Russian Vinaigrette Salad

Vinaigrette salad plated with a side of bread, ready to eat (October 31, 2025). Photo by Somer Qureshi.

RussianVinaigrette Salad: A Sweet and Tangy Memory

by Somer Qureshi

Hovering around the dinner table on New Year’s Eve, I saw a lot of salad: green salads, white salads, cabbage salads, and one in particular that caught my eye–a vibrant pink beet salad. As my family took their seats at the table, admiring the colorful array of dishes before us, I picked the chair closest to the fluorescent wonder, eager to be the judge of its flavor. Quickly, I realized it was a traditional Russian appetizer known as vinaigrette. As a staple in my household, this dish, made of various root vegetables, reflects my mother’s heritage and never fails to trigger a wave of nostalgia.

Vinaigrette, sometimes spelled vinegret, has no confirmed country of origin; however, it arrived in Russia from Europe in the late 18th century (Syutkin and Syutkin). The phonetics of the name suggest that it is derived from the French word vinaigre, meaning “vinegar” (Kushkova). Initially introduced as a “cleansing dish” to transition between meal courses, today, it is generally served as a first-course side or salad (Syutkin and Syutkin).

Vinaigrette salad ingredients in a bowl, before mixing and serving (October 31, 2025). Photo by Somer Qureshi.

Ingredients for making vinaigrette salad laid out (October 31, 2025). Photo by Somer Qureshi.

Additionally, vinaigrette has remained popular due to the vegetation and climate of Eastern Europe and Russia (Gabriela). According to The Bossy Kitchen food blog, “in Eastern Europe root vegetables were the only vegetables available during the cold season, so people were used to making versatile recipes out of potatoes, carrots, beets, and pickles.” Limited by the hard ground and inability to grow crops, citizens in these areas developed this recipe to utilize the resources available (Gabriela). According to my mother, who grew up in Russia in the 1970s, this fact remains true; soil quality and weather continue to impact people’s daily dietary choices.

Further, the vibrant beet salad has significant geographical and cultural significance. Specifically, the influence of vinaigrette is vast and has reached many Slavic or post-Soviet nations (Gabriela). For example, a Ukrainian version often includes pickles, peas, and even mustard, highlighting regional variations of the same dish (Macri). Although there are differences in how other cultures enjoy their vinaigrette, the dish is always present as a reminder of our common heritage during any celebration. In most Slavic countries, vinaigrette is served in the fall or winter, especially during holidays such as Christmas and New Year’s Eve (Gabriela). It can be spotted on the dining table during momentous occasions, where family and community come together. Each time it is served, it is always the first thing on everyone’s plate, acting as a greeting for our guests for the eventful night ahead.

My mother’s vinaigrette recipe consists of boiled potatoes, beets, carrots, red onions, homemade pickled cabbage, and sunflower oil mixed thoroughly. According to her, the preparation is not complicated or time-consuming. This dish is a convenient option as it can be refrigerated and served cold. Despite vinaigrette having a multitude of variations, the sentiment of my mother’s recipe keeps me coming back for more.

Vinaigrette gives me a very nostalgic sensory experience. A bite of tangy pickled cabbage, vegetables, and a dash of oil reminds me of my grandmother, my mother, and their roots in another country. The sight of rich, pink beets slowly bleeding their color into the other ingredients, staining them brighter and brighter, is reminiscent of how I have inherited these customs and embraced them myself, hoping to pass them down one day. Eating this food again, especially my mother’s version, transports me to a place of warmth, love, and family, instantly connecting me to my ancestry and cultural traditions. Vinaigrette salad is more than an appetizer to me—it is a symbol of who I am and how my identity has been shaped by those who came before me.

Works Cited

Gabriela. “Russian Vinaigrette Salad Recipe.” The Bossy Kitchen, 11 Feb. 2021, www.thebossykitchen.com/russian-cooked-vegetable-salad/. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.

Kushkova, Anna. “At the Center of the Table: The Rise and Fall of the Olivier Salad.” Russian Studies in History, vol. 50, no. 1, 1 July 2011, pp. 44–96, doi:10.2753/RSH1061-1983500103. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.

Macri, Irena. “Vinegret (Ukrainian Beet Salad).” Cooked & Loved, 7 June 2012, www.cookedandloved.com/recipes/ukrainian-vinegret-salad-beetroot/. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.

Qureshi, Somer. Photo of Russian vinaigrette salad ingredients. 31 Oct. 2025. Author’s personal collection.

Qureshi, Somer. Photo of Russian vinaigrette salad plated. 31 Oct. 2025. Author’s personal collection.

Qureshi, Somer. Photo of Russian vinaigrette salad in bowl before mixing. 31 Oct. 2025. Author’s personal collection.

Syutkin, Pavel, and Olga Syutkin. “A Short History of Russian Salads.” The Moscow Times, 7 Oct. 2023, www.themoscowtimes.com/2023/10/07/a-short-history-of-russian-salads-a82690. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.

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