Some might think this salad is just a simple potato salad with mayonnaise. Far from it. This is Ensalada Rusasometimes also called Salad Olivier. In Spain, it’s a popular tapas dish, often served with beer or wine in a bar. It’s always a highlight for us because the salad tastes incredibly delicious!
Anyone who’s ever been to Spain will surely be familiar with tapas. These small dishes are typically served with drinks in bars and restaurants to increase your appetite and, presumably, your thirst for additional drinks. Depending on where you are, these tapas might be just some chips or a salty nut mix – but if you’re lucky, there might be more.
We already have a small collection of tapas recipes here on the blog. At home, we frequently have these kinds of dishes in the evening instead of a traditional dinner. Several different appetizers, such as Tortilla de Patatas, Pimientos de Padrón, or Albóndigas, plus some toasted bread or Picos* – all quite simple things that can be prepared quickly and are really delicious.
When we don’t feel like frying potatoes for a tortilla, we usually turn to Ensalada Rusa. Once you’ve made a bowl of it, you have delicious salad ready for various occasions and for several days. That is, provided you don’t devour the whole bowl in one evening. The amount this recipe yields is supposed to feed six people. So, if there are only two of you, you’ll have enough for several days… in theory.
Anyway. Ensalada Rusa is a potato salad with plenty of mayonnaise, peas, carrots, olives, pickles, and… tuna. The salad is based on a creation by the Belgian-French chef Lucien Olivier. He was probably the first to mix up a similar salad in the 1860s and serve it to the Russian nobility. This type of potato salad with mayonnaise then made its way to many countries and often became established in their respective national cuisines. Our German potato salad with mayo is essentially the same thing. Some versions include meat or chicken in the salad, while the Spanish frequently use tuna – just like we prepare it here.
This salad is really delicious and we make it quite often… even though not everyone in our house likes tuna and other seafood. But in a salad like this, it’s accepted. Perhaps that’s because so many other things go into the salad as well, and then the mayonnaise and the spices really help to (almost) mask the fishy taste. ;P
Speaking of mayonnaise, it’s often a tricky subject. Too much of it can really turn people off – so I’d recommend using it sparingly. Start with a little less mayo so the salad isn’t drowned in it. If you need more, you can always add more later. If you generally find mayonnaise a bit too strong, you can replace some of it with sour cream or yogurt. This does not necessarily turn the salad into a diet-friendly salad, but at least it’s not quite as high in calories…
If you like tapas and would like to try some more, you can definitely check out other recipes here on the blog. We have a few options. Our Tortilla de Patatas aka. Tortilla Española (as mentioned above already) is a staple in our repertoire. Absolutely delicious and also great when guests come over. However, a good tortilla requires a bit of finesse and practice to achieve the perfect consistency. Just a little warning!
Our delicious Albóndigas are a bit simpler and practically foolproof. Small meatballs served in a flavorful tomato sauce. So to absolute tapas classic! Although you rarely get them served for free. Since meat is involved, and that’s naturally a bit more expensive than a few potato chips, very few restaurants serve them along with your drinks. The meatballs can be found on many menus, though. You just have to order (and pay for) them.
INGREDIENTS / INGREDIENTS
(6 servings)
21 oz. (600g) potatoes (waxy)
1 can (14 oz./400g) peas & carrots* (drained weight 9.3 oz./265g)
5.6 oz. (160g) tuna (natural)*
1.8 oz. (50g) gherkins (cornichons)*, chopped
1.8 oz. (50g) green olives (pitted)*, chopped
2 large hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1 glass jar (9 oz./250g) mayonnaise*, adjust to your liking
1-2 tbsp. lemon juice
salt, pepper
(6 servings)
600g potatoes (mainly waxy)
1 can (400g) peas & carrots* (drained weight 265g)
160g tuna (natural)*
50g cornichons*, cut into small pieces
50g olives (green, without stones)*, in small pieces
2 eggs (L), hard-boiled & in pieces
1 jar (250g) mayonnaise*, a little less or more if necessary
1-2 tbsp lemon juice
Salt, pepper
DIRECTIONS / PREPARATION
1. Boil the potatoes in plenty of salted water until tender – this can take 15-20 minutes, depending on their size. Once the potatoes have reached the desired texture, drain them, rinse them with cold water, and let them cool down a bit. Hard-boil the eggs (about 8-10 minutes) and rinse them with cold water – let them cool down as well.
2. While the potatoes and eggs are cooking, you can prepare the remaining ingredients. Drain the peas and carrots in a sieve, then cut the carrots into small pieces. Add everything to a large bowl.
3. Drain the liquid from the tuna. If the fish is in very large pieces in the can, simply break it up a bit. Add to the bowl. Cut the gherkins and olives into small pieces and add them to the bowl as well.
4. Peel the slightly cooled potatoes and cut them into small cubes. Peel the eggs and cut them into small pieces. Add both to the bowl and gently mix with the other ingredients.
5. Combine the mayonnaise with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, add it to the bowl, and gently mix with the other ingredients. Season the salad with a little more lemon juice (if needed), as well as some salt, and pepper to your liking. Let the finished salad chill in the fridge for about an hour and season once more, if needed.
Notes:
+ Not everyone likes their potatoes swimming in mayonnaise, so it’s best to start with a little less and add more if the salad seems too dry. 😉
+ If you want to save a few calories, you can replace some mayonnaise with sour cream or yogurt to make a lighter version of the salad.
1. Cook the potatoes in enough salted water – Depending on the size of the potatoes, this can take 15-20 minutes. As soon as the potatoes have the right texture, drain the potatoes, rinse them with cold water and then let them cool slightly. Boil the eggs hard (about 8-10 minutes) and then quench – also let it cool down.
2. While the potatoes and eggs are cooking, you can prepare the remaining ingredients. Pour the peas and carrots into a sieve and let them drain, then cut the carrots into small pieces. Put everything in a large bowl.
3. Drain the liquid from the tuna. If the fish is in very large pieces in the can, just chop it up a little. Add to the bowl. Cut the cornichons and olives into small pieces and add them to the bowl.
4. Peel the slightly cooled potatoes and then cut them into small cubes. Peel the eggs and cut them into small pieces – add both to the bowl and mix carefully with the other ingredients.
5. Mix the mayonnaise with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, add to the bowl and carefully mix with the other ingredients. If necessary, season the salad with a little more lemon juice and salt and pepper. Let the finished salad sit in the refrigerator for about 1 hour and season again if necessary.
Notes:
+ Not everyone likes their salad swimming in mayonnaise – so it’s better to start with a little less and add a little more if it seems too “dry”. 😉
+ If you want to save a few calories, you can replace some of the mayonnaise with sour cream or yogurt for a lighter version of the salad.
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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
Description
Spanish people love their small dishes along with drinks in a restaurant/bar – they call it Tapas. One of our favorite tapas dishes is definitely Ensalada Rusa!
1. Boil the potatoes in plenty of salted water until tender – this can take 15-20 minutes, depending on their size. Once the potatoes have reached the desired texture, drain them, rinse them with cold water, and let them cool down a bit. Hard-boil the eggs (about 8-10 minutes) and rinse them with cold water – let them cool down as well.
2. While the potatoes and eggs are cooking, you can prepare the remaining ingredients. Drain the peas and carrots in a sieve, then cut the carrots into small pieces. Add everything to a large bowl.
3. Drain the liquid from the tuna. If the fish is in very large pieces in the can, simply break it up a bit. Add to the bowl. Cut the gherkins and olives into small pieces and add them to the bowl as well.
4. Peel the slightly cooled potatoes and cut them into small cubes. Peel the eggs and cut them into small pieces. Add both to the bowl and gently mix with the other ingredients.
5. Combine the mayonnaise with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, add it to the bowl, and gently mix with the other ingredients. Season the salad with a little more lemon juice (if needed), as well as some salt, and pepper to your liking. Let the finished salad chill in the fridge for about an hour and season once more, if needed.
Notes
+ Not everyone likes their potatoes swimming in mayonnaise, so it’s best to start with a little less and add more if the salad seems too dry. 😉
+ If you want to save a few calories, you can replace some mayonnaise with sour cream or yogurt to make a lighter version of the salad.
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