Ensalada Rusa [a Potato Salad]

Ensalada Rusa recipe is a known Latin American potato salad with carrots, peas, and corn. Some drop the corn, we love the corn. It’s a tasty, 7-ingredient potato salad loved by so many and served with meals throughout Latina America. It’s creamy, has a bite of sweet because carrot, and a different kind of delicious papa salad!

If it’s not your regular potato salad you’re in for a real treat.

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What is an Ensalada Rusa

Before I learned of its name; Russian Potato Salad, I had only ever referred to it as mixta, mixed veggie potato salad or ensalada de papa con “insert your favorite vegetable of choice here”. The name always sounded a little silkier in spanish, for me that is.

Back to mo’ salad… It’s taste I acquired eating with pollo asado (chicken), mole, grilled meats from backyard bbq with the family, or at potlucks.

For me, it’s a comfort food, but way better since it’s rich in nutrients while offering a taste of sweet and savory. I love learning how it’s rooted in a Russian dish, and has recipe plays on it in Dominican, Peruvian, Salvadoran, Mexican, Uruguayan, and other Latin American countries, too fly!

The vegetable options in this salad vary by region and families that carry the tradition of making this salad have their own versions of making it. Tell me if you have a preferred style you like in the comment section below. I’d love to hear about it!

Here I share the way I enjoy it most. It can be served warm as a soft solid food or scooped and served cold (my favorite way).

Ingredients

Ingredient Quick List: russet potato, carrots, peas, corn (optional) green onion or chives, mayonnaise, sour cream or crema, vinegar, salt and optional pepper.

Ingredient notes / Variations

• Potatoes: Russet potatoes are pretty easy to find at your local farmers market or grocer but feel free to use yellow potato or red if those are the papas you prefer.
  • Make ahead for meal prep for time saving option.
  • Ensaladillas are always special with a little bit of papa, so it never hurts to have a potato, ready to eat!

• Carrot: The carrot is not raw, the key is to cook it until tender. If using frozen, all you’ll need to do is defrost.
  • Cook it at the same time as the potato or do what I do and cook an extra carrot like in my rice recipe.

To make a soft potato salad, let the potatoes cool only halfway, peel and dice while still warm. Add to the ingredient mixture, eat warm or follow up with refrigeration.

• Green onion, chives, or garlic chives: Use some savory herbs, one is enough but if you have a few in the garden or in stock, use them!
  • I recommend finely cut herbs for use in this recipe for maximum flavor in your potato salad.
  • My frequent go-to herb is chives because it’s what I have normally have in stock.

• Vinegar: I’ve normally use white vinegar or apple cider when making this recipe and they both work great.
  • It’s not mandatory, so don’t hesitate to make it even if you may not have any.
  • Vinegar has many uses. Start with a small bottle if new to your kitchen. We’ll show you!

Substitutions: Recipe can be made using only mayo instead of sour cream or plain greek yogurt in substitute of sour cream.

Step-By-Step Instructions

To make the Ensalada Rusa

1. Defrost peas and corn, cook and dice potato and carrot (if not pre-cooked). I like a small dice on the soft cooked carrot.
2. In a bowl, combine wet ingredients to create mixture, followed by addition of diced potato and veggies. Mix well by folding over so all pieces are well coated.

A printer-friendly recipe card is available at the bottom of this post.

Now that it’s all mixed, sample and ensure that it is salted to your liking.

Tip: Give it about 15 minutes after mixing if using a rock sea salt for it to meld in all the way (before thinking of adding any extra salt).

Foods To Eat It With

Wondering what to serve with this potato salad? Heres a few dishes that compliment it

Serve it as a side to grilled or rotisserie chicken, steak, carnitas, veggie tacos, shredded beef tacos, frijoles de la olla, burgers, sandwiches and easy wraps.

Ways to Flip this [Rusa Potato Salad]

Make the leftover salad into an easy weeknight meals:

• Ensalada de Pollo, a version that is, simply by adding shredded chicken!
• Tostadas de Ensalada Rusa (pictured below, vegetarian option that is easy to assemble when made ahead.)

If you have extra cooked potatoes, you can make easy crispy potato tacos or sopes.

Pro Tips / Receta Notes

• Recipe yield: 4 cups Ensalada Rusa
• Storage: Proper storage in food safe container with lid and in refrigeration. Russian potato salad taste best when eaten within 4-5 days of making. It’s made with mayo so please ensure refrigeration when not eating.
• Use lemon or lime if no vinegar is available. It wont be exact flavor match but will get you close to the acidity you need.

Note: The potatoes pictured in this recipe were made ahead and refrigerated so the dicing was nice and squared for this family favorite.

Enjoy this creamy Potato Salad with Carrots and more.

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Equipment

• Bowl
• Knife
• Cutting board
• Mixing spoon