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Rosolje (Potato and Beet Salad)

A popular party food in Estonia, rosolje is a potato and beet salad that is an eye-catching purple. All the ingredients in this salad are typical of Estonian cuisine, including the cream-based dressing, which is distinct from the West European tradition of mayonnaise-based dressings. For traditional rosolje, the addition of herring is a must. Many modern recipes, however, omit herring—as well as any cold meats—for a completely vegetarian salad. Recipe Serving: Serves 4
Prep Time
55 minutes
+ 8 hours resting
Cook Time
Total Time
8 hours 55 minutes
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal

Ingredients

Salad:
  • 2 cups (480 ml) cold meat (parisa, beef roast, or ham), cubed
  • 3 fillets salted herring, soaked overnight, rinsed, and chopped
  • 4 hard boiled eggs, chopped
  • 6 potatoes, boiled, peeled, and cubed
  • 4 dill pickles, chopped
  • 2 onions, minced
  • 2 apples, chopped
  • 3 beets, boiled, peeled, and cubed
Dressing:
  • 1 cup (240 ml) sour cream
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) mustard
  • 1/2 tsp (2 ml) sugar
  • 2 Tbsp (30 ml) vinegar
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Combine all the salad ingredients.
  2. Separately, whisk together dressing ingredients.
  3. Mix dressing well with salad ingredients and serve.
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