Get ready to fall in love with this Italian potato salad. One of our taste testers asked “what makes this SO DELICIOUS!?” And that’s how we knew we had a winner on our hands! Potato salad may not be much of a thing in Italy (yet) but we happen to think this combination of basil, tomato, and olives when paired with an oil and vinegar style potato salad is nothing short of magical! Read on to find out how to make it and don’t forget to PIN IT for later!
Ingredients2 ½ lb small red skinned potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks (8 cups)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt, divided
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
¼ cup red wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste
1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
½ cup sliced pitted Italian black olives, optional
2 ounces thinly sliced salami, optional
½ cup thinly sliced red onion
½ cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves
Method
* Bring an inch of water to a boil in a saucepan fitted with a steamer basket. Add potatoes, cover, and steam until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, 12 to 15 minutes.
* Meanwhile, sprinkle ½ teaspoon salt over the minced garlic and mash with the side of a chef’s knife until a paste forms.
* Scrape the garlic paste into a large bowl. Add the remaining 1 ½ teaspoon salt, oil, vinegar, and pepper.
* Add the potatoes to the dressing and toss to coat. Let cool in the dressing, tossing occasionally until about room temperature.
* Add the tomatoes, olives (if using), Salami (if using), red onion, and basil.
* Toss the potatoes with the veggies, salami, and basil to combine. Season with additional pepper to taste if desired. Serve room temperature or chilled.