Ensalada Rusa (Latin-style Russian Potato Salad)

Ensalada Rusa is the Latin American take on Russian potato salad. Also known as ensalada de papa or ensalada mixta, it’s typically made with finely diced potatoes, carrots, and red onions tossed in creamy mayonnaise.

It’s a dish that everyone puts their own spin on—this version includes apple, but there’s also a popular pink version made with beets.

Jump to:

• What is Russian potato salad?
• ❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe
• Ingredient notes
• Step by step instructions
• Tips and tricks
• Serving suggestions
• Storage FAQ’s
• ⭐ Other recipes you’ll love
• Ensalada Rusa (Latin-style Russian Potato Salad)

Americans typically associate potato salad with cookouts and summer picnics, but in Latin cultures, it’s a little different. Ensalada de papa can be served indoors or outdoors, especially during the holidays and at family gatherings.

You’ll often see it served with other dishes like moro de habichuelas (rice and beans),  arroz con guandules (rice and pigeon peas) and pernil (roasted pork shoulder).

What is Russian potato salad?

Russian potato salad — also called the Olivier salad (or ensalada Rusa in Spanish) is a famous version of potato salad that combines finely diced potatoes, carrots and boiled eggs with mayonnaise. The orginal version was invented by Russian chef Lucien Olivier. Traditional Russian versions of the salad might include pickles, cubed meat and peas.

Russian potato salad has been adapted around the world because of its popularity. Many cultures have their own versions which include regional ingredients. It’s especially popular in Spain and Latin America. Some Portuguese speaking cultures have their own versions as well.

❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe

• Ensalada de papa goes with everything from rice to stews and grilled meats and there are endless versions, so you can make it pretty much however you’d like.
• It’s easy to make — you can follow the recipe exactly as it’s written, or just use it as a guide! Some people prefer to eyeball the quantities rather than measure, which is fine. I suggest adding a little bit of mayo at a time, until you’re satisfied with the texture.
• Substitute friendly — expanding on the bullet above, you can tailor this dish to make it your own. Feel free to add familiar ingredients, and skip any that you don’t like.
• Makes just enough — the tricky thing with any recipe is knowing how much to make. This recipe serves 6 so if you have a small household, plan to have some leftovers. I tried to scale this recipe down so leftovers don’t go to waste.

Ingredient notes

A full list of ingredients with measurements are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

• Potato salad always starts with a base of potatoes, eggs and mayo and in many cases, carrots. Waxy potatoes, like Yukon golds are best if you want the potatoes to retain their shape. If you prefer creamier potato salad, russet potatoes work well.
• I like my potato salad on the tangier side which is why I add red onions, apples, and a tiny bit of lime juice. You don’t have to pickle the onions, this is just my spin. Feel free to skip the pickling step and omit the sugar from the recipe if it’s not your thing.
• You might not think to pair cilantro with Russian potato salad, but in Latin America, it’s added to most foods for its fresh flavor.

Step by step instructions

Step 1: Place the potatoes, eggs and 1 tablespoon of salt in a pan and fill with water. Bring the pan to a boil and let the potatoes and eggs cook for 7-10 minutes, or until tender.

Step 2: Place the carrots in a separate small pan and cover them with 2-3 inches of water. Bring to a boil and let the carrots cook for 3-5 minutes, or until fork tender.

Note: I like to boil the carrots separately because they tend to cook faster. If you don’t mind them getting soft and losing their shape, just boil them in the same pan with the carrots and eggs.

Step 3: Drain the carrots, potatoes and eggs. Place the eggs in an ice bath, and let the potatoes and carrots cool fully in the refrigerator. While everything cools, place the red onions in a small bowl, add the sugar and vinegar.

Step 4: Once everything has cooled fully, peel and chop the eggs, dice the apples and drain the onions. Place the potatoes, eggs, carrots, apples and onions in a large bowl, then add the mayo and toss.

Note: Use a large bowl for this step. As you can see, I had to change mixing bowls because the first one was too small.

Step 5: Stir in the chopped cilantro, lime juice, and season with salt and pepper.

Step 6: Transfer the potato salad to a serving dish and chill in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve it.

Tips and tricks

• For this recipe, the vegetables are cooked “al dente” to help them keep their shape. If you prefer a mashed or creamy texture, boil the carrots and potatoes a few minutes longer, until they’re nice and soft.
• I find it easier to pre-dice the carrots and potatoes before boiling them but you can boil them first and cut them up after if that’s what you prefer.
• Chill the potatoes and carrots in the refrigerator before mixing the salad to keep the mayo from melting. Potato salad is best served cold.

Serving suggestions

Ensalada Rusa is a great side dish to serve during the holidays and at gatherings. Here are some other dishes you can serve it with:

• Stewed or roasted meats like pernil (roasted pork shoulder), pollo guisado (stew chicken) or carne guisada (stewed beef).
• There is absolutely no shame to doubling up on starches when it comes to Latin food! You’ll often see potato salad served with other starches like arroz con guandules (rice and pigeon peas), moro (rice and red beans or rice and black beans) plain white rice.
• Whatever you decide to serve with it, just remember that it’s best served cold!

Storage FAQ’s

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