Introduce a new potato salad possibility to your picnic table with Italian Potato Salad – russet potatoes tossed with olive oil, vinegar, onion, garlic, and parsley.
Potato salad – such a classic side dish to serve at picnics yet there are so many ways you can dress it up. I’m guessing you are familiar with mayonnaise-based potato salads and even Amish potato salad with mustard, but what if I told you one of the best ways to make it involves olive oil? For the past few years now, Dad makes his Italian Potato Salad for cook outs, a recipe he learned from his mom and then passed it along to me. Now I’m passing it along to you for your next picnic.
I made my potato salad slightly different than my dad. First, I added garlic and parsley pastes, which you can find both in your store’s produce section by the fresh herbs. Using pastes distributes the flavors more evenly in the dressing; however, you can use minced garlic and chopped parsley if you don’t have the pastes. Or you can make your own pastes.
Since you’re using olive oil as a dressing rather than a cooking oil, you want to use the best quality you can afford. I highly recommend not using vegetable oil as a substitute. In fact, don’t substitute the olive oil at all, but if you must, make sure you use a flavored oil.
Now it wouldn’t be a potato salad without talking about the star of the dish – the potato! The potatoes I used are russet potatoes straight from Idaho. They have a low-moisture content, which gives them more potato flavor. Make sure you cook them on simmer and not at a full boil. Otherwise they will disintegrate before fully cooked through.
Italian Potato Salad
Yield: 2-4
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- 3 cups cubed potatoes (roughly 2 large potatoes)
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 1 tablespoon parsley paste
- 1 tablespoon garlic paste
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup sliced onion
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook 10-15 minutes until soft but not overcooked. Drain and cool.
- In a large measuring cup, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, parsley paste, garlic paste, and salt.
- In a large bowl, toss together the potatoes, onion, and olive oil mixture. Chill in the refrigerator at least 1 hour before serving.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the Idaho Potato Commission. All opinions are my own.
Renee says
I love that this recipe is not for a giant batch of potato salad. It will be just right for making it any day for the 2 of us (with a little leftover for lunch the next day too).
Carla Cardello says
Yes I hate having TONS of potato salad leftover but always want just enough to have for lunch the next day.
Jennifer @ Peanut Butter and Peppers says
Yum! This is such a simple and delicious potato salad! Love the flavors you used!
Liz says
Thank you for all the nice recipes. Have a Great Week!
Susan says
This is my type of potato salad! Feels like what you’d get in a mayo based one but with olive oil instead!
Carla Cardello says
Exactly! I love oil and vinegar in general, so the mayo was not missed.
Wendy (The Weekend Gourmet) says
Yummy…I love how simple and refreshing this is! Can’t wait to try it, Carla!
Constance Smith (@FoodieArmyWife) says
It’s nice having a potato salad that doesn’t use the usual mayo. :D
Family Foodie says
This is my kind of potato salad! Looks amazing.
Deanna Samaan says
Oh I am in love with this! Yummo!
Hezzi-D says
Perfectly simple and delicious! Love the addition of garlic and parsley.
The Ninja Baker says
Kudos to Dad for this yummy Italian-style potato salad, Carla. The touch of olive oil and garlic paste is brilliant!
Carla Cardello says
Dad is definitely proud of this one :)
Alice // Hip Foodie Mom says
love this tasty, fresh and flavorful spin on potato salad with the garlic and parsley pastes!!! brilliant!
Bea says
i love your potato salad version. Sounds fantastic!
Heather // girlichef says
This is so simple, but I can just tell that it packs a ton of flavor! I’m beginning to think that all I’m making for dinner today is a variety of potato salads…this one included – yum!
Carla Cardello says
Agreed! A whole picnic dedicated to potato salad alone.
Betsy @ Desserts Required says
This is such a great idea. Using olive oil with garlic and parsley pastes is a great picnic option!
Lori @ Foxes Love Lemons says
I love the idea of using the garlic paste to evenly distribute the flavor. So smart, because that’s one of the reasons I’ve shied away from using garlic in potato salad – some bites would be really garlicky, and others would have none of that flavor at all. Problem solved!
Carla Cardello says
Exactly. And although garlic paste is still raw garlic, it’s not as….bitey as a spoonful of minced pieces (which to me is the best part but I’m a huge garlic freak ;) )
Rachel says
I won’t eat mayo-based potato salads, so this one looks like a perfect substitute!
Carla Cardello says
Problem solved then ;)
Alida says
I love how simple yet full of flavor this salad is…and it looks pretty too! The garlic paste and parsley paste surprised me…but in a good way. Very smart!
Carla Cardello says
Yes the pastes help distribute the flavor more evenly. Nothing wrong with minced garlic and parsley, but I prefer the pastes myself.
Shaina says
This is exactly the kind of potato salad I would want to eat. No mayo, lots of beautiful herb flavor, and simple to make!
Melanie | Melanie Makes says
I love Italian anything and this sounds delicious!
Karen Hartzell (@InTheKitchenKP) says
This potato salad would be a big hit with my husband! Italian flavors and seasonings are his favorite!
Carol at Wild Goose Tea says
Wow! I just made potato salad this weekend. I wished I had seen this recipe. where I took it would have been an excellent place and group of people to appreciate something new and different. I am actually anxious to see how this tastes!
Brianne @ Cupcakes & Kale Chips says
Not being a huge mayo fan, this a potato salad I can get behind!
Julie says
We have been making this salad for years in my family especially in the summer . We especially love it with the addition of tomatoes and oregano. Try it – it’s delicious!
Carla Cardello says
Oh tomatoes – I will have to add halved cherry tomatoes when they are ready this summer!
Katie says
This is definitely the way I like to enjoy my potato salads – lightly dressed without mayo! YUM!
Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious says
Can I just pull up a chair at your table and you feed me all your tater dishes? Yes? Thanks!
Becca from ItsYummi! says
Duuuude! Pass the taters, please!
Kay Hicks says
oh my goodness – people have left-over potato salad? I has never happened to me personally – cuz I eat it all!
just recently I was remembering back when – a long long time ago – far away – I used to live in Joplin, Mo and had the pleasure of going just over the state line for some Wonderful eats – Chicken Mary’s and Chicken Annie’s… whew – how I would love to go there again – but would rather just make that potato salad— and sounds like your recipe is just what I’m looking for – thank you so much – will let you know when I accomplish this!!!!
Carla says
Ha! I tend to eat a lot of it too, especially with this Italian version. Hope it’s what you’re looking for!