and freshly cracked black pepper over the top, then fold once more to incorporate. I find toasting the pine nuts yourself (just 2-3 minutes in a dry skillet) gives them so much more flavor than store-bought ones.