This Italian Potato Salad recipe is a fresh and flavorful twist on the classic side dish. The combination of boiled potatoes, crisp green beans, pitted olives, and tangy vinaigrette dressing creates a delicious and satisfying salad that is sure to please everyone.
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❤️ Why You'll Love It
- It's a mayo-free potato salad which means that it's the perfect salad for your outdoor parties.
- This flavorful Italian potato salad is great for summer gatherings, parties, and cookouts.
- It's an easy twist on a classic dish, that even the picky eaters will love.
This is an easy side dish to make for a large crowd or parties. It's budget-friendly and all the ingredients are easy to find at your local grocery store. So, you don't have to worry about hard-to-find ingredients.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
- Small potatoes - I like to use baby red potatoes in this easy salad.
- Fresh green beans - Frozen green beans can be used in a pinch but fresh will work best.
- Grape tomatoes - Cherry tomatoes will be great as a swap for these tiny tomatoes.
- Pitted Italian olives - I used Castelvetrano olives but you can use any type of olives that you have on hand.
- Red onion - Red onion is best for raw eating, a sweet onion will also work.
- Fresh parsley - I've found that flat-leaf parsley works best.
- Seasonings - You will need salt, black pepper, and dried oregano to make this recipe. If you do not have oregano check this post for what to use as Oregano Substitute.
- Fresh garlic clove - Fresh has the best flavor but you can also use the jarred kind.
- Extra virgin olive oil - I like to use a high-quality oil for dressings like this one.
- Red wine vinegar - If you don't have red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar will work as substitutes.
Italian Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 2 ½ lbs small potatoes halved you can also use red potatoes
- 12 ounces fresh green beans trimmed and cut into 2-3 inch pieces
- 1 cup grape tomatoes halved
- ½ cup pitted Italian olives Castelvetrano olives, halved
- ½ cup thinly sliced red onion
- ¼ cup parsley chopped preferably flat leaf parsley
- 2 teaspoons salt
For the dressing:
- 1 large garlic clove minced
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoon dry oregano
- kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Place cut potatoes in a large saucepan or dutch oven, cover with cold water and stir in 1 teaspoon salt then bring to a boil over high heat.
- When water boils, reduce heat to medium and continue cooking for 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.
- Drain and place potatoes in a shallow dish and allow to cool down and dry.
- Bring another large pot of water to a boil, add 1 teaspoon salt then add the green beans.
- Bring the pot back to boil and cook uncovered for 4-5 minutes until just tender.
- Meanwhile prepare a large bowl of iced water on the side.
- Drain beans and Place immediately into iced water for a couple of minutes then remove and set aside.
Make the dressing:
- In a bowl, add all dressing ingredients except the oil and blend with a hand blender or a whisk.
- Pour oil in a thin stream while mixing until mixture emulsifies.
Assemble the salad:
- In a large serving bowl, add potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, olives, onions and parsley.
- Pour dressing over and toss to coat.
- Taste to adjust seasoning
Notes
Nutrition
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FAQs
Unlike creamy mayo-based versions, this salad is dressed in a bright, zesty vinaigrette with flavors like olive oil, red wine vinegar, garlic, herbs, and sometimes capers or olives—classic Italian ingredients!
It’s up to you! Leaving the skins on adds texture and nutrients, but some people like peeling them instead.
Waxy potatoes work best, think Yukon Gold, red potatoes, or fingerlings, as they hold their shape best. While starchy potatoes, like Russets, tend to turn mushy.
Do not overcook the potatoes; cook until they are just fork tender. Drain well and let them cool on a large plate with air circulating to dry fast.
Absolutely! Although I like to serve it fresh, you can assemble it up to 8 hours ahead of your gathering.
Amira's tips
- Make sure that you add the diced potatoes to cool water instead of hot water so that you get perfectly cooked potatoes.
- While you want cold water for potatoes you need boiling water for the green beans.
- Sliced green onions will make a great garnish for this easy recipe.
Storage
Store the salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days. If you don't have a lid for your serving bowl, you can cover it with plastic wrap to keep the salad fresh.
Serve With
Serve this easy Italian potato salad with your favorite main dishes. I like to pair it with a grilled main dish like Grilled Chicken Tenders or Grilled Shrimp Kabobs.
More salad recipes to try
I like to serve this salad at room temperature, so if it is refrigerated, let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. If it lasted for three days, I like to refresh it with some extra flavors to change it a bit. A can of tuna, salami, leftover chicken, artichokes, or sun-dried tomatoes, these always work in making leftovers look new for my family.
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