Olivier Salad – Potato Salad Recipe with Pickles and Bologna Sausage

Immerse yourself in culinary magic with our Olivier Salad recipe—a timeless favorite known for its delightful mix of flavors and textures. This cherished dish brings together simple potatoes, pickles, bologna sausage, and various ingredients, forming a gastronomic masterpiece that crosses borders and delights taste buds worldwide globe.

Olivier Salad is a delightful cold potato dish that can stand alone as a meal. You can easily find its ingredients at your local grocery store. Simply boil the vegetables and eggs, then let them cool before dicing into small cubes. Choose your preferred meat to customize your salad. Don’t overlook the two final ingredients that truly enhance its flavor: canned sweet peas and pickles.

In post-Soviet nations, each family has its unique Olivier salad recipe. Variations may include fresh cucumbers instead of pickles and blanched peas in place of canned ones. Additionally, some recipes incorporate diced onions, fresh herbs, boiled beans, shrimp, and caviar, among other ingredients. However, I consider the recipe I have here to be the classic and most widely embraced version. If you’re still uncertain about trying it, let me just say: go for it! If it’s not to your taste, that’s fine. But I have my doubts. Olivier salad is delicious, simple to prepare, and can be stored for up to three days.

In this gastronomic journey, we’ll guide you through the steps of crafting Olivier Salad, showcasing how simple ingredients can weave together to create a dish that is as visually appealing as it is delicious. Each bite of this potato salad is a delightful fusion of creaminess, crunch, and savory goodness—a testament to the art of balancing flavors in perfect harmony.

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. The most suited options will be Bologna sausage, Mortadella, or Smoked Ham, as their taste is most likely to resemble the so-called Soviet 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 their readiness. How do 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.

• The boiling time for carrots is 20 to 40 minutes on average. Before chopping the carrot, do not forget to cool it down. It will make your cooking much easier, for sure. Try chopping carrots into the same-sized cubes as potatoes.

• Eggs for the salad should be hard-boiled, as it will be easier to cut them into a shape that you want (as before, try to keep the 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 to 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, that you add mayo when you know that you will serve the salad shortly. 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!

You need to have several things 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 and have it at barbecue and picnics, not only as a part of a festive table for wintery celebrations.

As we bring our culinary journey through the time-honored magic of Olivier Salad to a close, we trust this recipe has not only guided you through the steps of crafting a classic but has also sparked a newfound appreciation for the harmonious fusion of flavors in this potato salad masterpiece. Olivier Salad, with its rich history and global popularity, stands as a testament to the culinary traditions that transcend borders and bring people together around the table.

If you’re on Pinterest, go ahead and pin the recipe! Spread this delightful recipe with your friends and family!

May the delightful crunch of pickles, the creamy texture of potatoes, and the savory notes of bologna sausage linger in your memory, inspiring you to recreate this timeless dish in your kitchen. Whether served at festive gatherings or enjoyed as a comforting side, Olivier Salad captures the essence of culinary creativity and the joy that comes from sharing flavorful traditions with loved ones.