Russian Vinaigrette Salad (Beet Salad)

This beet vinaigrette salad is a festive and bright beetroot salad that is an absolute staple in Russian/Ukrainian/Slavic cuisine. You’d be hard-pressed to find a Slavic person who hasn’t made or eaten it at least once in their lifetime! It’s truly hard to communicate just how much Slavic people love beets!

My husband grew up in Siberia, Russia, whereas I grew up in Ukraine — but that didn’t stop either one of us from growing up with this salad. Over the years, I’ve combined our respective tastes to make this salad one that we both agree is “the best.” This salad is a favorite from my childhood, as my grandma made it year-round, and especially during the holidays and special occasions. It’s a great side dish to BBQ or alongside a cold-cut sandwich, but I often eat it as a meal of its own. It’s filling, refreshing, and just so good. It’s my go-to when I decide to have a “vegetarian” day!

What is Vinaigrette Salad?

Russian vinaigrette salad (or “vinegret”) is a traditional Slavic/Russian beet salad made with potatoes, carrots, sunflower oil, and salt. Here’s a quick overview of the flavor, texture, and cooking time for this beet salad recipe.

• Flavor: The flavor of this salad rides on the natural flavors of the veggies and the earthiness of the sunflower oil. It’s delicious in its simplicity and so addicting!
• Texture: Russian vinaigrette salad is chunky and crisp, yet still very easy to chew.
• Time: From prep to table, this recipe takes an hour to make. However, the longer the salad sits, the tastier it gets!

How To Make Vinaigrette Salad

This red beet salad requires only a few simple steps and a handful of wholesome ingredients to make. Below, find a rundown of the recipe before you dive in.

• Boil and cool the veggies: In a large pot, boil the carrots, potatoes, and beets for about 30 minutes, or until the veggies are fork tender. Drain them in a colander and set them aside to cool at room temperature.
• Peel the veggies: Remove the skin from the cooked vegetables and dice them, the pickles, and the onions into small cubes. Make it super easy and quick with this.
• Season and serve: Season the diced veggies with salt and sunflower oil to taste. Give the mixture a good stir. Refrigerate the salad for at least a couple of hours. Serve it cold and enjoy!

Tips for the Best Russian Vinaigrette Salad

Learn how to make your salad just like mine with these tips!

• Prepare the salad a day ahead of time: If you can, prepare the salad a day in advance and let all the flavors meld together in the fridge. It will come out that much more flavorful!
• Add some extra flavors (optional): If you like an extra bit of tang and crunch, add a bit of sauerkraut. Some readers have loved adding capers and green peas, too. A small splash of vinegar can up the tang of the salad. Variations of this classic Russian vinaigrette salad are always welcome!
• Chop with a vegetable chopper to speed up the process: Cut down on the manual labor of chopping the veggies into fine cubes by using a veggie chopper.
• Opt for a good quality sunflower oil: A good quality sunflower oil is a must in this salad. Make sure you like the taste of the one you buy! If you don’t like sunflower oil, olive oil can be used as an alternative.
• Use any pickles: Most often, I use sour dill pickles. But, feel free to switch it up and use any of your favorites.

Serving the Vinaigrette Salad

Russian vinaigrette salad can be served as a side dish at your next BBQ, potluck, or family get-together. It is super easy to scale and batch cook and tastes even better if you make it a day ahead of time. All in all, it goes great with grilled meats. Try pairing it with chicken kabobs or a juicy ribeye steak. For an authentic Russian meal, serve it alongside pork kabobs (shashlik), buckwheat patties, or pelmeni.

Storing the Salad

It’s likely you’ll have leftovers of this salad. The best method for storing is in the refrigerator. Place the leftover beet salad into an airtight container and put in the fridge for a max of 3-5 days. The flavors continue to develop as the salad marinates in itself, making for awesome leftovers.

More Russian Salad Recipes

• Olivier Potato Salad – Slavic-style potato salad
• Shuba (Fur Coat Salad) – Beautifully layered salad with herring
• Pickled Cabbage – Sweet and tangy cabbage salad
• Creamy Cucumber Salad – Sour cream, onion, garlic, and crispy cucumbers

Recipe

Russian Vinaigrette Salad

Print Pin

Servings

8 servings

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Recipe contributed by: Natalya Drozhzhin

This Russian vinaigrette salad is a fusion of Tim's Russian and my Ukrainian roots. It's a family staple that uses root vegetables and pure sunflower oil – a taste of home.

Ingredients

• 3 large carrots
• 2 large potatoes
• 2 beets
• 6 large pickles
• 1 onion red, yellow, or white
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 tbsp salt adjust to taste

US Units – Metric

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add in the carrots, potatoes, and beets. Boil for 30 minutes, or until you can pierce the veggies easily with a fork. Drain the veggies and set them aside to cool at room temperature.

  Note: Potatoes and carrots typically cook faster than beets. You may need to remove them a little early.
  
• Peel the skin from the potatoes, beets, and carrots.
  
• Dice the veggies into small cubes.
  
• Combine the veggies, stir, and season with salt and oil to taste. Serve and enjoy!
  

Nutrition Facts

Russian Vinaigrette Salad

Amount Per Serving

Calories 60 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Saturated Fat 1g5%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 3g

Sodium 1331mg55%

Potassium 205mg6%

Carbohydrates 7g2%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 1g2%

Vitamin A 3918IU78%

Vitamin C 4mg5%

Calcium 35mg4%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.