This vibrant beet and sauerkraut salad is anything but boring—it's the perfect accompaniment for grilled meats and is the ideal side dish to serve at barbecues and picnics. It's our favorite salad to serve with pulled pork or the cheesy pulled pork breakfast.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It contains loads of healthy veggies in one colorful recipe that's a pleasure to enjoy.
- This easy beet vinaigrette recipe requires no advanced skills or equipment.
- It's a perfectly balanced side dish for grilled or baked meat or fish.
Many different vinaigrette recipes circulating on the web involve avocados, cranberries, green salad leaves, etc. Vinaigrette is originally considered a staple of Russian or Ukrainian cooking, and this recipe is closer to the classic Russian vinaigrette salad, a more common version in Eastern Europe.
This easy salad is perfect for outdoor summer events, as it is bursting with vibrant hues and the earthiness of beets, the satisfying crunch of pickles, and the natural sweetness of beets and carrots. If you happen to be growing your own beets, this is definitely a must-try salad.
Beetroot is the main attraction in the dish, and it's complemented by tangy, probiotic-rich sauerkraut, which also contributes to a healthy digestive system. If you love beets and care about a nutritious daily diet, this is a salad worth trying.
With its refreshing combination of textures and tastes, this beetroot and sauerkraut vinaigrette is a crowd-pleaser that will delight both flavor enthusiasts and the health-conscious. It's also a versatile dish that goes well with various grilled meats and vegetables and will be well-received at lively barbecues and leisurely picnics in the park.
Ingredients
For the beet salad:
- Potatoes: Potatoes will ensure satiety after this light salad and make it a perfect side dish for different meat or fish mains.
- Boiled Red Beets: You can either use raw beets and boil them beforehand (account for extra time in this case because beets need quite some time to reach a soft texture) or buy boiled beets, as we did when doing the last-minute cooking. Less time in the kitchen equals more time for what you love (or a quicker satisfaction). Also, you might consider using disposable gloves when handling beets to avoid Halloween-style bloody-looking hands after cooking. In terms of the amount, you'll need two smaller beets or a larger one. Note that you won't use the beet greens (stems), only the beetroot part.
- Carrots: Carrots' sweetness enhances the salad's overall balance. You'll need one large carrot or a couple of smaller ones.
- Sauerkraut: Saukraut is a hero in disguise. It provides multiple health benefits, strengthening your immune system, improving your gut health, and even helping you lose weight. This salad is a great way of incorporating this ingredient into your weekly menu.
- Onion: This recipe uses regular white onion. You can replace it with red onion for a slightly milder taste.
- Green Peas: This salad requires a small can of green peas.
- Pickled Cucumber: To make this salad, you'll only need 3-4 pickles. You can also use fermented cucumber if you prefer its taste.
For the beet salad dressing:
- Salt & Pepper: You'll need kosher or sea salt, and add ground black pepper.
- Sugar/Sweetener: Since we are mindful of adding refined sugar to our meals, we used monk fruit sweetener for this recipe. However, regular white sugar can also be used as a sweetener for the dressing.
- Olive Oil: Extra virgin olive oil is our go-to choice for the dressing.
- Vinegar: The dressing calls for an acidic component to balance the oil. Two of the most popular choices are vinegar and fresh lemon juice. We used regular white vinegar in this recipe.
Directions
1. Peel and boil potatoes and carrots in lightly salted water until soft (don't overboil so they don't lose their shape when cutting). It will take around 20 minutes to reach the desired softness when the water starts boiling. Drain the water once done and let the veggies cool.
2. Cut the beet and pickles into small cubes. Finely chop the onion and sour kraut. Once cooled to room temperature, finely cut the potatoes and carrots.
3. Prepare the dressing by combining oil, vinegar, sweetener, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Mix with a spoon.
4. Place beets and all the pre-cut ingredients in a large bowl, and add green peas and the salad dressing. Stir to combine.
Variations and Tips
- Next time, try adding some English or Dijon mustard for a spicier iteration. We prefer English mustard due to its texture, which makes the seeds pop on your tongue.
- Pickled cucumbers can be replaced with fermented cucumbers, which are a popular choice in vinaigrette salads, at least in our part of the world.
- Add crumbled feta cheese on top for extra texture and color contrast.
- You can use a food processor to cut the ingredients, but it's totally doable using a paring knife alone.
- Add a little bit of marinade from the pickles or sauerkraut juice to the homemade dressing for extra flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
While marinated beets are not a part of the traditional recipe, they go well with the pickled cucumber and can be used instead of boiled beets.
Yes, it can, although it's best on the day it's prepared. You can store the salad in an airtight container or a mason jar for 1-2 days, but we wouldn't recommend storing it for longer periods.
Red beets have a slightly different taste; they tend to be less sweet and will not make such a bold statement as the red ones in terms of color. Overall, we wouldn't recommend replacing red beets with golden beets.
Russian Beet Vinaigrette Salad With Sauerkraut
Ingredients
For the salad
- 9 oz (255 g) boiled beets
- 2 medium-sized potatoes
- 3 tablespoon sauerkraut
- 3-4 pickled cucumbers
- ½ onion
- 1 large carrot
- 7 oz (200 g) canned green peas
For the dressing
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon sugar (or a sugar-free alternative)
- 2 teaspoon salt (incl. 1 teaspoon for the boiling water)
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Peel and boil potatoes and carrots in lightly salted water until soft (avoid overboiling them). It will take around 20 minutes to reach the desired softness when the water starts boiling. Drain the water once done and let the veggies cool.
- Cut the beet and pickles into small cubes. Finely chop the onion and sour kraut. Once cooled, finely cut the potatoes and carrots.
- Prepare the dressing by combining oil, vinegar, sweetener, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Mix with a spoon.
- Place beets and all the pre-cut ingredients in a large bowl, and add green peas and the salad dressing. Stir to combine.
Notes
- Use a small round dish to shape individual servings, or serve in a large salad bowl.
- Add a little bit of mustard for a spicier version.
- When adjusting the volume of the dressing, ensure a 1:3 ratio of vinegar and olive oil.
- Vinegar can be replaced with fresh lemon juice.
Nutritional Information
Disclaimer: This nutritional value label has been created using an online analyzer and might not be 100% accurate
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