Russian Vinaigrette Salad (Vinegret) is a classic beet salad made with diced cooked beets, potatoes, and carrots, crunchy pickles, peas, and tangy sauerkraut, all tossed in a simple olive oil and vinegar dressing. There is no mayonnaise here, just bright, earthy, ruby red vegetables that get better after a little time in the fridge.
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What Is Vinegret?
Vinegret, also called Russian vinaigrette salad, is a traditional Russian salad of cooked, diced vegetables dressed with oil and vinegar. The name comes from the vinaigrette style dressing, not the salad being a dressing itself. It is built on beets, potatoes, and carrots, with pickles and sauerkraut for tang and peas for a little sweetness.
Most of the time is hands off simmering, and the actual work is chopping. It makes a big batch, 12 servings, so it is great for gatherings or for a few days of lunches.
Ingredients
- Beets - fresh beets boiled until tender, or canned cooked beets if you want to save an hour.
- Potatoes and carrots - boiled until tender but still firm enough to hold their shape when diced.
- Yellow onion - finely chopped for a little sharpness.
- Pickles - diced, they add crunch and tang.
- Canned peas - drained very well, since extra liquid will water down the salad.
- Kidney beans - optional, for extra protein.
- Sauerkraut - drained, the traditional tangy addition.
- Olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper - the whole dressing. White vinegar or apple cider vinegar both work.
Julia's Tip
For neat, even cubes, refrigerate the cooked vegetables for a while before peeling and dicing them. Cold potatoes especially hold their shape and cut cleanly instead of crumbling.
If you love Russian holiday salads, my mom's Olivier salad is the creamy, mayonnaise based cousin of this one.
How To Make Vinegret - Step By Step Photos
- Boil fresh beets for about 1 hour, until tender and easily pierced with a fork. If using canned beets, just drain them.
- In a separate pot, boil the potatoes and carrots for about 30 minutes, until tender. Do not cook them with the beets, or everything turns pink. Do not overcook the potatoes.
- Drain the vegetables and let them cool completely, then peel and chop. Chilling them first makes dicing easier.
- Dice the beets, potatoes, and carrots into small cubes. Dice the onion and pickles to a similar size.
- Toss the diced beets with 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a separate bowl so they do not stain the other vegetables.
- In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, carrots, beets, onion, pickles, peas, kidney beans if using, and sauerkraut. Add the remaining olive oil and the vinegar, season with salt and pepper, and mix gently.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve, then garnish with green onions, extra sauerkraut, or herbs.
For another Russian classic, my roasted eggplant spread (Russian eggplant caviar) is worth adding to the same table.
How To Keep Vinegret From Turning Pink
Beets stain everything they touch, which is why this salad has a few small rules:
- Boil the beets in their own pot, never with the potatoes and carrots.
- Toss the diced beets with a tablespoon of olive oil first, which coats them so the color transfers less.
- Add the beets to the bowl last, and mix gently.
How To Make Vinegret Ahead Of Time
If you are not serving it right away, chop all the vegetables and store them in the refrigerator. Dress and season the salad about 5 minutes before serving, so the vegetables stay fresh and the dressing does not make everything soggy.
Tips
- Chill before dicing. Cold cooked vegetables cut into much neater cubes.
- Do not overcook the potatoes. They should be tender but still hold their shape.
- Drain the peas and sauerkraut well. Extra liquid will water down the dressing.
- Dress at the last minute. About 5 minutes before serving gives the best texture and color.
Variations
- Use canned beets. Two cans of cooked beets, drained, save about an hour.
- Add kidney beans. A half cup adds protein and makes the salad more filling.
- Make it milder. Leave out the sauerkraut if you prefer less tang, the pickles still bring some.
- Switch the vinegar. White vinegar or apple cider vinegar both work.
What Is The Difference Between Vinegret And Olivier Salad?
Both are Russian salads made from diced cooked vegetables, but vinegret is dressed with oil and vinegar and built around beets, while Olivier is bound with mayonnaise. Vinegret is lighter and tangier. Here is my Olivier salad recipe if you want to make both.
Is Vinegret Vegan?
Yes, as written it is vegan. It uses only vegetables, olive oil, and vinegar, with no meat, egg, or dairy. Just check that your pickles and sauerkraut do not contain anything you avoid.
Can I Use Canned Beets?
Yes. Two cans of cooked beets, drained well, work in place of the fresh beets and save about an hour of boiling.
How Long Does Vinegret Keep?
Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freezing is not recommended, because the cooked vegetables lose their texture once thawed.
How To Store Vinegret
- To Store. Keep the prepared salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To Make Ahead. Store the chopped vegetables separately and dress the salad about 5 minutes before serving.
- To Freeze. Not recommended.
More Salads You'll Love
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Recipe Card
Russian Vinaigrette Salad (Vinegret)
Method
- If using fresh beets, boil them for about 1 hour, until tender and easily pierced with a knife or fork. If using canned beets, simply drain them.3 medium beets
- Boil the potatoes and carrots in a separate pot until tender, about 30 minutes. Do not cook them with the beets, or everything will turn pink. Be careful not to overcook the potatoes, they should hold their shape when diced.3 medium potatoes, 3 medium carrots
- Drain the cooked vegetables and let them cool completely before peeling and chopping. Chilling them in the fridge for a while makes them much easier to dice neatly.
- Peel and dice the beets, potatoes, and carrots into small cubes. Dice the onion and pickles into similar sized pieces.1 small yellow onion, 3 pickles
- To keep the beets from staining the other vegetables, toss the diced beets separately with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.3 tablespoons olive oil
- In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, carrots, beets, onion, pickles, drained peas, kidney beans if using, and sauerkraut. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the vinegar, season with salt and black pepper, and mix gently until combined.1 cup canned peas, ½ cup canned kidney beans, ½ cup sauerkraut, 1 tablespoon white vinegar, salt, black pepper
- Refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with chopped green onions, extra sauerkraut, or herbs, if you like.green onions
Nutrition
Notes
- Dress it right before serving: if you are not serving it right away, chop all the vegetables and store them in the fridge, then dress and season the salad about 5 minutes before serving.
- Chill before dicing: refrigerate the cooked potatoes, carrots, and beets for some time before peeling and dicing, so the cubes stay neat.
- Keep the beets separate: cook them in their own pot and toss them with a tablespoon of oil before adding them to the bowl so they do not stain everything pink.
- Sauerkraut is traditional: it adds tang along with the pickles, and is optional if you prefer a milder salad.
- Storage: keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freezing is not recommended.
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Let us know how it was!Note: Nutrition information is estimated and varies based on the products used.
Full Nutrition Disclaimer can be found here.
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