Vinegret

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   If the beetroot, potato, and carrot are not already cooked, use vacuum-packed cooked vegetables for speed. Dice the cooked beetroot, potato, carrot, and pickled cucumber into small, even 5-8 mm cubes, and finely dice the red onion so the salad mixes evenly and looks traditional.

   180 g cooked beetroot, peeled and diced small80 g cooked potato, peeled and diced small60 g cooked carrot, peeled and diced small100 g pickled cucumber, diced small40 g red onion, finely diced
2. 2

   Place the beetroot in a mixing bowl first and toss it with about half of the sunflower oil. This coats the beet pieces and helps keep their color from bleeding too much into the other vegetables.

   180 g cooked beetroot, peeled and diced small20 ml sunflower oil
3. 3

   Add the potato, carrot, pickled cucumber, and red onion to the bowl with the beetroot.

   80 g cooked potato, peeled and diced small60 g cooked carrot, peeled and diced small100 g pickled cucumber, diced small40 g red onion, finely diced
4. 4

   In a small cup, stir together the remaining sunflower oil, pickle brine, salt, and black pepper until combined. Taste the dressing before adding all the salt, since the pickles and brine already bring salinity.

   20 ml sunflower oil10 ml pickle brine2 g fine salt1 g black pepper
5. 5

   Pour the dressing over the vegetables and fold gently until everything is evenly coated. Mix just enough to combine without mashing the potato cubes.

   20 ml sunflower oil10 ml pickle brine2 g fine salt1 g black pepper
6. 6

   Scatter over the dill, give the salad a final gentle toss, and serve immediately or let it stand for 10 minutes for the flavors to meld.

   5 g fresh dill, chopped

Origin & History

Vinegret is a classic salad found across Russia and other parts of Eastern Europe, especially in home cooking and holiday spreads. Its name likely derives from the French word 'vinaigrette,' though the dish evolved into a distinctly local combination of beetroot, root vegetables, pickles, and oil. It remains a staple of everyday Soviet-era and post-Soviet cooking.