There is something about potato salad that just says summer. It’s backyard food. It’s picnic food. It’s potluck food. Potato salad is present at every family gathering and neighborhood get together during the summer months. It is a classic.
I love a good potato salad, no doubt, but my definition of good has been changing over the years. I have wandered away from the gloopy mayonnaise, egg, and pickle version in favor of a lighter salad. A backyard worthy version that passes on the mayo and won’t leave you feeling weighed down.
For my new favorite gloop-free version I start by roasting my potatoes in the oven rather than boiling. I have found that roasting adds loads of flavor to potatoes and boiling seems to take their flavor away. Next, I throw in my favorite fresh flavors like briny Kalamata olives, sweet ruby red cherry tomatoes, and fresh Italian herbs. The entire thing gets tossed in a fresh olive oil dressing and it is off to summer gatherings.
PrintItalian Potato Salad
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 60 minutes
- Yield: 4 -6 servings 1x
- Category: Salad, side
- Cuisine: dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free, vegetarian
Description
A lighter potato salad that passes on the mayo. It is packed full of your favorite Italian flavors and backyard ready. Since there is no mayo to be found, this salad can safely sit at room temperature longer than its gloopy mayo-based cousin.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs . baby red potatoes (, cut into cubes)
- 10 oz . cherry tomatoes (, halved)
- ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives (, halved)
- ¼ cup parsley (, roughly chopped)
- ¼ cup loosely packed basil (, roughly chopped)
- 2 scallions (, cut into thin rounds)
- 2 cloves garlic (, minced)
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (, divided)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (, plus more for roasting)
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon salt (, plus more for roasting)
- ½ teaspoon pepper (, plus more for roasting)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Toss the potatoes with enough olive oil to coat. Season with salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning. Roast for 40 minutes or until the potatoes are golden and fork tender.
- While roasting, whisk together the garlic, remaining 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, olive oil, vinegar, Dijon, honey, salt and pepper.
- Once the potatoes are done, immediately combine them with the dressing and remaining ingredients. Tossing everything together while the potatoes are still warm allows them to absorb all the flavors. Serve warm, room temperature, or cold.
Renee Davis says
This looks so good! I can't wait to make it!
Laurel says
If you make it, let me know what you think! :)