Potato salad and summer go together like peas and carrots. Or better yet, like potatoes and green beans. This “Tri-colored Potato Salad with Green Beans and Rustic Pesto” is such a spring and summer delight!
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The Potatoes and Green Beans:
This salad is delicious, colorful and light. Instead of russet potatoes I use a medley purple, new rose, and new white potatoes. Purple potatoes are lower on the glycemic index than white potatoes, and contain more nutrients. My local market carries the medley. If you can’t find it you can use new rose potatoes. Green beans are in season from May to September. In this recipe we blanche the green beans so they are bright green and crispy.
The Dressing:
I skip the mayo entirely in favor of organic extra virgin olive oil and toss the potatoes and green beans with a rustic pesto. What is rustic pesto? So glad I asked…instead of using a food processor to make a paste of our pesto, we are using all the same ingredients but keeping them whole or roughly chopped. If you want to be fancy (and who doesn’t?) you can use a knife skill called a ‘chiffonade’ to make your basil into long thin strips. Simply stack several basil leaves, roll tightly and slice.
Technique:
The key to this salad is potatoes that are boiled until cooked but still firm, not mushy! To accomplish this, boil potatoes until a fork goes in but they are still quite firm, usually 8 minutes or so. If you wait till potatoes are soft they will end up getting mushy later. Check frequently and when the potatoes are just right, toss in the trimmed and cut green beans and blanche for 3 more minutes. Drain potatoes and beans in colander and rinse in cold water immediately to thoroughly to stop the cooking process so veggies stay firm.
If you happen to err on the undercooked side (doubtful), just throw a dishtowel over the colander and let the potatoes and beans steam for a minute before rinsing with cold water.
Now for the rustic pesto! Pour olive oil liberally over potatoes and green beans. Sprinkle with basil, minced garlic, and pine nuts, toss. Add sea salt to taste, toss. Serve warm. Enjoy!
The Recipe: “Tri-colored Potato Salad with Green Beans and Rustic Pesto”
Tips and what you will need: Be sure to follow tips on cooking potatoes, checking them frequently. This recipe is easy but the most common mistake is overcooking the potatoes. You will need a large stock pot, and a good knife.
Potato salad and summer go together like peas and carrots. Or better yet, like potatoes and green beans. This “Tri-colored Potato Salad with Green Beans and Rustic Pesto” is such a spring and summer delight!
- 2 lbs tri-colored potatoes or baby potatoes, quartered
- 8 oz trimmed green beans, cut in half
- 3-4 tablespoons Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and finely minced
- ½ cup basil, chiffonade or chop
- Sea salt
- Roasted Pine Nuts
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Fill a large stockpot with water and 2 teaspoons sea salt. Bring to boil.
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Add quartered potatoes to boiling water. If some potatoes are larger you can cut them into sixths. The most important thing is that the potatoes are fairly uniform in size so they will cook at the same rate. While potatoes boil, chop garlic, chop basil and roast pine nuts in a pan until golden brown.
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Cook potatoes until a fork goes in but they are still quite firm, usually 8 minutes or so. NOTE: If you wait until potatoes are soft they will end up getting mushy later. Check frequently and when the potatoes are firm but fork goes in, add the trimmed and cut green beans to water and blanche for 3 minutes. Drain potatoes and beans in colander and rinse in cold water immediately and thoroughly to stop the cooking process.
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If you happen to err on the undercooked side (doubtful), just throw a dishtowel over the colander and let the potatoes and beans steam for a minute before rinsing with cold water.
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Place potatoes and green beans in a bowl or on a platter.
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Now for the rustic pesto! Pour olive oil liberally over potatoes and green beans. Sprinkle with basil, minced garlic, and pine nuts, toss. Add sea salt to taste, toss. Serve warm. Enjoy!
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Post tags: Gluten free, grain free, dairy free, whole 30
I love those purple potatoes! I’ve been dying to make a potato salad recently as I just think it’s the perfect spring/summer lunch. Love your version here!
Great and different version from the mayo potato salad everyone always makes. I love using the different colors of potatoes to making it interesting.
This looks likes the perfect spring dish! I am not at all a fan of potato salad, but this one I could definitely get behind…love your take!
Shannon
Clothes & Quotes
I’m totally with you about “rethinking the traditional potato salad” as I don’t love tradition potato salads too much. But this salad I could do! It looks delicious and fresh!
I love all of the colours and how fresh and delicious this looks! Looks much healthier than the traditional potato salad as well 🙂
Perfect! My kind of dishes 🙂
I love potato salad but I know it is not even a teenie bit good for you. This looks amazing!!
This looks amazing!!!! Thank you for sharing the recipe. I have to try this!
That salad is so colorful! I need to make it!
Those purple potatoes look amazing!
Fabulous idea Linda! I love to make summer salads like this for summer dinners but don’t like to make the mayo based ones every week – thank you for the great idea!
You are welcome!