This salad is a traditional dish in Russian cuisine, and most of the time it is associated with New Year celebration, when it’s always served on a festive table along with another popular salad – “shuba”.
The very first and original version of this salad was invented in the beginning of 1860s by chef Lucien Olivier, who was the owner of the renowned Moscow restaurant “Hermitage”. “Olivier Salad” quickly became popular among restaurant visitors, the salad brought him a great fame and became the signature dish. The recipe and especially the dressing was kept in a big secret, and unfortunately the fact is that the exact recipe is still unknown. But according to some notes, it’s known that the salad contained hazel grouse, veal tongue, black caviar, fresh salad leaves, crayfishes or lobster, some pickled, fresh cucumbers, capers and boiled eggs. And the secret dressing was prepared from fresh raw eggs, some secret herbs and olive oil.
As you can see, all ingredients were posh and expensive. So, lately during Soviet time, these fine ingredients were replaced by cheap and widely-available, like boiled kolbasa (bologna sausage) or meat, boiled potatoes and carrots, pickled cucumbers and peas, dressed with store-bought mayonnaise instead of home-made French dressing. Such simple and nourishing salad was widely-popular, and soon it became a staple and traditional dish of Soviet holiday dinner, and particularly of New Year’s Eve. Lately, it’s even got a second name – “Winter Salad”. Beyond Russia this salad is often called as “Russian Salad”.
Nowadays, the salad is still a traditional part of New Year celebration, but there are lots of versions – with boiled beef or chicken, beef tongue, fish and caviar, fresh or pickled cucumbers and so on. My recipe is a common version of the Winter Salad – with boiled beef, pickled cucumbers and mayonnaise. It’s a little bit on a dark/unhealthy side of my diet 😀 but consuming it on the holiday dinner is also a part of Russian tradition, so eating it once a year don’t make anyone fat. 🙂 Enjoy!
Russian winter salad (Olivier salad)
You can garnish the salad with some peas and chopped dill or parsley.
*Add more cucumbers if using small gherkins.
Ingredients
350g beef (one whole piece, without any bones)
300g/ 2 large potatoes
1 large or 2 medium carrot
4 medium eggs
4 medium pickled cucumbers*
1/2 medium brown onion
1 can of green pea
mayonnaise, to taste
salt, to taste, optional
Method
- In a pan, put meat and cover with cold water, bring to boil, reduce the heat to medium, cover and simmer for about 50 minutes or until meat is ready. Completely cool and cut the meat into small cubes (about 1 cm).
- In another large pan, put potatoes and carrot in their skin, cover with water, bring to boil, reduce the heat to medium, cover and simmer until veggies are soft. Cool, peel and cut into small cubes (about 1 cm).
- In another pan, hard-boil eggs. Also cut into cubes.
- Finely chop the onion, put in a bowl, drizzle with some apple vinegar and cover with hot water. Leave for 15 minutes, then drain.
- Also cut the cucumbers into small cubes.
- In a large serving bowl, add all ingredients along with drained peas. Dress with mayo to suit your own taste.
You can keep the undressed salad in the fridge up to 2-3 days.
Enjoy Russian Winter Salad!
milkandbun 
Yeap, there is no holiday complete without this salad! (P.S: We’ve just recently finished our batch :))
Hehehe same here😄 you make it with meat or chicken?
I prefer meat, but it depends on what is available. This time we made it with turkey (Various Christmas leftovers :)) and it wasn’t bad either. I also like with slightly smoked ham, but, to be honest, I never was a fan of sausage (you know like ‘Doktorskaya kolbasa’) 🙂
I used to eat with sausage, but now it seems so weird to put kolbasa in a salad 😀
:)) I agree.
It’s funny, whenever I go to a Russian party, even when it’s not around the New Year’s Eve, there is always a salad olivier on the table. My mom is probably the only Russian on Earth who doesn’t make it! Ever! Your boiled beef version sounds quite delicious. С Новым Годом!
Happy New Year to you and your family, Darya!!!
If everybody around you is making this salad for the NY Eve, I think there is no sense to make it at home , just visit your friends and eat it there😄
One of my favorite winter salads! Interestingly, it is also very popular in Israel, brought by many Russians immigrants. Over there it is simply called “Russian Salad” and usually made without meat. 🙂
Only vegetables? And what about dressing-is it also mayo?
Yes, in most cases it is only vegetables, and the dressing is with mayo.
You can see this version here: https://ronitpenso.wordpress.com/2013/11/01/colorful-potato-salad/
But I also like the versions with meat, like the one here. 🙂
I love Salade Olivier. it is one of my favorites and I have a Russian friend who makes it and I fell in love at the first bite. Looks fabulous Mila!!
Thank you! 🙂 Have you tried it with beef or chicken?
Yes I make it with chicken the Persian version of this salad. It’s wonderful. I have never tried beef.
Some Russians make it with chicken as well. Try with beef one day, may be you will love the salad even more 🙂
I will give it a try it’s a favorite of mine!
I’ve never had salade olivier, but now I want it! Such interesting history! Great presentation too! I’ll see if I can find it in Coney Island.
I guess it’s not a problem to try it in the US 🙂 or may be better to prepare?;)
I love this salad, we always have it for the New Year, it’s so delicious. I might make some more again 😊
Nice to hear, I think it’s one of the famous Russian salads! 🙂
Absolutely gorgeous presentation, Mila. It looks with full of flavor and so inviting.
Salad Olivier is very popular in Iran. Although we do call it ‘Salad’e Olivier’, most Iranians don’t know that we got it from our neighbor, Russia. 🙂 For the Iranian version, we use chicken meat (I have a post too). 🙂
Thanks, Fae! In Russia, it’s also made with chicken sometimes, but I prefer with meat-it has a bit another taste and I love it more
Yum. I make Oliv’e even when it’s not the holidays, lol. I make mine with German Bologna – or you can use Mortadella.
I used to make and eat it with sausage too, but now I don’t like it and prefer with meat- healthier as well 😀 if only salad with mayo dressing could be somehow healthy! 😀
Very exquisite salad!
I’m sure you can prepare this salad too! What about to try it out on the weekend? 😉
Looks great – I guess the Russian version of the Greek’s Greek salad?
No, this salad was’t any version of any other salad))) Give it a try, who knows may be you will like it 🙂
I had an Eastern European acquaintance who made this salad and it was so addicting. I also have a Russian cookbook, “To the Table” and it explains the origin of this salad, which is so interesting! Love it!
Wow! I’m curious now.. Have you cooked anything from the book? 🙂 and how it was?
I’ve never heard of this salad and think that it looks very interesting. I don’t think it looks that unhealthy at all, especially as you say if it’s not made that often.
Of course we can’t ban mayonnaise for life (or just don’t want). 😀 it’s pretty nourishing salad-good for cold winter days. Thank you for the commenting, Diane! And Happy New Year to you!
I love Russian salad! Yours is mouthwatering, Mila. YUMMMM.
Hehehe so many fans of this salad))
I really enjoyed reading the interesting history of Russian Salad. It sounds like it would be a fun recipe to try.
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