Salat Oliviye (Ukrainian Potato Salad) Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Potato

by: Alexandra Shytsman

October4,2022

4.4

5 Ratings

  • Prep time 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Cook time 25 minutes
  • Serves 6 to 8

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Author Notes

Reportedly invented by a Moscow chef named Olivier, this popular Russian potato salad eventually made its way down to home cooks, evolving into its current form: boiled vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and peas, stirred through with chopped pickles and eggs, and bound together by mayonnaise.

Note: Though my family boils the potatoes and carrots first before peeling them with a pairing knife, you could certainly peel them first with a vegetable peeler before boiling. —Alexandra Shytsman

  • Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Ingredients
  • 2 large russet potatoes (about 1 pound), scrubbed
  • 4 medium carrots (about 3/4 pound), scrubbed
  • Fine sea salt, to taste
  • 6 large eggs
  • 8 small kosher dill pickles, cut into pea-sized dice
  • 1 (15-ounce) can sweet peas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cupmayonnaise, plus more to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
  1. Place the potatoes and carrots in a large pot. Add a generous pinch of salt and enough water to cover by about 1 inch. Cover tightly with a lid and bring to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the carrots can be pierced easily with a knife, but are not too soft, about 15 minutes. Lift the carrots out of the pot and set aside to cool. Continue cooking the potatoes until they can also be pierced with a knife, 5 to 10 minutes more, being careful not to overcook. Lift out the potatoes and set aside to cool.
  2. Meanwhile, place the eggs in a medium pot and add enough water to cover by about 1 inch. Cover tightly with a lid and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for exactly 10 minutes, making sure to keep the water at a constant gentle boil. Carefully drain the eggs and refill the pot with cold running water. Let stand until the eggs are completely cooled.
  3. When the potatoes and carrots are completely cooled, peel them with a paring knife. (To make it easier to peel the carrots, cut each carrot into 2 or 3 chunks. Then, cut 2 slits down the length of each chunk and carefully peel off the skin while keeping the flesh intact.) Cut the vegetables into pea-sized dice and add to a large bowl. Add the pickles.
  4. Peel the eggs and cut into pea-sized dice, as well. Add to the other ingredients, along with the peas, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper. Stir to coat everything evenly in the mayonnaise. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed. Refrigerate for about an hour before serving.

Tags:

  • Potato Salad
  • Russian
  • Potato
  • Side

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Sonia Cohen

  • Denise Fungher Mundaca

  • bellw67

  • Valery Yermalitsky

  • Alexandra Shytsman

Popular on Food52

14 Reviews

[emailprotected] March 8, 2020

Just FYI - this is not a "ukrainian" salad, it is a truly Russian one since it was created before the revolution even. This recipe lacks some of the ingredients - namely, fresh cucumbers and also the meat! the most important part. I take premium beef filet and boil it till it gets totally tender and then chop it finely. Also the potato cubes should be way smaller then pictured. Enjoy!

Maya March 8, 2020

I am from Slovakia and I make the same potatoes salad,I didn't know it was ukrainien recipe,to make this even better, mix a mayonase with some whipping cream.

Elly H. February 21, 2020

First time I had this was in England at lunch with my Godmother's mother, a former diplomatic service employee and it was called Russian Salad. I think she used a bit of yogurt in her mayonnaise as it was slightly tart. Have loved it ever since.

Sonia C. February 18, 2020

This looks just like the chicken salad my romanian grandfather made when I was a child which I loved and have not seen since... Thank you for the memory!

Chey February 17, 2020

I will definitely make this, as it's close to the potato salad I grew up with - although, I am far from any Soviet or Russian relation. I love the addition of cooked carrots. I appreciate this recipe and the lovely story and history with it - which makes this a special dish for me because of it.

judith@hudsonvalleycooking February 17, 2020

I’m a 3rd generation Russian immigrant. When I visited my family in Leningrad in the 1970’s a similar salad was served in the “fancy” hotels with a Slice of pickle mad into a cup and filled with caviar on top. It was made with chicken instead of eggs. I still make it at home. The little bit if caviar on top taught me that the reason I did not like caviar was that I had never tasted good caviar in New York.

Denise F. February 17, 2020

Wow! My maternal grandmother came from ukraine. This was always my moms version of potato salad but I had no idea it was traditional ukrainian! I just wondered why it wasn't creamier like all the other potato salad I saw in the us.

bellw67 February 16, 2020

I think I’m going to start adding carrots to my potato salad and leaving the onions out.

Valery Y. February 14, 2020

Is it absolutely necessary to use kosher pickles? Дзякуй.

Alexandra S. February 14, 2020

Hi Valery. It's not the 'kosher' part that counts here but rather the dill flavor of dill pickles that works well in this salad. But feel free to use whatever pickles you have on hand :)

deedee1200 February 14, 2020

So glad to see a traditional family version of Olivye that doesn't include onion!

Alexandra S. February 14, 2020

...or apple! ;)

cranberry February 21, 2020

Or frozen peas. Only canned.

marina February 24, 2020

We don't use onions but we do use chicken

Salat Oliviye (Ukrainian Potato Salad) Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

Salat Oliviye (Ukrainian Potato Salad) Recipe on Food52? ›

This is no ordinary potato salad. This salad consists of potatoes, turkey hot dogs, pickles, scallions, hard-boiled eggs, and sweet peas. All of the ingredients are finely chopped and dressed with mayonnaise.

What is Russian potato salad made of? ›

This is no ordinary potato salad. This salad consists of potatoes, turkey hot dogs, pickles, scallions, hard-boiled eggs, and sweet peas. All of the ingredients are finely chopped and dressed with mayonnaise.

How does Bobby Flay make potato salad? ›

Bobby Flay's Mustard and Scallion Potato Salad

In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustards, vinegar, salt and pepper, olive oil, honey, lime juice, jalapeño, and scallions. Add the warm, sliced potatoes to the bowl and fold until well combined.

How to keep potatoes from falling apart when making potato salad? ›

Don't Undercook (or Overcook) the Potatoes

Poke them with a fork after the water has boiled for 5 minutes (or, if steaming, after 15 minutes). Don't wait until they fall apart when pierced with a fork.

How to make a potato salad Jamie Oliver? ›

Method
  1. Gently boil the potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain and leave to cool slightly.
  2. Whisk the mustard with the vinegar and slowly add the olive oil. ...
  3. Slice the cooked potatoes in half and dress with the shallot and parsley vinaigrette.

What is Russian salad dressing made of? ›

Typically piquant, it is today characteristically made of a blend of mayonnaise and ketchup complemented with such additional ingredients as horseradish, pimentos, chives, mustard, and spices.

What country is potato salad from? ›

How to make potato salad Martha Stewart? ›

Directions
  1. Put potatoes in a large pot of salted water; bring to a boil. Cook until just tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain; let cool.
  2. Stir together mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, and dill; season with salt and pepper. Peel potatoes; cut into 1-inch chunks. Fold into mayonnaise mixture.
Feb 25, 2021

Why don't you peel potatoes for potato salad? ›

Prepping and cooking potatoes. To peel or not to peel? If you'd like to add a little extra color and texture to your salad, leave the skins on. Just be sure to scrub them thoroughly with a vegetable brush before you cook them.

Is it better to boil potatoes whole or cut up for potato salad? ›

Drop a whole russet into the pot and by the time the outside has cooked through, the inside will still be raw. Larger potatoes should be cubed to ensure they cook evenly (peeled first if desired). Smaller potatoes tend to have thin skins and can be boiled whole, no peeling required.

Which type of potato is best for potato salad? ›

Waxy potatoes are generally considered the best for classic potato salad because they retain their shape, you don't have to peel them, and they have a smooth texture. People who prefer a creamy potato salad that soaks up dressing like a sponge, though, opt for a starchy potato.

What goes bad first in potato salad? ›

But the truth is, mayonnaise isn't your main concern when it comes to spoilage. The actual culprit is the potatoes.

Why is my potato salad always watery? ›

Potatoes can retain moisture. To prevent this, drain the potatoes very well in a colander or pot. Allow all the steam to escape the potatoes before mixing them with the dressing and other ingredients. Steaming the potatoes instead of boiling them is a good way to ensure that excess moisture isn't trapped inside.

Why is my potato salad mushy? ›

The starch in potatoes is held together by pectin. When that pectin breaks down too quickly in the boiling process, mushy potatoes result. Adding vinegar to the water fixes that problem because, as López-Alt explains, “pectin breaks down much more slowly in acidic environments.”

Why is Russian salad called Russian salad? ›

Russian salad was originally called Oliver salad based on the Moscow-based Belgian chef who invented it. During the 20th century, the dish spread throughout Europe and adopted the name Russian salad.

What is the difference between French and Russian salad dressing? ›

A French dressing is rooted in oil, vinegar, Dijon mustard, ketchup, minced shallot or garlic, sugar, and paprika. On the other hand, the Russian dressing mainly comprises mayonnaise, ketchup, hot sauce, minced onion, pickle horseradish, and paprika.

Is Russian salad good for health? ›

It is a very complete dish that provides various benefits depending on the ingredients, most common are potatoes, green peas, beans, and carrots: Rich in minerals: iron, phosphorus, potassium. Vitamins: A, B, C, E, and K.

Where is Russian salad popular? ›

Ensaladilla rusa 'Russian little salad' is widely consumed in Spain and it is served as a tapa in many bars. It typically consists of minced boiled potato, minced boiled carrots, canned tuna, minced boiled eggs, peas, and mayonnaise. In Italy, insalata russa has the same ingredients.

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