Description
Olivier Salad, also known as Russian Potato Salad, is a hearty and creamy dish featuring diced potatoes, carrots, eggs, smoked sausage, peas, and pickles, all combined with mayonnaise and fresh herbs. This classic salad is chilled before serving, making it a perfect dish for gatherings, potlucks, or as a flavorful side.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 3 medium potatoes, cooked with skins on, peeled, and diced
- 3 medium carrots, cooked with skins on, peeled, and diced
- 15 oz canned peas, drained
- 1 ½ cups diced dill pickles, diced into ¼-inch cubes
- ½ cup green onions, chopped (optional)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)
- ¼ cup chopped fresh dill
Protein
- 8 cooked eggs, peeled, and diced into ¼-inch cubes
- 3 cups smoked salami-type sausage, diced into ¼-inch cubes
Condiments and Seasonings
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 cups mayonnaise (or to taste)
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp black ground pepper
Instructions
- Cook the vegetables: Thoroughly clean the potatoes and carrots. Cook them with their skins on until tender, then peel and dice into small, ¼-inch cubes to ensure even texture and bite sized pieces.
- Prepare other ingredients: Dice the cooked eggs and smoked salami-type sausage into similar ¼-inch cubes. Drain the canned peas thoroughly to avoid excess moisture. Also, dice the dill pickles into ¼-inch cubes to keep consistency across all ingredients.
- Mix the ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the diced potatoes, carrots, eggs, sausage, peas, pickles, green onions (if using), parsley, and fresh dill, gently folding the ingredients together without mashing them.
- Season the salad: Add the oil, mayonnaise, salt, and black pepper over the mixed ingredients. Gently mix all components until everything is evenly coated with the dressing but still maintains its individual textures.
- Chill and serve: Cover the salad and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld and the salad to chill thoroughly. Serve cold for best taste and texture.
Notes
- Cooking the potatoes and carrots with their skins on helps retain more nutrients and flavor while keeping them from becoming waterlogged.
- Use full-fat mayonnaise for a richer, creamier salad.
- Adjust salt and pepper to taste; the sausage and pickles usually add some saltiness.
- For a lighter version, substitute part of the mayonnaise with Greek yogurt.
- The salad is best served chilled and can be prepared a day in advance.
- If green onions or fresh parsley are unavailable, they can be omitted without drastically changing the flavor profile.
