Russian Potato and Beef Salad 'Olivier'
This recipe guides you through making a classic Russian Potato and Beef Salad, 'Olivier'. It combines diced cooked potatoes, carrots, eggs, bologna, dill pickles, and peas, all bound together with a creamy mayonnaise dressing and fresh dill. The salad is best served well-chilled.
Equipment
- 1 Large Pot For boiling potatoes, carrots, and eggs
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Chef's knife For dicing ingredients
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl For combining all salad components
- 1 Rubber Spatula or Large Spoon For gently folding ingredients
Ingredients
Main
- 1 russet potato
- 3 carrots
- 3 eggs or more to taste
- 1 pound bologna cut into pieces
- 1 15 ounce can peas, drained
- 3 dill pickles diced
- 1/3 cup diced onion
- 1 teaspoon fresh dill or to taste
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 2 cups mayonnaise
Instructions
- Boil the russet potato and carrots in separate pots until fork-tender but not mushy. Drain thoroughly and allow them to cool completely.
- Hard-boil the eggs as desired, then peel and cool them under cold water to prevent overcooking and facilitate peeling.
- Once cooled, dice the potato, carrots, and eggs into small, uniform cubes for consistent texture.
- Dice the bologna and dill pickles to a similar size as the vegetables and eggs. Finely dice the onion.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the diced potato, carrots, eggs, bologna, dill pickles, diced onion, and the drained peas.
- Add the fresh dill, salt, and ground black pepper to taste, ensuring even distribution of seasonings.
- Pour in the mayonnaise and gently fold all ingredients together using a rubber spatula or large spoon until everything is evenly coated.
- Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate the salad for at least 2-4 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to fully meld.
- Before serving, give the salad a final gentle stir and adjust seasoning if necessary, then serve chilled.
Notes
1. Vegetable Consistency: Cook potatoes and carrots until just tender but not mushy. Overcooked vegetables will make the salad watery. Cool them completely before dicing.2. Uniform Dicing: Aim for consistent small dice across all ingredients (potatoes, carrots, bologna, pickles, eggs, onion). This ensures a harmonious texture in every bite.3. Mayonnaise Quality: Use a high-quality, full-fat mayonnaise as it forms the backbone of the dressing's flavor and creamy texture.4. Flavor Development: Chilling the salad for at least 2-4 hours, or ideally overnight, allows the flavors to meld and deepen, which is crucial for a well-balanced Olivier.