Pesto Potato Salad

Perk Up Your Potatoes with Peppy Pesto

Total Time: 30 Min Servings: 5

Posted by Lily

Pesto is a delicious way to use basil, arugula, or really, any green veggie you have in abundance! When included in a simple potato salad it is a really nice summery picnicky/barbequey item or…keeps really well in a Tupperware to snack on all week.

INGREDIENTS
Pesto:
1 to 2 small garlic cloves, peeled
1 bunch of Happy Boy basil (the happiest basil in town) or 6-8 oz. of arugula or nettles
1/8 to 1/4 cup olive oil

Potatoes:
2 lbs small Happy Boy gold or red-skinned potatoes, quartered
1/8 cup finely chopped red or yellow onion
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
Parmesan cheese to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
If you like zip in everything (like I sorta do) some red chili flake to taste too!
2 tbsp (or more to taste) vinegar (I like champagne, white balsamic, or red wine)
2 tbsp of mayo, thick yogurt (like greek yogurt) or a combo

(optional) 1/2 pound yellow beans (or green beans) cut into one-inch segments or you can really replace this with anything you like to give a little crunch. I also really like sliced radishes!

PREPARATION
1. Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until a fork just can go through (about 10-12 min).
2. Add beans and cook for a couple minutes longer (just to blanch the beans).
If you’re using radishes instead, don’t blanch! Just cut them off and add at the end when you stir in the pine nuts, etc.
3. Drain well, rinse in cold water, and let cool in a big bowl.

Make Pesto!
4. Wash the basil and chop the stems off – pat the leaves gently dry
5. Puree them in a food processor (or a blender if you don’t have a food processor)
6. Puree or blend with the garlic and enough olive oil to make it a nice pesto-y consistency
7. If you want to, you can add a bit of water to cut down on the amount of oil
8. Or a bit of lemon juice
9. Add salt and pepper (and red chili flake if you’re in the mood)

Mix the beans and potatoes with pesto. Add onions, pine nuts (and radish if you used that). Salt, pepper, and parmesan to taste!