There is potato salad and then there is ensaladilla rusa, Spain’s Russian salad. This hearty, nourishing dish covers all bases: protein from eggs and tuna, vegetables such as carrot and olives, carbohydrates from potatoes, a creamy dressing, and a tangy lift from pickles, capers and mustard. It’s the perfect tapas accompaniment.
If you love a bright, pickled potato salad but prefer a vegetarian option, try this dill potato salad for a similar punch.
I adore Spain and its tapas culture, but I’m often surprised by how many hot tapas appear on menus in such warm weather. Of course there are cold meats, cheeses and olives, but many small plates are served hot.
So on a visit to Seville in March, when the temperature hit 25°C (77°F), I was delighted to find ensaladilla rusa on the menu. Its cool, subtly tangy flavors made it a refreshing restorative after a morning of sightseeing, especially with an ice-cold beer.
Ensaladilla rusa
Ensaladilla rusa literally means “little Russian salad.” It’s Spain’s tapas take on the potato-based Olivier Salad, a dish invented in 19th-century Russia by Lucien Olivier. While the original Olivier often includes chicken or ham and dill pickles, the Spanish version adapted to local tastes and post-war availability: tuna, olives and capers are common additions. Both versions typically include boiled eggs, potatoes, carrots and a creamy mayonnaise dressing. I usually omit peas and sometimes carrots, and the Spanish variant often skips peas as well.
Although best known as a staple on Spanish tapas menus, this salad travels widely — in Latin America it’s called ensalada rusa — and in some places it’s still served as a festive side dish at Christmas, echoing its origins in Russia.
Mayonnaise salad dressing
Ensaladilla rusa brings together wholesome ingredients and binds them with a cool, zesty mayonnaise dressing. You have two easy choices for the dressing:
Option 1: Make mayo from scratch. With an immersion blender you can emulsify an egg, oil (you can use the reserved tuna oil), mustard, vinegar and salt into a fresh, silky mayonnaise in minutes.
Option 2: Boost store-bought mayo. Mix good-quality ready-made mayonnaise with a little vinegar and Dijon mustard for a fast, tasty dressing.
Homemade mayo will be silkier and brighter in flavor, but the dressed-up store-bought version is a fine shortcut. This dressing is versatile — use it on beetroot salad, roasted vegetables, sandwiches, or as a dip for crispy potatoes and crudités.
Important recipe tips and notes
- Use waxy potatoes so the pieces hold their shape instead of breaking down.
- Don’t overcook the eggs or vegetables; aim for firm, bright yellow yolks with no grey ring.
- Cook eggs and vegetables ahead of time so they can cool and chill overnight.
- Choose the best quality tuna you can afford, and save the oil for the dressing.
- Make your own mayonnaise for the freshest flavor, or use a good store-bought mayo if you prefer convenience.
- Garnishes such as marinated red pepper strips, chopped green olives, or a spoonful of orange roe add color and flavor.
What goes with it
When choosing tapas I like to balance meat, vegetable and seafood dishes as well as hot and cold plates. Here’s a quick guide to common hot and cold tapas you might pair with ensaladilla rusa.
Hot tapas dishes
- Gambas al pil pil (garlic and chilli shrimp)
- Patatas bravas (v)
- Espinacas con garbanzos (spinach and chickpeas) (v)
- Pimientos de Padrón (v)
- Chorizo in red wine
- Calamares a la Romana (battered squid)
- Albondígas (meatballs in tomato sauce)
Cold tapas dishes
- Ensaladilla rusa
- Tortilla española (v)
- Charcuterie plate with Spanish meats and cheeses
- Boquerones (anchovies in vinegar)
With a recommended two or three small plates per person, the choices can be deliciously difficult. Which would you pick?
Storage and leftovers
Store ensaladilla rusa in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If you used store-bought mayonnaise, it will keep for 3–4 days. If you made homemade mayonnaise with fresh eggs, consume within 2–3 days.
More salad dishes to try
- Avocado and Corn Salad
- Chicken Waldorf Salad
- Smashed Cucumber Salad with Miso Dressing
- Broccoli Slaw with Creamy Dill Pickle Dressing
Spanish Ensaladilla Rusa
Ingredients
- 500g / 2 large waxy potatoes, boiled, peeled and diced
- 1 carrot, boiled, peeled and diced
- 4 eggs, boiled, peeled and chopped
- 50g / 2oz pickles (gherkins), not sweet, chopped
- 50g / 1/4 cup green olives, chopped plus 4 for garnish
- 2 tbsp capers
- 160g / 5 oz Albacore tuna in olive oil, drained and oil reserved for dressing
- 1/2 shallot, diced
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp salmon or trout caviar, for garnish
- 1 tbsp chopped chives, for garnish
For the homemade mayo dressing
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 egg
- 150ml / 2/3 cups neutral tasting oil, plus reserved tuna olive oil (strained)
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp white wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 tsp salt
Or easy dressing
- 125ml / 1/2 cup good quality mayonnaise
- 2 tsp white wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp water, to loosen the dressing
Instructions
-
Boil eggs, unpeeled potatoes and a carrot, then cool. Peel three eggs, two potatoes and one carrot, dice them and place in a large salad bowl.
-
Dice pickles (gherkins), olives and the shallot, and add them along with the capers to the bowl.
-
Drain the tuna, reserve the oil for the dressing, flake the tuna into large pieces and add to the salad bowl.
-
To make homemade mayo, use an immersion blender in a tall, narrow container: combine an egg yolk and one whole egg, the vegetable oil, the reserved strained tuna olive oil (about 1–2 tbsp), Dijon mustard, white wine vinegar and salt. Process until thick. For the easy version whisk store-bought mayonnaise with vinegar, mustard and a little water until smooth.
-
Add the dressing to the salad and fold gently to avoid breaking up the ingredients. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
-
To serve as a tapa, place a portion on a small plate, top with the remaining boiled egg halved, add a little salmon caviar to each half and sprinkle with chopped chives if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!