Dominican Potato Salad (Ensalada Rusa or Mixta)
This Dominican potato salad — known as ensalada rusa with beets or ensalada mixta without — is creamy, lightly tangy, and the first thing to disappear at any Dominican gathering. Made with tender potatoes, carrots, boiled eggs, peas, corn, and mayo
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 497kcal
Equipment
- Small bowl
- Knife and cutting board
Ingredients
- 2½ pounds russet potatoes (1.1 kg), peeled and cut in half
- 1 pound carrots (454 g), peeled and cut into 3-inch (7.5 cm) pieces
- ¾ teaspoon salt (4 g), plus more to taste
- 6 large eggs
- 1 cup red onion (160 g), finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (30 ml)
- Pinch of salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup frozen green peas (130 g), thawed
- ½ cup canned sweet corn (85 g), drained
- 1 can sliced beets, 14.5 ounces (411 g), drained — optional, for ensalada rusa
- 1 cup mayonnaise (225 g)
Instructions
- Place the potatoes and carrots in a large pot and cover with cold water by about 1 inch. Add ¾ teaspoon of salt. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.
- After 10 minutes of boiling, carefully lower the eggs into the pot. Continue cooking until the potatoes and carrots are tender when pierced, about 15 to 20 minutes total. Drain and transfer everything to a tray to cool until comfortable to handle.
- While the potatoes cool, combine the red onion, apple cider vinegar, and a pinch of salt and black pepper in a small bowl. Let sit to mellow.
- Peel the eggs. Cut the cooled potatoes, carrots, and eggs into small bite-size cubes and place in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the peas (thawed), corn, and the marinated onions along with their vinegar liquid. Stir gently to combine.
- Fold in the mayonnaise until everything is evenly coated and creamy.
- Taste and adjust with more salt and pepper if needed.
- For ensalada rusa, gently fold in the well-drained sliced beets. For ensalada mixta, skip the beets.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
Video
Notes
- If using fresh beets instead of canned, boil until tender, then cool, peel, and slice before folding in.
- Add a splash of extra vinegar or a little more mayo the next day to refresh the salad if needed.
- This salad keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 497kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 135mg | Sodium: 534mg | Potassium: 1285mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 9749IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 4mg