Two types of string beans, herb marinated tomatoes, and crispy fried capers makes this Sicilian potato salad recipe different from the rest. Make it ahead (it gets better as it sits).
Sicilian potato salad with green beans is an excellent seasonal side dish best enjoyed with grilled meat or fish, or as a stand alone meal when nothing else will do (some bread and cheese would be nice). The red wine vinaigrette makes it light and refreshing. It’s naturally vegan and gluten free.
There’s also many versions of this recipe. My French grandmother made her potato salad with shallots and Dijon mustard. My Sicilian grandmother opted for tomatoes, wrinkly black olives and oregano. My version? I take shallots from France (and the rest from Sicily), to create the ultimate “mayo-less” Italian potato salad recipe I could eat all summer long.
Why This Recipe Works
- Two types of string beans (yellow and green) add both color and flavor. When available, choose haricots verts. They’re skinnier and less squeaky than regular green beans. Have leftover beans? Make this: spicy yellow beans with shallots & lemon.
- Herb marinated tomatoes (dried oregano, salt, olive oil) concentrates the flavor and draws out the water. Do not skip this step.
- Shallow-fried capers add a punchy, nutty, salty note which is both pleasing and unexpected. It’s my favorite ingredient in this dish! Save the leftover frying oil to make my authentic eggplant caponata.
Sicilian Potato Salad Ingredients (You Will Need):
- Small potatoes, such as Yukon Gold
- Cherry tomatoes
- Shallots or red onion
- Green beans
- Yellow wax beans
- Dried oregano (I love this Sicilian oregano)
- Dry cured black olives
- Capers
- Olive oil
- Red wine vinegar
- Salt & Pepper
Recipe Tips:
- Cut the potatoes when they’re warm or at room temperature (not hot). This will keep their papery skins intact. Alternatively, you can cook the potatoes 1 day in advance and chill in the fridge before cutting. Bring to room temperature before serving.
- Dry Well! After boiling the potatoes and green beans, make sure to dry them thoroughly with a kitchen towel. Otherwise, the salad will be watery.
- Season with Salt. This is SO important. Salt the potato cooking water. Salt it again before blanching the green beans. Salt the finished salad until is tastes right. Potatoes are like sponges and they will suck up everything in sight.
- Make it Ahead. There are 2 ways to do this. Option #1: cook the potatoes and green beans ahead of time (1 day max); chill until ready to assemble. Option #2: make the entire potato salad, minus the fried capers, from start to finish. Chill up to 3 hours before serving. You’ll need to add more vinegar, oil and possibly salt before digging in.
How To Serve It.
I love this Sicilian potato salad with grilled salmon or swordfish; it’s excellent with herb-rubbed steak and chicken. Also, as mentioned earlier, this is a great standalone meal (vegan, vegetarian and gluten free) perhaps with some cooked, creamy white beans to bulk it up. Most of the time, I just eat it cold straight from the fridge! It’s a satisfying lunch options too.
Side note: Save the juice from the marinated tomatoes. Use it to dunk grilled bread and top with crumbled feta or goat cheese (have you tried Meredith Dairy marinated goat cheese yet?). Delicious.
Did You Know?
Fresh potatoes cook faster than old potatoes. Why? They contain more water. I learned this tip when making fresh homemade gnocchi for the first time, as old/dry potatoes are preferred by gnocchi masters all over the world (water + gnocchi = disaster). Here’s the takeaway: cooking time for potatoes will always vary. To check for doneness, pierce the center of a potato with a paring knife; if it slips out easily, your potato is cooked. PS: I grew those potatoes in the picture above!
More Sicilian Recipes to Try:
- Authentic Eggplant Caponata
- Quick Sicilian-Style Tomato Sauce
- Easy Pesto alla Trapanese (Sicilian Pesto)
- Classic Italian Sesame Cookies {Reginelle Cookies}
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Sicilian Potato Salad with Green Beans
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stove-Top
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Two types of string beans, herb marinated tomatoes, and crispy fried capers makes this Sicilian potato salad recipe different from the rest. This salad, which is naturally gluten free and vegan, can be made in advance (it gets better as it sits).
Ingredients
- 450g (1 lb) small potatoes, such as Yukon Gold
- 140 g (1 cup) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 40 g (1/4 cup) thinly sliced shallots or red onions
- 350 g (3/4 lb) mixed string beans, yellow and green
- Dried oregano
- Large handful black olives (I like the wrinkly, dry cured ones)
- 50 g (3–4 tbsp) brined capers, rinsed, drained and patted dry
- 3 tbsp. olive oil, plus more to taste
- 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar, plus more to taste
- Salt & Pepper
Notes & Tips:
- If your string beans are not the same thickness, cook them separately. For example, haricots verts are thinner than yellow wax beans and will cook faster.
- Capers come in different sizes. The ones I used for this recipe were particularly small and didn’t “open up” considerably when fried. Just a heads up.
- Save the juice from the marinated tomatoes. Drizzle over grilled bread and top with feta or goat cheese.
- There are 2 ways to this dish ahead of time. Option #1: cook the potatoes and green beans ahead of time (1 day max); chill until ready to assemble. Option #2: make the entire potato salad, minus the fried capers, from start to finish. Chill up to 3 hours before serving. You’ll need to add more vinegar, oil and possibly salt before digging in.
Instructions
- Cook the Potatoes: Boil whole (unpeeled) potatoes in salted water until tender, about 15-20 minutes depending on freshness (fresh potatoes cook faster). To check for doneness, pierce the center of a potato with a paring knife; if it slips out easily, the potato is ready. With a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes to a clean kitchen towel to dry. Save the cooking water to blanch the string beans.
While the potatoes cook, prep the rest of the ingredients:
- Marinate the Tomatoes: Combine the tomatoes and shallots (or onions) in a bowl. Season generously with salt and pepper, a dash of oregano and drizzle with olive oil. Mix well. Cover and chill until ready to use.
- Blanch the Beans: Bring the potato cooking water back to a boil, adding more water if necessary. Salt it again. Blanch the green beans until crisp tender, about 2-3 minutes (taste one). Drain in a colander. Run the beans under cold water to stop the cooking process and to keep them bright in color. Transfer to a kitchen towel and dry thoroughly. Cut into 2-inch pieces on a diagonal. Set aside.
- Fry the Capers (optional): In a small pan, heat 2 tbsp. of olive oil. When it’s hot and starts to shimmer, add the capers. They will splatter if too wet (remember to pat dry first!). Fry for a minute or so; they will open up when ready. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Note: if you don’t want to fry the capers, add them as is, straight from the jar.
To assemble the salad:
- In a large, wide bowl add the olive oil and red wine vinegar. Season with salt, pepper and a dash of oregano. Whisk to combine. Halve or quarter the cooked potatoes; add to the bowl. Mix gently. Add the green beans, marinated tomato and shallot mixture (no juice- see note up top) and olives. Mix again. Taste and correct with more vinegar, oil and salt if needed. Garnish with capers to serve.
Comments
LYNN says
We had this last night and it was absolutely delicious, so fresh and tasty. Had ours with piri piri chicken and will certainly make this lovely salad again. I cut my salad potatoes bite sized and they only took 5 mins and not overcooking spuds and beans is key to this lovely salad. Thank you!