Ingredients
Vegetables
- 6 to 8 medium red beets
- 2 large yellow potatoes (or Yukon Gold)
- 1 large sweet onion, diced
- 1 (20 ounce) jar dill pickles (or about 15 mini dill pickles)
- 2 cups sauerkraut (preferably Bubbies brand)
Beans
- 1 (15 ounce) can canned pink or red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (15 ounce) can canned cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
Dressing and Seasoning
- 1/4 cup olive oil (or sunflower oil, more or less to taste)
- Kosher salt, to taste
Instructions
- Roast the beets: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Trim off the leafy stems from the beets, wash, and pat them dry. Divide the beets onto two pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil, using two layers for regular foil. Drizzle a little olive oil over them and sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt. Fold up and crimp the foil tightly to create sealed pouches. Place these on a rimmed baking sheet and roast on the middle rack for 50 to 60 minutes. Once done, remove the beets carefully from the foil to avoid steam burns, let cool, then peel if desired and dice into 1/2-inch pieces.
- Boil the potatoes: While the beets are roasting, place the yellow potatoes into a pot of cold water. Bring the water to a boil and cook the potatoes for 15 minutes, ensuring they remain slightly firm to avoid falling apart during mixing. Remove the potatoes, let them cool, then peel if preferred and dice into 1/2-inch pieces.
- Prepare the remaining ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the diced beets, diced potatoes, rinsed kidney beans, rinsed cannellini beans, sauerkraut, diced dill pickles, and diced sweet onion. Pour in the olive oil along with any beet juice or oil left from roasting, then season with a couple pinches of kosher salt. Use a rubber spatula to gently toss all the ingredients until thoroughly mixed.
- Chill and serve: You can serve the salad immediately, but for best flavor, refrigerate it for at least one hour or longer before serving to allow the flavors to meld beautifully.
Notes
- Peeling the beets and potatoes is optional and based on personal preference.
- Using sauerkraut adds a pleasant tang and enhances the traditional flavor of this salad.
- Adjust the amount of olive oil according to taste and desired consistency.
- Refrigeration enhances flavor integration but the salad can be served fresh if needed.
- Be careful opening the foil pouches after roasting as steam can cause burns.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Salad
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Russian
- Diet: Vegetarian
