Spanish Potato Salad - Ensaladilla Rusa Recipe - Visit Southern Spain (2024)

Generally, when they talk about salad, you imagine a bowl full of lettuce and if you are not a vegetable lover, you may not be thrilled when you have to eat salad.

Thankfully, the Spanish potato salad, also known as ensaladilla rusa, escapes this norm. It is a delicious dish, you can get it done in less than an hour, and everyone loves it.

This Spanish salad is ideal for parties, Sunday barbecues, and really any occasion. Continue reading to learn how to make the traditional Spanish potato salad recipe with some special tricks and modern twists you won’t want to miss.

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Background of the Dish

Even though the name of this dish is “Ensalada Rusa” which literally translates to “Russian Salad”, historians haven’t been able to track why it’s called Russian since nothing links this recipe to said country.

Actually, this recipe as we know it today first made its appearance in a cookbook called “Modern cuisine, according to the French and Spanish school” by Mariano Muñoz published in the year 1858.

The Ensalada Rusa was an immediate success among the Spanish population, because it could be done in a cheap form, or making it fancier with other expensive ingredients.

For example, most of the people made it the classic way being just potatoes, carrots, peas, and tuna (or some sort of leftover meat). Meanwhile, other fancy versions were made using salmon, caviar, etc.

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Things You’ll Need for Spanish Potato Salad

My favorite part about making this Spanish potato recipe is that you only need a couple of main ingredients, and then you can make as many changes and replacements as you like.

When it comes to the equipment, you’ll only need a large pot to make this easy Spanish potato salad, so you should definitely give it a try.

Ingredients

• 2-3 (450g) potatoes
• 4 carrots
• 2 eggs
• 20 olives
• 3 tablespoons canned peas
• 2 cans (200g) tuna in oil
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 black ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley

How to Make Spanish Potato Salad- Step by Step Guide

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1. To start with this easy potato salad recipe you just have to wash and peel the potatoes and carrots. Cut them into cubes, the size you want, though the final size of the carrots should be smaller.

2. Bring them to a boil in a large pot with enough water to cover them. Boil potatoes and carrots for 25 minutes and after that add the eggs. Continue cooking everything for 10 more minutes so the eggs get cooked.

3. Drain them and let them cool, if you put them in a bowl and cover them with a plastic bag you can let them cool in the fridge and you’ll save some time.

4. Meanwhile cut the olives, this step is optional but I recommend that you do it especially if your olives have a pit. You can use normal olives, black olives, or even stuffed olives, it is completely up to you.

5. Grab the bowl with the boiled vegetables, cut the boiled eggs, and put them in the bowl too. Now mix the peas, tuna, parsley, and mayonnaise in that same bowl. You can use as much mayonnaise as you want, but I think that the amount listed is the perfect one.

Substitution of Ingredients

The best part about making potato recipes is that even though the potato is the main ingredient, it still lets other ingredients shine, which lets you play with different flavors.

For this Ensalada rusa recipe, you can use any type of potato that you like, from the classic russet to others like red or Yukon potato, they all work fine for this recipe.

If we are talking about the Spanish salad dressing, using just mayonnaise works well, but you can spice things up. You can add some sriracha to your mayonnaise, or a little bit of aioli.

If you want to learn new Spanish recipes, then you should check the Patatas a lo pobre- Spanish recipe, Spanish sardines pasta recipe, tortilla de patatas recipe, and more.

And ensalada de Pollo and ensalada de coditos are yet other delicious Spanish salads that you must try once the salad season starts.

Tips on Serving Spanish Potato Salad

What I like the most about making Spanish salads because they usually can be served in any meal and as a main course, as a side, or even as an entree.

You might be wondering what goes with potato salad, where the answer is that practically anything can be served with Spanish potato salad.

You can serve it with roast beef, rotisserie chicken, or if you want a full Spanish meal you can serve them with Spanish chicken croquettes.

You can make this Spanish salad recipe for a big celebration, especially if you are making a BBQ. It is easy to make and everyone likes potatoes so you won’t have any problem with your guests.

Try the warm Spanish salad recipe if you want a comforting and easy salad for the cold season.

If you want to try another simple yet super delicious recipe with tuna and eggs, make sure to try our Spanish deviled eggs, the refreshing Pipirrana salad, and the Ensalada Malagueña.

The Spanish tuna salad and the ensalada de salmon are two other delicious salads from Spain that you should try.

Try the simple Spanish mixed green salad as well, which has a fresh and amazing flavor and it’s incredibly easy to make.

A similar recipe to this one is the Spanish potato salad with beets, that’s a nutritious and delicious salad you must try.

How to Store Spanish Potato Salad

While making traditional Spanish salads, it is important to know that the leftovers can be stored for a couple of days, but you can’t keep them in your fridge for eternity.

If you want it to last longer, then you can start boiling potatoes for potato salad, and once they’re ready store them in the fridge in a covered container.

The boiled potatoes can last up to 5 days in your fridge, and then all you have to do is to mix in the mayonnaise and the other ingredients.

I don’t recommend freezing this dish because the boiled potatoes lose their freshness and their original flavor.

Anyways, this recipe is easy to make and it takes less than an hour, so I encourage you to make the Spanish potato salad the same day you’ll eat it.

Recipe Card: Spanish Potato Salad