Italian Potato Salad

Italian potato salad is a lighter, fresher, and more boldly flavored salad that skips the mayo common in American potato salads. Instead, this quick and easy side dish is loaded with crisp green beans, briny olives, fresh cherry tomatoes, and a garlicky red wine vinaigrette.

To me, the best potato salad recipes, from this Italian potato salad to our Greek potato salad or even my signature version with mustard and dill, share a common thread. They treat the potatoes as a sponge, to soak up loud, confident flavors creating a tasty bed for loads of fresh herbs and veggies. The potatoes are creamy on their own so there’s really no need for mayo (although, I wouldn’t blame you for serving a little garlicky Aioli on the side.)

In writing this recipe, I was inspired by the regional potato salads from the south of Italy. In Sicily, this dish is often called Insalata di Patate Siciliana or Insalata Vastasa. The name vastasa, meaning “uncouth,” likely comes from the humble, affordable ingredients. This recipe is also reminiscent of Insalata Pantesca, a typical dish from the southern Italian island of Pantelleria, where they add their famous capers–feel free to throw some on if you have them on-hand. 

This Italian potato salad has a deliciously bright dressing and plenty of fresh flavor. It’s a great make-ahead dish: Allow at least 30 minutes for the potatoes to soak up the dressing if you can. 

Table of Contents

1. Italian Potato Salad Ingredients
2. How to Make Italian Potato Salad 
3. What to Serve with Italian Potato Salad 
4. More Mediterranean Potato Recipes
5. Potato Recipes with a Mediterranean Twist
6. Recommended For This Recipe: Nocellara
7. Italian Potato Salad Recipe

Italian Potato Salad Ingredients

Italian potato salad takes a tangy approach, swapping the rich mayo in American-style potato salad for a garlicky, bright vinaigrette. All of the ingredients are easy to find, and likely already living in your pantry! Here’s what you need: 

• Potatoes: Baby potatoes cook quickly, hold their shape well, and their skin has a nice flavor so there’s no need to peel them. If you’d like to substitute with Yukon gold or russet, cut them into bite-sized pieces. 
• Seasonings: Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper enhance the flavor. Red pepper flakes add a nice heat, but you can omit them if you’re not into spice. Dried oregano adds an aromatic quality.
• Green beans: Any type you like will work well. If you’re using a thinner variety, like Haricots Verts, be sure to boil them until they’re just barely tender. 
• Tomatoes: I like juicy cherry tomatoes, but any small variety works well. If you’re going to substitute, opt for tomatoes that are still firm when they’re ripe, like Roma or grape. 
• Onion: Red onion or shallots are mellow and sweet enough to enjoy raw. 
• Olives: I like the buttery richness of Castelvetrano olives from Sicily, but you can substitute with any green olive you like. 
• Parsley: Use the flat-leaf Italian variety, which is less bitter than its curly cousin. 
• Garlic: Adds a kick of flavor to the dressing. 
• Red wine vinegar: Potatoes can handle quite a lot of vinegar, which lightens their richness. The best substitute for red wine vinegar in this recipe is Apple cider vinegar, which has a similar balance of tang and sweetness.
• Olive oil: Use a high quality extra virgin variety, like our buttery and smooth Italian Nocellara.

How to Make Italian Potato Salad 

Italian potato salad is very low maintenance and only gets better as it sits. Here’s how to make it:

• Get ready. Halve 2 pounds of baby potatoes. Trim 12 ounces of green beans. 
• Prepare the dressing. Whisk together 1 minced garlic clove, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, and 1 teaspoon dried oregano. Season with a big pinch of salt, pepper and red pepper flakes, if using (about 1/2 teaspoon each). Continue whisking vigorously as you stream in 1/2 cup of olive oil, whisking until emulsified. 
• Cook the potatoes. Add the potatoes to a medium saucepan. Cover with a couple of inches of water and set over medium-high heat. When the water is boiling, season liberally with salt. Boil until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork, 10 to 15 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a large bowl to cool, leaving the boiling water on the stove. 
• Prep the raw ingredients. While the potatoes cook, slice 2 cups of cherry tomatoes in half. Chop enough parsley to yield 1/4 cup of chopped leaves. Halve 3/4 cup of pitted Castelvetrano olives. Slice 1 red onion or 2 shallots in half, peel, and then slice into thin half moons. Prepare an ice bath and set it next to your sink.
• Blanch the green beans. Once you’ve transferred the cooked potatoes to a bowl, drop the green beans in the boiling water. Boil until just tender but still snappy, about 2 to 3 minutes, then drain and transfer to the ice bath to stop them from cooking further. 
• Mix and dress. Add the potatoes and green beans to a large serving bowl, along with the tomatoes, onions, parsley, and 3/4 cup Castelvetrano olives. Pour the dressing all over the salad and gently toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking. 
• Rest and serve. For best flavor, allow the salad to rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Or, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days, allowing it to come to room temperature before serving. 

What to Serve with Italian Potato Salad 

Italian potato salad is satisfying and versatile enough to play many different roles on your table. Enjoy it on its own as a vegetarian main or serve it as part of a larger meal with Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers.

For those who enjoy beef, chicken or fish, this salad pairs well with Tagliata Di Manzo (Italian Steak With Arugula And Parmesan), lemony Pork Chops, simple Grilled Chicken Breasts or Baked Grouper.

For a Mediterranean-style picnic, serve with an assortment of reimagined picnic classics. I love the bright and briny potatoes with a Summer fruit salad and Grilled Chicken Wings or even a Chicken Sandwich, but check out our round up of 25 Picnic Recipes With A Mediterranean Twist for more inspiration.

More Mediterranean Potato Recipes

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Mediterranean-Style Mustard Potato Salad

Mediterranean Diet Recipes

Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Garlic and Za’atar

Spanish

Tuna and Potato Salad

Greek

Greek Potato Salad (No Mayo!)

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