Classic Beef Olivier Salad: Traditional Recipe
A traditional Olivier salad recipe made with tender simmered beef, root vegetables, pickles, and green peas.
In a proper Olivier salad, the choice of meat defines both texture and depth. Swapping processed sausages or fried meats for simmered lean beef keeps the salad light yet deeply satisfying. Dicing every ingredient to match the size of a green pea gives the dish its classic uniform look and balanced flavor in every bite.
Choosing and prepping ingredients
Ingredient selection determines whether your salad holds its shape or turns into a soggy mess.
- Pick lean beef round or chuck roast without heavy connective tissue or fat caps.
- Use low-starch waxier potatoes so they stay firm when diced instead of mashing.
- Choose firm, crunchy lacto-fermented pickles rather than soft vinegar-drenched ones.
Nutrition
Per serving (≈ 263 g). Approximate values.
How to make it
6 steps · start a timer right inside a step
Cook the beef
Bring a pot of water to a boil and drop in the trimmed beef in one piece. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer, skim off any foam, and cook covered for 70-80 minutes until a knife slides in easily. Cool the meat completely inside the broth.
Boil the vegetables
Place unpeeled potatoes and carrots in a saucepan with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer carrots for 20-25 minutes and potatoes for 25-30 minutes until knife-tender. Remove immediately and transfer to a cold place to cool.
Hard-boil the eggs
Submerge eggs in a small pot of cold water and place over heat. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for exactly 9 minutes. Transfer immediately into ice water to keep the yolks bright and make peeling easy.
Dice the ingredients
Peel the chilled beef, potatoes, carrots, and eggs. Dice everything into clean 6-7 millimeter cubes. Dice the pickles to the same size and gently press them with your fingers to remove excess brine.
Prep onion and peas
Mince the yellow onion finely. Dump the canned green peas into a wire sieve and let them drain thoroughly for 5 minutes.
Combine and dress
Combine the diced beef, potatoes, carrots, eggs, pickles, onion, and drained peas in a large mixing bowl. Add mayonnaise, salt, and black pepper. Gently fold from bottom to top with a wide spoon so the root vegetables stay intact. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving.
Cook’s tips
- 1Cooling the cooked beef directly inside its broth prevents the meat fibers from drying out and keeps every bite juicy.
- 2Chill boiled root vegetables completely in the fridge before peeling and dicing so their edges stay crisp and clean.
- 3Spread diced pickles on paper towels for a few minutes before mixing to prevent extra moisture from breaking down the dressing.
- 4For the best flavor distribution, mix the diced ingredients with a small portion of the mayonnaise at least two hours before serving, then add the remaining dressing right before plating to keep the salad from appearing wilted.
Serving & storage: Present the salad in a chilled glass bowl or use a ring mold for a neat presentation. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days, but avoid freezing as the mayonnaise and potato texture will degrade significantly.
Common mistakes
- Using starchy potatoes: high-starch varieties disintegrate during dicing, so stick to waxy varieties and cool them completely before cutting.
- Skipping pea drainage: canned liquid ruins the texture instantly, so drain the peas in a sieve for at least 5 minutes.
- Dressing too early: pickles and vegetables release moisture over time, so fold in the mayonnaise right before serving.
- Leaving out raw onion: onion cuts through the rich egg yolk and mayo, and a quick rinse in boiling water removes any raw harshness.
Substitutions
- Mayonnaise alternative: mix equal parts sour cream and plain Greek yogurt with half a teaspoon of Dijon mustard.
- Beef alternative: boiled veal tongue or turkey breast provides an equally tender texture.
- Canned peas alternative: blanch blanched frozen green peas in boiling water for 3 minutes for a bright green color.
What to serve it with and storage
Serve chilled in a deep glass bowl or scooped onto toasted sourdough slices. Undressed diced ingredients can be stored in a sealed glass container in the fridge for up to 48 hours. Once mixed with mayonnaise, consume within 24 hours. Freezing or reheating is not recommended.
You might also like
- Salmon and Avocado Salad with Yoghurt Dressing
- Tashkent Salad with Green Radish and Beef
- Crunchy Cabbage, Carrot and Apple Slaw
The bottom line
The secret to this salad lies in precise boiling times and uniform dicing to match the size of the peas. If you simmer the beef a day ahead, assembly takes just 20 minutes before serving.
