This delicious side dish has become an annual must-have at my Labor Day weekend barbecue. Its robust flavor comes from the pesto, capers, olives, and optional Calabrian peppers. If you can’t find these peppers, you can use red chile flakes instead. I add just a touch of these peppers to the vinaigrette and then taste for seasoning. If you have a crowd who loves spicy food, add a bit more.
I like the creamers or fingerling potatoes because they have a creamy texture, they’re bite-size, and they have a rustic shape. If the potatoes are particularly large, cut them in half to make sure that they’re all the same size. You can also use red or yellow potatoes, but make sure to cut them into 1- to 1/2-inch bite-size pieces.
Sun-dried tomato pesto is available at Italian or gourmet grocery stores, but you can make it yourself if you have the time (see following recipe). I like the oil-packed tomatoes, because they’re already softened. If you’re near Trader Joe’s, look for its varieties that are already cut up. This mashup of Mediterranean-California ingredients offers the potatoes a jolt of deliciousness.
Serve this with burgers, sausages, hot dogs, or barbecued chicken. And since this dish contains no dairy, you can serve it at an outside gathering without worrying about leaving it out in the heat.
Potato Salad With Sun-Dried Tomato Caper Vinaigrette
Serves 6 to 8
For the Salad- 3 pounds creamer or fingerling potatoes (about 2 inches), unpeeled
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, for garnish
For the Vinaigrette
