Olivier Salad – Russian Style

Olivier Salad – Russian Style, is a traditional potato salad that is wildly popular in Eastern-European countries. In Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and their ex-pat communities worldwide, this salad has become one of the main dishes during family gatherings and holiday celebrations. It’s an easy-to-make dish and a great ‘make-in-advance’ option for which the flavors will intensify and taste even better the next day.

People around the globe believe that Olivier Salad has Russian origin. In fact, the original version was created in the1860s in Russia, but by a cook of Belgian origin – Lucien Olivier, the chef of Hermitage, one of Moscow’s most celebrated restaurants. Later, the recipe was adopted and modified by other restaurants to replace rare ingredients with more readily available foods, and eventually wildly embraced by masses. You can read more about the Olivier Salad history here.

There are numerous variants of Olivier Salad in every country and even within families. For instance, my Mom’s Olivier Salad tastes different from mine due to substitutes based on personal preferences. Despite all the different variations the main ingredients usually include potatoes, carrots, eggs, pickles, peas, onions, bologna sausage or ham or chicken breast, all mixed with mayo.

Ingredients I use in my version of the Olivier salad:

• Boiled potatoes
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Green peas (canned or fresh, or fresh-frozen)

• Chicken breast (or other options like turkey breast or black-forest ham). Consider buying fully cooked chicken breast strips if you want to save some time.

• Mini dill pickles
• Fresh cucumber and sprouts/microgreens (for garnishing)
• Olive oil mayonnaise (for dressing)

Tips for Olivier Salad – Russian Style

• You can boil potatoes (and carrots if used) and eggs in advance so they can cool at room temperature.
• You can prepare the entire salad in advance and keep it in the fridge without adding mayonnaise and raw onion (if used).
• For visual appeal, dice all ingredients into small cubes of approximately the same size.
• Serve this salad chilled. Garnish with fresh cucumbers & sprouts or microgreens for visual appeal and additional nutrients.

Olivier Salad – Russian Style

5 from 4 votes

Recipe by The Minty Tomato Course: Appetizers, SaladsCuisine: RussianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Calories

247

kcal

Total time

40

minutes

Meaty, delicious and nutritious, this traditional Olivier Salad – Russian Style is great for family gatherings and holiday celebrations.

Ingredients

• 2 2 Potatoes, large size

• 3 3 Eggs, medium size

• 380 ml 380 Green peas (canned)

• 1.5 cup 1.5 Fully cooked chicken breast

• 3/4 cup 3/4 Mini dill pickles

• 3-4 tbsp 3-4 Olive oil mayonnaise

• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 1 1 Cucumber, small

• 0.5 cup 0.5 Sprouts or microgreens

Directions

• Place the potatoes and eggs in a medium-size pot and add cold water to cover by 2 inches. Add 0.5 tsp of salt. Bring to a boil.
• After approximately 10 minutes using a slotted spoon, remove the eggs and place them into a bowl with cold water. Allow to cool for 5 minutes. Peel the shell off.
• Continue boiling potatoes for another 10-12 minutes. Don’t overcook. Drain the hot water and place the pot under cold running water. Let the potatoes remain submerged in the cold water for a few minutes. Peel the skin off.
• Dice the eggs, potatoes, pickles, chicken breast into small cubes of approximately the same size.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine all diced ingredients and add green peas. Mix gently.
• Add mayonnaise, freshly ground black pepper and mix again.
• Transfer to a serving bowl, or divide among individual plates.
• Garnish with fresh cucumbers & sprouts or microgreens

Notes

• Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.

Nutrition information is estimated. It is calculated using an online nutrition calculator based on recipe ingredients as inputs. Accuracy is dependent on the calculator. It is not intended as a professional nutritionist’s advice.