Finnish rosolli salad is a colorful, traditional Christmas dish made from diced root vegetables, apples, and pickles, served with a lightly sweet, creamy beet-tinted sauce. It’s a staple on Finnish holiday tables, keeps beautifully in the fridge for several days, and makes a refreshing, naturally vegetarian side throughout the Christmas season.
A Beloved Finnish Christmas Classic
Rosolli has been part of my family’s Christmas table for as long as I can remember. Every year, I prepare a generous batch before Christmas Eve and store it in the fridge, taking out a portion each day to serve alongside the rest of the festive spread. Its bright colors and sweet-savory flavor bring balance to richer dishes like baked hams, salmon, casseroles, and other sides.
This salad is traditionally served either “striped,” with each ingredient arranged neatly in rows, or mixed together so the flavors meld beautifully. In my family, we always mix the ingredients. I find that the beetroot lightly coloring the potatoes and carrots makes the salad more cohesive and even more delicious. The creamy sauce, lightly tinted pink with beetroot cooking liquid, adds a soft, velvety counterpoint that ties everything together.
Another thing I love about rosolli is its versatility. It’s naturally vegetarian, yet hearty enough to enjoy on its own as a light holiday lunch. When I want to add extra protein, a few cubes of blue cheese, soft goat cheese, cottage cheese, smoked ham, or even smoked salmon pair wonderfully without overpowering the dish.
Why Rosolli Belongs on Every Christmas Table
Rosolli is more than a salad. It’s a celebration of Nordic winter ingredients. Potatoes, carrots, and beets form the base, while apples and pickles give it brightness and acidity. The simplicity of the ingredients makes it affordable, accessible, and easy to prepare for a crowd.
Because the salad keeps well for several days, it’s perfect for the long Finnish Christmas festivities, where meals stretch across multiple days. You can prepare it ahead of time, let it sit in the fridge to develop flavor, and enjoy it whenever needed. It’s one of the reasons rosolli has remained a classic: it’s unfussy, reliable, and always festive.
How to Serve Rosolli
Serve rosolli chilled, either mixed or in the traditional striped layout. Add the cream sauce just before serving, or serve it like me, on the side for guests to spoon over their plates. A sprinkle of finely chopped red onion or leek and fresh parsley makes it extra beautiful.
If you’re looking for more Finnish recipes, check out my full Finnish cuisine collection for traditional and modern dishes. For more festive sides, try my Finnish wild mushroom salad or a classic cured salmon recipe, perfect additions to Christmas tables. Serve rosolli with Finnish Christmas casseroles, Rutabaga Casserole, Sweetened Potato Casserole, or Carrot casserole.
The full recipe for the Rosolli is just below. Wishing you a cozy, delicious start to the holiday season.
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Traditional Finnish Rosolli Salad with Creamy Beet Sauce
Ingredients
Rosolli Salad
- 4 medium waxy potatoes
- 3 medium carrots
- 4 medium beets
- 2 Granny Smith apples or another tart variety
- 2 pickles maustekurkku
- 1 small red onion or a piece of leek for garnish or mixing in, optional
- Small bunch of parsley for garnish
Creamy Beet Sauce
- 200 ml cream
- 1 tsp vinegar
- Salt to taste
- Sugar to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- 1 –2 tsp beet cooking liquid
Instructions
Cook the vegetables
- Wash the potatoes, carrots, and beets thoroughly.
- Cook each vegetable in a separate pots until just tender:
- Add ½ tsp salt to the potato water.
- Add ½ tsp salt + ½ tsp sugar to both the carrot and beet water.
- If the carrots are very thin at one end, cut them in half before cooking for more even doneness.
Let all vegetables cool, then peel them.
Dice the ingredients
- Cut the cooked potatoes, carrots, and beets into small 0.5 cm cubes.
- Peel and dice the apples.
- Dice the pickles.
- Finely chop the red onion or leek if using.
Assemble the rosolli
- Mix all ingredients in a bowl for a rustic version, or arrange each ingredient separately in neat rows for a beautiful, traditional striped presentation.
- Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to develop the flavors.
Garnish
- Top with chopped parsley and a sprinkle of red onion or leek.
Creamy Beet Sauce
- Whip the cream until softly thickened.
- Add 1–2 teaspoons of beet cooking liquid to tint it light pink.
- Season with vinegar, salt, sugar, and black pepper to taste.
- Serve alongside the rosolli or spoon over portions just before serving.
Notes
