Traditional Finnish Rosolli Salad with Creamy Beet Sauce
This traditional Finnish Rosolli Salad is a colorful and festive side dish often served at Christmas. Made with diced root vegetables, apple, and pickles, it’s a refreshing and beautifully vibrant addition to any holiday table. Paired with its classic creamy beet sauce, this dish is a true Finnish favorite that’s simple, charming, and full of nostalgic flavor.
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
