Russian vinaigrette salad with beets and sauerkraut on a white plate

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This Russian Vinaigrette Recipe with Beets and Sauerkraut is another “staple” of Russian/ Ukrainian cooking. Its also a very pretty & vibrant Russian salad.

I think every Slavic person has either made it or tried it. My sis tells me that canned beets taste just as good in Russian cooking and it reduces the hassle and mess of cooking them for 1 hour or more. I will definitely try that next time.

Most people who make this salad use their own pickled cabbage but sauerkraut works just as well. This is my mom’s recipe. This salad is great for parties because you can make it a day ahead. It tastes even better the next day. You may want to scale down the recipe if you are making it for your family.

Ingredients for Russian Vinigrette:

3 medium beets (or 2 (14.5 oz) cans of beets , drained)
3 medium potatoes
3 medium carrots
1/2 cup sauerkraut, drained
3 medium pickles
2 Tbsp sunflower or olive oil
1 Tbsp white vinegar
1 small onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)

Ingredients for Russian vinaigrette salad

How to Make Russian Vinaigrette:

1. In a medium pot, boil beets for 1 hour or until it can easily be pierced with a knife. OR use canned beets which don’t require any cooking. I peeled beets before cooking, much easier than peeling them boiled.

3 cooked and peeled beets on a plate

2. In a separate pot, boil potatoes and carrots about 30 minutes or until a knife goes smoothly through the potatoes. Don’t overcook the potatoes.

3. Drain the vegetables and refrigerate or let them stand until they cool to room temp (or cooler).

4. Peel the skins from the potatoes, beets and carrots, than dice pickles, beets, potatoes, carrots & finely dice onion. The Vidalia Chop Wizard is the secret to make the process much faster :). Place diced beets in a separate bowl.

Beets being cut using a Vidalia Chop Wizard

Potatoes and carrots being cut using the Vidalia Chop Wizard

Two bowls one with diced beets and one with other vegetables

5. Mix beets with 1st Tbsp of Sunflower Oil separately, so that beets coloring will not get on the other ingredients as much.

A bowl with diced beets with oil being added to it

6. Mix together beets and the rest of ingredients with the 2nd Tbsp of Sunflower or Olive oil and 1 Tbsp of vinegar. If desired, add more sauerkraut or pickles to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Diced vegetables for Russian vinaigrette in a bowl

A bowl with Russian vinaigrette with beets and sauerkraut

Enjoy 🙂

Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

Russian Vinaigrette Recipe with Beets and Sauerkraut

4.95 from 35 votes
Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com
Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 8 -12
  • 3 medium beets, or 2 (14.5 oz cans of beets, drained)
  • 3 medium potatoes
  • 3 medium carrots
  • 1/2 cup sauerkraut, drained
  • 3 medium pickles
  • 2 Tbsp sunflower or olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp white vinegar
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)

Instructions

  • In a medium pot, boil beets for 1 hour or until it can easily be pierced with a knife. OR use canned beets which don't require any cooking. I peeled beets before cooking, much easier than peeling them boiled.
  • In a separate pot, boil potatoes and carrots about 30 minutes or until a knife goes smoothly through the potatoes. Don't overcook the potatoes.
  • Drain the vegetables and refrigerate or let them stand until they cool to room temp (or cooler).
  • Peel the skins from the potatoes, beets and carrots, than dice pickles, beets, potatoes, carrots & finely dice onion. Place diced beets in a separate bowl.
  • Mix beets with 1st Tbsp of Sunflower Oil separately, so that beets coloring will not get on the other ingredients as much.
  • Mix together beets and the rest of ingredients with the 2nd Tbsp of Sunflower or Olive oil and 1 Tbsp of vinegar. If desired, add more sauerkraut or pickles to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: Russian, Ukrainian
Keyword: Vinaigrette Salad
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $

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Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.

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Comments

  • Zina P
    February 4, 2013

    I tried making the vinaigrette using two cans of beets. Mine didn’t come out so good and I can’t pinpoint what it was missing….seems too many beets from 2 cans. I’m sure if I tasted yours I would understand what went amiss with mine. Also, I think the potatoes made a difference also….I used russet potatoes and I think I over cooked them to boot. Would a waxy potato make a difference in the taste?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      February 4, 2013

      I think its probably more of a problem with the canned beets. The home cooked ones take awhile and can be a little messy, but the flavor is much better 🙂

      Reply

      • Zina P
        February 6, 2013

        Thank you….I will try with fresh cooked beets next time, although I have never used fresh I imagine the flavor is better….canned is always not as good.

        Reply

  • Vera Nika Tinova
    December 24, 2012

    Where DID you get that cutting tool?? This WILL make my life easier…:)))

    Reply

  • Iryna
    November 18, 2012

    O! I love your cutting tool!
    I love your pictures!
    Everybody cooks a bit differently. Hope you don’t mind if I add…
    In my salad-Vinegret you wouldn’t see sauerkraut, but the rest of ingredients + canned beans and parsley.

    Reply

    • Iryna
      November 18, 2012

      Oh, forgot to mention – I usually bake my beats in the foil in oven for this salad. Thank you.

      Reply

  • Lidiya
    October 20, 2012

    Sorry just noticed it says vinaigrette.

    Reply

  • Irina8007
    September 2, 2012

    Does anyone know how many calories is a cup of Vinaigrette?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      September 2, 2012

      Hmmm, no idea. Sorry…

      Reply

    • Lidiya
      October 20, 2012

      There is about 52 calories in a cup of vinegar.

      Reply

  • Liliya
    August 22, 2012

    This is such a staple for our family! We add fresh cucumbers also giving it a fresh smell and taste 🙂

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      August 22, 2012

      oooh fresh cucumbers sound great! Thank you! 🙂

      Reply

  • Camille
    June 23, 2012

    Agree with mixing the beets with oil, separately to the rest of the mix, so you don’t colour the rest of the salad. Also, I add a bit of mustard and vinegar(v.small amount) to the dressing.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      February 18, 2013

      I should try mustard next time :).

      Reply

  • Slava
    June 8, 2012

    No, herring is not eaten with vinegret, but with shuba, which is another style of beetroot-potato-carrot based salad when all the veggies are layered with mayonaise with herring at the bottom, ok? Please don’t confuse the two.:)

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      June 8, 2012

      Hi Slava, I do have a recipe for shuba posted too, but I don’t like herring in there so I use smoked salmon.

      Reply

  • Upa
    May 12, 2012

    Yes, we always have vinigrette on lenten Christmas Eve – after the first star has been spotted, of course! – making sure we have 12 different dishes for the apostles and one more for Christ, though vinigrette is not limited to Christmas Eve. We add an apple (nice crispy crunch and gives more texture) as well as kidney beans, but not canned. The boiled beans have a much nicer texture. We also make it the day/night before so the flavors can mesh a bit too. Yes, we use sauerkraut as well as dill pickles. As anything Russian/Ukrainian, a bit of dill can be added. BTW: always herring for Christmas Eve, so I always do associate vinigrette and herring!
    Ира

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      May 12, 2012

      Thank you for sharing! I definitely want to try apple next time I make this salad.

      Reply

  • childML
    April 7, 2012

    Also before mixing, you can pour an oil on the beets and stir, so that they do not colour all salad…

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      April 7, 2012

      Thanks for the tip!

      Reply

  • childML
    April 7, 2012

    Beets can be prepared in a bit shorter time: Boil them approximately 35-40 mins in water with vinegar, but without salt, then immediately put them under cold water and cool them that way… They should be ready for post-processing 🙂

    Reply

  • Kennedy
    January 12, 2012

    Tasted this salad last weekend on Ukrainian Christmas dinner,.. so delicious and love to look at.. I am making it this weekend for a Christening dinner!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      January 12, 2012

      So glad you enjoyed it!!

      Reply

  • Irina
    January 6, 2012

    Love Vinigret! I add kidney beans to it. yumm!!!!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      January 6, 2012

      Just when I thought it couldn’t get any healthier; you proved me wrong. Thanks for the tip!

      Reply

  • LoveDanger
    October 18, 2011

    My recipe is very similar, though I love going “all the way Russian” and use unrefined sunflower seed oil, which is much more popular in Russia.

    Reply

  • Angie
    October 9, 2011

    sunflower seed oil and salt is best for the dressing..

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      February 18, 2013

      Thanks for the tip Angie :).

      Reply

  • Peg Gluntz
    July 12, 2011

    I love eating this salad at a local Ukranian restaurant, and was so pleased to find your recipe. Can you give me any advice on what kind of pickles to use? I’m limited to what is found in American chain groceries. Thank you! We’re all really looking forward to it.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      July 12, 2011

      You can really use any kind of pickles – I used Vlasic (see second picture with all the ingredients)

      Reply

  • Max
    December 4, 2010

    I think Irina is right on with the pairing with salted herring. Not sure whether that was tradition, or how that pairing came along, but it works! I also like to use a can of peas to my vinaigrette recipe.

    Reply

  • naminami
    November 15, 2010

    Here’s my version of the Russian vinaigrette, Natasha: http://nami-nami.blogspot.com/2007/12/russian-vinaigrette-salad.html 🙂

    Reply

  • A11a
    June 25, 2010

    Now where did you get the idea to use canned beets?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      June 26, 2010

      Hmmm… I guess I am just pure genius. Ok, if you read the first paragraph, you would see that I gave you credit for it. But, snap; I didn’t mention your name!!! Ok, so you, Alla, are the genius!!

      Reply

  • Irina
    June 21, 2010

    Yum! I love “vinegret.” I don’t normally add onions and I use either pickles or sauerkraut, but not both. Otherwise, my recipe is essentially the same as yours. I don’t eat fish any more, but, if I remember correctly, vinegret pairs really well with salted herring. Have you ever tried this combination?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      June 22, 2010

      I’ve never tried that combination. Sounds interesting.

      Reply

    • DaMa
      August 17, 2012

      Irina you are talking about shuba…thats different from vinegret

      Reply

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