This Olivier Salad brings back memories of family gatherings and special meals. It’s a ultra creamy with a mix of soft potatoes, savory sausage, and fresh herbs. It’s a traditional Russian potato salad recipe that’s perfect for the holidays or a family cookout.
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Why This Recipe Works
This Olivier Salad is my go-to recipe for holidays, potlucks, and cozy gatherings. Here’s why I love it so much:
- Creamy and Classic: This is the Russian potato salad I grew up with – creamy, tangy, and made with simple ingredients. It always reminds me of special celebrations.
- Perfectly Chopped: Everything is cut into uniform, pea-sized cubes so each bite has the perfect mix of textures and flavors. It’s a labor of love, but so worth it.
- Ultra Customizable: I can easily swap in ham, chicken, or keep it vegetarian. No matter what, it still turns out rich, colorful, and incredibly satisfying.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: I prep everything the day before, then mix it fresh right before serving. It holds up beautifully and makes entertaining easy.
- Feeds a Crowd: This salad makes a big batch and somehow always disappears. Everyone goes back for seconds, even the picky eaters.
If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and give it a rating. I ❤️ hearing from you!
Ingredients
- Yukon potatoes: These give the salad a soft, creamy texture that holds up well once mixed. I like to cut them into small, even cubes so every bite feels balanced.
- Carrots: Add color, a hint of sweetness, and a tender bite. They’re best boiled until just soft so they don’t fall apart in the mix.
- Eggs: Hard-boiled eggs bring creaminess and protein to the salad. I dice most of them and save a few slices for garnish on top.
- Dill pickles: Their tangy, salty flavor cuts through the richness of the mayo and potatoes. I dry them well before adding to keep the salad from getting watery.
- Scallions: Add a mild onion flavor and a pop of freshness. I love using them both in the mix and as a garnish.
- Sausage: Traditional and savory, it gives the salad a hearty touch. You can also use ham, rotisserie chicken, or skip it entirely for a vegetarian version.
- Peas: Sweet and tender, they bring a nice texture contrast to the salad. I use frozen peas that have been thawed for the best flavor.
- Mayonnaise: The creamy base that ties everything together. You can swap it with Greek yogurt for a lighter version, but classic mayo keeps it authentic.
- Kosher salt: Enhances all the flavors and keeps the salad from tasting flat. I season lightly at first and adjust once everything is mixed.
For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
Instructions
- Prep ingredients: Boil potatoes, carrots, and eggs until tender, then dice into small cubes and add to a bowl.
- Mix and serve: Gently fold until fully coated and creamy. Season with salt to taste. Garnish with egg slices and extra scallions before serving. Keep chilled until ready to enjoy.
For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
Substitutions & Variations
Here are some of my favorite substitutions and variations:
- Protein Options: I usually make this salad with diced sausage, but rotisserie chicken, smoked ham, or bologna work perfectly too. You can also skip the meat entirely for a vegetarian version.
- Creamy Base: Mayonnaise gives that classic flavor, but I like swapping half for Greek yogurt when I want something lighter and tangier.
What to Serve with Olivier Salad
Main Dishes
- This creamy and hearty salad pairs beautifully with rich mains. Serve it alongside One-Pot Beef Stroganoff, Kotleti Recipe, or Pan Fried Salmon for a comforting meal that feels traditional and complete.
- It also makes a great side for Pan Seared Lamb Chops or Oven Baked Bone In Chicken Thighs, where the freshness of the salad balances the savory meat.
Holiday Table Pairings
- Olivier Salad is a staple at holiday gatherings. It shines next to festive dishes like roast chicken, honey glazed ham, or slow roasted beef tenderloin.
- For a lighter spread, serve it with Smoked Fish Dip or a Russian Charcuterie Board.
FAQs
This potato salad originated in Russia and is made with chopped potatoes, eggs, mayonnaise, pickles, peas, carrots, meats, and herbs. There are no true rules with this recipe and most families like to mix up the ingredients or techniques to make it their own. Russian families will usually enjoy this creamy dish on holidays like New Year’s Eve, Christmas, or Easter.
Olivier salad, also known as ‘olivye’ in Russian, got its name from the chef who invented the recipe, Lucien Olivier. Some of the original ingredients included grouse, veal tongue, and smoked duck, but the list has (luckily) been modernized since its invention.
Uniform cubes ensure that every bite has a balanced mix of textures and flavors, plus the salad looks more polished and cohesive.
Make sure to pat the pickles dry before mixing them in. Too much pickle brine can make the dressing thin and cause the salad to lose its creamy texture.
Store the salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. If it thickens, stir in a little more mayonnaise before serving. Avoid leaving it at room temperature for more than 2 hours, and freeze leftovers for up to 3 months if needed.
More Russian Recipes You’ll Enjoy
- Classic Ukrainian Red Borscht – You’re going to feel warm and comforted after a bowl of this Classic Ukrainian Red Borscht (Beet Soup)! This flexible and frugal recipe is made with heaps of vegetables and a homemade beef broth.
- Chebureki With Beef And Pork – Easy Chebureki With Beef And Pork makes for a quick snack or side dish. This traditional Russian meat pie is stuffed with two kinds of meat, deep-fried, and dipped in sour cream.
- Mom’s Crepe Recipe – This Easy Crepe Recipe comes straight from my mom’s kitchen. I grew up eating these tender crepes, and now I love making them for my own family.
- Russian Herring Under Fur Coat Salad (Shuba) – This Shuba Salad (herring under a fur coat) showcases rich, colorful layers of herring, vegetables, eggs, and mayonnaise, all stacked on top of one another.
If you try this Olivier Salad recipe, let me know what you think! Rate and review this recipe in the comments below. Don’t forget to take a picture and tag me on Instagram @lenaskitchenblog!
Easy Olivier Salad (Russian Potato Salad)
Ingredients
- 5 medium Yukon potatoes, boiled and diced
- 3 medium carrots, boiled and diced
- 6 eggs, hard-boiled and diced
- 8 dill pickles, diced
- 3 scallions, diced
- 2 cups sausage, diced, you can also use chopped rotisserie chicken or smoked ham instead or omit to keep vegetarian
- 1 cup peas, frozen and thawed
- 1 ¼ cup mayonnaise
- Kosher salt, to taste
Instructions
- Place the carrots, potatoes, and eggs into a large pot of cold water. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer.
- Cook the eggs for 10 minutes. Afterward, carefully transfer them to an ice bath to cool completely. Only cut 5 eggs and leave the 6th for slicing into rings and garnishing the salad.
- The carrots will take approximately 15 minutes to cook and the potatoes can take up to 25 minutes. Both are ready when you can pierce a knife through them easily. Once the carrots and potatoes are done, remove with tongs and set onto a tray to cool.
- While the vegetables are cooking, cut the sausage and pickles into pea-sized cubes.
- Once the vegetables and eggs are cooled, peel and dice into pea-size cubes as well. Having everything cut into the same size is important for taste, texture, and look.
- Add all of the ingredients (including the green scallions and mayonnaise) into a large mixing bowl. Using a spoon, fold all ingredients together. Season with salt to taste. Slice the 6th egg into disks and top the salad along with some extra scallions.
Notes
- Chop everything evenly. Cutting all the ingredients into small, uniform, pea-sized cubes ensures the salad tastes balanced and looks good too.
- Dry the pickles well. Excess pickle juice can water down the salad and make it soggy. Pat them dry with a paper towel before mixing them in.
- Season after combining. Since sausage, pickles, and mayonnaise already contain salt, wait until everything is mixed before adding extra seasoning. Taste first, then adjust.
- Use good-quality mayonnaise. A rich, creamy mayo makes the whole salad taste fresher. Try homemade or a high-quality store-bought version for the best flavor.
- Mix gently. Use a large spoon to fold the ingredients together without mashing the vegetables. This helps keep the texture light and fluffy, not mushy.a
- Make-ahead instructions: when making this salad ahead of time, keep the vegetables, eggs, and sausage in a separate container from the pickles and green onions. Refrigerate all ingredients before putting them together when ready for make-ahead. Mix the salad only when ready to enjoy for maximum freshness. The salad will stand for longer if kept separately.
Shey
Easy and delicious! One of the best salads to make! If you love Ukranian food, this one will be a hit on your table.
Zorana
One of my all time favourite salads! As someone of Serbian descent…this salad takes me right back to my childhood! ❤
Anna
The best salad in the world. Period
Margaret
The best salad we have made ??? I thought my children may not want to try it and in the end it was the only thing they wanted to pile on their plate! Hahaha ? I loved that!!!! A must for kids!
Lyuda
This recipe is a must! Great ingredient proportions that make flavors pop in the mouth. Will be making it again for the New Years.