A plate of olivier salad with shrimp and vegetables.

Olivier Salad – Potato Salad

Olivier salad, not your ordinary potato salad, has a noble beginning shrouded in a somewhat mysterious veil. For over a century, it has firmly established itself as a culinary treasure in the former Soviet Bloc and beyond. The firm, slightly chewy shrimp, soft potatoes, colorful peas, and the salty tanginess of pickles make this salad a standout dish. It’s perfect for elegant dinners, casual weekly meals, and potluck-style get-togethers alike.

A plate of olivier salad with shrimp and vegetables.

Chronicles of Salad Olivier

Lucien Olivier (1838โ€“1883) was a chef trained in classic, French haute cuisine. It is unclear whether he was French or Belgian born; there is very little material available on his life. He spent his career in Moscow. In any event, Salad Olivier as it was known, became the signature dish of the Hermitage Restaurant.

The salad became so popular that ever dinner in the restaurant included it. The original recipe involved grouse meat, crayfish tails, and truffles. The most respected chefs in town tried to re-create the dish, but it never came out as well as at “The Ermitage”, possibly because of the unique flavor of the mayonnaise, whose secret Olivier never divulged.

Whatโ€™s unique about this Recipe?

  • Hearty Dinner Salad: Elevate your salad game with a dish that’s not just a side, but a satisfying dinner option.
  • Genuine Vegan Delight: Packed with a variety of root vegetables, this recipe is a true celebration of plant-based goodness.
  • Wholesome Nutrient Boost: Loaded with fermented vegetables and cabbage, it’s not just a salad; it’s a nutrient-rich powerhouse.
  • Impressive Standalone Meal: Move beyond sidesโ€”this salad is so robust and filling; it’s a meal in itself, making any dining experience memorable.
  • Fridge-Friendly Delight: Even better the second day!

Grocery and Pantry List

olivier potato salad ingredients.
  • Potatoes: Potatoes are an essential part of the salad and serve as a base. Use waxy potatoes to ensure that they don’t fall apart during cooking. The potatoes are cooked with the skin on until firm – but knife can pierce through.
  • Carrots: Use fresh or frozen carrots. If using fresh ones, choose thick carrots (with thicker core) that can be diced. Alternatively you can use frozen diced carrots for this salad.
  • Peas: For the recipe use fresh green peas. I use frozen peas also an option. You can also used canned peas if you can’t find frozen or fresh peas. However canned peas don’t have the popping texture and vibrant green color.
  • Pickled cucumber: You need some kind or fermented or pickled vegetable. The authentic choice is the sauerkraut but the pickled vegetables like ttoo also can be used, especially cucumbers, cabbage, and carrots.
  • Poultry or seafood
  • Red wine vinegar
  • Fresh herbs: Parsley and scallions are the best choice since they are available year around.
  • Dijon mustard: Using Dijon mustard helps the dressing to emulsify. It acts as a bonding agent between vinegar and oil. 
  • Oil: Using olive oil is always the best option. However, sometimes I will use a combination of grapeseed and olive oil.
  • Salt: The amount of salt will depend on your preferences and dietary restrictions. I like to use pink Himalayan salt.

Time Required:

  • 20-60 minutes: To cook the root vegetables.
  • 20 minutes: To chop the vegetables.
  • 60 minutes: To chill the salad.

Special Tools to Use:

  • Knife or vegetable chopper

Recipe Steps at a Glance

This Olivier salad recipe can be broken down into the following steps:

  • Cooking the vegetables
  • Chopping the vegetables 
  • Making the dressing and assembling the salad

Step-by-step: How to Make

Step 1: Prepare the vegetables

Wash and scrub the potatoes and carrots, leaving the skins on. Place the potatoes in a pot and cover them with cold water. Lay the carrots on top since they cook faster and need easy access. Bring the water to a boil, add a tablespoon of salt, and check for doneness after 15 minutes. The vegetables should be firm but easy to pierce with a paring knife. Remove and cool before peeling.

Hard-boil the eggs for 12-15 minutes, then transfer them to cold water to stop cooking and make peeling easier.

Prepare the shrimp by shelling and deveining. Boil a pot of water with a pinch of salt and optional aromatics like bay leaf, black peppercorns, zest, or ginger. Reduce the heat to a simmer, add the shrimp, and cook until pink and slightly firm, about 3 minutes. Drain, cool under cold running water, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Step 2: Chop vegetables for the salad

Place frozen peas in a colander over the boiling vegetables, cover, and steam for 3-4 minutes. Then, immediately submerge them in ice-cold water to retain their bright green color. Alternatively, steam or microwave separately for 4-5 minutes.

Peel and cube the potatoes and carrots. Chop the pickles and eggs, then mix them with the potatoes, carrots, and peas.

I use the Cuisinart Vegetable and Fruit Box Chopper with “large dice” and “small dice” bladesโ€”large for potatoes and small for carrots.

Finely dice the pickles and eggs. Chop green scallions and parsley for a refreshing finish.

Step 3: Putting the salad together

Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, and a touch of horseradish if desired. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large salad bowl, combine diced potatoes, carrots, and peas. Add the chopped pickles and mix well. Fold in the minced eggs gently. Cut the shrimp into small pieces and mix them in as well. Lastly, add the chopped herbs. Toss the salad with the dressing and serve.

Best Way to Serve

Olivier salad individual portions on a plate.
  • Salad can be served as a dinner salad
  • Serve as a side dish
  • Serve with spicy mustard or horseradish for additional kick
  • Serve instead of ordinary potato salad
  • Serve in a glass or crystal bowl and spread additional sour cream as an icing and decorate with garnishes.
Olivier salad in a glass bowl with shrimp.

Tips and Wisdom from Cafe Osharak

  • Don’t peel the vegetables. This will insure they stay firm and not release too much of the flavor.
  • Don’t overcook the potatoes. You want the potatoes to have some firmness, yet be easy to pierce with a skewer with slight resistance.
  • Let the potatoes completely cool down before cubing them.
  • If you are making the salad ahead of time, hold off putting the fresh parsley and scallion in just before serving.
  • Use salt on a conservative basis here. Depending how much pickles you used and how salty those are, you might need to add salt after the dressing is fully soaked in.
  • If you are making the salad ahead of time, hold off on the addition of parsley and scallions. Add the herbs just before serving.
  • You can add chicken or beef to the salad instead of shrimp or omit the protein all together. The original authentic Oliver salad called for exotic game meat and crawfish, and I think shrimp is a good alternative.
  •  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.  Leftovers can be kept in fridge for up to 2 days.

More Recipes To Try From Cafe Osharak

Ingredients

  • 750 gram potatoes peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 100 gram carrot peeled and diced into 1/4 inch cubes
  • 2 large eggs
  • 100 gram 1 cup frozen peas (ideally petits pois)
  • 100 gram dill pickles diced
  • 100 gram shrimp
  • 2 tablespoon herbs parsley, scallions, dill
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon horse radish
  • 1 tablespoon pickle brine or lemon juice
  • salt pepper

Instructions

Prepare the Vegetables

  • Wash and scrub the potatoes and carrots, leaving the skins on. Place the potatoes in a pot, cover with cold water, and lay the carrots on top. Bring to a boil, add a tablespoon of salt, and check for doneness after 15 minutes. The vegetables should be firm but easy to pierce with a paring knife. Remove and cool before peeling.

Steam the Peas

  • Place frozen peas in a colander over the boiling vegetables, cover, and steam for 3-4 minutes. Immediately submerge them in ice-cold water to retain their bright green color. Alternatively, steam or microwave separately for 4-5 minutes.

Hard-Boil the Eggs

  • Hard-boil the eggs for 12-15 minutes. Transfer to cold water to stop cooking and make peeling easier.

Prepare the Shrimp

  • Shell and devein the shrimp. Boil a pot of water with a pinch of salt and optional aromatics like bay leaf, black peppercorns, zest, or ginger. Reduce to a simmer, add the shrimp, and cook until pink and slightly firm, about 3 minutes. Drain, cool under cold running water, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Chop vegetables for the Salad

  • Peel and cube the potatoes and carrots. Chop the pickles and eggs, then mix them with the potatoes, carrots, and peas. Chop green scallions and parsley for a refreshing finish.

Assemble the Salad

  • Whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, salt, pepper, and a touch of horseradish if desired. In a large salad bowl, combine all the salad components. Toss with the dressing and serve.

Notes

Step-by-Step Photos: My blog post includes helpful step-by-step photos to help guide you through making this recipe.
  • Don’t peel the vegetables. This will insure they stay firm and not release too much of the flavor.
  • Don’t overcook the potatoes. You want the potatoes to have some firmness, yet be easy to pierce with a skewer with slight resistance.
  • Let the potatoes completely cool down before cubing them.
  • If you are making the salad ahead of time, hold off putting the fresh parsley and scallion in just before serving.
  • Use salt on a conservative basis here. Depending how much pickles you used and how salty those are, you might need to add salt after the dressing is fully soaked in.
  • If you are making the salad ahead of time, hold off on the addition of parsley and scallions. Add the herbs just before serving.
  • You can add chicken or beef to the salad instead of shrimp or omit the protein all together. The original authentic Oliver salad called for exotic game meat and crawfish, and I think shrimp is a good alternative.
  • ย Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.ย  Leftovers can be kept in fridge for up to 2 days.

ย 

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