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.
Mint and pistachio pesto potato salad
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.
Note: Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on exactly what ingredients you choose.
I’m in love! At least I am with the thought of this potato salad. I have yet to try it, but your mint and pistachio pesto sounds amaaaaaazing, so I don’t need much convincing.
Hehe thanks Choclette! :)
I made this two days ago and it’s yummy. I think I must have used much larger bunches of parsley and mint than you did, I used a whole supermarket packet of each, and should have added more yoghurt to loosen the texture of the pesto. In a rush to have it ready I also forgot the tomatoes, but it was still good. I put on extra yoghurt and the tomatoes when we had it last night.
Yes that’s a bit more of each herb than I used, but I’m glad you still enjoyed it :) Thanks for reporting back!
I usually pre-fer non mayo potato salads so this is right up my alley! That mint pesto sounds fantastic!
Pesto is one of my favourite eats althou I have never made a mint and pesto version. You salad looks lush.
I love the idea of pistachio pesto — move over mayo :) I think this will be my new favorite summer salad!
It’s definitely much lighter and fresher tasting than a heavy mayo-based potato salad :)
Oooh, this will go down very well with my pistachio, pesto and potato loving lot, excellent addition to the potato salad repertoire, thank you!
I’d love this potato salad rain or shine! Love the pesto (especially the pistachio part)! My husband doesn’t like potato salads with all that mayo on it, but I’m willing to bet he’d like this one! Can’t wait to try!
Thanks Patricia, hope you enjoy!
Oh wow, I need to try and make this. I love mint and I’m obsessed with pesto. I tend to use pesto in pasta so it will be nice to try it in another dish that is perfect for a summers day!
You could definitely use this pesto in pasta too if you prefer :)
I’ve been looking to extend my pesto repertoire recently (I made a gorgeous spinach one yesterday) so this will be going on my list, thanks!
Hope you enjoy – great flavours! :)
That’s looks so nice especially for a nice summers days
Ooh newborn babies make me go all funny – I really miss mine being like that. I’m eating so much fresh mint at the moment – Love the opportunity to pair it up with pistachio.
Haha to be honest I find newborns a bit boring – they don’t really do much do they! ;)
I can eat anything with potatoes and pesto. Haha. This is perfect to bring for an event or dinner with the neighbors.
I don’t think I’ve ever turned down a potato in my life ;)
This look absolutely delicious!!! I am a massive Pesto fan, and am always looking for new ways to use it. I will be giving this a go soon x
This really takes a simple potato salad to the next level. Love the addition of pistachios.
Wow that looks absolutely delicious. I’d love to make this to go alongside a bbq xxx
This sounds like a dish a lot of my family would enjoy. Perfect to make for a bbq!
I love potato salads! Lovely for the summer and to take for a picnic :)
i love pistachios! i can say they wont make it to the salad if i was to make this haha. i never would have thought of this combination
Haha well I did pinch a few from the packet ;)
I love mint flavours. I would love to taste this dish.
This looks like a bowl of comfort to me, totally my kind of food and I would finish off the entire bowl x
Would have never thought to make this but I am going to give it a try now!!
I’ve added pesto in before, I’ve never tried mint and pistachio! Looks like a good combination, amazing pictures btw.
Aw thank you!
I’d never have thought about putting these flavours into a potato salad but it does look really good x
I think I’d love those flavors! I really like pistachios but I never really get to use them in my recipes.
This looks like a great combination f flavours and I also like the fact that it is different from the norm in relation to potato salads.
This looks like the best salad ever and I bet pistachios and mint really make a swell combination and brings out the flavours!
I love potato salad and I love pesto! Win win!
This looks SO delicious! Me and my partner would really enjoy that
I adore potato salad, it is something I have to have, but have never tried one like this before, I definitely going to have to give it a go.
My potato salad is always simple and nothing as good as your one and I never thought to add pesto to potato salad
Ohh what an interesting mix for a potato salad – I have to admit I’ve not tried anything like that so I may just have to give it a whirl. x
The spicy yogurt cucumber salad sounds and looks absolutely amazing! I need to make it!
Oooh yeah! Pass me the potato salad please! What a delicious twist on the traditional and I love that you have added pistachios to it.
I’ve been using nuts more often lately, I never used to be a fan but they add such a great texture!
Such a delicious summer salad :) I love pesto and I add to anything and everything (within reason!) I hope the weather improves soon so we can all go out for picnics!
That looks absolutely delicious!! I never would have thought of a potato salad like that, but it looks like something that I definitely need to try!
This is my idea of heaven. I will definitely be making this during the summer
Just the other day Husband said to me that the potatoes are probably going to be ready for harvesting very soon. Apparently when they start flowering it’s a sign that there are Interesting Things going on in the soil. On a tangent, potato flowers don’t look even remotely like I want them to look. My brain keep wanting them to be bright yellow like courgette flowers, but in fact they’re pure white with a yellow centre looking not at all unlike a fried egg. Anyway! This made me start wondering what to do with the very first potatoes. I thought it should be something rather more fancy than just cooked in something else. I do believe you’ve just given me the answer. I can imagine this along side a marinated quorn fillet, perhaps.
For the pistacios, do you use salted or unsalted?
Just Googled potato flowers and they’re quite pretty really! Very impressed that you grow your own veg, I’d love to learn how one day :)
I just used raw unsalted pistachios, I guess salted would be fine too but you probably wouldn’t need to add any extra salt :)
It’s Husband who’s the gardener around here. I have very little input. It is, however, greatly enjoyable that what you actually get out of it is very very cheap food. Took us nearly a year to consume all the French beans frozen down last year. :)
I really need to start doing this! Maybe one day, when I have a huge garden with a vegetable plot – and a gardener to maintain it for me ;)
We hosted a brunchy/lunchy sort of thing today and I made this among other things. (You may recall I asked you about some suggestions) Way too many things. I’m turning into my granny, basically. “Is there enough food? I hope there’s enough food. No, it won’t be enough food! I must cook more food!!!” Soooo many leftovers.
Anyway, I took this recipe, but I turned it into a pasta salad instead. Used about 300 g of penne pasta and that seemed suitable for the amounts of other ingredients. I added a bit more Greek yoghurt as well to make up for the pasta absorbing it. It worked rather well, I thought. :)
Haha well it’s better to have too much food than not enough. I do love leftovers :)
Brilliant idea to turn it into a pasta salad, I hadn’t thought of that! Hope you enjoyed it.
This looks great and sounds so easy to make! I love your photos too, they looks so fab. :D xx
This looks and sounds gorgeous! I love mint flavours for the summer, so refreshing <3
Jess xo
This looks perfect for those occasions when you have to take an offering along to a party or barbeque. I always feel that I should go above and beyond a packet of shop-bought sausage rolls, but don’t have the time to get too complicated. This would look so impressive, be really tasty, but not take me too long! Win win!! :)
Win win win! ;)