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Italian Potato Salad

Italian potato salad with salami, cubed mozzarella, and Italian dressing for a hearty antipasto-style side. Cubed red potatoes are boiled until tender, tossed with crisp mix-ins, then chilled to set the flavors.
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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 Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Italian Potato Salad
  • 3 lb red potatoes
  • 1 cup salami
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes
  • 0.5 cup pepperoncini
  • 0.25 cup red onion
  • 0.75 cup Italian dressing
  • 0.25 cup fresh basil
  • 0.25 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 0.25 salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Boil and cool the potatoes
  1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add red potatoes, and boil until tender, 10-15 minutes, until a fork slides in easily.
  2. Drain the potatoes and cool them to room temperature, 20-30 minutes, so the dressing doesn’t melt the mozzarella.
Build the salad
  1. In a serving bowl, combine cooled red potatoes with diced salami, cubed mozzarella, halved cherry tomatoes, sliced pepperoncini, and finely diced red onion.
  2. Toss everything with Italian dressing until evenly coated, 1-2 minutes, and the potatoes look glossy.
  3. Stir in chopped fresh basil and grated Parmesan cheese, 30-60 seconds, until green flecks and cheese are evenly distributed.
  4. Season with salt and pepper to taste, 1-2 pinches at a time, until flavors are balanced.
Chill and serve
  1. Refrigerate the Italian potato salad for 2 hours before serving, covered, so it thickens slightly and flavors blend.
  2. Serve cold, 0-10 minutes after pulling from the refrigerator, with basil on top for a fresh look.

Notes

For best texture, cool the potatoes completely before mixing so the mozzarella stays cubed and the salad doesn’t get watery. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 3 days; freezing is not recommended due to the potatoes and cheese. For a lighter option, use reduced-fat mozzarella and a lower-oil Italian dressing while keeping the chilling time the same.