Russian salad: easy, quick recipe
Russian salad, a typical recipe in Italian cuisine, is part of our culinary tradition.
It is indispensable, especially on lavish holiday tables — in short, a classic that will never fade!
For this reason you can say almost every family has its own version; today, however, we will see the traditional recipe.
A cold dish par excellence, ideal for party buffets, but also perfect all year round as an appetizer or side dish for meat and fish dishes.
An appetizing and colorful dish with a delicate yet full-bodied flavor that is also very attractive to look at.
You can serve it by placing it in a mold and shaping it like a “zuccotto,” or use it to fill canapés or vol-au-vent.
I like the idea of serving it in single portions decorated with a hard-boiled egg and a bit of parsley. However you choose to present it, it will be irresistible and once placed on the table no one will be able to resist digging in with a fork.
In the recipe I will explain both the procedure to make Russian salad at home, including the mayonnaise, and a quick version for those who don’t have the time or inclination — so now you have no excuses!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 25 Minutes
- Cooking time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: about 6 servings
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- Potatoes
- Peas
- Carrots
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- Egg
- Egg yolk
- Vegetable oil
- Lemon juice (or white wine vinegar)
- Salt
- Hard-boiled eggs
- Pickled gherkins
- Olives
- Parsley
Preparation
First, clean the vegetables and cut them into small, preferably uniform dice.
Boil the vegetables separately since they have different cooking times, starting from cold salted water.
From the moment the water comes to a boil, allow about 10 minutes for the potatoes and about 6–7 minutes for the carrots.
Drain the potatoes and carrots while still slightly firm (al dente) and spread them out on a tray, keeping them separate.
Likewise, cook the peas in boiling salted water and blanch them for about 5 minutes.
Drain them and spread them out on a tray as well. All the vegetables must cool and dry well so they do not release moisture and water down the mayonnaise.Now prepare the mayonnaise.
It may seem tedious, but I assure you that making it at home instead of buying it really makes a difference.
In the blender container put the egg and the egg yolk and start whipping with the juice of 1/2 lemon (strained) and a pinch of salt. You can also use an immersion blender.
Make sure the eggs are at room temperature otherwise the mayonnaise won’t emulsify properly.
The lemon juice can be replaced with 1 teaspoon of white vinegar.
After about a minute start pouring the vegetable oil in a thin, steady stream while continuing to beat at low speed and without ever lifting the blender blades off the bottom of the container.
Continue until the sauce becomes thick and smooth.Add half of the prepared mayonnaise to the vegetables, which by now will have cooled, and gently fold to combine.
Taste and adjust salt if necessary. At this point your Russian salad is ready.
You can serve it in a deep serving plate or in a large glass bowl, pouring and leveling a layer of mayonnaise over the surface and decorating with gherkins, hard-boiled eggs, olives and a few parsley leaves.
Or more simply prepare single portions as I did.
If you prepare the Russian salad in advance, store it in the refrigerator. Take it out about 30 minutes before serving because it should be enjoyed at room temperature.
Notes
If you have little time or inclination and prefer the quick version, here’s what to do.
Buy ready-made mayonnaise and frozen pre-diced vegetables for Russian salad.
The result won’t be exactly the same but at least you’ll minimize preparation time.
Tips for preparing mayonnaise:
It is very important for success that all ingredients are at room temperature.
Use only very fresh eggs, and have oil and lemon at room temperature; if you work in a very cool kitchen, warm the blender container slightly.
