Italian Potato Salad With Green Beans & Red Onions

Italian potato salad, with green beans and red onion, is a super fresh and delicious salad, perfect as a side dish or a main course for an easy lunch.

Italian potato salad holds a special place in my heart (and stomach); I have such good memories of summer picnics as a child spent enjoying my Nonna’s delicious Italian potato salad.

Tender potatoes, crisp vegetables, and herby vinaigrette dressing are perfect for a light but filling meal.

As someone with Italian heritage, potato salad has always been a staple at family gatherings and picnics. There is something about the simple mixture of ingredients that tastes like home.

This potato salad takes inspiration from a Sicilian recipe, which we Sicilians call “Insalata vastasa”.

The term “vastasa”- which in dialect means “rude and vulgar person”- probably refers to the exaggerated and disproportionate use of ingredients. 

Traditionally, the dish’s preparation includes potatoes, green beans, tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, red onion, white and black olives, oregano, salt and pepper, and plenty of extra virgin olive oil. 

But in my version, I prepare it without the tomatoes and olives.

Italian Potato Salad Ingredients

These are the main ingredients you need for this potato salad recipe.

Scroll down to our printable recipe card for the step-by-step directions and measurements.

Green beans: You can use fresh ones, but frozen ones are fine.

Potatoes: Yellow-fleshed potatoes are best; they are firm, low in flour, and resist cooking better.

Red potatoes can also do well; they have flesh inside that is pale, firm, and compact and remains firm even after long cooking.

Other types of potatoes that go well with this recipe:

• Yukon Gold
• Fingerling Potatoes
• Small Boiler Potatoes or baby potatoes

Red onion: Gives a unique flavor to our salad. 

If you do not like raw onion, you can opt for this little trick to eliminate much of its intense flavor and help digestion. 

Slice them and soak them in water and vinegar for about 1 to 2 hours; drain the slices, blot them with paper towels, and add them to the salad.

Or you could use onion pickles.

Origano: Make the salad super flavorful; try with fresh basil or other fresh herbs.

Salt and black pepper: To taste.

Oil and balsamic vinegar: I use olive oil and balsamic or red wine vinegar, the classic Italian dressing, to dress this salad.

How to Make Italian Potato Salad 

Step 1

Clean the onion and slice it.

Place it in a small bowl with cool water for at least half an hour.

This will make the onion more digestible and cause the pungent elements it contains to run off into the liquid.

Step 2

Cook the potatoes in a large pot of water and cook them with a lid.

From boiling, cook for about 25/30 minutes until they are fork tender.

Then peel and dice the hot potatoes into bite-sized pieces and let cool at room temperature.

Cut off the ends of the green beans and cook them in salted boiling water for about 10 minutes. 

Then, drain them and keep them aside.

Step 3

Add the cooked potatoes, green beans, and onion in a large bowl. 

Season the salad with salt and pepper, and add oil, oregano, and balsamic vinegar dressing. 

Gentle toss and refrigerate.

Other Way to Cook Potatoes For Italian Potato Recipe

Choose your preferred cooking process. I usually boil them, but the microwave is a lifesaver when you’re short on time.

Pot: Choose new, even-skinned potatoes, wash them under running water, and if necessary, use a brush to remove soil.

Then, place the potatoes inside a large pot with cold water covering them completely, add a tablespoon of salt (for every kg of potatoes), and bring them to the fire on high heat.

When the water comes to a boil, lower the heat and finish the cooking, checking occasionally by piercing the potatoes with a knife tip.

Microwave: It is also possible to boil potatoes in the microwave; the rule of washing them carefully is the same; then, without removing the skin, we will operate the cooking at 750w, 6 to 12 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes. 

Halfway through cooking, turn the potatoes over and continue cooking on the opposite side.

Pressure cooker: Alternatively, we can boil the potatoes in the pressure cooker with only 3 cups of water, close the lid, and bring them to the stove, calculating about 15 minutes of cooking time.

Recipe Tips For The Perfect Potato Salad

• Always boil the potatoes with cold water to prevent the outside from becoming soggy.
• Potatoes require a lot of salt! 
• Add one teaspoon of kosher salt per pound of potatoes.
• Do not overcook the potatoes to avoid a mappy salad. Always check the potatoes with the help of a toothpick while cooking.
• Drains excess water from all ingredients.

Peeling Before vs. Peeling After Boiling

I prefer to peel the potatoes after boiling. This saves time and allows the potatoes to retain their natural flavors and nutrients.

POSSIBLE VARIATIONS

I love to add artichoke hearts or sun-dried tomatoes to mine for more flavor. Depending on your preferences, boiled carrots or celery can be substituted.

As for the dressing, an olive oil-based vinaigrette is classic, but feel free to play around with different herbs like rosemary or basil.

I love to throw in some chopped olives and or grape tomatoes to my salad or make this a unique dish by adding chicken, tuna, or even hard-boiled egg and serve it with this delicious focaccia.

What to Serve with this Green Bean Potato Salad

For my taste, this salad is best served cold; I always make it for lunch and dinner in the morning. 

Letting it sit for a few hours in the refrigerator helps blend the flavors.

This potato salad perfectly pairs with chicken cutlets or ham with ham gravy for a delicious dinner.

I also love to serve it with a yummy chicken pesto sandwich.

SERVING AND STORING

Make-Ahead: Italian potato salad is the perfect make-ahead dish.

Prepare it a few hours or even a day before, allowing the flavors to meld together beautifully. Just make sure to store it in the refrigerator.

It is even better the next day.

Storing: I recommend refrigerating leftovers within a few hours in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

The potatoes tend to soak up the dressing over time, so you may need to gently toss in more olive oil before serving again. 

I do not recommend freezing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should The Potatoes Be Peeled?

As per the family recipe, I make this salad with peeled potatoes, but if you prefer with the peel, that’s perfectly fine, too. 

When cooking, I always leave the peel on.

You have to consider that the peel is like a protection for the potatoes, preventing them from absorbing too much water and thus preventing them from flaking after cooking.

Should Italian Potato Salad Be Served Hot Or Cold?

I advise serving it cold; letting it sit for at least an hour in the refrigerator makes the flavors blend better.

Italian potato salad recipe

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OTHER EASY POTATO RECIPES

• Air Fryer Potato Wedges, with this recipe, Crunchiness is Guaranteed!
• Potato Gnocchi, grandmother’s recipe.
• Creamy Baked Potatoes is an easy side dish.
• Pasta With Potatoes & Bacon: a super tasty and easy-to-make dish.
• Hamburger Potato Soup is creamy, deliciously cheesy, and loaded with healthy veggies!
• Colcannon Irish Bacon Potatoes, a classic side dish made with bacon and cabbage,