For A Lighter BBQ Side Dish, Try An Italian-Style Potato Salad

A lot of people find that hot weather tanks their appetite, and most people prefer to eat lighter food when the temperature soars. You know who didn't get the memo? Whoever designed the classic backyard barbecue menu. How else could you account for dishes such as mayonnaise-heavy potato salad? Not only is all mayo really too rich for a hot day, but there's also the risk that your cookout guests could wind up with food poisoning if it stays in the sun too long. One way to lighten up potato salad is to go Mediterranean and riff off a couple of Italian potato salads dressed with (what else?) olive oil.

One such salad, known as insalata pantesca, originated on the island of Pantelleria off the Sicilian coast. Olive oil and capers are two of Pantelleria's best-known products, so of course this salad calls for both of them (plus potatoes, of course). The other is called patate prezzemolate, two words that translate to "parsley potatoes," so that should give you some idea of the main ingredients. Neither salad has any creamy ingredients, and unless you feel the need to add cheese or meat (which is always an option), they should both be vegan-friendly.

If you want to recreate a classic Italian potato salad, you'll first need to start by choosing the right potatoes in the grocery store. Most Italian groceries typically carry only three types of potatoes: patate olandesi (Dutch potatoes), patate da forno (baking potatoes), and patate di Bologna (potatoes from Bologna). As none of those are available here, some recipes recommend Yukon Gold, but any waxy potatoes will do. Even starchy ones can be used if you don't overcook them.

For a classic insalata pantesca, combine sliced boiled potatoes with tomatoes, sliced red onions, olives (either black or green), capers, and a dressing made from olive oil, white wine vinegar, and oregano. The much simpler patate prezzemolate can be made with nothing more than chunks of boiled potato, olive oil, and parsley, and seasoned with salt and pepper, although you can also add vinegar to the dressing and stir in other ingredients such as chopped chives, minced garlic, and crushed red pepper.

Of course, you can always go your own route, perhaps riffing off a pasta salad recipe by mixing the potatoes with Italian dressing. Stir in tomato chunks and diced cucumbers, or make it zesty with some giardiniera. As a final touch, you might want to sprinkle your Italian-inspired potato salad with Parmesan cheese (or nutritional yeast if you're keeping it vegan).