The most basic Russian Vinegret
Vinegret is a root salad made of cooked vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, red beets and a few other ingredients that each household adjusts from here on. This dish is very popular in the Russian/Ukrainian cuisine and just like shuba (a layered root salad) every household adds and likes something different whether it is green peas, cooked beans, sauerkraut, brine pickles and so on.
I too make this salad multiple different ways but on this post i have included mainly the base ingredients that probably every household adds. Remember, there are no strict rules in proportion sizes here. Everything depends on your taste. I like to do equal amounts of all of the ingredients except the beets and pickles. Now, let me explain…
Beets are nearly the star of the show here, unlike cooked potatoes, beets hold their texture while giving a sweet flavor and their vibrant color, so i double the amount. Because sometimes i like to add sauerkraut to this salad whenever i have it on hand, i do not add vinegar in the end when its time to season. If i do not add sauerkraut, i double the amount of pickles and also add a splash of vinegar in the end. This is just my preference because i like this salad to have more crunchy texture and more acidic flavor. You can adjust to your preference.
Here is an approximate amount of ingredients you will need.
2 cups of cooked and diced potatoes (1-2 medium sized potatoes)
2 cups of cooked and diced carrot (2-3 large carrots)
2 cups diced sweet onion
4 cups cooked and diced beets (about 2-3medium sized)
4 cups diced pickles (i use my canned dill pickles which are not too sour, adjust vinegar in the end depending on the acidity of the pickles you use) ( decrease portion if adding sauerkraut)
1 can of Peas 14oz (optional)
2 cups of sauerkraut (optional)
Season with oil, vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.
Instructions:
- Place washed but unpeeled potatoes and carrots into a saucepan and cover with water. In a separate pan add beets and cover with water also. Cook until fork soft. ( do not cook these together as the beets cook longer and color the water.
- Cool boiled vegetables and peel them all. (Use a paper towel to peel the beets, the skin just slides right off)
- Finely dice all of the ingredients ( Use a chop wizard) and add into a salad bowl except the pickles.
- Place diced pickles into a fine sieve and press firmly to get rid of excess water. (This will help avoid a watery vinegret)
- Add all of the ingredients together and mix to combine them.
- Season with salt, ground black pepper, oil and vinegar to your taste.
- You can totally eat the salad right away or allow the salad to “brew” for a few hours or overnight allowing all the flavors to come together and be tastier and more aromatic.
Notes: If you do not want the beets to color your vegetables, first mix all ingredients with a little oil and then add the beets in the end.
I specifically like to use Unrefined Sunflower oil for this salad. Changes the end result by A LOT. Find it in any euro supermarket.
Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear how it went in the comments below. Better still, snap a photo and tag it on Instagram with #alenashomecooking. I love seeing your creations.
Basic Russian Vinegret
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked & diced Potatoes
- 2 cups cooked & diced Carrots
- 2 cups diced sweet onion
- 4 cups cooked & diced red beets
- 4 cups diced dill pickles (or half pickles, half sauerkraut)
- unrefined Sunflower Oil to taste or any oil
- vinegar to taste
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
-
Place washed but unpeeled potatoes and carrots into a saucepan and cover with water.
In a separate pan add beets and cover with water also. Cook until fork soft. ( do not cook these together as the beets cook longer and color the water.
Cool boiled vegetables and peel them all. (Use a paper towel to peel the beets, the skin just slides right off)
Finely dice all of the ingredients ( Use a chop wizard) and add into a salad bowl except the pickles.
Place diced pickles into a fine sieve and press firmly to get rid of excess water. (This will help avoid a watery vinegret)
Add all of the ingredients together and mix to combine them.
Season with salt, ground black pepper, oil and vinegar to your taste.
