Mint and pistachio pesto potato salad

I apologise for the lack of recipes so far this month – this mint and pistachio pesto potato salad is the first recipe so far in June! Big slap on the wrist for me. I haven’t really been slacking (as you can tell from the fact that it’s Saturday morning and I’m sat here working in my pyjamas), I’ve just been really busy working on off-blog stuff, stuff that can’t go live until later in the month, stuff I’ve not been happy with, behind-the-scenes website stuff… It’s enough to make anyone need a holiday. But that won’t be happening any time soon, so here, have pesto potato salad instead!

(Oh, I’ve also met two teeny tiny newborn babies in the past couple of weeks, so that’s been nice. They look like dolls.)

The weather has been crazy here lately. Glorious sunshine (yay!) paired with unbearable humidity (boo!) followed by torrential storms (boo!) that clear the air and make everything feel fresh again (yay!). Rinse and repeat. I nearly got caught in a ridiculous downpour in London this week, but managed to get inside just as the first few raindrops were falling – and by the time I came out an hour later, it was sunny again. So bizarre.

Assuming you manage to find a couple of hours of unbroken sunshine this summer, this pesto potato salad is perfect for BBQs and picnics.

Rather than going for a heavy, mayonnaise-based dressing, I made an easy homemade pesto instead – believe it or not, there is such a thing as too much mayonnaise, and when you’ve got a few pieces of potato swimming in mayo, that’s probably it. A light and fresh pesto dressing is much nicer! I did add a dollop of Greek yogurt to make it a bit creamy, but you can easily skip this if you’d prefer a vegan potato salad.

I made my pesto with mint, parsley and pistachios, which made it feel so summery. I’m always wary of using mint (I’m one of those people who thinks that 90% of the time, mint makes everything taste like toothpaste), but it works so well in this. It’s just enough to freshen everything up without making you feel like you’re on your way to bed. Don’t forget to add plenty of fresh veggies too, and your pesto potato salad is done! Easy peasy.

Print

Mint and pistachio pesto potato salad

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 15 mins

Total Time: 25 mins

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 750 g baby potatoes (~ 5 cups)
• 10 - 15 inch spears asparagus, cut into 2 pieces

For the pistachio pesto:

• 1 small clove garlic, peeled
• Small bunch fresh mint
• Small bunch fresh parsley
• 30 g shelled pistachios (~ 1/8 cup)
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 2 tbsp Greek yogurt (I used low fat) (optional)

To assemble:

• 3 tbsp sweetcorn kernels (I used tinned)
• 10 cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
• 50 g shelled pistachios (~ 1/4 cup)

Instructions

• If ay of your potatoes are larger than the others, cut them in half so that all of the potato pieces are approximately the same size.
• Boil the potatoes in a large pan of water for around 15 minutes, or until soft. Add the asparagus for the last 4 minutes or so of cooking. When both vegetables are tender (the asparagus should still have a slight crunch), drain, and set aside to cool completely.
• To make the mint and pistachio pesto, add the garlic, mint, parsley and pistachios to a mini food processor, along with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Blitz to form a coarse paste. If using, add the Greek yogurt, and blitz again to combine.
• When the potatoes have cooled completely, add them to a large bowl, along with the pistachio pesto, sweetcorn, cherry tomatoes, and some more whole pistachios. Mix well to combine, and serve slightly chilled.

Course: Side Dish

Author: Becca Heyes

Note: Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on exactly what ingredients you choose.

This spicy yogurt cucumber salad would be brilliant for BBQs and picnics too: