A chimichurri potato salad has no mayonnaise and no fuss, full of fresh herbs and garlic, a little bit of heat from the red pepper, it's an easy to prepare side dish that is perfectly delicious warm, cool, or at room temperature!
This Potato Salad is All About the Chimichurri Sauce!
Our summer start is full of craziness! Rain on memorial day, smoke in the beginning of June, I'm ready to have sunny
A cookout isn't complete without great side dishes. The cookout trifecta: baked beans, potato salad, and baked mac and cheese are the must-make side dishes for any summer bbq.
This biggest complaint about classic potato salad is that people are afraid that it'll go bad while we party party outside.
Then there's the argument about 'what's in the potato salad and who made it?' Overcooked boiled eggs, too much mustard, dairy products, the brand of mayo, and the wrong family member making it are all reasons for someone to pass on the bowl of potatoes.
So let's instead bring one that everyone will be happy about instead: warm potatoes tossed in a fresh chimichurri sauce! It's the best herb sauce ever, so delicious on so many things, but especially good for making a vegan potato salad that people will be fighting over for a second serving, instead.
This flavorful chimichurri potato salad recipe only requires fresh herbs, olive oil, a little spice from red pepper flakes and aromatic shallots and garlic, and a hit of acidity with those baby potatoes.
Make this herby potato salad as a fantastic side for your holiday dinner table or an easy weeknight dish that is delicious served with a nice smoked cut of beef at your labor day picnic this year. The mayo haters will thank you!
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Jump to:
- This Potato Salad is All About the Chimichurri Sauce!
- What is Chimichurri Sauce?
- Equipment
- Ingredients
- How to Make Chimichurri Potato Salad
- Variations, Tips, and Substitutions
- What to Serve with your Side Dish
- Storage and Freezing Instructions
- FAQs
- More Delicious Recipes To Serve with Chimichurri Potatoes
- Chimichurri Potato Salad
What is Chimichurri Sauce?
Chimichurri sauce is a gorgeous green sauce made with finely chopped herbs (traditional herbs used are parsley and oregano), red wine vinegar, and chiles.
Chimichurri originated in Argentina, named after an urban legend named Jimmy Curry. I talk all about that in my chimichurri post and more.
The herbaceous flavor of the chimichurri dressing is beloved across South America and now across the world, and is used as an uncooked sauce that's fantastic on carne asada, a marinade for grilled chicken, as a dip for vegetables or bread.
Equipment
A large pot - for boiling the potatoes
Food Processor - you could chop the herbs, garlic, and shallot by hand, but it's so easy to give them all a few pulses in the blender or food processor.
Ingredients
Full ingredients, measurements, and printable instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Fresh Cilantro, Flat Leaf Parsley, and Mexican Oregano - the theme is fresh here!
- Red Wine Vinegar, Lemon Juice, or Lime Juice - this is the acid that is so needed to really get the well rounded flavor of chimichurri.
- Garlic and Shallot - Use as much garlic as you like, remember it's raw so it's going to have that spicy flavor!
- Extra virgin olive oil - use a good one, this is a very huge part of this sauce.
- Red chili flakes
- Baby Potatoes - we're looking for waxy potatoes, so leave those Idahos and Russets alone this time!
- Salt and Pepper
How to Make Chimichurri Potato Salad
Step 1 | Make your homemade chimichurri sauce by blending up all the ingredients in a food processor for a few seconds. For the best flavor, let it rest for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to really mingle.
Step 2 | Cut the potatoes in half then place the potatoes in a large pot with salted cold water and bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat. Boil the potatoes until fork tender.
Step 3 | Drain the potatoes into a large bowl, let them cool slightly, then pour the chimichurri over the potatoes and toss with them while the potatoes are still warm.
Step 4 | Serve warm or refrigerate until you're ready to serve. It tastes equally good served chilled or warm.
This is perfect served immediately while the potatoes are warm, or refrigerated until cool.
Variations, Tips, and Substitutions
- Use whatever herbs you like best, but know that stronger flavors like rosemary need to be used sparingly,
- If you don't care for boiled potatoes, you can have chimichurri roasted potatoes, then toss with even more chimichurri sauce!
- No shallot? Use a small red onion, it just has a bit more bite.
- If you can't find a medley of baby potatoes like I did, you can use gold baby potatoes or baby red potatoes.
What to Serve with your Side Dish
- Marinated Chicken Breasts - marinate chicken breasts in extra chimichurri sauce and pan sear or grill them for a tasty main or salad protein.
- Juicy Steak - Chimichurri goes fabulously with beef! Grilled skirt steak, a reverse seared steak, or show stopping prime rib served with any extra chimichurri sauce will impress your guests.
- Holiday Dinner - potato salad is a classic side for the holidays for many households. Serve it beside southern green beans, candied yams, honey butter biscuits, and mashed potatoes.
Storage and Freezing Instructions
- To store: Store the leftovers in an airtight container in your fridge for up to 5 days. No need to reheat, your potato salad is great eaten chilled!
- Freezing and Thawing: Freeze your herby potato salad in freezer-safe zip top bags once the dish has cooled to room temperature. It will last for 3 months in the freezer. Thaw overnight in the fridge and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving
FAQs
Because we are using baby potatoes here, we aren't peeling the potatoes. Waxy potatoes like gold or red potatoes are safe to cut up before boiling, they won't become terrible and waterlogged like Russet potatoes.
Chimichurri potato salad is delicious hot, cold, or room temperature!
More Delicious Recipes To Serve with Chimichurri Potatoes
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Chimichurri Potato Salad
Ingredients
Chimichurri Dressing
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
- ¼ cup fresh flat leaf parsley
- 2 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves
- 2-5 cloves garlic, depends on how much you like
- 1 small shallot, peeled
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Potato Salad
- 3 lbs baby potatoes, sliced in half lengthwise
- Cold water, for boiling
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Make the Chimichurri Sauce
- Place all the chimichurri ingredients into the bowl of a food processor or blender, then give a few pulses to chop them down into small pieces. Set aside.
- Make Potato Salad
- Cut the potatoes in half then place the potatoes in a large pot with salted cold water and bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat. Boil the potatoes until fork tender.
- Drain the potatoes into a large bowl, let them cool slightly, then pour the chimichurri over the potatoes and toss with them while the potatoes are still warm.
- Serve warm or refrigerate until you're ready to serve. It tastes equally good served chilled or warm.
- Served immediately while the potatoes are warm, or refrigerate until cool.
Recipe Notes
Storage and Freezing Instructions
- To store: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. No need to reheat, your potato salad is great eaten chilled!
- To freeze: Freeze your herby potato salad in freezer-safe zip top bags once the dish has cooled to room temperature. It will last for 3 months in the freezer, thaw overnight in the fridge.
Variations, Tips, and Substitutions
- Use whatever herbs you like best, but know that stronger flavors like rosemary need to be used sparingly,
- If you don't care for boiled potatoes, you can have chimichurri roasted potatoes, then toss with even more chimichurri sauce!
- No shallot? Use a small red onion, it just has a bit more bite.
- If you can't find a medley of baby potatoes like I did, you can use gold baby potatoes or baby red potatoes.
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