Ensaladilla Rusa Recipe

Ensaladilla Rusa (Russian salad) is one of the most common dishes you can find in any bar in Spain. Many people love it or hate it, and this is probably due to the region where they have tasted it.

In my experience the ensaladilla rusa prepared on the coast of Huelva and Cadiz is the best, perhaps because the ease with which fresh produce is available in this area is difficult to match in other regions. It may also be due to the fact that the ensaladilla rusa is often accompanied by delicious picos, those crunchy bread rolls so typical of Andalusia.

In this recipe for ensaladilla rusa we will use a very special canned fish, which is also typical of southern Spain, mackerel, to make a very tasty and nutritious ensaladilla.

Ingredients Recipe for Russian Salad with Mackerel (6 persons)

3 medium potatoes
4 eggs
2 large carrots
300 g homemade mayonnaise
Salt
White wine vinegar
1 tin of mackerel in olive oil
Country peppers

Ensaladilla rusa with Mackerel recipe step by step

Cook the potatoes and carrots, without peeling them beforehand, in a pot with plenty of water over a medium heat. Remove the vegetables when you can see that they are al dente. It is important to check this step as otherwise both the potatoes and the carrots may be too soft.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, cook the eggs in salted water with a little vinegar. Remove after 10 minutes and refresh with cold water to stop the cooking. Peel and finely chop the eggs and set aside.
When the potatoes and carrots are ready and have cooled slightly, peel and chop them. Open the can of mackerel and remove the loins, draining the oil on absorbent paper. Chop the loins and mix them with the potatoes, carrots and eggs previously chopped.
Prepare a homemade mayonnaise, preferably with a little olive oil, and mix it with the rest of the ingredients. Leave to cool in the fridge for a couple of hours. Before serving the Russian salad, leave to cool for a few minutes outside the fridge and serve with a few peppers.

This ensaladilla rusa is equally delicious with other canned fish instead of mackerel in olive oil, you can also use tuna belly or white tuna.