Vinegret is a classic Russian salad with a makeover, made with boiled beets and carrots mixed with diced pickles and white beans. A perfect side dish. Gluten Free and Vegan. 

Going back to my roots today with this Russian salad recipe. For those of you who don’t know I was born in Russia and grew up in Australia + the US (and nope I do not still have that Aussie accent – that was gobbled up quickly by the heavier American accent).

While I spent my “public” life speaking in English and devouring pb&j sandwiches (jk, I never ate those), at home I was communicating strictly in Russian and enjoying all sorts of strange and foreign sounding delicacies – think caviar, olivier salad, herring, beef tongue.

And for a more hands on Russian immersion program I spent my summers in Russia with my maternal grandparents, aunt, uncle and cousins. The time was split between the impressive city of Moscow and the classic Russian countryside summer home – think full on fruit and vegetable garden, no running water, outhouse, the works.

It was a blast.

The highlight of all these trips of course was my time spent with my grandmother. We shared one common passion that kept us close always – food. We both loved food, cooking and anything to do with food.

I’ve recently started reading the book, Day of Honey, (one I already highly recommend), a memoir focused on food and the rituals of eating while uncovering the history and culture of living in Iraq and Lebanon. The way that author Anna relates the history of entire regions and countries to food and eating is amazing. And it has me thinking about my own roots and how food has played a part in my life.

I can essentially attribute my life’s passion – food to both my mother and maternal grandmother. My grandmother would come to visit us in Australia and in the US and the two of us would always work in unison in the kitchen. My grandmother was retired so she had the time to dedicate herself to exploring and experimenting with various cooking styles and techniques – even the more tedious and time consuming ones since she had the time.

We baked pizzas and pierogies, boiled soups and stews, chopped up fresh veggies for salad – everything. We worked in tandem together, as in I would make a mess and she would quickly clean it right up. Where food was concerned we never ran out of things to say to eachother. We would share cooking tips and techniques, new ingredients, new recipes, it was the best.

And so whenever I think of Russian recipes they always make me think of my grandmother and all our time spent in the kitchen.

Since food is always meant for sharing, nowadays whenever I’m craving Russian food I’ve got the perfect people to share it with – my parents.

There isn’t a ton of Russian cooking with them but there are certain classic recipes that my mom and I are always making – starting with this Russian salad called vinegret. When you think salad what are you thinking first? Lettuce?

No lettuce in a Russian salad. Totally not needed. In my top 3 favorite Russian salads there is no lettuce to be seen (namely in this vinegret, in a beet salad with walnuts and garlic, and the much loved Olivier salad).

What’s in a vinegret salad?

• beets
• carrots
• pickles
• potatoes, or beans in my version

Some families will also add sauerkraut to the vinegret, but my family never did so I prefer the salad without it. Traditionally this salad is made with potatoes, a staple in Russian cooking but I’ve decided to make it with gigante beans instead to make this version nightshade free.

How to store the vinegret?

This vinegret salad can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days. It is best to add the dressing when ready to eat.

How to make vinegret:

Start by adding the unpeeled beets to a pot of water, making sure they are completely covered. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until beets are cooked through and soft when pierced with a fork. This will take about an hour.

Repeat the same process for the carrots and potatoes (if using). The carrots and potatoes will only take 15-20 minutes to cook. Make sure not to overcook them or the salad will be mushy. You want the veggies to be slightly soft but not too soft.

Cool the veggies and peel them when cold enough to handle.

Dice the veggies and pickles so that everything is the same size. Some people prefer everything to be diced super finely – my mom prefers a larger cut so that is how I’m used to preparing the salad. Combine all the diced ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.

For the dressing use either olive oil or mayonnaise, based on preference. If this is your first time making this salad try a sample portion with each dressing to see which one you like more.

Recipe Tips:

• Cook the veggies until soft enough when pierced with a knife or fork, but do not over cook them or salad will be mushy
• Prepare the veggies a couple days in advance and add dressing when ready to serve
• To make this recipe vegan use vegan mayonnaise or olive oil for the dressing
• To make this recipe nightshade free use gigante beans or cannellini beans instead of potatoes
• Dice all the ingredients evenly so everything is the same size

This Russian salad always reminds me of home and my roots. Food has a way of making people (or mostly me) super nostalgic and I love using it as much own personal time machine right back to my childhood.

Let me know what you think of my vinegret recipe in the comments below!

5 from 1 vote

Print

Vinegret Russian Salad with Beets, Pickles, Beans and Carrots {GF, Vegan}

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

45 mins

Total Time

1 hr

 

Vinegret is a classic Russian salad with a makeover, made with boiled beets and carrots mixed with diced pickles and white beans. A perfect side dish. Gluten Free and Vegan.

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Russian

Keyword: russian, vinegret

Servings: 6

Calories: 206 kcal

Author: Vicky

Ingredients

• 1.5 cup diced pickles 3-4
• 1.5 cup diced boiled carrots 3-6
• 1.5 cup diced boiled beets 2
• 1.5 cup halved white gigante beans 1 can, rinsed and drained (or cannellini beans)
• dill for garnish
• 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or vegan mayonnaise
• salt/pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients and mix.