Ensaladilla Rusa (Spanish Potato Salad)

About This Recipe

Ensaladilla rusa (literally 'Russian salad') is one of the most common tapas found across Spain, a mayonnaise-bound salad of diced potato, carrot, and peas, typically studded with tuna, olives, and sometimes hard-boiled egg. Despite the name referencing Russia (where a similar salad, Olivier salad, originated), ensaladilla rusa has become thoroughly Spanish, appearing at nearly every tapas bar counter alongside croquetas and tortilla. The technique that defines a good ensaladilla is dicing the potatoes and carrots uniformly small so every bite has a balanced mix of textures, and cooking them just until tender -- overcooked vegetables turn the salad mushy rather than pleasantly creamy. Good quality mayonnaise, sometimes made fresh with a stick blender for the freshest flavor, binds everything together, and the salad benefits from resting in the fridge for at least an hour so the flavors meld before serving. Served cold, often piped or mounded onto small plates and garnished with a strip of pimiento or an olive, ensaladilla rusa is quintessential Spanish bar food, eaten with a small fork or scooped onto bread.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 500 gpotatoes(peeled, diced small)
• 2carrots(diced small)
• 0.75 cuppeas
• 200 gcanned tuna in oil(drained)
• 2hard-boiled eggs(chopped)
• 0.33 cuppitted green olives(sliced)
• 0.75 cupmayonnaise
• 1 tbspwhite wine vinegar
• 0.5 tspsalt
• 2 stripspimiento or roasted red pepper(for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the vegetables

   Boil potatoes and carrots in salted water until just tender, about 12-15 minutes. Add peas in the last 3 minutes. Drain and let cool completely.

2. 2

   Combine

   In a large bowl, combine cooled potatoes, carrots, peas, tuna, chopped egg, and olives.

3. 3

   Dress

   Fold in mayonnaise, vinegar, and salt until evenly coated.

4. 4

   Chill

   Refrigerate at least 1 hour, ideally 2-3, so the flavors meld.

5. 5

   Adjust

   Taste before serving and adjust salt, vinegar, or mayonnaise as needed.

6. 6

   Serve

   Mound onto plates, garnish with strips of pimiento or roasted red pepper, and serve cold.

Variations

• •

  Add finely diced pickles or capers for extra brininess and texture.

• •

  Use shredded chicken instead of tuna for a different but equally common protein choice.

• •

  Pipe the salad decoratively using a piping bag for a more elegant tapas presentation.

Storage

Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days; the flavors continue to develop, though texture is best within the first 2 days.

Frequently Asked Questions