Olivier Salad – Russian Potato Salad Recipe

Olivier Salad is a very delicious cold potato salad that you can use as a separate meal. Its ingredients are very easy to locate in your near local store. All you need is to boil vegetables and eggs, cool them down and dice into small cubes. Decide which type of meat to use for your version of this Russian salad. Do not forget the last two ingredients that make this salad so special: canned sweet peas and pickles.

In Post-Soviet countries, every family has its own Olivier recipe. You can find salads with fresh cucumber instead of pickled and blanched fresh peas instead of canned. Also you can find diced onion, chopped fresh herbs, boiled beans, shrimps and caviar among other added ingredients. But for me, the recipe that I have here is the classic one and most common. If you still have doubts and have not decided whether to try it or not, the only thing that I can say: Just simply try it! If it is not yours, then ok. But I really doubt it. Olivier salad is tasty, easy to make and can be stored up for 3 days.

Ingredients for Traditional Russian Potato Salad

• 3-4 potatoes, medium sized boiled.
• 4 eggs, boiled.
• 1 carrot, boiled.
• 200 g sweet peas, canned and drained.
• 4 dill pickles, medium sized.
• 200-300 g mayonnaise.
• Salt and black pepper to taste.
• Fresh herbs to serve, chopped.
• 300 g some type of meat product.

Using meat in the salad is purely optional. It depends on you, whether you add it to chopped veggies or not. Most suited options will be Boloqna sausage, Mortadella or Smoked Ham, as their taste is most likely to resemble Russian Classic Doctor`s Sausage that is used in the authentic recipe. Of course, there is also another way to make Olivye salad – by using boiled meat (my top choices would be boiled veal or chicken breast), chopped into small cubes.

How to make Olivier salad at home:

• Boil all the necessary ingredients ahead of time. As you should let them cool down before peeling, cutting and using in the recipe. Check out my guides on how you can boil perfect veggies for the salad: How to boil whole potatoes.
• Never peel potatoes before boiling. Cook potatoes in boiling water at least for 20 minutes before checking on it readiness. How you do this? Just take a knife, a fork or something sharp and pierce it through a potato. If it glides smoothly, your vegetable is ready. Chop potatoes into small cubes.

• Boiling time for carrot is 40 minutes on average. Before chopping carrot, do not forget to cool it down. It will make your cooking much easier, for sure. Try chopping carrot into the same sized cubes as potatoes.

• Eggs for the salad should be hard-boiled, as it will easier to cut them into shape that you want (as before, try to keep sizing of all the chopped ingredients the same).

• Next, chop cucumbers into small cubes. Drain them before cutting, if necessary.

• The last ingredient to chop into cubes is meat or,in my case, sausage. As I mentioned before, there are many varieties to choose from. Do not listen to those who say that the Original Olivier is only served with sausage! My granny`s salad that was traditionally served at New Year`s Eve party had boiled veal and it is still my favorite.

• Combine all the diced ingredients with drained canned sweet peas in a mixing bowl.

• The last step will be to add mayonnaise, salt and black pepper. I never add salt to the salad and try use only freshly ground black pepper. Mix salad thoroughly so that mayo covers all the ingredients evenly.

• Let it sit for 30 minutes in the fridge before serving (so that all the juices from boiled vegetables and mayo will incorporate). But bear in mind, you add mayo when you know that you will serve the salad in near future. To preserve salad for up to three days just simply combine all chopped ingredients with peas and store it in the airtight container in the fridge. Add mayo before serving. Enjoy your meal!

There are several thing that you need to have in mind while making Olivier salad. Do not overcook or undercook potatoes and carrots. They are the skeleton of this salad. They are the key to a delicious Olivye. Choose your favorite type of canned peas and pickled cucumbers (the amount of sour should be enough for you). You can make this salad ahead of time; have at barbecue and picnics, not only as a part of a festive table for wintery celebrations.

If you like the recipe, share it with your friends!

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