Beets. Something that was not in my vocabulary of foods growing up. I had never even tried beets until I married the Russian. 🙂 Y’all, they are surprisingly delicious! If you love beets, you are going to love this salad. If you have never tried beets, be brave…give it a shot and let me know how you like it. This is an excellent way to expand your veggie palate!
Vinaigrette is a classic Russian salad. It’s at most parties and gatherings and is a staple in Russian cuisine. It’s got potatoes, carrots, pickles, white beans, and roasted beets drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. Some people may add peas or sauerkraut, but I like the nutty flavor of the beans. It’s basically potato salad with beets. It’s a healthy, beautiful dish and those roasted beets give it that vibrant color that makes it so unique.
It may seem a little time consuming, but it’s really not. Most of the time is “hands-off” anyway. Like while the beets are roasting in the oven, you could be doing something else like reading a magazine unloading the dishwasher.
Also, this simple kitchen tool literally cuts the prep time in half (haha…I made a pun…get it?…cuts! 😉 ). I’ve made this salad with the tool and without and, let me tell you, this magical gadget makes me look good! Russians like to chop everything into perfect little precise cubes. This secret weapon kitchen tool does that for me and saves me time!
Did I mention that this salad can be stored in the fridge for three or four days? It gets better and better too because all the flavors seep in and blend so well together.
Ingredients for Russian vinaigrette salad:
3 medium potatoes (Yukon Gold or Russet are best)
3 large beets
6 medium carrots
1 (16 oz) can Great Northern white beans, drained
1 (16 oz) jar dill pickles*
3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons Montreal Steak seasoning
*Adjust the amount of pickles to your liking. You certainly don’t have to use all of the pickles in the jar, but I like pickles! 🙂
How to make Russian vinaigrette salad:
1. Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking pan with foil.
2. Trim beet stems so that one inch of stem is left, cover with foil, and bake for about an hour until tender. Leaving part of the stem on while roasting them will really enhance the flavor.
3. In a large pot filled with water, add potatoes and carrots. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce heat and gently boil until cooked through. Drain and let cool. (The carrots will probably be ready before potatoes.)
4. Check on the beets. Depending on the thickness of the beets, you may have to roast them longer. Use a knife to test the tenderness. The knife should go through smoothly without much resistance.
5. After veggies have cooled to room temp, peel potatoes and beets. Helpful tip: use kitchen/plastic gloves while handling the beets. They tend to leave their purplish color on my hands. It’s really not that bad and washes off, but I just wear the gloves for easy clean-up.
6. Dice pickles, carrots, potatoes, and beets. (This is where using the Vidalia Chop Wizard will make your life so much easier.)
7. In a large bowl, combine beans and all diced veggies. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with Montreal steak seasoning or salt & pepper. Mix until combined and chill in the fridge. You can garnish with parsley, dill, or even sour cream.
I hope you give this recipe a try! I’d love to hear about it.
- 3 medium potatoes (Yukon Gold or Russet are best)
- 3 large beets
- 6 medium carrots
- 1 (16 oz) can Great Northern white beans, drained
- 1 (16 oz) jar dill pickles*
- 3-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons Montreal Steak seasoning
- Preheat the over to 425°F.
- Line baking pan with foil, trim beet stems so that one inch of stem is left, cover with foil, and bake for about an hour until fork tender.
- In a large pot filled with water, add potatoes and carrots. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce heat and gently boil until cooked through. Drain and let cool. (Note: carrots will probably be ready before potatoes.)
- After veggies have cooled, peel potatoes and beets.
- Dice pickles, carrots, potatoes, and beets.
- In a large bowl, combine beans and all diced veggies. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with Montreal steak seasoning or salt & pepper. Mix until combined and chill in the fridge.
- *Adjust the amount of pickles to your liking. You certainly don’t have to use all of the pickles in the jar, but I like pickles! 🙂
Eat your beets!
P.S. I can’t help but think about Dwight Schrute from The Office and his beet farm. Hehehe! 😀
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