Ensalada Rusa (Russian Potato Salad) Recipe

Inside: Learn how to make ensalada rusa, or traditional Russian potato salad, which is a perfect appetizer that you can make in no time at all!

With so many delicious main dishes available, sometimes side dishes can be neglected. Today, however, I am going to share one of my favorites, which goes well with so many different recipes. The recipe I am talking about is called “ensalada rusa” in Spanish, but it is also known as Russian potato salad, salad olivier, or oliver potato salad.

This recipe is perfect for any time of year and can be prepared very quickly if you are looking for a delicious side dish or even a simple main meal. Although this recipe is popular around the world, especially in eastern European countries, it has become a common staple in latin america as well and you will often see it on holiday tables and for family gatherings in Mexico. My version of this potato salad is a different version than one that you might find in other countries, because I like to add chopped chiles to add some spice.

What is ensalada rusa?

Ensalada rusa is one of the simplest recipes you will find, since you just need to cook a few ingredients and mix them together with a bit of creamy mayo or sour cream. It is a great last minute option when you are looking for a side dish and is a great way to incorporate lots of veggies and protein into your meal. In Mexico, we often make this to accompany some of our more traditional recipes like barbacoa or birria.

This Russian potato salad recipe is a cold salad, so it is great not only for the holidays, but also during the hot summer afternoons when you are looking for something cool. It is easy to make, and you can easily come up with your own spin on the original recipe by switching up some of the ingredients. You can add chiles like I do, or even fresh dill pickles, which is popular in some variations. Any way you do it, this is sure to be a hit with everyone who tries it.

How to you make ensalada rusa?

Like I said above, this is an extremely simple recipe to make. You can come up with your own variation or follow this recipe exactly. To do that, you will need the following ingredients.

• Boneless skinless chicken breast
• Garlic cloves
• Onion
• Water
• Salt
• Carrots, chopped into small cubes
• Potatos, chopped into small cubes
• a can of pickled jalapenos or other green chiles
• mayonnaise
• Sour cream

The first step is prepare the shredded chicken. If you already have rotisserie chicken or some other cooked chicken, you can skip this step and just shred about a cup. If you do not have cooked chicken ready, then place the chicekn breast in a large pot with water, salt, 1/4 onion, and 2 cloves of garlic. Bring to a boil and cook through, before allowing it to cool down. At that point, shred the chicken and set it aside.

If you are cooking the chicken in the previous step, then remove the onion and garlic and add the potatoes and carrots and cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes. If you are using chicken that you already had, then you can follow the same step, but cook in water or chicken stock.

Next, strain the vegetables and set them aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the sour cream and mayo with a pinch of salt, mixing well. Next, add the shredded chicken a little at a time, stirring until it is well incorporated.

Finally, add the rest of the ingredients, including the cooked veggies, the diced chiles, and the salt. If you are making this creamy potato salad as a main dish, you can serve it now with crackers or tostadas. If you are using it as a side dish, make you you make a lot, since everyone will be goingn back for seconds!

Let me know in the comments below how it turns out!

Check out these other tasty side dishes

• Bacon and Garlic Asparagus
• Italian Pasta Salad
• The Best Homemade Potato Salad Recipe
• Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
• Easy Homemade Cornbread Recipe