Russian Vinegret – A Vibrant Russian Beet Salad with a Modern Twist (Винегрет/Vinaigrette)

• 3 medium beets
• 4 medium Russet potatoes
• 2 medium carrots, peeled
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 14 oz (398 ml) can of sweet green peas, drained
• 1 28 oz (796 ml) can of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 5 pickles, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) sauerkraut, drained (or more to taste)
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil (or more to taste)
• 2–3 tbsp (30–45 ml) white or apple cider vinegar (to taste)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Roasted Beets

   1

   Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Scrub the beets and cut off the roots. Cover each beet in aluminium foil and place on a baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 to 1.5 hours until tender when tested with a butter knife (which should go all the way through the beet with little resistance). Be careful not to overcook the beets; you want them to maintain their shape and still have a very gentle bite to them—don't let them get mushy! Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Peel and chop into ½ to ¾ inch (1.3 to 2 cm) cubes. I like using disposable gloves when peeling and dicing beets for easy cleanup.

2. Boiled Vegetables

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   Scrub the potatoes, place them in a pot, and cover them with water. Place the carrots on top. Simmer on medium-low until the potatoes are cooked and can be easily pierced with a fork, which is anywhere from 15 to 25 minutes depending on the size; your carrots will, however, be done in just about 10 minutes, so remove them earlier than the potatoes. You are not trying to make fall-apart mashed potatoes here, but you also don't want crunchy potatoes in your salad. Rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process and cool completely. Chop the potatoes into ½ to ¾ inch (1.3 to 2 cm) cubes; chop the carrots into ⅓ inch (0.8 cm) rounds.

3. Assembly

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   Combine all of the ingredients—beets, potatoes, carrots, diced onion, peas, kidney beans, pickles, and sauerkraut—in a large bowl. Drizzle the olive oil and vinegar over top, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir gently to combine. Refrigerate for a couple of hours for the flavours to meld. Serve and enjoy!