‘I Be Dropping Them Beets Salad’
Want a change from the traditional potato salad to bring to a gathering? Well this beautiful pink cold beet salad is a great way to change things up and try something new. It has carrots, potatoes, and eggs although the star of the show are the colorful purple beets. This Costa Rican inspired dish will give you a delightful taste of Costa Rican cuisine and culture without having to leave your home.
Origin of this colorful salad
I chose this recipe since infusing culture into our cooking is very important to me. Having grown up in a Costa Rican household, adding touches of Costa Rican cuisine into our daily lives brings me back to those special times when we had it as a family.
This cold beet salad is a staple at birthday parties and holidays in Costa Rica. Typically you serve it as a side dish, with arroz con pollo as the main dish.
It’s known in Costa Rica as ensalada rusa, which translates to Russian salad. While the name and idea originated from a Russian background it has become a popular dish in many Latin American countries. Using ingredients that are easy to find and cheap, this dish has transformed a simple cold vegetable salad into a flavorful and colorful treat. You’ll find quite a few variations of this dish with a different spin depending on where in Latin America the recipe comes from.
What makes this beet salad Costa Rican?
Well apart from the recipe coming down from my family not much else. The vegetable selections are pretty typical for the dish and the ingredients can be found anywhere around the world. The beauty of this dish is that although the ingredients are common and simple, the flavor, texture and look developed by infusing it with this Costa Rican spin make it entirely unique.
How long does beet salad last?
Beet salad can be refrigerated for 3-5 days. You don’t want to risk it going bad or getting contaminated since there’s mayonnaise and egg in it you. Properly seal the salad in a tightly closed container to help preserve it. Regardless, you definitely want to consume it the week you are making it.
Should you cook beets?
Raw beets are healthy and edible although they are not the easiest to chew. Beets are quite hard when they have not been cooked so I recommend cooking them in boiling water first. Although some nutrients are lost when cooking vegetables, boiling in water is the healthiest way to cook beets and preserve their integrity.
Making Costa Rican cold beet salad
Start off by prepping all of your ingredients because there’s quite a bit of chopping. Peel the carrots, potatoes and beets and cut them into 1 inch cubes. The onions, celery, garlic and peppers will be finely diced. These last ingredients can go together in a bowl since they will be sauteed.
Cook the carrots and potatoes together in boiling water. The beets will be boiled on their own. Take the remaining chopped vegetables and saute them until the onions are caramelized. Prepare eggs to be hard boiled, putting them in an ice bath when they are cooked.
Once everything is cooked you can start building up the salad. Start by straining the carrots, potatoes and beets. Then place in a large bowl and add on the sauteed veggies. Put in some fresh cilantro then begin to stir gently. Once stirred you’ll notice the color from the beets beginning to appear and take over.
Next add in the mayonnaise and white vinegar and stir. At this point you will get a nice purple creamy consistency. Once the mayo is distributed add in the egg and give it one final stir.
Cooking tips for making this beet salad
- Properly prep all ingredients and separate into bowls from the start. This will help keep the recipe manageable since there is a lot of chopping involved.
- Place your potatoes in cold water while you are peeling and chopping. This will stop them from oxidizing and turning brown.
- Cook the beets separate from the other vegetables otherwise the color will stain them all. Plus cooking them together may overcook some of the vegetables since boiling times vary.
- Do not overcook the vegetables. You want them to have a firm bounce otherwise they will turn to mush when you stir it all together. Firm veggies are key!
Cold Beet Salad – Ensalada Rusa
Ingredients
- 4 medium Potatoes cubed
- 2 large Red beets cubed (or 4 small beets)
- 5 medium Carrots cubed
- 1 Red Pepper finely diced
- 1 large Yellow Onion finely diced
- 1/3 cup Cilantro finely chopped
- 1 clove Garlic finely diced
- 3 stalks Celery finely diced (should equal the chopped quantity of onion)
- 3 ¼ cups Mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp Vinegar
- 6 large Eggs hard boiled
Instructions
- Begin by prepping your ingredients. Peel the potatoes, carrots and beets and then cut them into small 1 inch cubes. Finely dice the onions, celery, red pepper, garlic and cilantro.
- Set two pots with water on the stove. Add the potato and carrots to one pot and the beets to the other pot. They are separated since the beets will stain the water red. Bring the water with the vegetables inside to a boil, waiting until the vegetables are cooked through. You want them to retain their firmness. Be careful not to overcook them or they will turn to mush when you mix the salad together. They will cook quickly, approximately 8-10 minutes, since they are cut into small cubes, although you should poke with a fork to test for doneness.
- While the vegetables cook, take a frying pan and sauté the onions, red peppers, celery and garlic in olive oil on medium high heat. Continue to sauté until the onions turn a golden brown.
- Once the vegetables are cooked strain the water and put them all in a large mixing bowl. Add in the sautéed ingredients and stir together with a wooden spoon.
- Hard boil the eggs by placing them in boiling water. Once cooked place them in an ice bath then peel the shell off.
- Add in the mayonnaise, white vinegar, cilantro and stir. Dice the hard boiled eggs and add to the salad. Add salt and pepper to taste.
