Easy Olivier Salad (Russian Potato Salad) Recipe

Introduction

Easy Olivier Salad, a Russian potato salad, comes together with a creamy mayo coating and a colorful mix of vegetables, eggs, and pickles. It’s a make-ahead crowd-pleaser that holds its flavor and texture nicely in the fridge. Simple, comforting, and flavorful for any potluck or family dinner.

Ingredients

• 5 medium Yukon potatoes, boiled and diced
• 3 medium carrots, boiled and diced
• 6 eggs, hard-boiled and diced (1 egg set aside for garnish)
• 8 dill pickles, diced
• 3 scallions, diced
• 2 cups sausage, diced (or chopped rotisserie chicken or smoked ham; omit for vegetarian)
• 1 cup peas, frozen and thawed
• 1¼ cups mayonnaise
• Kosher salt, to taste

Instructions

1. Step 1: Place the carrots, potatoes, and eggs into a large pot of cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer.
2. Step 2: Cook the eggs for 10 minutes, then transfer to an ice bath to cool completely. Reserve 1 egg for slicing into rings later for garnish; dice the remaining 5 eggs.
3. Step 3: The carrots will take about 15 minutes and the potatoes up to 25 minutes to cook. They are ready when you can pierce them easily with a knife. Remove with tongs and set on a tray to cool.
4. Step 4: While the vegetables cook, cut the sausage and pickles into pea-sized cubes.
5. Step 5: Once the vegetables and eggs are cooled, peel and dice them into pea-size cubes as well. Keeping all ingredients the same size helps with texture and presentation.
6. Step 6: In a large mixing bowl, add all diced vegetables, eggs, scallions, sausage, peas, and mayonnaise. Fold gently until combined. Season with salt to taste. Slice the reserved egg into disks and top the salad along with some extra scallions for garnish.

Tips & Variations

• For a lighter version, use part yogurt or a mix of mayonnaise and sour cream.
• Try swapping the sausage for diced rotisserie chicken, smoked ham, or omit meat entirely for a vegetarian option.
• Chill the salad for a few hours or overnight to let flavors meld before serving.

Storage

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep in mind that potatoes and eggs may absorb more of the dressing over time, so you can whisk a little extra mayonnaise back into the salad before serving if needed.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make Olivier Salad ahead of time?

Yes. It can be prepared up to a day in advance. Add the garnish and adjust salt just before serving to keep the texture fresh.

What if I don’t want to use mayonnaise?

You can use a light yogurt option or a 50/50 mix of mayonnaise and sour cream to reduce richness while keeping creaminess.

Easy Olivier Salad (Russian Potato Salad) Recipe

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A celebratory Russian Olivier Salad (also known as Russian Potato Salad) featuring boiled potatoes and carrots, eggs, pickles, scallions, sausage (or chicken/ham as alternatives), peas, all bound in creamy mayonnaise for a rich, crowd-pleasing dish.

• Author: Clara
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins
• Yield: 6 servings 1x
• Category: Salad
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Russian

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Vegetables

• 5 medium Yukon potatoes, boiled and diced
• 3 medium carrots, boiled and diced
• 1 cup peas, frozen and thawed

Proteins

• 6 eggs, hard-boiled and diced (reserve 1 egg for garnish)
• 2 cups sausage, diced (can substitute chopped rotisserie chicken or smoked ham; omit for vegetarian)

Flavor and Texture

• 8 dill pickles, diced
• 3 scallions, diced
• 1 ¼ cup mayonnaise
• Kosher salt, to taste

Garnish

• Remaining 1 egg, sliced into rings
• Extra scallions for topping

Instructions

1. Prepare the base vegetables: Place the potatoes, carrots, and eggs into a large pot of cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are tender and a knife pierces them easily (potatoes up to 25 minutes; carrots about 15 minutes).
2. Cook and cool: When the vegetables are done, use tongs to transfer them to a tray to cool. Cook the eggs for 10 minutes, then transfer to an ice bath to cool completely. Save 5 eggs for dicing; reserve the 6th for slicing into rings for garnish.
3. Prepare mix-ins: While the vegetables cook, cut the sausage and pickles into pea-sized cubes.
4. Dice and combine: Once all components are cooled, peel and dice the potatoes and carrots, and dice the eggs into pea-sized pieces. Add all ingredients (potatoes, carrots, eggs, sausage, pickles, scallions, peas) to a large mixing bowl. Fold in the mayonnaise and season with salt to taste.
5. Finish and garnish: Fold everything together gently until evenly coated. Slice the reserved egg into disks and arrange on top along with extra scallions for garnish. Chill briefly before serving if desired.

Notes

• For a lighter version, reduce the mayonnaise to 1 cup and add a splash of sour cream or yogurt.
• To make this dish ahead, assemble without the garnish, refrigerate up to 24 hours, then garnish before serving.
• Best served chilled or at room temperature.

Keywords: Olivier salad, Russian potato salad, potatoes, carrots, eggs, pickles, mayonnaise, sausage, peas, scallions