Russian salad: the traditional recipe that's a hit in

Russian salad is probably the most beloved cold dish in all of Spain. No tapas bar, family celebration, or summer meal is complete without that generous platter crowned with mayonnaise and decorated with an anchovy or a prawn. And yet, few recipes generate as much controversy: with or without pickles, with or without olives, thick or thinly cut potatoes, homemade or store-bought mayonnaise. Each family defends its version as the only true one.

In this guide, we teach you how to make a homemade Russian salad that will leave a lasting impression: with premium ingredients, hand-emulsified mayonnaise, perfectly cooked vegetables, and a professional bar-style presentation. All the tricks we've learned at Bacalalo del Mercat del Ninot, since 1990, preparing and serving thousands of portions of this immortal tapa.

What is Russian Salad?

Russian salad is a cold salad made of potatoes, carrots, peas, and other vegetables, bound with mayonnaise and enriched with protein (canned tuna, in the Spanish version). It is served as a tapa, starter, or side dish, and is one of the most consumed dishes in restaurants and homes throughout Spain, especially during the warmer months.

Its origin is far from our borders. The dish was born in Moscow around 1860, when the Franco-Belgian chef Lucien Olivier created the salade Olivier for the Hermitage restaurant. That original version was a luxury dish: grouse, veal tongue, caviar, crayfish, capers, and a secret sauce that Olivier took to his grave. It had little to do with what we serve in Spain today.

The recipe traveled through Europe, and each country adapted it to its pantry and taste. In Russia, it evolved into the salat Olivye, prepared on New Year's Eve with sausages and canned peas. In France, it was known as macédoine de légumes. And in Spain, the transformation was radical: meat was replaced by canned tuna (much more affordable and available), olives and pickles were added, and the original sauce was replaced by a generous homemade mayonnaise. The result is a dish that, despite its name, is as Spanish as a potato omelet or gazpacho.

Russian salad triumphed in tapas bars from the 1950s and 60s, when popular hospitality became consolidated. Its success is due to practical reasons: it can be prepared in advance, it improves with rest, it is economical, filling, and allows the bar to serve portions without needing a stove. It is the perfect example of how a humble dish can achieve the status of a national classic when the ingredients are good and the hand is careful.

The Secret to a Good Salad: Mayonnaise

If Russian salad has one secret, it's this: homemade mayonnaise. There are no shortcuts. Store-bought mayonnaise, no matter how good, will never achieve the creaminess, shine, and clean flavor of homemade emulsified mayonnaise. It's the difference between a decent salad and a memorable one.

Mayonnaise is an emulsion: a stable mixture of two liquids that normally do not mix (oil and an aqueous component, in this case, vinegar or lemon). The lecithin in the egg yolk acts as an emulsifier, surrounding each micro-drop of oil and keeping it in suspension. Understanding this helps you avoid the most dreaded mistake: the mayonnaise breaking.

Ingredients for Mayonnaise

• 2 egg yolks at room temperature
• 250-300 ml sunflower oil (or half sunflower, half mild olive oil)
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar (or juice of half a lemon)
• A pinch of salt

How to Emulsify Correctly

1. Everything at room temperature. Cold egg emulsifies worse. Take the yolks out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before.
2. Place the yolks in a tall, narrow bowl (if using a hand blender) or a wide mortar (if making it by hand). Add salt and vinegar. Beat for a few seconds until incorporated.
3. Add the oil in a very thin stream, almost drop by drop at first. This is the critical moment: if you add too much oil at once, the emulsion will break. Beat constantly while incorporating the oil.
4. When you have integrated a third of the oil and see that the mixture begins to thicken, you can increase the flow of the oil stream. Keep beating.
5. The mayonnaise is ready when it has a firm consistency, a pale yellow color, and a satin sheen. Taste and adjust salt and acid.

If it breaks: don't throw anything away. Put a new yolk in a clean bowl and gradually add the broken mayonnaise, as if it were oil. It will emulsify again without a problem.

Professional tip: for the salad, the mayonnaise should be slightly firmer than usual, because the moisture from the vegetables will loosen it. If it's too soft, add a little more oil. Many professional bars use only sunflower oil for their salad mayonnaise because it produces a more neutral flavor that lets the other ingredients shine. Extra virgin olive oil, although more flavorful, can be bitter in a cold emulsion and competes with other flavors.

Ingredients for the Perfect Russian Salad

This Russian salad recipe is calculated for 6-8 people as a generous tapa or for 4-6 as a main dish. The proportions are balanced so that each spoonful has a bit of everything.

For the Base

• 600 g potatoes (floury variety like Kennebec or Monalisa)
• 200 g carrots (2 medium carrots)
• 150 g peas (fine frozen or fresh in season)
• 3 boiled eggs
• 200 g quality canned tuna (in olive oil, well drained)
• 60 g pitted green olives (Manzanilla or Gordal, chopped)
• 50 g pickled gherkins (cornichons, finely chopped)

For the Mayonnaise

• 2 egg yolks
• 250-300 ml sunflower oil
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• Salt to taste

For Garnish

• 1 extra boiled egg, sliced
• Olives, red pepper strips, anchovies, or prawns (optional)
• Sweet paprika from La Vera (a final sprinkle)

Notes on Ingredients

The tuna: this is the ingredient that makes the difference between a mediocre salad and an extraordinary one. A quality canned tuna, with firm loins that flake cleanly, adds a taste of the sea and a texture that contrasts with the softness of the potato. Cheap tuna crumbles into a tasteless paste that disappears in the salad. It's worth investing here: it's the soul of the dish.

The potatoes: variety matters. Floury potatoes (Kennebec, Monalisa) absorb mayonnaise better and have a creamier texture. Waxy ones (like new potatoes) hold their shape better but remain firmer and absorb less sauce. For Russian salad, always floury.

The peas: fine frozen peas (not dried or canned) are the best option almost all year round. They are sweet, maintain a vibrant green color, and cook in minutes. If you have access to fresh seasonal peas (spring), they are unbeatable, but the window is short.

Olives and pickles: these are the ingredients that divide entire families. Our position: both provide an acidic and salty counterpoint that balances the richness of the mayonnaise. They are non-negotiable in a good Russian salad. Chop them finely so they integrate without dominating.

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How to Cook Vegetables Without Overdoing It

Cooking the vegetables is the most technical step in Russian salad. Each vegetable has a different cooking time, and overcooking by even two minutes can mean the difference between firm cubes and a mush. The perfect Russian salad has al dente vegetables: tender when bitten but with structure, never soft or mushy.

Potatoes: 18-22 minutes

Place peeled potatoes cut into large pieces (quarters) in a pot with cold salted water. Bring to a boil and cook over medium heat for 18-22 minutes, depending on size. They are ready when a knife passes through them with slight resistance in the center. If the knife goes in like butter, you've overcooked them. It's better to undercook: the potato will continue to cook with residual heat. Do not boil diced potatoes from the start: they will absorb too much water and become watery.

Carrots: 12-15 minutes

Peel the carrots and boil them whole in salted boiling water for 12-15 minutes. The same principle as potatoes: better whole than cut, so they absorb less water. They should remain firm, with a slight residual crunch. When you dice them afterward, you'll notice if they have the correct texture: the cubes should maintain their shape without falling apart.

Peas: 2-3 minutes

Frozen peas require very little cooking. Blanch them in salted boiling water for 2-3 minutes, no more. Immediately after, immerse them in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and set their vibrant green color. This ice bath is important: without it, the peas continue to cook with their own heat and end up soft and dull green.

Eggs: 10-11 minutes

Boil the eggs starting in cold water, count 10-11 minutes from when it boils. Immediately transfer them to ice water. This way, the yolk remains firm but not dry, without that greenish ring that appears when overcooked (iron sulfide, harmless but unsightly). Peel under running water to make the task easier.

The Cut: Uniform Dices

Once the vegetables are cooked and cooled, cut them into approximately 1 cm cubes. Uniformity is not a whim: similar cubes mix better, are evenly coated with mayonnaise, and offer a balanced texture in each bite. The eggs are chopped into slightly larger pieces than the vegetables, to provide contrast. The tuna is flaked with a fork, never chopped.

Step-by-Step Recipe: Traditional Russian Salad

With the cooked vegetables, ready eggs, and prepared mayonnaise, assembling the salad is simple. But the order and technique matter more than it seems. Follow these steps for a premium homemade Russian salad.

Step 1: Cool Vegetables Completely

This step is non-negotiable. Vegetables must be completely cold before mixing with mayonnaise. If you mix them while warm, the heat will break the mayonnaise emulsion (it will curdle) and also promote bacterial growth. Dice the vegetables while they are still warm (they are easier to cut) and spread them on a large tray to cool faster. Never pile them hot in a bowl: the steam condenses and soaks them.

Step 2: Drain All Ingredients Well

Moisture is the enemy of Russian salad. Drain the tuna by pressing it with a fork against the colander. Dry the peas with paper towels. Make sure the potato and carrot cubes do not have accumulated water. The same goes for olives and pickles: if you take them directly from the jar dripping, that water will dilute the mayonnaise hours later.

Step 3: Mix Vegetables and Tuna

In a large bowl, combine the diced potato, carrot, peas, chopped egg, flaked tuna, chopped olives, and gherkins. Mix gently using a spatula or large spoon, with folding motions. Do not stir violently: you don't want to break up the potato cubes or crush the peas.

Step 4: Season Before Mayonnaise

Taste the mixture without mayonnaise and adjust for salt and pepper. This is the time to rectify, because once the mayonnaise is added, it is harder to calibrate. Potatoes absorb a lot of salt, so you'll probably need more than you think.

Step 5: Incorporate the Mayonnaise

Add the mayonnaise in two or three batches, mixing between each addition. Don't add it all at once. The right amount is enough to generously coat all ingredients without making the salad soggy or loose. There should be enough mayonnaise so that the mixture is creamy but the vegetable dices don't swim in it. Reserve a couple of tablespoons for decorating the surface.

Step 6: Chill in the Refrigerator (Minimum 2 Hours)

Cover the salad with plastic wrap directly touching the surface (the film should touch the surface to prevent it from drying out) and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours, ideally overnight. During this resting period, the flavors meld, the potato absorbs some of the mayonnaise, and the whole gains cohesion. A freshly made salad is good; one that has rested overnight is sublime. That's why bars always make it the day before.

Step 7: Adjust Before Serving

After resting, the salad will have absorbed some of the mayonnaise and may have become somewhat dry. Taste and, if necessary, add one or two more spoonfuls of mayonnaise and mix. Adjust salt. Serve at refrigerator temperature, not at room temperature: cold salad is more refreshing and the mayonnaise remains firm.

Our Artisan Salad: Ready to Serve

We know there isn't always time to make a Russian salad from scratch. That's why at Bacalalo del Mercat del Ninot we prepare our own Traditional Russian Salad with Tuna: a 500g tub of artisan salad, ready to open and serve.

We make it with the same philosophy that has guided everything we've done since 1990: premium raw materials and a traditional recipe without shortcuts. Perfectly cooked potatoes, firm carrots, tender peas, egg, olives, gherkins, and quality canned tuna that can be tasted in every spoonful. All bound with mayonnaise emulsified with sunflower oil, vinegar, and egg.

The result is a Russian salad that tastes exactly as you expect: creamy, balanced, with each ingredient in its place, and a flavor reminiscent of home cooking. No artificial preservatives, no thickeners, no tricks. Just good product and expert hands.

500 grams serve 4-6 portions as a tapa or for 2-3 people as a main course. Just open the tub, mound the salad on a plate, decorate with an anchovy, a prawn, or some egg slices, and bring it to the table. In ten seconds, you have a professional bar tapa at home.

Order Traditional Russian Salad with Tuna (500 g)

Presentation and Bar Garnish

The presentation of Russian salad is almost an art in itself. In the best tapas bars, Russian salad is not simply served on a plate: it is assembled, molded, and decorated with the same care a pastry chef uses to top a cake.

The Classic Shape: The Mountain

The traditional bar presentation is the mountain or dome shape. With a large spoon or spatula, place the salad in the center of the plate and shape it into an oval and elevated form, like a small mound. Smooth the surface with the back of the spoon and spread a thin layer of mayonnaise over it, as if icing a cake. This layer of mayonnaise seals the surface, protects from the air, and gives it a lustrous, professional finish.

Classic Decoration

On the mayonnaise dome, tradition requires at least one of these garnishes:

• Anchovy fillets: one or two Cantabrian anchovies arranged in a cross or parallel on top. The salty-umami contrast of the anchovy with the smoothness of the salad is spectacular.
• Cooked prawn: a peeled prawn cut in half, placed on the apex. Instantly elevates the tapa from popular to premium. Selected gourmet prawns are ideal for this use.
• Red pepper strips: piquillo pepper or bell pepper cut into thin strips, forming a pattern on the surface.
• Hard-boiled egg slices: thinly sliced and arranged around the base or on the dome.
• Olives: stuffed with anchovy or pepper, placed on the sides.

The Finishing Touch: Paprika

A light sprinkling of sweet paprika from La Vera on the mayonnaise surface adds color, a subtle smoky aroma, and that authentic bar tapa look that says "they know what they're doing here." Don't overdo it: a pinch is enough. Paprika is intense, and too much can make it bitter.

Modern Presentation

For more formal dinners or events, you can use a plating ring to create individual cylindrical portions, perfectly smooth. Unmold, cover with a spoonful of mayonnaise, an anchovy, and a sprig of fresh dill. It's the same old salad but with a restaurant finish that impresses effortlessly.

Modern Variations

Russian salad allows for almost infinite interpretations without losing its essence. Chefs across Spain have revisited this classic with premium ingredients and modern techniques. Here are the most interesting variations.

Russian Salad with Prawns

The premium version par excellence. Substitute tuna with cooked and chopped prawns or, even better, combine both proteins. Prawns add sweetness, a meaty texture that contrasts with the potato's softness, and a touch of elegance that transforms a bar tapa into a restaurant dish. Cook the prawns for only 2-3 minutes in boiling salted water with a bay leaf, cool them in ice water, peel and chop them. Reserve a few whole ones to top the salad. Selected gourmet prawns are perfect for this version.

Russian Salad with Octopus

Very popular in Galicia and in new cuisine bars. Replace the tuna with cooked octopus cut into small cubes. The gelatinous texture of the octopus provides a unique contrast. To enhance the flavor, dress the octopus cubes with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and paprika before incorporating them into the salad. The result is a tapa that surprises and delights.

Russian Salad with Avocado

A contemporary variation that works surprisingly well. Add half a ripe avocado, diced, to the mixture just before adding the mayonnaise. Avocado provides extra creaminess and a mild flavor that doesn't compete with the other ingredients. The key: use firm avocado that doesn't fall apart when mixed, and add it at the end to maintain its shape. You can also substitute part of the mayonnaise with an avocado cream blended with lemon.

Light Russian Salad with Greek Yogurt

For those looking for a lighter version, substitute half of the mayonnaise with natural Greek yogurt (unsweetened). Yogurt provides creaminess with far fewer calories and a refreshing acidic touch. Don't replace all the mayonnaise: without it, the salad loses the creaminess that defines it. The ideal ratio is 60% mayonnaise and 40% Greek yogurt.

Seafood Salad

The festive version for special occasions. Replace the tuna with a combination of shrimp, mussels, and surimi or cooked hake cubes. It's a salad that borders on a seafood cocktail but with the potato and mayonnaise base that keeps it in the salad family. Garnish with whole prawns, a few drops of cocktail sauce, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Conclusion

Russian salad is not just a recipe: it is a gastronomic heritage that every family, every bar, and every chef interprets in their own way. What all good versions share is the same: quality ingredients, a well-emulsified homemade mayonnaise, perfectly cooked vegetables, and respect for a dish that has been on our tables for over a century.

You don't need to be a chef to make a memorable Russian salad. You need patience to cook each vegetable separately, rigor to drain each ingredient well, generosity with the mayonnaise, and discipline to let it rest overnight before serving. These are small details that separate a mediocre salad from one that makes your guests ask for more.

And if one day you don't have time but want a Russian salad as it should be, our Bacalalo Traditional Russian Salad with Tuna is ready to open, serve, and enjoy. Made with the same ingredients and the same care you would put in at home. Because at Bacalalo del Mercat del Ninot, we've been doing things right since 1990, and Russian salad is no exception.

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