Caprese Potato Salad with Creamy Pesto

Creamy Pesto Caprese Potato Salad is a delicious spring and summer salad that is lightened up with Greek Yogurt!

With my garden rapidly growing, my herbs and tomatoes are sprouting like CRAZY! They are so tasty and had to include them in this fresh Creamy Pesto Caprese Potato Salad! It's lightened up by using Greek yogurt in place of mayo, and you will love the fresh tang it brings to the Caprese Potato Salad!

Serve this potato salad alongside some delicious Air Fryer Hamburgers or Hot Dogs, or these amazing Taco Stuffed Burgers for the perfect meal!

I wanted to use the fresh basil from my garden, which I was super excited about. I love growing different things and then using them in my meals! I harvested the basil and made a delicious creamy basil pesto!  It's simple and all you really need is a blender or food processor.  It turned out delicious!

I added grape tomatoes and chunks of fresh mozzarella to have a 'caprese' salad and then used Greek yogurt in place of the mayo to lighten the recipe up for summer. It turned out perfectly!

How to make Caprese Potato Salad:

**scroll down for full ingredients list and printable directions**

• Get all the ingredients together and prepped for the recipe.
• Cook the potatoes until tender, then strain and rinse with cool water to stop the cooking process.
• While cooking the potatoes, prepare the pesto.
• In a large mixing or serving bowl, combine cooled potatoes, tomatoes, mozzarella, and then add the creamy pesto on top. Using a spatula, carefully fold the pesto into the potatoes, making sure to coat evenly. *You don't want to mash the tomatoes or potatoes so do this carefully and slowly*
• Once evenly coated, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. Serve and enjoy!

When to serve Creamy Pesto Caprese Potato Salad:

• Hosting a Memorial Day BBQ?! Whip this up and serve in a gorgeous serving bowl for your guests!
• This Creamy Pesto Caprese Potato Salad is always a hit over the fourth of July! Your fresh basil should be plentiful by then as well as your tomatoes!
• With Labor Day a hop skip away from the 4th, this salad can be made for any holiday occasion!
• Hosting friends for a pool party?! Cook this up the day before and allow flavors to meld in the fridge overnight - YUM!
• Serve alongside this delicious and healthy Air Fryer Fish!

Main course ideas to complete this meal:

This potato salad is delicious, so serve it alongside one of these main courses for the perfect meal!

• Jalapeno Popper Stuffed Black Bean Burgers
• Air Fryer Salmon
• Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings
• Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings
• Hawaiian Style Hot Dogs
• Air Fryer Chicken Tenders

5 from 7 votes

Print

Creamy Pesto Caprese Potato Salad

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

refrigerate

2 hrs

Total Time

2 hrs 15 mins

 

Course: Main Course, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: creamy pesto caprse potato salad

Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup packed fresh basil
• ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive oil
• ¼ cup pine nuts or other nuts
• ¾ cup plain greek yogurt
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ TBS lemon juice
• 3 lbs red potatoes washed, dried, and cubed
• 2 cups grape tomatoes
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cubed

Instructions

1. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and cook for 8 minutes. Strain and run cold water over potatoes to stop cooking.
2. While cooking, prepare the pesto: In a food processor combine basil, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, black pepper, and salt. Pulse a few times to chop everything up. Once chopped, add lemon juice and start processing. Slowly add olive oil while mixing, and you will see the ingredients start to come together like a paste/pesto. I use about ¼th cup but you might use more or less. Turn off and scrape down sides. Add Greek yogurt to food processor, and then process for about 30 seconds or until completely combined.
3. In a large mixing or serving bowl, combine cooled potatoes, tomatoes, mozzarella, and then add the creamy pesto on top. Using a spatula, carefully fold the pesto into the potatoes, making sure to coat evenly. You don't want to mash the tomatoes or potatoes so do this carefully and slowly.
4. Once evenly coated, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

First published in March 2016. Updated August 2023.