The Flavorful Italian Sauce That Turns Potato Salad Into A Gourmet Side Dish

It's prime potato salad season, and we've already got a bunch of tips and tricks for you on the site, including how to prepare the potatoes properly, why smashing potatoes is the way to go, and a method for turning it even creamier without adding any extra ingredients; but there's always ways to add even more layers of flavor to your potato salad. We think the dish can benefit from an herby, oily (in a good way!) pop that'll prove to be a lively alternative to mayo-based dressings.

That's why you should consider using pesto instead of mayo for your next potato salad. Pesto turns the otherwise plain starchiness of pasta into a much more luxurious dish, so it's a no-brainer that it's great on potatoes. Considering pesto is typically a mix of fresh herbs, a salty element like Parmesan cheese, and plenty of peppery olive oil; it'll give those boiled potatoes a real personality that mayo doesn't always provide. The best part is, you've got a lot of options to pick from — remember, pesto's not just always about basil.

The first version I typically think of when I think of pesto is the Genovese variety (as in, from Genoa, Italy), which has your classic mix of basil leaves, Parmesan, pine nuts, and olive oil; all blitzed or crushed together with a mortar and pestle. That's obviously a great choice since basil has that strong, anise-like flavor; the Parmesan's nutty, umami notes; and olive oil's fruity fat layer. If you're making your own, you can always spice pesto up with other things like jalapeños, and there are alternatives like sun-dried tomato pesto. You can also substitute pine nuts with things like pistachios, walnuts, or cashews, and even use greens like spinach for added volume.

The other option is to purchase premade pesto at the store. Some come in the refrigerated section (like the popular Kirkland Signature version at Costco), but there's shelf-stable versions (such as Barilla, Rao's, and Aldi's Priano brand, to name a few). I'll occasionally get roasted for this take, but store-bought pesto is perfectly fine to save you time, especially if you're getting together with a group on short notice. Fresh pesto will have a more vibrant flavor, but convenience is the trade-off. That, and pesto works well with warm potato salad too, as the flavors and aromas open up when heated. Either way, pesto's inherently got more flavor than mayo, so maybe it's time to switch things up a bit — your potato salad can always use something fun.