Insalata Pantesca is a bright, refreshing salad from the island of Pantelleria in Sicily. It combines boiled potatoes with capers, olives, cherry tomatoes, fragrant oregano and a simple tangy dressing. Easy to make and full of Mediterranean flavour.
Ideal for warm weather, this salad celebrates fresh, uncomplicated ingredients. Potatoes are boiled whole in their skins to preserve flavor, then peeled, chopped and mixed with other tasty elements like olives, capers and tomatoes.
Dried Sicilian oregano really lifts this dish — it has an intense aroma and deep flavour. If you can find Sicilian oregano in an Italian shop or a reputable deli, it’s well worth using. It’s inexpensive and keeps well, so it’s a great pantry addition.
Scroll down for the full printable recipe with ingredient notes, step-by-step photos and tips.
Table of Contents
- Ingredients
- Visual walk-through of the recipe
- Recipe Tips
- More Italian summer salads to try
- Full Recipe
Ingredients
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Potatoes – choose a firm yellow variety (Vivaldi or similar) for the best texture.
- Olives – pitted black or green olives both work well.
- Capers – Pantelleria is famous for capers, but if those aren’t available use jarred capers in brine.
- Oregano – dried Sicilian oregano adds an aromatic boost. Use quality dried oregano if possible.
- Onions – Tropea onions are traditional and mild, but a thinly sliced red onion is a good substitute.
- Dressing – extra virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper are all you need.
Visual walk-through of the recipe
- Boil the potatoes – wash and boil the potatoes whole in plenty of salted water until tender. Keeping the skins on preserves flavour; you can peel and chop them first if short on time (photos 1 and 2).
- Prep the onion – halve and very thinly slice the onion, then place it in a large bowl with the white wine vinegar to soften slightly (photo 3).
- Assemble – once potatoes are cooked and cool enough to handle, peel and roughly chop them. Add potatoes to the bowl with the onions, then add halved tomatoes, olives, capers, oregano, torn basil leaves and seasoning (photo 4).
- Serve – drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, toss gently to combine and serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
Recipe Tips
- Boiling whole – cooking potatoes in their skins helps keep flavour, but peeling and chopping before boiling speeds cooking time. If you chop first, drain and let them steam a few minutes after cooking so excess water evaporates.
- Make ahead/leftovers – the salad keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving for best flavour.
- Serving suggestions – enjoy as a light main, or serve alongside grilled chicken or fish. Adding canned tuna (in olive oil) is a classic variation.
- Adjust to taste – feel free to change quantities — more tomatoes, fewer olives, or extra capers to suit your palate.
More Italian summer salads to try
Pasta
Zucchini Shrimp Pasta Salad
Salads
Insalata di Riso (Italian Rice Salad)
Salads
Cannellini Bean Salad with Tuna and Tropea Onions
Salads
Authentic Tuscan Panzanella Salad
If you try this Insalata Pantesca or another recipe from the blog, please rate it and leave a comment to share your experience. I love hearing from readers. Follow the blog’s social channels or subscribe to the newsletter for more recipes and updates.
Step By Step Photos Above
Most recipes include step-by-step photos, tips and sometimes video to help you get the best result.
Insalata Pantesca (Sicilian Potato Salad)
By Emily
Ingredients
- 450g (1 lb) potatoes
- 250g (8.8 oz) cherry tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 1 red onion (Tropea preferred), thinly sliced
- ½ cup (70g) black olives (or green)
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- small handful fresh basil, torn
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it well. Wash the potatoes and add them whole to the boiling water. Cook until tender when pierced with a knife, about 20 minutes.
- While the potatoes cook, finely slice the onion and place it in a large bowl with the white wine vinegar. Let it sit to mellow the onion’s bite.
- When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel and roughly chop them, then add them to the bowl with the onions.
- Add halved tomatoes, capers, olives, dried oregano, torn basil and a good pinch of salt and pepper.
- Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, toss gently to combine and serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
Video
Notes
- Boiling the potatoes – cooking them whole in the skins preserves flavour. If you’re short on time, peel and chop first, but remember to drain and let them steam briefly so they aren’t waterlogged.
- Prepping in advance/leftovers – the salad keeps up to 3 days in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before serving.
- Serving suggestions – serve on its own, with grilled chicken or fish, or add canned tuna for a heartier salad.
- Quantities – adjust amounts to your preference — more tomatoes, fewer olives, or extra oregano if you like a stronger herb flavour.
Helpful Info for All Recipes
- I use extra virgin olive oil in most recipes unless noted otherwise.
- When using canned tomatoes, choose high-quality brands for the best flavour.
- Vegetables are assumed to be medium unless stated otherwise.
- All recipes are developed using a fan (convection) oven where applicable.
- Nutrition figures are approximate and intended as a guide.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 27 g |
Protein: 4 g |
Fat: 12 g |
Sodium: 588 mg |
Fiber: 5 g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
Did you try this recipe?
Leave a comment below!