Spanish-Style Russian Salad: A Classic Tapas Recipe

This week, I’m bringing you a dish you’ll find in almost every bar and restaurant across Spain: a delicious salad that brings back memories of family summers. It’s perfect to take along and enjoy anywhere, whether at the beach or out in the countryside.

It might be one of my all-time favourite dishes. Whenever I visit my family, my mom always makes sure there’s a bowl of this goodness waiting for me; it just makes the visit that much sweeter.

Like many dishes in Spanish cuisine, this salad has countless variations; from its luxurious origins to more local and modern interpretations. Today, I want to share my version: simple, budget-friendly, and deeply satisfying. It stays true to tradition while adding a fresh, flavorful twist that balances textures beautifully.

Ready to try it?

Where Does Russian Salad Come From?

Before we dive into my updated version of Russian salad "Ensaladilla Rusa", it’s worth looking at its origins, a dish as popular as it is debated. Though many in Spain consider it a national classic, the salad originated in 19th-century Russia. Lucien Olivier, a Belgian-French chef at the elegant Hermitage restaurant in Moscow, created it. His original recipe was luxurious, including ingredients like caviar, venison, ox tongue, pickles, and a secret mayonnaise dressing that remains a mystery.

Over time, and as it travelled through Europe, the dish was simplified and adapted to suit local tastes and available ingredients. In Spain, it evolved into a family and bar staple made with potatoes, carrots, peas, tuna, egg, and mayonnaise. Though every household and bar has its special version. And since cooking is always evolving, here’s mine: a Russian salad with its own identity, full of flavour and respect for the original.

Russian Salad ( Ensaladilla rusa) recipe

• Preparation time 20 min
• Cooking time 20 min
• Total time 40 min

Ingredients (Serves 4)

For the salad

• 800 g / 1.75 lb / 4 cups diced potatoes (3 medium)
• 150 g / approx. 5.3 oz / 1 cup diced carrots (2 units)
• 2 large eggs
• 150 g / 5.3 oz / 1 cup shrimp
• 150 g / 5.3 oz / 1 cup drained canned tuna in oil
• 100 g / 3.5 oz / ⅔ cup pickles, finely chopped
• 100 g / 3.5 oz / ⅓ cup olives, pitted and sliced
• 100 g / 3.5 oz / ½ cup½ onion, very finely chopped
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Juice of ½ lime
• Salt to taste

For the mayonnaise sauce

• 250 g / 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (or your preferred type)
• Juice of ½ lime
• Zest of a lime
• 4 tablespoons olive oil from the tuna can
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Peel the potatoes and carrots. Boil them whole in salted water: about 10 minutes for the carrots and 20 minutes for the potatoes, depending on size, until tender but not very mushy.
2. In a separate pot, boil the eggs for 10 minutes. Cool everything under cold water. Peel the eggs and set them aside.

1. Lightly boil the shrimp for 1–2 minutes in a small pan. You can add a splash of olive oil and a pinch of salt to enhance the flavour. Cool them quickly, then chop them finely — reserve 4 or 5 whole shrimp for garnish.

1. After all the ingredients have cooled, combine the chopped potatoes, carrots, shrimp, tuna, pickles, olives, and onion in a large bowl.

1. I used a frying rack to press the potatoes, eggs and carrots into small bits; some mash is okay; that creamy texture is part of the charm.
2. You can also use a slotted spoon or dice everything with a knife. Save one yolk for garnish.

For the dressing

1. In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise with the mustard, lime zest, and lime juice. Add a bit of olive oil from the tuna can and salt to taste.

1. Pour half of the dressing over the salad and gently mix until coated, being careful not to mash the ingredients too much.
2. Transfer the salad to a serving dish or bowl. Cover with the remaining dressing to create a smooth, glossy top.

1. Decorate with the reserved shrimp (sliced in half if you like), extra pickles and olives, some bits of tuna, and finish with grated egg yolk over the top.

1. I like to serve this in a large dish in the middle of the table for everyone to help themselves. But you can also make elegant individual portions; this salad is perfect for creative plating.

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I hope you enjoy this Russian salad as much as I do every time I make it. If you give it a try, let me know how it turned out, or if you added your own twist!

Have a Tasty Day, and see you in the next recipe!