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Spicy Potato Salad with Tomatoes and Pigeon Peas

Spicy Potato Salad with Tomatoes and Pigeon Peas

By Elizabeth MindreauOctober 28, 2021

  • Makes
    4 to 6 servings
  • Cook Time
    40 minutes
  • Active time plus cooling
    plus cooling

Solterito, often described as Peruvian chopped salad, was our inspiration for this colorful dish. Classic solterito (which translates from the Spanish as “little bachelor”) is made with choclo, a starchy Peruvian corn, and labor-intensive fava beans. To simplify, we took a few liberties with the ingredients. We use Yukon Gold potatoes as a buttery, starchy salad base and add canned pigeon peas (or butter beans). And in place of Peruvian rocoto chili, we spice things up with a combination of habanero (for heat) and a mini red sweet pepper (for color). Tomatoes and cilantro bring bright notes, and olive and queso fresco counter with savoriness.

Tip

Don’t allow the potatoes to cool before adding them to the dressed tomato mixture. The hot potatoes soak up flavor as they cool, which means every bite is well seasoned.

Ingredients
  • 1

    mini red sweet pepper OR ¼ red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and roughly chopped

  • 1

    habanero chili, stemmed, seeded and roughly chopped

  • ¼

    cup extra-virgin olive oil

  • 3

    tablespoons white wine vinegar

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • 1

    pint grape OR cherry tomatoes, halved

  • 15½

    ounce can pigeon peas OR butter beans, rinsed and drained

  • 1

    medium shallot, finely chopped

  • 1 ½

    pounds small Yukon Gold potatoes (1 to 1½ inches in diameter), unpeeled, halved

  • ½

    cup lightly packed fresh cilantro, chopped

  • ½

    cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved

  • 3

    ounces queso fresco, crumbled (¾ cup)

Step 1

In a blender, combine the sweet pepper, habanero, oil, vinegar and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Puree until mostly smooth, about 1 minute, stopping the blender once and scraping down the sides, then transfer to a large bowl.

Add the tomatoes, pigeon peas and shallot. Stir to combine, then set aside while the potatoes cook.

Step 2

In a large saucepan, combine the potatoes, ½ teaspoon salt and 2 quarts water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high, then cover, reduce to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until a skewer inserted into the largest pieces meet no resistance, about 12 minutes.

Step 3

Drain the potatoes, then immediately add them to the tomato mixture. Stir to combine and let cool for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the cilantro, olives and cheese, then taste and season with salt and pepper.