Olivier Salad – Classic Russian New Year Potato Salad

Ingredients:

Preparation mode:

👉 Olivier salad is the dish no New Year table in Russia, Ukraine, Georgia or the rest of the former Soviet Union is complete without. Small, even cubes of boiled potato, carrot and egg are mixed with ham or chicken, crunchy pickles, sweet green peas and a creamy mayonnaise dressing. It was first created in the 1860s by chef Lucien Olivier at the Hermitage restaurant in Moscow, with luxurious ingredients like grouse, crayfish and capers – the home version people love today is simpler, cheaper and, many would say, even better.

How to Make Olivier Salad

1. Boil the vegetables. Put the whole, unpeeled potatoes and carrots in a pot of cold salted water. Bring to the boil and simmer until a knife slides in easily – about 20–25 minutes for the potatoes and 25–30 for the carrots. Cooking them in their skins keeps them firm and full of flavour.
2. Boil the eggs. In another pan, cover the eggs with cold water, bring to the boil and cook for 10 minutes. Move them to cold water.
3. Cool completely. Drain the vegetables and let everything cool to room temperature, or chill. Warm potatoes break apart and make the salad mushy.
4. Dice everything. Peel the potatoes, carrots and eggs. Cut them, along with the meat and pickles, into small cubes about the size of a pea – the even size is the signature of a good Olivier.
5. Combine. Put the diced ingredients in a large bowl with the drained peas, onion and most of the dill.
6. Dress. Mix the mayonnaise with the sour cream (if using), add it to the bowl with salt and pepper and fold gently. Taste and add a spoonful of pickle brine if you like it tangier.
7. Chill and serve. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour so the flavours come together. Serve topped with the remaining dill.

Tips for the Best Olivier Salad

• Use waxy potatoes – they hold their shape when diced.
• Choose brine-fermented dill pickles rather than sweet ones; their sourness balances the mayonnaise.
• If the salad will sit for a long time, keep the dressing separate and mix it in shortly before serving.

FAQ

Why is it called “Russian salad”?
Outside the former Soviet Union, Olivier spread as “Russian salad” – in Spain it is ensaladilla rusa, in Iran salad olvieh.

Can I make Olivier salad ahead?
Yes. Prepare the ingredients up to a day ahead and dress the salad a few hours before serving. Dressed salad keeps 2 days in the fridge.

Is it eaten only at New Year?
It is the star of New Year’s Eve, but it also appears at birthdays, weddings and almost every holiday table.

👉 Planning a holiday table? Read Christmas foods around the world, or try Ukrainian varenyky and Polish bigos.

Footnotes:

Make ahead: cook and dice everything the day before, keep it covered in the fridge and mix with the mayonnaise only a few hours before serving – the salad stays fresh and never watery.
Meat options: boiled chicken breast, smoked ham or mild bologna-style sausage (the Soviet "doktorskaya") are all traditional.