Russian Salad, known in Russian as Салат Оливье or Salad Olivier, was once a common feature on festive tables all over the world. Russian salad Italian style is distinguished by the use of Italian-style mayonnaise made with fruity olive oil. This venerable dish seems to have gone out of fashion, perhaps because of all that mayo it contains. But if you ask me, it’s well worth reviving. A great choice for buffets or an antipasto, insalata russa can be made ahead of time and lends itself to scaling for a crowd. It is incredibly versatile: can be dressed up for a fancy occasion or left just as it is for a family dinner or picnic. It’s also really easy to make.
Ingredients
For a crowd, as part of a buffet
- 5-6 medium carrots, cut into dice
- 5-6 medium waxy potatoes, cut into dice
- One package (usually around 500g/16 oz) frozen peas
- 400-550g (14-16 oz) mayonnaise, homemade or store-bought and ‘doctored’ (see Notes)
- Salt
Directions
Steam carrots, potatoes and peas, each separately, until tender but still firm, usually about 5-8 minutes. Make sure to salt the water in the bottom of your steamer generously. Do not let the vegetables overcook. As each vegetable is done, put it in a colander to drain and cool. Taste the vegetables for seasoning and sprinkle with a bit of salt if you think they need it.
Add all the vegetables to a large mixing bowl. Add the mayo and fold it into the vegetables until each bit is well covered. Add more mayo if it seems a bit dry, but take care not to ‘drown’ them.
Line a mold just large enough to contain your salad with clear plastic wrap (cling film) and then add the salad, pressing it down into the mold so as not to leave any holes. Close up the top with any wrap hanging from the rim of the mold. Place the mold in the fridge for a couple of hours (or more) to firm up. (This will allow the salad to hold its shape.)
To serve, unmold the salad onto a platter.
Notes
Of course, your Russian salad will be at its best if you make the main condiment, the mayo, yourself, following our recipe for Italian-style mayo. But if you don’t have the time or inclination—or you’re worried about raw eggs—then buy a good quality mayonnaise without extraneous flavorings (for readers in the US, I would recommend Hellman’s brand) and ‘doctor’ it to resemble Italian mayonnaise by whisking into it as much fruity olive oil as you like. If the mayonnaise is made with real eggs, then it will absorb the oil just as if you were making it from scratch. ,
For a fancier presentation, you can decorate the top of your unmolded insalata russa, if you like, with gherkins, pimentoes, olive, capers, boiled shrimp, hard-boiled eggs or whatever strikes your fancy arranged in an attractive pattern. (You can also add these to the salad itself if you like.) If you want to get really fancy, you can flute more mayo through a pastry bag in elegant designs. Russian salad Italian style can be served as is—the multi-colored vegetables are beautiful just by themselves. In fact, if you’re making this for a family dinner, you don’t even have to mold the salad. But a couple of hours in the fridge will do it good anyway.
Insalata russa (Russian Salad)
Ingredients
- 5-6 medium carrots cut into dice
- 5-6 medium waxy potatoes cut into dice
- One package usually around 500g/16 oz frozen peas
- 400-550 g 14-16 oz mayonnaise, homemade or store-bought and 'doctored' (see Notes)
- Salt
Instructions
- Steam carrots, potatoes and peas, each separately, until tender but still firm, usually about 5-8 minutes. Make sure to salt the water in the bottom of your steamer generously. Do not let the vegetables overcook. As each vegetable is done, put it in a colander to drain and cool. Taste the vegetables for seasoning and sprinkle with a bit of salt if you think they need it.
- Add all the vegetables to a large mixing bowl. Add the mayo and fold it into the vegetables until each bit is well covered. Add more mayo if it seems a bit dry, but take care not to 'drown' them.
- Line a mold just large enough to contain your salad with clear plastic wrap (cling film) and then add the salad, pressing it down into the mold so as not to leave any holes. Close up the top with any wrap hanging from the rim of the mold. Place the mold in the fridge for a couple of hours (or more) to firm up. (This will allow the salad to hold its shape.)
- To serve, unmold the salad onto a platter.
Notes
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26 Comments on “Insalata russa (Russian Salad Italian Style)”
Love this salad! I was first introduced to it by someone born and escaped from Czechoslovakia. It looked disgusting, but was so good. I was appalled at the canned peas, but it worked! Soon after I bought a Russian cookbook, “Please to the Table,” and I learned that canned peas were a precious commodity! So interesting how a Russian/Eastern European salad is so similar to a French one.
Indeed! If you follow the link you’ll find the interesting history of this salad. It seems that it was invented in Russia (at the imperial court in St Petersburg) by a Belgian chef, and then spread from there all over Europe. An early example of fusion cookery?
Like Zap, I’m also from Finland and when I was served insalata russa in Italy, I instantly made the connection with our “italiansalaatti”. I’ve always found it hilarious. I guess the addition of pasta (usually cut up spaghetti or elbow macaroni) was enough to qualify the dish as “Italian” :D. I think people rarely make it themselves, it’s one of those things you mostly buy prepackaged (or at least in my family that was always the case). Who knows, maybe the Russians invented as a spin of the classic? Or then it’s the brainchild of some ingenious Finnish food writer who wanted to make it more fashionable by adding pasta…
Interesting! That is funny how this dish is called different things in different countries. The story I’ve heard is that it was invented by a Belgian chef who worked at the Hermitage in St. Petersburg named Olivier. Hence the name in Russian. The Poles also claim this dish as their own, I am given to understand. Not sure about adding pasta—definitely not something actual Italians would endorse… but no need to tell your Finnish friends. 😉
Here in Finland we eat something very similar.
The difference to your “Russian salad” is that we also put pasta and ham into it. Some recipes also call for apples. Creme fraiche or sour cream might be used instead of, or even in addition, to mayonnaise. Does that sound weird?
Also, perhaps most interestingly, we call the salad “Italian salad”, not “Russian salad”!
I had to laugh about Finns calling this “Italian salad”! I think the Russians might not be very happy about that… 😉
As for the sour cream or crème fraiche, it doesn’t sound weird at all. I rather like the idea in fact, even if those ingredients aren’t too common in (traditional) Italian cookery. I’ve also seen contemporary recipes for mixing in yogurt, a very similar idea.
Excellent-looking Russian salad Frank! We ADORE Russian salad here in Greece (it’s one of those prepackaged treats you find in all supermarkets’ fridges) but for some strange reason we haven’t tried making it at home yet:)
Thanx for the wonderful post!
Panos and Mirella
And thank *you* for your kind comment, Panos and Mirella!
Ciao Franco,
My grandmother in Nettuno (just south of Rome) used to make this for us when we spent the summers with her. She sometimes added chicken to it for as a complete meal for the hot summer evenings. We loved the addition of “sottoaceti” which added a little zing. Thanks for reminding me about this….I may make it for mother’s day in her honor!
Thanks, Carol! Chicken sounds like a lovely addition. And have a wonderful Mother’s Day.
I first encountered it in Spain, with tiny shrimp, and later saw frozen vegetables in ready to dress packets in a small supermarket in Chile. I began to get the impression it was Spanish even though called Russian Salad. Love it.
It is still very popular in Italy during the holidays. My mother in law makes it for Christmas and adds in delicious, fresh, plump shrimp and decorates the top with quail eggs. And the mayonnaise is homemade with olive oil naturally!
Sounds delicious!
Oh my, but my mother-in-law introduced me to this dish. It was not something that we had in our home when I was growing up. I think my mom was not so keen on the mayo, as you mentioned. But I think it is an absolute delight! Buon Natale a te!
Buon Natale anche a te, Adri!
I used to make this not at Christmas, but in the summer time, and stuff it into tomatoes. I don’t know why this is not on my radar these days, but you have revived it for me. Thanks Frank e Buon Natale.
It’s delicious any time of year, Linda! Buon Natale anche a te!
i have a hate love relationship with this dish. It can be delicious, it can be horribly overcooked and mushy… Will have to learn how to make it myself!
So true, it can be wonderful or pretty awful, depending on who’s making it. Thanks for dropping by!
We love Russian salad but we usually use beets so it’s a bright pink to fuscia color. In Dominican Republic it’s a must in traditional Christmas dinners.
I have to be honest, I don’t much care for beets. But I like the idea of a bright pink salad!
se non c’è l’insalata russa non è Natale !Adoro questa ricetta che , a casa mia,vede fare a gara mamma e zia per chi fa i pezzettini più piccoli delle verdure…Buona settimana Frank!
D’accordissimo, Chiara! Grazie per il commento e buon settimana anche a te!
Russian salad is traditional of Torino. But they add tuna fish to the mix of vegetables and mayonnaise, who knows why.
You know, I really like the idea of adding tunafish to the mix. I’ll have to try that next time! Thanks for the tip!
Hi Frank – My family is from Torino, and for us too xmas is not xmas without russian salad. However our family recipe calls for potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, tinned peas, and gherkins (diced small). The mayonnaise MUST be homemade – simple recipe, eggs, oil, salt and lemon juice. Then a can of tuna, shredded, and mixed in with the salad – not blended into the mayo like you would do for vitello tonnato. The tuna gives it a great flavour, worth trying.