Olivier Salad (Sałatka Olivier)

Oliver salad contains boiled hearty root vegetables, peas, eggs, ham and zesty dill pickles, and is dressed with creamy mayonnaise. Easy to make, delicious and perfect for any occasion!

Olivier salad, also called olivye salad, is extremely popular in Russia and Ukraine. It was invented in the 19^th century by Lucien Olivier, a French-Belgian chef living in Russia who originally combined readily available root vegetables with crayfish tails, grouse, olives, capers and other ingredients.

Over time the expensive, hard-to-get ingredients were gradually replaced by cheaper alternatives and Oliver salad became the potato salad we know and love today.

Today different, simplified, versions of this salad exist in many European countries as well as Asia and Latin America. Dishes such as insalata russa (Italian), Rus salatasi (Turkish), ensaladilla rusa (Spain) are all different versions of Olivier potato salad.

The Polish version (called ‘sałatka jarzynowa’), a dish I grew up with, is vegetarian, simpler than the original, and often made with apples.

Traditional Olivye salad, called ‘sałatka Olivier’ in Polish, is also known in Poland and I hope you enjoy my version of it:)  

Olivier salad ingredients and substitutions

• Potatoes: use waxy, salad potatoes (often oval shaped), which do not contain a lot of starch and keep their shape in cooking.
• Carrots.
• Peas: from a can.
• Hard-boiled ggs.
• Onion: use white onion, which is sweet and not as harsh as cooking onion.
• Meat: traditionally this salad is made with bologna-style processed sausage meat but you can use regular ham or even hot dogs or German sausage. You can even give this salad a Polish twist and use (not too fatty) smoked kiełbasa. An alternative ingredient, also used in Olivier salad, is chicken (cooked or smoked).
• Pickles/gherkins: perfect with potatoes and eggs (see also my dill pickle egg salad).
• Dill: use according to taste.
• Mayonnaise and sour cream: traditionally only mayonnaise is used, but I like to combine it with a little sour cream for added flavour (you can use yogurt instead, as I’ve done in my Polish potato salad and beet potato salad).
• Mustard.
• Lemon juice.
• Salt and pepper: add to taste.

How to prepare vegetables for Olivier salad

There is more than one way of preparing vegetables for this dish. You can:

1) Cook whole unpeeled vegetables (in one pot or separately). Peel after the vegetables have cooled.

2) Cook whole peeled vegetables in salted water (in one pot or separately), as I have done.

3) Peel then cut the carrots and potatoes into small cubes and boil separately in salted water (approx. 11 minutes for the potatoes and 9 minutes for the carrots). Plunge into ice water for a few minutes to stop the cooking process and cool.

Step-by-step recipe instructions

1.Prepare vegetables: Gently boil the potatoes and carrots in salted water, covered, for several minutes until fully cooked but still firm. Drain and set aside to cool completely then cut into small cubes and set aside.

• TIP: If cooking the vegetables in the same pot you will probably have to take the carrots out of the pot a little sooner than the potatoes (these might take longer to cook). Also, if cooking the vegetables unpeeled you do not have to add salt to the pot.

2. Boil eggs: In the meantime, boil the eggs. Place the eggs in a small pot, add water, cover and bring to the boil then remove from the heat and set aside, still covered, for about 8 minutes. Drain then immerse in ice water for 1-2 minutes (after 30 seconds add more ice water if required). Drain and peel the eggs then finely dice. Set aside.

3. Assemble Olivier salad: To a large mixing bowl add the cubed potatoes and carrots, eggs, peas, ham, onion and pickles. Add the dill, mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, lemon juice and a generous amount of pepper. Gently stir the mixture. Taste the salad and add more salt and pepper if required. Chill for 4 hours, if possible, before serving.

Serving suggestions

Olivye vegetable salad is perfect for any celebration or potluck party. For example, you can serve it for Easter brunch alongside smoked salmon deviled eggs, ham, crusted salmon and other East European foods including meat jelly and horseradish beets.

This salad is also delicious on its own or simply with a slice of sourdough bread.

What other ingredients can be used in olivye salad

• Other (cooked) root vegetables, including celery root/celeriac (small piece) or parsley root
• Scallions/green onion
• Fresh cucumber
• Leek
• Horseradish sauce

Top tips

• I recommend using waxy salad potatoes (often oval shaped, rather than round).
• You can cook the potatoes, carrots and eggs ahead, refrigerate overnight and make the salad the following day.
• The potatoes and carrots should be fully cooked but still firm.
• To save time I recommend using onion/vegetable chopped for cutting the vegetables and eggs.
• Best served chilled. This salad tastes better the next day so I recommend preparing it ahead.
• Leftover Olivier salad can be refrigerated, in an airtight container, for up to 3 days (because it contains raw onion it might become a little watery if you keep in the fridge for too long).
• Not suitable for freezing.

More party salads to try next

• Simple Potato Salad with Dill
• Zesty Salmon Potato Salad
• Herring Salad Polish-Style
• Cottage Cheese Egg Salad

See also these other delicious, easy salad recipes!

Recipe

Keep in touch!

If you make this Olivier potato salad recipe I’d love to know how it turned out for you. Let me know in the comments below, thanks:)

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