Russian Beet and Bean Vinaigrette Salad (Vinegret)
A vibrant and hearty Russian salad featuring tender cooked root vegetables, protein-rich white beans, and tangy pickled cucumbers, all brought together with a simple oil dressing. This variation of the classic Vinegret is both visually appealing and satisfying.
🧂 Ingredients
- 300 g Beets(Medium-sized)
- 300 g Potatoes(Waxy varieties like Yukon Gold work best)
- 200 g Carrots(Medium-sized)
- 150 g White beans(Canned (drained and rinsed) or pre-cooked dried beans)
- 150 g Pickled cucumbers (dill pickles)(Choose firm, crunchy pickles for best texture)
- 3 tbsp Sunflower oil (or other neutral oil)(For dressing)
- to taste Salt
- to taste Black pepper
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Prepare the root vegetables: Wash the beets, potatoes, and carrots thoroughly. Do not peel them at this stage. Place the beets in one pot, and the potatoes and carrots in another. Cover each pot with cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until tender when pierced with a fork. Beets will take the longest, approximately 45-60 minutes. Potatoes and carrots will take about 20-30 minutes. The exact cooking time will depend on the size of the vegetables. For best results, cook beets separately to prevent them from staining other vegetables.
⏱️ 45-60 minutes - 2
Cool and peel the vegetables: Once cooked, drain the hot water and let the vegetables cool down enough to handle. You can speed this up by running them under cold water or placing them in an ice bath. Once cooled, peel the skin off the beets, potatoes, and carrots. The skins should slip off easily.
⏱️ 20 minutes - 3
Dice the vegetables: Cut the peeled beets, potatoes, and carrots into small, uniform cubes, approximately 0.5 cm (1/4 inch) in size. Aim for consistency in size for an even texture throughout the salad.
⏱️ 15 minutes - 4
Prepare the pickles and beans: Finely dice the pickled cucumbers. If using canned white beans, drain them thoroughly and rinse them under cold water. If using dried beans, ensure they are fully cooked and cooled.
⏱️ 5 minutes - 5
Combine the ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the diced beets, potatoes, carrots, diced pickled cucumbers, and white beans. Gently toss to distribute the ingredients evenly.
⏱️ 2 minutes - 6
Dress the salad: Drizzle the sunflower oil over the salad. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Toss gently again to coat all the ingredients evenly with the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
⏱️ 3 minutes - 7
Chill and serve: For the best flavor, cover the salad and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Serve chilled as a side dish or a light main course.
⏱️ 30 minutes (chilling)
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓To prevent the beets from staining all the other ingredients bright pink, you can toss the diced beets with a tablespoon of the dressing oil before adding them to the main bowl.
- ✓Using waxy potatoes (like Yukon Gold) will prevent them from becoming mushy when cooked and diced.
- ✓The quality of your pickled cucumbers will significantly impact the final flavor of the salad. Use good quality dill pickles.
- ✓This salad is excellent for meal prep as the flavors deepen over time.
🔄 Variations
- Add finely chopped fresh dill or parsley for extra freshness.
- For a richer flavor, add a finely diced hard-boiled egg.
- Some traditional recipes include finely chopped onion (red or yellow) or green onions.
- For a 'herring under a fur coat' variation, layer the ingredients with mayonnaise and add finely chopped herring.
- Incorporate a small amount of sauerkraut for an added tangy crunch.