This Ukrainian vinegret is a classic recipe for the beet and potato salad. It is made with cooked beets, potatoes, carrots, pickles or sauerkraut, peas and a little bit of onions. Serve it as a side dish alongside meat, fish, potatoes and more.
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What is Vinegret salad
Vinegret salad (sometimes spelt as Vinaigrette) is a traditional Ukrainian beet salad that is made with boiled beets, potatoes, carrots, peas, pickles or sauerkraut. Some variations, cooked beans are added. And dressing is just flavorful sunflower or extra virgin olive oil.
This is my family's variation of vinegret salad recipe. I adapted it to American kitchen, so everyone is able to make it
Love beets? Check out German beetroot salad, Turkish beetroot salad, or raw beetroot salad next.
Why you will like It
- It is budget-friendly and easy to make. This salad requires mainly root vegetables and a few basic ingredients.
- Great for making ahead of time. You can make it ahead of time, which makes it a convents dosh to bring for picnics, potlucks, family gatherings.
- Versatile side dish. Serve it with meat, fish, potatoes or as an appetizer.
- Perfect for trying something new. If you love trying recipes from different cultures, this beet salad is so easy and delicious.
Ingredients
Traditionally, red beets are used for this salad. But you can easily swap red beets for yellow ones, or use a mix of both.
- Beets: I always use small or medium beets, as they tend to be sweeter/
- Carrots: You will need a few medium-sized carrots.
- Potatoes: Chose waxy potatoes as they do not fall apart after cooking. I prefer Yukon gold, as they are available in every grocery store.
- Water:You will need water for cooking the vegetables.
- Pickles: Dill pickles are the classic addition for this salad. You may also use sauerkraut in place of pickles.
- Frozen Peas: The classic way is to use canned peas. You simply drain them and add to the salad. I do not like canned peas much, so I use fresh peas when they are in season or frozen peas.
- Green Onions: Traditionally, yellow or red onion is used to make vineget. I prefer using green onions, because their flavor is milder and my family enjoys them better than raw.
- Fresh Parsley: Parsley is optional, but it adds fresh flavor and a bright green color to the salad.
- Olive Oil: Aromatic sunflower oil is the traditional one to use. But, it is sometimes hard to find good sunflower oil for salads in the US, so I often use quality extra virgin olive oil.
- Salt and Black Pepper: Season the salad with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
See ingredients quantities in the recipe card.
How to make Ukrainian Vinegret salad
This is a recipe overview. You can find ingredients quantities and full instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
1.Cook the vegetables. Boil the beets in a separate pot for about 40-50 minutes until fork tender. Boil the potatoes and carrots in a different pot, as they cook faster and to prevent them from staining. If the carrots become fork tender before potatoes, carefully remove them earlier. Gently boil the fresh or frozen peas. Drain the vegetables and let them cool.
Quick tip: You can cook the beets in the instant pot or even in the microwave if short on time.
2. Chop the vegetables. Peel the beets, carrots and potatoes. Chop them into ¼ inch cubes. Chop the pickled the same way. Slice green onions and chiffonade (slice into thin strips) parsley. Add chopped vegetables, pickles, sliced onions, and parsley into a large bowl. Add cooked peas.
Note 1: If you are using canned peas, simply drain them well and add to the salad.
Note 2: If you are using sauerkraut in place of pickles, roughly chop the sauerkraut into smaller, bite-sized pieces and squeeze the liquid a little bit.
Add oil and seasonings. Add olive oil or sunflower oil, salt, and black pepper, and mix the salad gently to combine. You can serve it right away or chill it in the fridge.
My Ukrainian Vinegret is made with pickles and cooked peas. You can also make it with sauerkraut and canned peas. I also sometimes add drained Canelllinni beans to the salad.
📖 Recipe
Ukrainian Beet Salad (Vinegret)
Equipment
- 2 large pots
- 1 cutting board
- 1 measuring spoons set
Ingredients
- 3 medium carrots
- 3 medium potatoes
- 2 medium beets
- 7 cups water or more as needed to boil vegetables
- ½ cup (about 5 small or 2 medium) diced pickles or ½ cup chopped
- 1 cup frozen peas or canned (drained)
- 3 tablespoons diced green onions
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil or cold pressed sunflower oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt add more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Boil the root vegetables. Scrub the potatoes, beets and carrots thoroughly under the cold water to remove dirt. Place the potatoes and carrots in one pot, and beets in a separate pot. Cover both with enough water to submerge the veggies. Cover with lids halfway, bring both pots to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium and let them boil until fork tender. Carrots cook for about 20 minutes (you can remove them from the pot earlier). Potatoes cook for about 30 minutes. And beets cook for 45-60,minutes, depending on the size.
- Cool and peel. Transfer the vegetable to a plate and let them cool until safe to handle. Peel off the skins using a paring knife or a paper towel. Allow them to cool until they are just warm for another 15 minutes before dicing,
- Dice the vegetables. Dice cooled beets, potatoes and carrots into ½ inch cubes and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Dice the pickles the same way. Chop fresh parsley and green onions. Add them to the bowl as well.
- Prepare the peas. Place frozen peas and ½ cup of water in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for about 1-2 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool slightly. Add to the bowl. You can also use canned peas. Simply drain and add add directly to the bowl
- Dress and serve. Drizzle with olive oil or cold pressed sunflower oil, season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.Gently tossed the salad until combined. Serve it right away or refrigerate for a few hours.
Notes
Nutrition
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Elena De Bello says
It is not just Ukrainian, but Russian and Belarusian. Basically it is a Soviet era salad. The same as Olivie.
Sava's Kitchen says
It is, I agree! Also a lot of ways and variations of making these dishes 🙂
Debra Culp says
Every year we go to Pennsylvania for my Mother n law's family reunion, her Parents were immigrants from Poland. I love the Polish meals. I am going to fish this Beet Salad to take to the Reunion this summer. My Mother n law is gone now, there are only 4 left now out of 13 children.
Sava's Kitchen says
Hi Debra. I am glad you found this recipe to make for your reunion with keeping in mind your family's Polish roots. I am sure everyone will love it.
Tatyana Golyansky says
Wish I could buy the most amazing roasted sunflower oil we used to buy at Ukranian farmers markets. I am from Belarus and make vinegret quiet often
Sava's Kitchen says
Hi Tatyana, I feel the same way. I miss that amazing and so flavorful sunflower oil so much too. Back in Ukraine, my grandma used to rent an hour or two at the oil press facility to bring her own harvested sunflower seeds to make oil for us. It was the best.
Carmel Hookham says
Hi Natalia, I am so pleased to find your recipes. I will be making the beetroot and vegetable salad for two Ukranian guests.
Sava's Kitchen says
Hi Carmel! Thank you so much. It is so nice of you to be making this salad for your Ukrainian guests, they will be very pleased.
Carmel Hookham says
Easy to follow, and so delicious 😋.
Sava's Kitchen says
Thank you so much. It is one of our favorites.
Shelly says
What kind of pickles do you use? Dip? Sweet? Bread and butter?
Nataliia says
I usually use dill pickles. You can use any type of pickles, but I would not recommend using sweet pickles.
baker says
Delicious!!