Felicity Cloake's Russian salad. Photograph: Robert Billington/The Guardian. Food styling: Loïc Parisot. View image in fullscreen Felicity Cloake's Russian salad. Photograph: Robert Billington/The Guardian. Food styling: Loïc Parisot. Felicity Cloake's masterclass Food How to make Russian salad – recipe Cooked vegetables, pickles and good mayonnaise are key components of this traditional but adaptable dish
Felicity Cloake Sun 19 Jul 2026 14.00 CEST Share Prefer the Guardian on Google I n much of the world, including Russia itself, this richly satisfying collation is known as salade olivier , after the 19th-century Belgian-born chef credited with its creation. Its wide popularity is testament to its adaptability and essential deliciousness: robust enough for picnics and packed lunches, it also keeps well and is great paired with just about anything, from fish to a simple green salad.
For the salad 200g waxy potatoes (ie, about 4 small ones) 100g carrots (ie, 1 medium one) 100g turnip (about ½ medium one, or 2 extra potatoes, if you prefer) Salt 50g green beans 2 eggs (optional) 75g frozen peas 2 large gherkins , plus 2 tbsp of their pickling liquid 1 tbsp capers , rinsed if necessary 50g ham , or pressed tongue or cooked chicken (optional, see step 9) 1 small bunch dill , or chives, finely chopped
For the homemade mayonnaise (alternatively, use 3 tbsp ready-made) 1 egg 2 tsp dijon mustard 1 generous pinch salt 1 tbsp white-wine vinegar , or lemon juice 180ml groundnut oil , or light olive or sunflower oil 25ml extra-virgin olive oil (optional)
Mayonnaise aside, the exact make-up of this salad is entirely up to you, though I would recommend including something starchy (potatoes are the usual base, but you might prefer to use sweet potato, parsnips or yam) and a selection of other flavours and textures, with a preference for cooked, rather than raw ingredients.
View image in fullscreen 2 Prep the root veg and beans Start by peeling the potatoes, carrot and turnip, and top and tail the beans. Cut the carrot and turnip into large chunks, but keep the potatoes whole, unless any are particularly large. Other common additions include cauliflower, broad beans and beetroot (though add the latter as a garnish at the end, or it will turn the mayonnaise pink).
Cooking each vegetable separately might seem a faff, but in such a simple dish it’s really worth doing to ensure that each element is perfect. Put the potatoes in a pan of cold salted water, bring to a boil and cook until tender; try not to overcook them or they’ll be hard to cut neatly. Drain and leave to dry in the hot pan.
View image in fullscreen 4 Cook the rest of the veg and eggs Meanwhile, bring another pan of salted water to a boil, drop in the beans and cook for two minutes. Scoop out into a large bowl filled with cold water (or the sink). In the same pan of boiling water, repeat with the carrots and turnip, then hard-boil the eggs for 10 minutes. Put the peas in a colander or sieve and pour boiling water over them to thaw.
This salad is bound only by mayonnaise (a vegan one, if necessary), so it’s important that it tastes good. If there’s a jarred sort you like, by all means use that, but I really think it’s worth making from scratch for this dish. These days, I’m more likely to go for the stick-blender option than the traditional sort (though do feel free to get out the whisk if you wish).
View image in fullscreen 6 Start the mayo To make stick-blender mayonnaise (this…