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Italian Potato Salad

Italian Potato Salad with salami, cubed mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, and basil, tossed in Italian dressing for an antipasto-style bite. Boil-tender potatoes then chill for 2 hours so every forkful tastes fully seasoned.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 620

Ingredients
  

red potatoes
  • 3 lb red potatoes cubed
salami
  • 1 cup salami diced
mozzarella cheese
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese cubed
cherry tomatoes
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
pepperoncini
  • 0.5 cup pepperoncini sliced
red onion
  • 0.25 cup red onion finely diced
Italian dressing
  • 0.75 cup Italian dressing
fresh basil
  • 0.25 cup fresh basil chopped
Parmesan cheese
  • 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese grated
salt
  • 0.25 salt to taste
black pepper
  • 0.25 black pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Boil and cool potatoes
  1. Bring a pot of water to a boil, then add cubed red potatoes and cook until tender, about 10–12 minutes, with the water at a steady boil and potatoes easily pierced. Drain the potatoes and spread them on a sheet pan to cool, using a cool, even layer so they don’t steam.
Build the salad
  1. In a serving bowl, combine cooled potatoes, diced salami, cubed mozzarella cheese, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced pepperoncini, and finely diced red onion, tossing until the mix looks evenly distributed. Add Italian dressing and toss again so the potatoes look glossy and coated.
  2. Sprinkle chopped fresh basil and grated Parmesan cheese over the top, then toss gently until basil is speckled throughout and Parmesan clings lightly to the dressing.
  3. Season with salt and black pepper to taste, then toss one more time, looking for a balanced seasoning throughout the bowl.
Chill and serve
  1. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving, until chilled throughout and the flavors look settled and cohesive.

Notes

For the best texture, cool the boiled potatoes quickly on a sheet pan and keep them cubed and intact before mixing—warm potatoes can melt mozzarella. Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 4 days; freezing is not recommended because the mozzarella and tomatoes can become watery. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat mozzarella and a lower-sodium Italian dressing to cut calories while keeping the same antipasto-style feel.