Olivier Salad
Russia's favourite celebration salad — diced potatoes, carrots, peas, pickles, eggs, and chicken or bologna, bound in a creamy mayonnaise dressing.
About This Recipe
Olivier salad is the centrepiece of the Russian New Year table — no celebration is complete without it. Created in the 1860s by Lucien Olivier, a Belgian chef working at Moscow's Hermitage restaurant, the original included grouse, crayfish, and caviar. The Soviet version, using simpler ingredients, became so ubiquitous that Russians simply call it 'salat' (the salad).
Ingredients
Serves 6
- 3 mediumpotatoes(boiled and diced)
- 2 mediumcarrots(boiled and diced)
- 3hard-boiled eggs(diced)
- 150 gcooked chicken breast or bologna(diced)
- 100 gcanned peas(drained)
- 3 smalldill pickles(diced)
- 1 mediumonion(finely diced)
- 200 gmayonnaise
- 1 tspsalt
- 1 tspblack pepper
Instructions
- 1
Prepare ingredients
Dice all cooked vegetables, eggs, and meat to similar small sizes (~7 mm cubes).
- 2
Combine
Mix everything gently in a large bowl.
- 3
Dress
Fold in mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper.
- 4
Chill and serve
Refrigerate at least 1 hour. Garnish with peas and dill before serving.
Pro Tips
- →
Uniform, small dice is the key to the classic texture — everything should be roughly the same size.
Variations
- •
Use canned tuna instead of chicken
- •
Add diced apple for sweetness
- •
Replace some mayo with Greek yogurt
Storage
Refrigerate covered up to 3 days. The flavours deepen overnight.
History & Origin
Lucien Olivier created the original version in the 1860s, keeping his dressing recipe secret. The Soviet adaptation by chef Ivan Ivanov in the 1930s used widely available ingredients and became the version known today throughout the former Soviet Union.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it keep?
Refrigerated and covered, up to 3 days — though best within 24 hours.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving · 6 servings total
Time Summary
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