Olivye Potato Salad: An Authentic Eastern European Dish

Olivye potato salad is a rich, hearty salad served in every Eastern European home. It is popular at almost every holiday and is traditional to that region.

Growing up, my mom always made olivie for Easter, Christmas, and New Year's. It was not a holiday if it was not on the table. I remember helping Mom peel the potatoes and eggs, hand-dicing everything into tiny cubes, just as Mom liked it, and smothering the entire salad with mayonnaise. Oh, the flavors were mouth-watering!!!

What is Olivye Potato Salad? (салат Оливье)

This salad is rich in flavor and history. It comes from an Eastern European country where the famous Lucien Olivier is credited with creating the potato salad.

A traditional olivie potato salad consists of potatoes, eggs, carrots, peas, pickles and a choice protein. These ingredients are diced and folded with mayonnaise and seasoning.

How to Make Olivye

Prepare your ingredients and vegetable chopper, and let's go!

Step 1: Cook the vegetables—potatoes, carrots, and eggs—in another pot.

Rinse potatoes and carrots, place them in a pot, and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook on medium-low until tender. Test with a fork or knife. Remove from water and allow to completely cool.

Place eggs in a pot, cover with water, bring to a boil, and boil on medium for 8 minutes. Remove the hot water from the pot and add cold water to cool the eggs.

Step 2: Once the potatoes, carrots and eggs are cooled, peel off the skin and shell.

Step 3: Take all the vegetables - potatoes, carrots, eggs, pickles and slice thinly in one direction to prepare them for the dicer.

Step 4: Using the vegetable chopper, start chopping the vegetables. I placed 2-3 slices at a time on the chopper plate and pressed down firmly. Repeat until all ingredients are chopped. I tried to dice the salami through the vegetable chopper, but that didn't go so well, so I cubed it by hand. If you are using ham, the vegetable chopper may work great for that type of meat.

I love this vegetable chopper. It's an All in 1 chopper with eight blades and even makes french fries! This saves a lot of space and fewer pieces to buy for the home. (affiliate link here 🙂

Step 5: Place all chopped vegetables and diced meat in a bowl, add dill, salt, and mayonnaise, and mix. Add salt to taste. If you like your potato salad super creamy, add more mayonnaise.

After mixing everything together, your potato salad Olivier should look nice and colorful. You cannot resist the urge to sit down and enjoy a bowl of olivie immediately. I dare you to wait an hour, not!

Ingredient Variations and Tips for the Best Olivye Salad

Make this olivie salad your own just like I did in this recipe.

Protein: Choose your favorite. Chicken, ham, Alex Meat bologna, salami, sweet Lebanon bologna—these are some ideas. I liked the salami in my olivye, so I just chose a version without nitrates or nitrites to ensure I get the healthier version.

Potatoes: There are different kinds of potatoes—Yukon gold, white, russet, and red. I have tried them all, but my favorite by far is the russet. It has so much flavor and more starch than the other potatoes, giving the salad a hearty taste.

Peas: You can use frozen or canned peas. Frozen peas give the salad a vibrant green color, while canned peas blend more with the pickles, other than the shape, haha.

Sauce: I have a recipe for homemade mayonnaise, which I used in this salad. You can also use Greek yogurt. I recommend a whole-fat version for better flavor.

Pickles: I love the sour and dill flavor of the Mt. Olive Kosher baby dill pickles. They give the perfect tart, and I love dill, so the flavor is spot on. But I have to say, nothing beats good homemade pickles in olive oil.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long can I store olivye potato salad?

You can store the olive salad for 3-4 days; the flavors will be amazing. Some have said they've had it in their fridge for up to one week, and the salad was still delicious.

Can I freeze the potato salad?

Freezing the salad is not recommended as the texture will change, and the veggies can turn into mush.

Conclusion

Olivye is more than just a salad or a side dish. It's part of a culture and the many holiday celebrations that bring family and friends together at one table to make memories. Recreate this olivye potato salad to embrace its rich flavors and history.

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