Ingredients You’ll Need

Here’s what you’ll need for this dill pickle potato salad (plus salt and pepper):

• Red potatoes: I like using a waxy potato here, which holds up well after boiling and has a naturally creamy texture. (Avoid russet potatoes!)
• White wine vinegar: A splash on the potatoes while they’re still warm helps them absorb flavor.
• Mayonnaise + Greek yogurt: My favorite combo for creamy salads that aren’t too rich. For vegan, use all vegan mayo (or a combo with cashew cream).
• Dijon mustard: Adds depth of flavor and more creaminess.
• Dill pickles + pickle juice: My secret to the big pickle flavor!
• Shallot or white onion and celery: To add the required crunch.
• Fresh dill: Fresh is genuinely worth it here. If you’re growing it, even better!

Air Fryer Options

I cook with this large-basket air fryer (at least 6.5 qt capacity), which fits the chicken in this recipe in a single layer. You can also use a full-size oven with air fryer function: if so, you can make a double batch!

More Air Fryer Recipes To Try

• Crispy Air Fryer Chickpeas
• Air Fryer Shrimp
• Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
• Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes
• Air Fryer Salmon Bites
• Crispy Air Fryer Tofu

Ingredients You’ll Need

Most of what you need is already in a well-stocked Mediterranean diet pantry. A quick tour of the key players:

• Rigatoni: I like rigatoni here because the wide tubes catch the chunky vegetables, but any short, ridged pasta (penne, spirals, ziti) works well.
• Cherry tomatoes: Try for ripe in-season tomatoes or there are many hothouse cherry tomatoes that taste great.
• Canned artichoke hearts: A Mediterranean diet pantry staple! I always have a few cans on hand.
• Green olives: Castelvetrano are my favorite (buttery, mild, not too briny), but any mild green olive works.
• Garlic, lemon zest, and Parmesan: These add big flavor dimension.
• Panko, smoked paprika, and fresh basil: The best part is the basil breadcrumb topping: sprinkle it as a required garnish before serving.

How to Make This Mediterranean Pasta

Here’s the rhythm of the recipe: full instructions are in the recipe below!

1. Boil the rigatoni in well-salted water until al dente, and reserve pasta water before draining.
2. Saute the cherry tomatoes in olive oil until they release their juices, then add the garlic, olives, and chopped artichoke hearts.
3. Make the basil breadcrumb topping by mincing fresh basil with panko, smoked paprika, and salt.
4. Toss everything together with lemon zest, grated Parmesan, and a splash of pasta water. Garnish with basil breadcrumbs before serving.

More Mediterranean Diet Recipes to Try

• Mediterranean Pasta Salad
• Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
• Mediterranean Rice Bowl
• Mediterranean Salmon
• Mediterranean Chicken

My Take on the Dressing (Skip the Balsamic)

A few notes on the dressing for this Caprese pasta salad. Some people like to use a balsamic vinegar here, since you often see Caprese salad with a balsamic reduction. But balsamic has a dark color that makes for a muddy-looking pasta salad.

Instead, this dressing is full of bright flavors, with white wine vinegar, garlic, a little sugar to balance, and oil. For the oil, you can use 100% olive oil if you like. But I like to use half olive oil and half neutral oil: it helps to keep the dressing from solidifying during storage.

More Pasta Salad Recipes To Try

Summer is all about pasta salad! Here are some of my top pasta salad recipes for the season:

• Go for the Italian-style Classic Pasta Salad
• Try zingy Greek-Inspired Pasta Salad, Bow Tie Pasta Salad or Mediterranean Pasta Salad
• Opt for creamy Pesto Pasta Salad or retro Shrimp Pasta Salad
• Opt for creamy and classic with Classic Tuna Pasta Salad
• Go for fan-favorite Easy Tortellini Salad

Ingredients You’ll Need

This green bean salad recipe is basic, but combines just the right flavors to make the beans irresistibly tasty. The tender vegetables are mixed with a red wine vinegar and Dijon vinaigrette, which adds a hefty dose of tangy flavor to the entire dish. The basic idea? Blanch the beans, cut veggies, make the dressing, and mix it all together! Here’s what you’ll need:

• Green beans: standard or haricot verts (French green beans) both work; the thinner haricot verts blanch about a minute faster
• Red wine vinegar and Dijon mustard: The tangy backbone of the dressing
• Honey: Just enough to round out the flavors (swap maple syrup to keep it vegan)
• Garlic powder: Gives a mellow garlic note without the bite of raw garlic
• Extra-virgin olive oil: My go-to heart healthy oil for everything
• Cherry tomatoes: Sliced in half; I like a mix of red and yellow if you can find it
• Shallot: Raw and sliced very thin
• Baby arugula: It adds a peppery layer; do not substitute mature arugula (more on that below)
• Feta cheese: Adds a nice salty pop; omit for vegan or use vegan feta.

How to Blanch Green Beans

The only part of this green bean salad that takes a bit of skill? Blanching the beans. Blanching is a cooking method that involves boiling vegetables until they’re crisp tender, then plunging them into ice water to stop the cooking process. The ice water helps to keep the veggies colorful by locking in a beautifully bright green color. Blanching is quick and easy; here’s what to do:

• Prepare the water: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Prepare a large bowl of ice water.
• Boil the beans: Add the beans to the boiling water and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until just tender but still bright green (taste a bean to assess doneness).
• Place in the ice bath. Right when the beans are tender, remove them from the boiling water with tongs and transfer them to the bowl of ice water. After 2 minutes, remove the beans to a colander to drain.
• Blot the beans dry. This is very important: otherwise you’ll end up with a watery salad! (Trust us, we forgot this once and we won’t again.)

Tips for Serving

Once you make this green bean salad, you can eat it immediately. Or, you can refrigerate it until serving, allowing the flavors to permeate the beans even more. To us, it’s just as delicious both ways! Here are a few things to note:

• Toss the salad well before serving. The tomatoes and feta can sometimes fall to the bottom, especially if it’s in a large bowl. Also, make sure the dressing is evenly tossed through the veggies.
• A shallow platter can be better for serving than a large bowl. This way you can make sure all the goodies are evenly dispersed.

The Secret Ingredient: Water-Packed Olives

Here’s our secret to these marinated olives. Use ripe olives packed in water. They have a rich and buttery flavor, nothing like a martini olive. These olives aren’t packed in brine, they’re simply packed in salt water. It makes for a clean, straightforward flavor: not too tangy, briny or salty. Exactly what kind of olives are we talking about?

• Use medium to large ripe olives that are pitted. Here’s a list of olives to buy for marinated olives: we like the Lindsay brand that you see listed. Look on the package to see if it says “packed in water” or if the ingredients specify. Castelvetrano olives are another great option.
• Use a mix of green and black. This makes a great color contrast.
• Avoid stuffed or flavored olives. You don’t want any competing flavors here.

Ways To Serve Marinaded Olives

Now for the fun part: ways to serve them! These marinaded olives are very versatile. They’re an easy side dish for a Mediterranean-style meal (like Italian or Spanish), or perfect for a gluten free appetizer spread. Here’s how I like to serve them:

• On a cheese board. Add a baguette, sliced manchego cheese and marcona almonds, and you’ve got a simple cheese board that doubles as dinner for two.
• In an appetizer spread. A few vegetarian appetizers that vibe well with marinaded olives: goat cheese crostini, tomato almond dip, stuffed dates,
• With paella. Make a Spanish-style meal with Classic Spanish Paella or Easy Vegetarian Paella.

More Olive Recipes To Try

• Kalamata Olive Spread or Tapenade: This olive spread (also called tapenade), is used in Italian cuisine to add big flavor to crostini and sandwiches.
• Pasta Puttanesca: This classic Italian pasta recipe features garlic, capers and olives in the sauce to give it a tangy burst of flavor.
• Olive Salad: This tangy condiment is perfect for sandwiches and as a dip.

How To Make This Dill Potato Salad

The way that the seasoning is added to the potatoes makes it into a naturally creamy, gooey texture. Here’s what I learned from Julia Child on the best way to make a dill potato salad that’s full of serious flavor:

• First, boil the potatoes whole until they’re fork tender. Drain and allow them to cool, then when they’re cool enough to touch cut them into bite-sized pieces.
• Place the warm potatoes in a bowl and mix them with white wine vinegar, shallot, kosher salt, and here’s the kicker: ½ cup warm water. Let this mixture stand for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The potatoes will absorb the water and and a runny sauce will form! (If you didn’t add water, the potatoes would simply dry out.)
• After the rest time, then add the olive oil, capers and herbs and mix to combine. The potatoes will continue to break down a little and form a gooey texture.

What to Serve with Dill Potato Salad

This dill potato salad is built for summer and it goes with almost anything you could think of. A few of my favorite pairings:

• As part of a spread of summer side dishes
• Grilled shrimp skewers for a quick weeknight dinner
• Easy baked salmon when I want something Mediterranean
• Easy grilled tofu for a vegan-friendly cookout plate
• Burgers, bratwurst, or anything else off the grill

More Dill Recipes

• Top 10 Dill Recipes
• Lemon Dill Salmon
• Dill Pickle Dip
• Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
• Cucumber Salad with Vinegar
• Quick Refrigerator Dill Pickles
• Cucumber Dill Sandwiches

Tips For The Cashew Cream

The only part about vegan potato salad that requires some forethought is making the cashew cream! You’ll need to think in advance to soak the cashews: but otherwise it’s as simple as whizzing together a few ingredients! Here’s what to know:

1. Soak the cashews 30 minutes to 1 hour (or even overnight). Soaking cashews in water makes them break down to make a smooth sauce. We have a high speed blender, so we only soak for about 30 minutes, 1 hour if we have time. But the longer you soak the cashews the better! Soaking overnight is fantastic. A high speed blender is perfect for blending the cashews, or a really good standard blender. The cashews form a thick cream when blended.
2. Blend the cashews with spices and seasonings. This recipe uses yellow mustard, white wine vinegar, garlic powder, and a hint of maple syrup. The result is a creamy spread that tastes like mayo, but it’s fully vegan and dairy-free!

How To Serve It

This vegan potato salad was a huge hit in our family — and beyond! My son Larson absolutely adores it. My good friend has declared it her favorite potato salad: ever! She makes it often in the summers and it’s always a huge hit with her family! Basically: all signs point to delicious on this one. How to serve this potato salad? Here are a few ways I’d recommend:

• For a cookout. Serve it alongside your favorite grilled veggie burger or grilled portobello burgers.
• For a picnic. Serve with Chickpea Salad Sandwiches and fresh fruit.
• With a trio of salads. Pair it with Black Bean Salad and Cucumber Salad for a tasty salad luncheon. Or browse our Vegan Salad Recipes!

How to Make Fruit Skewers

It’s easy to make fruit skewers and you can go in many different directions! Choose a rainbow of fruit, or go more monochrome with just 2 or 3 colors of fruit. The way you cut the fruit changes the look as well! Here are a few tips and ideas for threading the skewers:

• A 12-inch skewer or smaller is a nice size. Avoid skewers that are very long as they are awkward to eat off of (especially for children).
• Pre-cut fruit makes for quick prep. We got pre-cut pineapple and watermelon here, which is easy to find in the produce section of your grocery store. Or you can cut from the larger fruits: here’s how to cut pineapple and how to cut watermelon.
• If desired, cut strawberries into a heart shape. Cut a notch into the top when you remove the stems, and you’ve got an instant heart shape! It looks nice on a skewer.
• Determine a theme. Are you going rainbow? Red white and blue? Anything goes in skewer-land: just get creative.
• Use cookie cutters. Want to get over-the-top cute? Use cookie cutters to cut shapes into watermelon or cantaloupe (like stars or hearts).

Ingredients You’ll Need

The best part about tuna salad is that you can make it using mostly pantry ingredients. Of course, you’ll need a ripe avocado. But other than the celery and onion, it’s a pantry friendly meal. Here’s what you’ll need to make this healthy lunch idea:

• Canned tuna: I usually use white meat (albacore), but light tuna works too. Water-packed makes it fresh and clean-tasting; oil-packed tastes a little richer. Both are great!
• Ripe avocado: This is the star, so make sure it’s ripe so that it can form the creamy sauce. See my guide on how to cut an avocado for the safe way to cut it.
• Celery: Needed for that signature tuna-salad crunch.
• Red onion: Just enough for sharpness.
• Dill pickles: My secret weapon! They bring that classic briny tang to the salad.
• Lemon juice: keeps the avocado from browning.
• Dijon mustard: Adds savory notes.

More Avocado Recipes To Try

• Add it to an Avocado Club Sandwich for a quick lunch
• Throw it into a Avocado Grilled Cheese Sandwich, a simple way to step up the standard
• Make Avocado Toast with Egg with bright yellow turmeric eggs
• Blend it into an Avocado Banana Smoothie
• Make tasty Crispy Avocado Tacos

More Summer Recipes To Try

Memorial Day is all about summer salad, grilled items, fun frozen drinks, and fruit desserts! Here are a few more ideas for your holiday planning:

• Try our top Summer Recipes, Summer Salad Recipes, or Summer Vegetarian Recipes.
• Make Summer Cocktails, Frozen Alcoholic Drinks, or Lemonade Recipes.
• Mix up our best fun Summer Appetizers.
• Try all our Top Grill Recipes or make all the Summer Desserts.

01

60 Summer Recipes to Try This Season

02

50 Summer Cocktails and Drinks

03

25 Fun Vegetarian Grill Recipes

04

25 Fun Summer Appetizers

Tips For Making Chicken Burgers That Aren’t Dry

Don’t skip this section! Ground chicken is very different to work with than ground beef. It has a lower fat content, so it’s not quite as naturally juicy and it doesn’t stick together as well. However, it makes a great burger! Here’s what to do:

1. Don’t overmix the meat. The more you handle ground chicken, the stickier it gets and the tougher the burgers are. Fold the seasonings in just until you no longer see streaks of bare meat. You’ll find you need to wash your hands a few times during the shaping process.

2. Spread the meat out before seasoning. Sprinkling the spice mix over a flat layer of chicken on a baking sheet means you can fold it in with two or three quick passes.

3. Chill the patties. Just 15 minutes in the fridge helps them firm up so they don’t fall apart when they hit the hot skillet.

4. Use a thermometer. Chicken needs to hit 165°F, but try not to overcook it or it will be tough. Use an internal read food thermometer for best results.

More Favorite Chicken Dinner Recipes

• Grilled Chicken Thighs
• Greek Chicken Bowls
• Chimichurri Chicken
• Grilled Chicken Salad
• Baked Chicken and Farro
• Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It’s a true crowd-pleaser. The tangy-briny-herby flavor is hard to stop eating: everyone I’ve served it to loves this combination.
• Make-ahead friendly. You can mix it a full day in advance and it tastes even better the next day.
• Works for many diets. It’s vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free so it’s great for cookouts with many types of eaters.

How to Serve French Potato Salad

This French potato salad is perfect for all sorts of occasions and to pair with dishes of all kinds. Here are my top ways to serve it:

• Nicoise salad. The hands down best way to serve it: as part of Nicoise Salad! It’s a French main dish salad that’s off the charts good, with boiled eggs, green beans, tuna, olives, and greens covered in a tangy lemon dressing.
• With salmon. Try it alongside my Lemon Dill Salmon, Easy Baked Salmon, or Grilled Salmon.
• With chicken. Add my grilled chicken thighs or best chicken burger.
• At a summer barbecue. It’s the perfect summer salad for a cookout or barbecue (here are 30 more summer salads).
• With a plant-based main. Class up my veggie burger or portobello burger.

Method 2: On the Grates (Best for Pepper Quarters)

Use this method if you’re making grilled bell peppers without onion! This method requires large pieces so they don’t fall into the grill. Here are some tips on this method:

• Cut the bell peppers into quarters. Then mix with olive oil and salt.
• Place them directly onto the grates. You’ll want to space them apart as much as possible because they’ll cook faster this way.
• Grill about 6 to 10 minutes, until tender.

More Bell Pepper Recipes

Here are a few more favorite bell pepper recipes you might enjoy with this healthy vegetable:

• Classic Stuffed Peppers A hit every time! The roasted bell peppers are filled to the brim with melty cheese and Italian flavor.
• Quinoa Stuffed Peppers Recipe A colorful and delicious healthy dinner, full of Mediterranean flavors like lemon, parsley and feta!
• Vegetarian Fajitas on the Grill Easy to grill up as a fast and easy dinner recipe! The charred veggies and black bean filling is always a crowd pleaser.

If you love cottage cheese, try more of my cottage cheese recipes, like cottage cheese mac and cheese, cottage cheese dip, and more!