Pesto Potato Salad
This Pesto Potato Salad is herb-forward, dairy-free, and ready in 35 minutes. Tossed with homemade pesto, sweet peas, and fresh lemon, there's no mayonnaise in this side dish that works any time of year.
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This Pesto Potato Salad is the combination that brought the blog to life. Homemade pesto and potatoes, together in one bowl, for one of my favorite side dishes any time throughout the year.
Fork-tender potatoes are tossed with bright, herbaceous pesto, sweet peas, red onion, and a squeeze of fresh lemon. It comes together in about 35 minutes, works with any style of potato you have on hand, and happens to be completely dairy-free when made with my Dairy-Free Pesto. If you’re looking for a dairy free potato salad that doesn’t feel like a compromise, this is it.
Unlike my Classic Potato Salad and Red Potato Salad, there’s no mayonnaise in this side dish. The pesto is the dressing, and it’s all you need.
What Makes This Pesto Potato Salad Work
The pesto does most of the heavy lifting here. It’s creamy, deeply herby, and coats every piece of potato in a way that a vinaigrette never quite manages. Fresh lemon zest and juice brighten everything up and keep the dish from feeling heavy despite the richness of the pesto.
Frozen peas are a pantry staple that add a pop of color and a subtle sweetness that balances the savory pesto. They go straight into the boiling water at the end of the potato cook time, so there’s no need for a separate pot.
Toasted pine nuts and fresh basil stirred in at the end are optional but worth it. The pine nuts add a subtle crunch and a nutty richness that echoes the flavors already in the pesto.
Choosing Your Potatoes
The original recipe uses fingerling potatoes, but this is genuinely one of those recipes where any waxy potato works well. Yukon Gold, red potatoes, or small creamer potatoes are all great choices. Whatever you use, cut them into roughly the same-size pieces so they cook evenly. As always, starting in cold water rather than a boiling pot helps them cook through without the exterior getting mushy.
Make It Ahead
This pesto potato salad holds up well in the refrigerator for up to five days, making it a solid meal prep option. The pesto continues to absorb into the potatoes as it sits, which only improves the flavor. If it looks a little dry after chilling, stir in a small spoonful of pesto before serving to freshen it up.
This salad works well served warm straight from the pot, at room temperature, or cold from the refrigerator. That makes it one of the most flexible potato salads that comes together with fewer dishes.
Spring Pesto & Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds fingerling or other small potatoes, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
- ⅓ cup red onion, diced
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced, about 2 tablespoons juice
- ¾ cup dairy-free pesto
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the cooking water
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted, optional
- ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped, optional
Instructions
- Add potatoes to a medium pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and season the water generously with kosher salt. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes, until nearly fork tender.
- Add thawed peas to the pot and continue cooking for 3 to 5 minutes, until potatoes are completely cooked through. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
- Add diced red onion, pesto, lemon zest, lemon juice, kosher salt, and black pepper to the bowl. Stir to combine.
- Fold in toasted pine nuts and fresh basil, if using. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- Any waxy potato works well here. I like fingerling, but Yukon Gold, red potatoes, or small creamer potatoes are all great choices.
- Cut potatoes into evenly sized pieces so they cook at the same rate, and start in cold water rather than boiling for the most even cook.
- Use my Dairy-Free Pesto to keep this completely dairy-free and Whole30 compatible, or use your favorite store-bought pesto. If using store-bought for Whole30, check the label carefully.
- Leftovers keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 days. If the salad looks dry after chilling, stir in a small spoonful of pesto before serving.
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