The Russian Vinaigrette Salad is an extremely popular dish in Russian and Ukrainian cuisine. This salad brings me back to my childhood. This recipe is the way my mom makes it. Of course, I find it the best way!
Ingredients of Russian Vinaigrette Salad:
- 3 medium beets
- 3 medium potatoes
- 1 cup sauerkraut
- 4 medium pickles
- 1/2 cup canned peas
- 1/3 cup dill
- 2 scallions
- 3 tablespoons sunflower oil
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
- salt to taste
- 1 pinch ground black pepper
Other Optional Ingredients:
Carrots: Traditionally, the salad also includes cooked carrots. My mom never added carrots to the salad and that's how I am used to it as well. Never really liked cooked carrots in anything. If you like, you can also boil two large or three medium peeled carrots in boiling water for about 30 minutes (or until a toothpick goes smoothly through the carrots) and dice them into small pieces, the size of the diced beets and potatoes.
Red Bell Peppers: Although it's not traditional to include diced bell peppers, I've seen this once or twice before 🙂 It adds a little more crunch to the salad.
Dill: I always add dill to the Vinaigrette Salad. It adds a little aroma and freshness.
Cooking the Beets and Potatoes:
- Preferably cook the beets and potatoes the night before and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. Otherwise, cool the vegetables in a refrigerator before dicing.
- Cook the beets and potatoes in separate pots. If you are using carrots, they may be cooked in the same pot as the potatoes.
- The beets and potatoes (and carrots) should not be peeled until they are fully cooked and ready to be diced. It's easier to peel the beets after cooking and cooling them.
Making the Russian Vinaigrette Salad:
- Cook the beets and potatoes: Boil the unpeeled beets in a medium-size pot for 40 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the size of the beets. In a separate medium-size pot, boil the unpeeled potatoes for approximately 30 minutes. To check if the beets and potatoes have been cooked through, gently insert a toothpick or a knife through the vegetables - it should go through smoothly. Do not overcook the potatoes, they will become too mushy to dice.
- Meanwhile, prepare other ingredients: while the potatoes and beets are cooking, dice the pickles, dill, and scallions and combine in a large mixing bowl. Add the peas and sauerkraut.
- Cool beets and Potatoes: Once the potatoes and beets have cooked, cool them by placing them in the refrigerator overnight (if you are preparing ahead), or cool for approximately 30 minutes.
- Peel the beets and Potatoes: Peel the skin off the potatoes and beets. To avoid getting your fingers stained by the beets, simply wipe the skin off using a paper towel. To peel the potatoes you can use a knife to gently remove the peel. It will come off easily.
- Dice the potatoes: dice potatoes into small, even, pieces. Large pieces are “too much potato” in one bite Add the potatoes to the bowl with the other ingredients.
- Dice the beets: Dice the peeled beets into small, even, pieces and place them in a separate bowl. Add one tablespoon of sunflower oil and half a teaspoon of salt. Stir well and add the beets into the bowl with the other ingredients. Stir all ingredients together.
- Season: Add another tablespoon of sunflower oil, 1 tablespoon white vinegar, and a pinch of ground black pepper. Stir well. Taste to see if the salad needs a little more salt.
Storing Leftovers:
Russian Vinaigrette gets even better over time. The flavors are brought out more. You can store the salad up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Recipe
Russian Vinaigrette Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- - 3 medium beets
- - 3 medium potatoes
- - 1 cup sauerkraut
- - 4 medium pickles
- - 1/2 cup canned peas
- - 1/3 cup dill
- - 2 scallions
- - 3 tablespoons sunflower oil
- - 2 teaspoons white vinegar
- - salt to taste
- - 1 pinch ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the beets and potatoes: Boil the unpeeled beets in a medium-size pot for 40 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the size of the beets. In a separate medium-size pot, boil the unpeeled potatoes for approximately 30 minutes. To check if the beets and potatoes have been cooked through, gently insert a toothpick or a knife through the vegetables - it should go through smoothly. Do not overcook the potatoes, they will become too mushy to dice.
- Meanwhile, prepare other ingredients: while the potatoes and beets are cooking, dice the pickles, dill, and scallions and combine in a large mixing bowl. Add the peas and sauerkraut.
- Once the potatoes and beets have cooked, cool them by placing them in the refrigerator overnight (if you are preparing ahead), or cool for approximately 30 minutes.
- Peel the beets and Potatoes: Peel the skin off the potatoes and beets. To avoid getting your fingers stained by the beets, simply wipe the skin off using a paper towel. To peel the potatoes you can use a knife to gently remove the peel. It will come off easily.
- Dice the potatoes: dice potatoes into small, even, pieces. Large pieces are “too much potato” in one bite Add the potatoes to the bowl with the other ingredients.
- Dice the beets: Dice the peeled beets into small, even, pieces and place them in a separate bowl. Add one tablespoon of sunflower oil and half a teaspoon of salt. Stir well and add the beets into the bowl with the other ingredients. Stir all ingredients together.
- Season: Add another tablespoon of sunflower oil, 1 tablespoon white vinegar, and a pinch of ground black pepper. Stir well. Taste to see if the salad needs a little more salt.
Notes
- Russian Vinaigrette gets even better over time. The flavors are brought out more. You can store the salad for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
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