If you love beets, you’ll love this easy and delicious Ukrainian beet and potato salad! The popular salad “Vinaigrette” is a common dish in Eastern European cuisine, especially in Ukraine.
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Enjoy this salad as a side dish to meat or on its own with a baguette!
Vinaigrette or vinaegrette?
Have you ever wondered how to correctly write the second syllable “e” or “i” for this salad? Everything is simple enough, the name comes from the French language: vinaigrette, which was the name given to a sauce made of vinegar, salt and olive oil. And it is pronounced as “vinəˈɡret” – vinaigrette.
The salad itself gained popularity in Soviet times and is often heavily attributed to Russian cuisine, which is a false statement. The very concept of cuisine in russia is nothing more than a set of borrowed and appropriated dishes from different cuisines of the world.
The salad includes the following main ingredients: potatoes, beets, pickles, carrots, onions and spices, and depending on the recipe, sauerkraut, beans, and green peas can also be used. Salad is dressed with olive oil and vinegar, but in Soviet times it was impossible to buy olive oil. Therefore, the salad was dressed with ordinary sunflower oil. It is usually served as a side dish to meat or as an independent snack.
How to make homemade vinaigrette?
This delicious beetroot potato salad is made with boiled potatoes, carrots and beets. Traditionally, vegetables are boiled in salted water until tender, but in this recipe we will use oven-baked vegetables, especially beets, instead. They are much richer and more aromatic if roasted in the oven than boiled.
⬇ A detailed, step-by-step recipe with a photo is given below:
- To bake in the oven: Place the potatoes and carrots on a large baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Wrap the beets separately in foil so that they cook faster. Bake in the oven at a temperature from 190 °C to 220 °C. They will cook faster at a higher temperature, but keep a close eye on the vegetables, so they don’t burn. Vegetables should be soft!
- To boil: cook potatoes and carrots in one pot, and beets separately. Fill the pans with water, sprinkle generously with salt, add the vegetables and bring to a boil. Cook until a fork goes in easily, then let the vegetables cool before handling!
What to dress the salad with?
This Eastern European salad can be dressed in two different ways! Both are equally delicious! The most traditional dressing is simply salt, pepper, and sunflower oil. You can also use olive oil or avocado oil. For a creamy version, try dressing the salad with a combination of mayonnaise and sour cream. Make a mixture of mayonnaise and sour cream in a ratio of 3:1. Sour cream adds a bit of tartness to the salad.
Vinaigrette salad
Vinaigrette recipe
Delicious Ukrainian salad with beets, potatoes, carrots, peas and fresh dill! No beans! Vinaigrette is a simple recipe!
Ingredients
- Potatoes – 3 pcs. big
- Beet – 3 pcs. big
- Carrot – 6-8 pcs.
- Pickled cucumbers – 8 pcs.
- Red onion – 1 pc., or 2 large shallots
- Fresh dill – a small bunch
- Canned peas – 1 cup (0.24 l)
- Sauerkraut – 1 cup (0.24 l), as desired
- Olive oil – 60 ml.
- Vinegar – 2-3 tbsp. l., or apple cider vinegar
- Salt and pepper – to taste
Instructions
The oven should be set to 190 °C. I recommend using foil, parchment paper, or a silicone mat to line a large baking sheet. You should peel the carrots and wash the potatoes and beets well. Cut the beets in half. The vegetables should be placed on a prepared baking sheet.
Use foil to cover the baking sheet tightly. Bake the vegetables in a preheated oven until they are soft, about 25 minutes for carrots and 45 minutes for beets and potatoes. To cook beets faster, wrap them in foil and close them tightly.
When the vegetables are done, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool completely. They will be extremely hot!
While the vegetables are cooking, cut the other ingredients: the onion and pickles.
Cut fresh dill into small pieces. A deep bowl should be prepared.
You should cut the carrots into cubes in the same way as the pickles.
After the vegetables are cooked, peel the potatoes and beets and cut them into pea-sized pieces. Transfer the chopped vegetables to the prepared bowl.
In a large bowl, combine all vegetables and dill. If you prefer, add sauerkraut. Season with salt, olive oil, and vinegar generously. All the ingredients should be thoroughly mixed.
Your salad is now ready. Serve immediately or store in a refrigerator.
Bon appétit!
Notes
You may want to use frozen sweet peas by thawing them in hot water.
If desired, add sauerkraut to the recipe – 1 cup (0.24 l) of the mixture.
Nutrition Information
Serving Size
8 servingAmount Per Serving Calories 260Total Fat 7gSaturated Fat 1gSodium 859mgCarbohydrates 44gFiber 9gSugar 13gProtein 6g
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