Piriñaca Recipe: Cantabrian Potato Salad with Tuna 2026

Piriñaca, also known as periñaca, is a traditional potato salad from Cantabria in northern Spain. It combines warm, just-boiled potatoes with a simple olive oil and vinegar dressing, then folds in juicy tomatoes, sweet spring onions, crisp peppers, briny anchovy-stuffed olives and flaky tuna.

Hard-boiled eggs go on top as a golden garnish, and the whole dish chills in the fridge until it is refreshingly cold. It is the kind of salad that tastes even better made ahead, which makes it perfect for summer lunches, picnics or a laid-back starter.

The key is to dress the potatoes while they are still hot so they soak up every bit of the tangy vinaigrette. From there, it is just a matter of chopping the vegetables and mixing everything together.

Ingredients for Piriñaca

For 4 servings

• 400 g potatoes
• Salt
• 20 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• Ground black pepper
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 Italian red pepper
• 1 Italian green pepper
• 2 spring onions
• 2 hard-boiled eggs
• 40 g anchovy-stuffed olives
• 110 g canned tuna in oil (net weight)

How to Make Piriñaca Step by Step

1. Boil the potatoes

Boil 400 g of whole, unpeeled potatoes in salted water for about 30 minutes, depending on their size. They are ready when a knife slides through them without resistance. Peel them while hot and cut them into dice.

2. Dress the potatoes

Make the dressing by whisking together 20 ml of extra virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon of vinegar, salt and ground black pepper. Toss the still-warm potatoes with this dressing so they absorb all the flavors.

3. Chop the tomatoes, peppers, spring onions and eggs

Meanwhile, wash and chop 2 tomatoes into chunks. Remove the seeds from 1 Italian red pepper and 1 Italian green pepper, and cut them into strips. Slice 2 spring onions into rings and cut 2 hard-boiled eggs into quarters.

4. Mix these ingredients with the potatoes

Add the tomatoes, peppers, spring onions, 40 g of anchovy-stuffed olives and 110 g of drained canned tuna in oil to the potatoes. Gently mix everything together until well combined.

5. Garnish with the eggs, chill and serve

Divide the piriñaca among plates and garnish with the hard-boiled eggs. Let it cool in the refrigerator, then serve.

Tips for the Best Piriñaca

Dress the potatoes while hot

For the potatoes to really take on all the nuances of the dressing, we like to dress them while they are still hot, right after cutting. This helps the vinaigrette soak in instead of sitting on the surface.

Choose your tuna

For this salad you can use tuna steaks, but if you prefer flaked tuna, it is also very tasty. Either way, drain it well so the salad does not become watery.

Serve it well chilled

Piriñaca is enjoyed refreshingly cold, so let it cool in the refrigerator. Still, always take it out a little beforehand so it tastes best.

30 Top Recipes I Keep Coming Back To at Home

If you're anything like me, your kitchen rotation probably includes a blend of cozy comfort classics, well-loved dishes from around the globe, and desserts that make everyone happy.

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Additional Tasty Recipes the Whole Family Will Enjoy

After years of testing and fine-tuning dishes in my own kitchen, I've come to believe the finest recipes are built on straightforward steps, dependable methods, and serious flavor.

What follows are the dishes I genuinely cook over and over—whether it's a fast meal just for me or something memorable for friends and family.

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When something light and uncomplicated is what I'm after, I'll usually go with the timeless Italian Caprese Salad Recipe or a flawlessly cooked Simple Poached Egg Recipe. For richer comfort cooking, I'm quick to point people to the filling Meatball Sandwich Recipe, the smooth Russian Stroganoff Beef Recipe, and the fast weeknight go-to One Pot Pasta Recipe.

I'm also fond of sharing dishes with global roots, such as the genuine Sorropotún de Bonito Fish Stew Recipe, crisp Chilean Pumpkin Sopaipillas Recipe, and the traditional Spanish Cochifrito Segovian Fried Pig Recipe.

Air fryer cooking is another area I return to often, since it cuts down on time while still delivering excellent results. The ones I make most include Air Fryer Pork Ribs Recipe, Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Recipe, Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Baked Potatoes Recipe, Air Fryer Peppers Recipe, Air Fryer Mixed Sandwich Recipe, Air Fryer Toasted Bread Recipe, and Air Fryer Hard-Boiled Eggs Recipe.

And for those steering clear of wheat, my cozy Gluten-Free Lasagna Recipe shows that classic baked pasta can still be decadent, cheesy, and deeply satisfying without any gluten.

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