Outshine Plain Old Potato Salad By Adding This Staple Italian Sauce

Somewhere in the background of every hearty meal you've ever had, there's probably a bowl of potato salad, half-eaten and half-forgotten. There's an unchanging plainness to this dish that has made it a severely overlooked item on the menu. It's a good thing there are always ingredients you can use to elevate potato salad, and sometimes, this dish is just one Italian addition away from becoming memorable and exciting. We're talking about none other than pesto — the classic sauce that works miracles on everything it touches.

You can do a lot with a batch of bright and fresh pesto, including mixing it into a potato salad's mayo dressing. Since both condiments carry a tangy undertone, the blend is as seamless as you'd imagine. From that same old eggy-rich monotony, your salad suddenly has a base layered with herbaceous brightness and nutty intricacies, along with the parmesan's salty richness. The basil's savory-sweet fragrance is unmistakable as it weaves itself into the potatoes' own savory taste. Garlicky nuances pop up every now and then, with a peppery aroma that fills this once-simple salad with gorgeous complexity. And if your pesto has a few squeezes of lemon, get ready to also find citrusy zests illuminating the taste profile.

Rather than assembling the dressing as usual, just blend mayonnaise with pesto (or pesto ingredients, such as basil, garlic, pine nuts, olive oil, and parmesan cheese), to make this enticing version. What's more, you can tweak the recipe a bit every time to switch things up. A red pesto mayo dressing, which derives its smoky flair and vibrant red hue from sun-dried tomatoes, can make for quite the potato salad. Sometimes, even just an extra pinch of herbs, like tarragon or chives, can make all the difference. You can even add some pickle relish with the pesto for a tangy punch that will liven up the entire dish. Alternatively, a green pesto paired with aioli dressing would be wondrous for those who like to emphasize the creamy, garlicky taste in their potato salad.

No matter the version, there's a good chance the pesto mayo dressing will be phenomenal in most of your favorite potato salad recipes. In a simple potato-and-green-bean combination, the pesto mayo is the perfect highlight. Of course, since you've already got the pesto, an Italian potato salad isn't too farfetched, either. Instead of relying on the usual vinaigrette for a tangy depth, you can get a punchy kick with this pesto-mayo dressing. Inspired by the classic Caprese salad, a potato spin-off with pesto, tomatoes, and mozzarella balls is sure to be the crowd-pleaser of your summer cookouts. Want some extra protein to bulk up the dish? A few boiled eggs or grilled chicken chunks are what you need — experiment away.