Tonnato Potato Salad
You’ve had potato salad before, but I promise you haven’t had this one. This Tonnato Potato Salad skips the mayo entirely and instead tosses warm baby potatoes in a silky, savory tonnato sauce, made from canned tuna, anchovies, capers, lemon, and a hard-boiled egg, then finishes it all off with plenty of fresh dill and chives.
BEST Italian Potato Salad with Tonnato Sauce
It sounds a little unexpected, but once you try it, it just makes sense! Tonnato sauce is a classic Italian condiment that’s punchy, creamy, and ridiculously good on basically everything it touches. On warm potatoes? Even better. This Italian tonnato potato salad is perfect for a summer cookout, a light lunch, or anytime you want potato salad to do a little more.
And if you love unexpected salads as much as I do, you should definitely try my Crispy Smashed Chickpea Salad and my Raw Asparagus White Bean Tuna Salad, too!
Why You’ll Love This Tonnato Potato Salad
- No mayo, just a blender and a handful of ingredients
- The tonnato sauce comes together in about 2 minutes flat
- Super savory flavor from tuna, anchovies, capers, and lemon
- Fresh dill and chives keep it bright and summery
- Works warm, at room temp, or straight from the fridge
- Great make-ahead salad
Ingredients for Tonnato Potato Salad
For the Potatoes
- Baby potatoes
- Fresh dill
- Fresh chives
- Kosher salt and black pepper
For the Tonnato Sauce
- Canned tuna packed in oil
- Hard-boiled egg
- Capers
- Anchovy fillets
- Fresh lemon juice
- Chicken or vegetable broth
- Olive oil (if needed)
Ingredient Notes
- Baby potatoes: Any variety works here! I like to use waxy potatoes like Yukon Gold, red, or a colorful mix. The key is to dress them while still warm so they soak up the sauce.
- Tuna in oil: This is important! Tuna packed in oil gives the sauce a much richer, smoother texture than water-packed. Don’t drain it completely, since a little of that oil adds great flavor.
- Anchovies: Don’t be scared. They don’t make the sauce taste fishy! They just add a deep, savory flavor that makes everything taste more complex.
- Capers: Just a small amount goes a long way, adding a bright, briny pop that balances the richness of the sauce.
- Fresh herbs: Fresh dill and chives are non-negotiable here. They keep the whole dish feeling light and vibrant.
- Broth: This helps loosen the sauce to a pourable, dressing-like consistency. Use whatever you have on hand, chicken or vegetable both work great.
How to Make Easy Tonnato Potato Salad
- Prep Potatoes: Place the baby potatoes in salted cold water and boil until fork-tender, then drain and cut into bite-size pieces.
- Make Tonnato Sauce: While the potatoes cook, blend the tuna, hard-boiled egg, capers, anchovies, lemon juice, and broth until completely smooth and creamy.
- Combine Sauce & Potatoes: Pour the tonnato sauce over the warm potatoes and toss gently to coat.
- Add Herbs: Fold in the fresh dill and chives, then taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Serve & Enjoy: Transfer to a serving bowl, top with extra herbs and cracked black pepper, and serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
Tips for the Best Tonnato Potato Salad
- Dress the potatoes while they’re still warm! They’ll absorb the sauce much better than cold potatoes will.
- Blend the sauce until it’s completely smooth. If it seems too thick, add a splash more broth to loosen it.
- Taste the sauce before pouring. Anchovies and capers are salty, so hold off on adding extra salt until after you’ve tasted the finished dish.
- Don’t skip the fresh herbs at the end. They add color, freshness, and a little textural contrast that the dish really needs.
- If making ahead, give it a good stir before serving and add a fresh squeeze of lemon to brighten it back up.
Storage Suggestions
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The flavors deepen as it sits, which honestly makes it even better the next day. Add a little extra fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon before serving again to freshen it up. This salad is not suitable for freezing.
More Side Dish Recipes to Try
- Beetroot and Tuna Dip
- Roasted Zucchini with Dill Yogurt Sauce
- Golden Beets & Burrata Salad
- Lemon Butter Green Beans and Peas Salad
- Kefir Dill Potato Salad
Tonnato Potato Salad Recipe
Video
Ingredients
For the potatoes
- 1½ pounds baby potatoes
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh chives
- Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
For the tonnato sauce
- 1 5 oz can tuna packed in oil, drained
- 1 hard-boiled egg
- 1 tsp capers
- 3 anchovy fillets
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup chicken or vegetable broth
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil if needed
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook until fork-tender, 15–20 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly before cutting into bite-size pieces.
- Meanwhile, make the tonnato sauce. Add the tuna, egg, capers, anchovies, lemon juice, and broth to a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy, adding a little olive oil if needed to loosen the sauce.
- Place the warm potatoes in a large bowl and pour the tonnato sauce over top. Toss gently to coat.
- Fold in the dill and chives. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and finish with extra herbs and freshly cracked black pepper. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
Notes
- Dress the potatoes while still warm so they soak up the sauce as they cool.
- Tuna packed in oil gives the sauce the best flavor and creaminess.
- The anchovies won’t make it taste fishy, they just add a deep, savory backbone. Don’t skip them!
- Blend the sauce until completely smooth. If it’s too thick, add broth a splash at a time until it pours easily.
- Hold off on adding salt until after tossing, capers and anchovies bring a lot of brininess on their own.
- This salad is great made ahead. The flavors deepen overnight; just stir well and add a fresh squeeze of lemon before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tonnato salad is a dish where warm, tender potatoes are tossed in a creamy Italian tonnato sauce, then finished with fresh herbs. It’s a mayo-free, flavor-packed twist on classic potato salad inspired by the northern Italian tradition of vitello tonnato.
Technically no, but they add an important savory depth to the sauce. If you skip them, the sauce will still be tasty, but a little less complex. You could add a small squeeze of anchovy paste as a compromise if you’re anchovy-hesitant.
You can, but the sauce won’t be quite as rich or creamy. If that’s all you have, add an extra tablespoon of olive oil to the blender to compensate.
