Ensalada Rusa (or Russian salad) is one of those dishes that, similar to flan, seems to be everywhere. No matter the country, city, or home they grew up in, most people have tried a version of this colorful salad. However, unlike the creamy and sweet flan that we all love, few people seem to be crazy about this recipe. I have yet to meet someone who tells me this salad is one of their favorites.
The secret to its success and the way it has spread like wildfire throughout most corners of the world is probably its convenience and simplicity. In just one dish, you get bucketfuls of nutrients from all those brightly-colored vegetables. It's also an easy salad than most to feed the kids, thanks to the potatoes and the creamy dressing. It can be made quickly and in advance, as opposed to most salads that wilt after being mixed with the dressing for too long.
But the best of its qualities for me is that it's incredibly versatile. You can eat it on its own as an appetizer or an entrée, it makes a fabulous side dish, it can be used as the filling for many dishes such as stuffed avocados, stuffed potatoes, or causa, and it's also an easy cold meal to take for lunch —or in your kids' case, in their lunchboxes.
But why settle for a run of the mill version when it can be great?
I've called this new version my "ensalada rusa reloaded" because I've packed it with more vegetables than usual (beets, spinach, and fresh fava beans, which are in season during the summer months), and I created a creamy dressing to substitute the traditional and less healthy mayonnaise used to make it. This creamy mix is made with hummus and miso instead of mayo or too much oil, making this a plant-based healthy feast.
If you've had a Russian salad before and didn't absolutely love it, give this recipe a try. It may completely change your mind.
RECIPE: Ensalada Rusa Reloaded
Yields 4 portions
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup creamer potatoes, cut in half
- 1 cup beets, peeled and cubed
- 1 cup carrots, peeled and sliced1 cup fresh fava beans (about 10-12 vines)
- 1 cup spinach, sliced
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
For the dressing:
- ¼ cup plain hummus
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2-3 teaspoons miso (or salt, to taste)
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Directions
- Steam the potatoes, beets, and carrots for 15-20 minutes, or until you can easily pierce them with a fork. Transfer to a bowl to cool and set aside to cool.
- While the veggies are cooking, bring a small pan with water to a boil, and cook the fava beans for 8 minutes. Strain, run through cold water, and peel. Mix them in with the other vegetables when they're ready.
- You can get the salad ready at this point, or cover the veggies and store them in the refrigerator if you want to make those first steps ahead of time.
- Add the spinach and parsley to the salad. Mix well.
- Make the dressing in a separate cup, mixing it well until you get a uniform creaminess.
- Pour the dressing over the vegetables and mix well. Serve or store for later.
TIPS:
You can use miso, which is salty enough so you won't need extra salt, or skip the miso if you prefer, and season the dressing with salt.
If you can't find fresh fava beans, you can substitute frozen fava beans, baby lima beans or peas.
