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This creamy beet salad is easy and quite tasty. I love a good beet; from my head down to my feet. They’re so healthy and used quite often in Russian and Ukrainian cooking; especially in borscht. Kids love that they’re sweet… I love that they’re sweet!
Mom planted some unique heirloom beets in her garden. Don’t panic if you can’t find the long ones in stores. They are normal beets really; they just happen to look like giant sausages.
Ingredients for Creamy Beet Salad:
4 medium/large beets (Any shape beets are ok).
1 small red onion (about 1/4 cup finely chopped)
3-4 Tbsp real mayo to taste
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Sugar
1 Tbsp vinegar
How to Make Creamy Beet Salad:
1. You can make Instant Pot Beets or Boil beets with skin on about 1 hour or until easily pierced with a fork. If a beet is older or really big, it may take longer. The smaller, younger beets may cook in 45 minutes. Let cool in cold water (or in the fridge overnight if you want to make the beets ahead). You can make them 2-3 days ahead and refrigerate until ready to use!
Anyway, once they are at room temp or cool enough to handle, peel off skin. Most of the time, it should come off easily when you rub the beet with your hands (use kitchen gloves to keep from staining your hands)
2. Use a mandolin to julienne your beets or torture yourself and try to cut the matchsticks by hand. Just be prepared for really gnarly looking red finger nails if you don’t have a mandolin. Wear kitchen gloves if you are fond of your manicure. Place your sliced beets in a large bowl and top with 1/4 cup finely diced red onion.
3. Add in 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1 Tbsp vinegar, and 3-4 Tbsp real mayo to taste. Give it a good stir. You’re done!!
Did you notice the onions mysteriously disappeared from the picture above? It’s really not mysterious at all; you can add stuff into this salad in any order; just in case someone asks 😉
The chives were only for effect. You can add them if you want effect too; otherwise it looks a little boring being one color (but it sure doesn’t taste boring!).
Mom's Creamy Beet Salad

Ingredients
Instructions
- Boil beets with skin on about 1 hr or until easily pierced with a fork. Larger/older beets may take longer. The smaller/younger ones may cook in 45 min. Let cool in cold water or at room temp. Once cool enough to handle, peel the beets skin by rubbing it with your hands. Use kitchen gloves to keep from staining your hands with beets.
- It's easiest to use a mandolin to cut beets into matchsticks or julienne slices. Again, use gloves if slicing by hand. Place your sliced beets in a large bowl and top with 1/4 cup finely diced red onion.
- Add 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1 Tbsp vinegar, and 3-4 Tbsp real mayo to taste. Stir everything together and that's it!
- Sprinkle with chives for a little pop of color.
Absolutely delicious!!!!
I roasted my beets and when they were cool I peeled the skin off and followed your recipe. It is awesome!!!
That’s wonderful, Francesca! So glad you enjoyed this recipe.
I made this the other day and fell madly in love! I just picked up some more beets today….can’t wait to taste again! I did use the grater attachment with the food processor and grated the beets. My mandolin nearly cut my finger off so I don’t use it much! I even have “no cut” gloves I bought after but it still scares me! Thanks to “Mom” for this excellent beet dish!
I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe, Pat!
This was amazing! I didn’t have regular vinegar so I used white wine vinegar, also used a yellow onion as I didn’t have red, and it turned out perfect.
I’m so glad it all worked out, Melanie! Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
Hi, can I make this ahead the night before ? Thanks
Hi Susan, you sure can. Please see this note in the recipe: “You can make them 2-3 days ahead and refrigerate until ready to use!” I hope this helps!
My go to recipe for when I have garden beets. So delicious and perfect. Love it!
Thank you for the wonderful review!
Hi Natasha,
I’ve been searching for a recipe like this for a long time! Thanks for sharing!
Do you know if there is a way to preserve julienned beets?
Hi Lori, I haven’t tried canning them. Freezing might work well.
I made your mom’s creamy beet salad for *my* mom, and she loved it! Thanks for sharing the recipe…
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you all enjoyed it!
I grew up in Hawaii so beets were very foreign to me. Beets = yuck! But I ended up moving to a CIS country so they’re everywhere I look… and I actually ended up enjoying them quite a fair bit!
My husband keeps on nagging me to make beet salad and I remembered I browsed through this recipe a few years back so I decided to finally give it a go.
YUMMM!!!
I can definitely say that this was much more tasty than the one we had at the restaurant just yesterday! This is a keeper for sure, and I think I’ll add in some walnuts as well next time!
Спасибо )))
I’m so happy you discovered this recipe! Thank you for the wonderful review Step!
Absolutely delicious!!! I don’t have a mandolin, so I used a box grater. Don’t have sugar, so I used honey. I had some roasted golden beets, and they worked well. This will be a recipe I make over and over again. Thank you for sharing it!
You’re welcome Sarah! I’m glad you enjoy the recipe so much! Thanks for sharing your fantastic review!
thank you natasha
You’re welcome! 🙂
Wow, this is another great salad recipe! We roasted our beers and added some garlic and walnuts. Delicious and beets are so good for you too! Thank you for this simple, yet delicious recipe!
You’re welcome Saniya! I’m glad to hear how much you enjoy the salad! Thanks for sharing wonderful review!
Is the mayo like Hellmans or Miracle whip?
Joanna, its like Hellmans.
Also finally made this beet salad yay yo they come out really so very good roasted brings out the natural juices and sugars I added a splash of vinegar 2 cloves of garlic chopped a little mayo and some fresh parsley maybe next time I’ll try yannas by adding nuts @ yanna do u add nuts like walnuts or whatever u have on hand and do u toast them first almost finished with the salad my mom took quite a bit and she’s not a fan of beets lmao soooooo thank u again Natasha @ always
Tzivia, you are on the roll with the salads, lol 😁. I’m so glad you both liked it and you are welcome.
Yup been trying to eat a lot healthier for quite sometime now I still go out to eat but a lot less and try to recreate dishes from the place where I came from this cool site is totally my guiding light
Hi,
Did you slice the beets when you roasted them? Thank you.
Mmmm yummm that beet recipe looks really way good love beets never used @ a kid I aborhed and detested them lots it wasn’t until I turned 27 or 28 that I began a love affair lmao with this root veggie and now @ 38 love em can’t get enough shout out 2 ur mom however I was wondering if I can roast them on foil or is it better to cook and then drain just wondering bc of taste just another salad forshpice Yiddish word for condiment to add to my Shabbat ( Sabbath) or holiday repertoire bet this would be a big hit for Passover
I think they would work fine roasted. I love how roasted vegetables taste. Great idea!
Oh k cool gr8 maybe next week I’ll try 4 Shabbat. Ditto me roasted veggies bring out the best of your palette and how for refrigeration is it 2 or 3 days till serving @ usual ur recipes blow me away by sight and taste I’m in food heaven here
I’m so glad you’re enjoying my recipes. Thank you 🙂
Ur welcome sweetheart my pleasure enjoy the rest of your weekend stay warm and dry cheers
My family makes with with just mayo, garlic, and adds chopped walnuts for that extra crunch 🙂
Thank you for sharing your version Janna, I would love to give it a try :).
wow this is amazing and so tasty I didnt use as much vinigar as you said but it was still sharp I also added an apple instead of sugar am I bad for messing with your recipe
I’m like you! I love to tweak recipes to suit my own taste. I love your idea of using apple. Thanks for the tip! 🙂
your welcome. i have 45 necies & nephews & 2 great necies.for a 26 yr.old to have 45 of them & be a mom of 1 so far, but GOD IS REALY blessing our home & my hole family. God bless you.
Wow that is incredible! You have a giant family!! Ours is growing too. I have 4 sisters and 7 nieces and nephews with 1 nephew and 1 unknown(boy or girl) on the way! I have one son also and there’s another one on the way 🙂 I bet your holiday parties are insane and really fun with all the kids! God is so good 🙂
I finely decited to make ur way, it was good everyone liked it but i added little more salt. By the way i new right away that u will have a girl. trust me time will fly & she will help u @ the kitchen. you mentioned about baby names right? here are some: Abby, becky, Deanna, lea, Melana, sophia, sarah, jesica, ella, daneila, Angelica, ruth, Julia, irina, emanuella ect…. hope u liked some of the names. Yah u r almost there & u will see your sweet little girl. God Bless you & your family. (:
Awww tanks so much Olga :). I love your list of names! I keep a little list of girl names and I’m pretty sure I”ll be adding to it now (a couple of them were already on there!) 🙂 Thanks so much and be blessed!
This recipe is soooo good!!! Made it last week for a family party and today again for Thanksgiving! I put a bunch of fresh dill on top. It really made the dish!! Thank you!!
Mmm a bunch of fresh dill. Why didn’t I think of that? Mmmm. 🙂
I have very similar recipe from my room mate back in 1995.. Now we use food processor to grate the beets, add chopped pickles, mashed garlic and chopped walnuts (or pecans), salt, pepper and about a tsp of musturd for extra taste. Try this 🙂
That does sound like a good salad and easy with the food processor! I use my tools whenever I can to save myself some work 🙂 Thanks so much for sharing!