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Home » side dish » Potato Salad with Pesto

Potato Salad with Pesto

Published: Jun 29, 2021 by Louisa Clements · This post may contain affiliate links

This post may contain affiliate links

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1 hour 7 minutes 3 Comments

Make a creamy potato salad with pesto this summer! This is the perfect cold side dish for a barbecue or potluck. Made with prepared pesto, mayonnaise, eggs, red onion and my secret ingredient; pickles.

Potato salad in a wooden bowl

Everyone loves potato salad. It’s the perfect summer dish for entertaining for a few reasons, but my favourite? You can make it ahead of time. In fact, I think it’s even better the next day.

For this potato salad I love to use a combination of mayonnaise, yogurt, pesto and grainy Dijon mustard for the base. And then stir in the mix ins–I like mine to be pickle forward, so I’ve mixed in lots of pickles, red onion and hard boiled eggs.

I finish mine off with fresh basil–if you’re prepping this the day ahead, don’t top it with the basil until you’re ready to serve. The basil will actually oxidize (like an apple turns brown) and will turn black.

Closeup of potato salad in a wooden bowl

Creamy potato salad with less mayonnaise

I find using yogurt in the mix adds extra tang and acidity while also making it extra creamy without needing extra mayo. It’s only ¼ cup yogurt to ¾ cup of mayonnaise, but you could try playing around with these ratios.

If you’re looking for a lighter version, my potato salad with asparagus is another summer favourite.

Another trick that I learned from Martha Stewart’s recipe is to toss the potatoes when they are still warm in vinegar–plain distilled white vinegar will do. This acidity really helps to amp up the flavour and help balance the richness of the dish.

Potato salad in a brown wooden bowl

Generally speaking, I find potatoes can take a lot of salt and can handle the acidity–it helps to balance the flavours of the dish.

Find yourself with leftover pesto? Pesto cauliflower is a favourite side of mine to use up pesto, I also love making a delicious summer Italian sandwich.

Potato salad in a wooden bowl

Potato Salad with Pesto

Author: Louisa Clements
4.88 from 8 votes
Make a creamy potato salad with pesto this summer! This is the perfect cold side dish for a barbecue or potluck. Made with prepared pesto, mayonnaise, eggs, red onion and my secret ingredient; pickles.
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Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 12 minutes
Cooling time30 minutes
Total: 1 hour 7 minutes
servings icon
Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 2 tbsp white distilled vinegar
  • 1 ½ tsp salt, divided
  • 4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
  • ¾ cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup plain yogurt
  • 2 tbsp pesto
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 cup chopped dill pickles
  • ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 tbsp basil, thinly sliced for serving

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add potatoes, reduce heat to medium high and continue boiling for 10-12 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl. Toss with 2 tablespoons vinegar; season with ½ tsp salt and pepper. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
  • In a separate small pot, cover eggs with 1-2 inches of cold water. Bring to a boil, cover and turn off the heat. Allow to sit for 10-12 minutes. Strain the water from the pan and run cold water over the eggs to cool them quickly and stop them from cooking further. When cool enough to handle, peel, chop and set side.
  • Meanwhile, in a large bowl whisk mayonnaise with yogurt, pesto, Dijon mustard and salt. Stir in potatoes, chopped cooked eggs, pickles and red onion. When ready to serve, sprinkle with fresh basil.
Did you try this recipe?Leave a comment + rating and let me know what you think!
Filed Under: gluten free, salad, side dish, vegetarian
Nutrition Facts
Potato Salad with Pesto
Amount Per Serving
Calories 456 Calories from Fat 243
% Daily Value*
Fat 27g42%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Trans Fat 1g
Cholesterol 138mg46%
Sodium 1101mg48%
Potassium 1050mg30%
Carbohydrates 44g15%
Fiber 4g17%
Sugar 4g4%
Protein 10g20%
Vitamin A 385IU8%
Vitamin C 14mg17%
Calcium 84mg8%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Nutrition information is an estimate and is provided for informational purposes only. If you have any specific dietary concerns, please consult with your healthcare practitioner.

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Comments

  1. Shirley Clements

    April 21, 2022 at 4:24 pm

    This recipe looks & sounds sooo delicious! I will be making it!

    5 stars

    Reply
  2. Shirley Clements

    June 30, 2021 at 4:32 pm

    Your Potato Salad sounds & looks sooo yummy! I am going to make it!

    5 stars

    Reply
  3. Fiori Isabella

    June 30, 2021 at 9:53 am

    Thanks for the tips on using basil and vinegar. I do like the addition of yoghurt too!

    5 stars

    Reply

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Hi, I'm Louisa Clements & welcome to Living Lou. I've been creating simple, fresh & flavorful recipes for the modern kitchen for 12 years.
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