Crispy Pesto Potato Salad

Crispy Pesto Potato Salad

This one is properly special. We've made a lot of potato salads over the years but this crispy pesto version is the one we keep coming back to, and honestly it's not close. The potatoes get smashed and roasted until they're golden and crunchy on the outside, then tossed with herby, garlicky pesto while they're still hot so everything soaks in beautifully. It's the kind of dish that sounds simple but tastes like you really know what you're doing. Make this tonight, you won't regret it.

Cook: 45 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Preheat oven to 200°C
  • Large baking tray
  • Blender
  • Colander
  • Mixing bowl

Ingredients

  • 50g fresh basil
  • 100g pine nuts
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 lemon
  • 20g nutritional yeast
  • 50ml extra virgin olive oil
  • salt to taste
  • 1kg baby new potatoes
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 25g rocket
  • 2 spring onions
  • 100g cherry tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Method

1

Prepare the potatoes

  • Add the potatoes to a pan of boiling water and cook on high heat for 20 minutes until cooked through
  • Place the potatoes in a colander and leave to steam dry for a few minutes
  • Add the potatoes to the baking tray and and crush so they’re broken and flattened
  • Drizzle over the oil, season with salt and pepper, put the tray in the oven and roast for 40-50 minutes, flipping over halfway through, until golden brown and really crispy (Alternatively, you can air fry for 20 minutes until golden and crispy)
2

Prepare the pesto

  • Halve the lemon and squeeze the juice into the blender
  • Peel the garlic and add to the blender along with the basil and olive oil (save around 10 pretty leaves for garnish), pine nuts (reserve a few for garnish) and nutritional yeast
  • Blitz into a lovely creamy pesto (add a little water to loosen if needs be)
3

Prepare the balsamic tomatoes

  • Quarter the tomatoes and add them to a bowl
  • Drizzle over the balsamic, olive oil and a sprinkle of black pepper and gently toss to combine
4

Build the Crispy Pesto Potatoes

  • Trim and finely slice the spring onions at an angle
  • Add the potatoes, spring onions and pesto to a mixing bowl and toss to combine
  • Load up your serving bowl or plate with potatoes and rocket, top with the balsamic tomatoes, garnish with a few basil leaves and reserved pine nuts and serve immediately

Tips & Variations

  • Get them really crispy: Don't rush the roasting time. Forty minutes minimum, and make sure you flip them halfway. You want proper crunch on both sides, not just the bottom.
  • Make your own pesto: If you've got a blender and five minutes, homemade pesto takes this to another level. Basil, garlic, pine nuts, lemon juice, olive oil and a good handful of nutritional yeast. Trust us on this one.
  • Add something green: We love throwing in some rocket or wilted spinach just before serving. It cuts through the richness and makes it feel a bit more like a proper salad rather than just a side dish.

Why This Works

The trick is steaming the potatoes dry before you crush them. That extra few minutes makes a huge difference because it draws out the moisture and means you get a genuinely crispy result in the oven rather than something soft and soggy. Letting the pesto hit the hot potatoes straight out of the oven is the other key move, it melts right in and coats everything perfectly.