Beet Salad Recipe: Costa Rican ‘Ensalada Rusa’ Full of Flavor

Ensalada Rusa (beet salad) is a traditional cold beetroot salad commonly eaten in Costa Rica- and other Latin American countries. Although there are many variations of this salad recipe the staple ingredients involve Beet, potatoes, carrots, and boiled eggs. All of these ingredients are mixed together with a mayonnaise base and served with accompanying sides like rice, green salads, and protein of choice.

Notably, this is typically a dish made in Costa Rican homes for special events and dinners, you can also find this beet salad in Sodas. ‘Sodas’ are small local restaurants that serve traditional Costa Rican food which may vary from region-to-region.

For example, in the Caribbean side of the country you may expect to see local dishes like “rice and beans” which is a coconut milk base rice served commonly with chicken, or patty- which is a flavorful beef patty.

If you’re looking to try the traditional beet salad, you can expect to find it in Sodas near the central valley like Zarcero, Heredia, and even the Capitol- San Jose.

Recipe Twist

Although the original recipe is amazing on its own, we are going to make a few alterations.

We are adding Bacon!

Bacon is not traditionally added to this cold beet salad; however, it is the perfect pairing with the starchy vegetables and added a hint of unexpected texture. This beet salad recipe is one that will leave your mouth watering even before you finish making the salad.  

This is the perfect dish to bring to a potluck, serve for a special family dinner, and include in your meal prep and a side dish for the week.

Let’s get started!

Ingredients needed

• Beet root
• Carrot
• 1 Potato
• 5 eggs
• Package of Bacon
• 1 Red Pepper
• ½ small red onion
• 1 Celery stalk
• ¼ of a bunch of Cilantro
• 1 Lemon
• 1/2 of Mayonnaise
• Mustard (to taste)
• Salt (to taste)
• Pepper (to taste)

Equipment

• Large Pot
• Large dish
• Cutting Board
• Knife
• Pan
• Bowl
• Plate
• Paper towel
• Peeler
• Fork and spoon

Step-by-Step instructions

Step 1: Preheat your oven for 350 degrees and prepare your bacon in a pan. We are going to use a basic pan and parchment paper so that the bacon will easily lay

Step 2: Next wash and peel your beet, potatoes, and carrot

Step 3: After you have peeled and prepared your veggies, you can grab your large pot and start boiling some water. We like to add salt to the water which helps add a bit of flavor to the veggies

Step 4: Once the water has boiled add your carrot, beets, potatoes, and eggs to the pot with boiling water

Step 5: In the meantime, wash and finely chop your celery, cilantro, red onion, and red pepper. You can mix that into a large bowl and set it aside

Step 6: Once you notice the bacon is crispy and golden, we suggest you place a paper towel on a plate and place the bacon on top of the paper towel to help the bacon rest and remove access grease

Step 7: After the eggs have been in the boiled for about 15 minute you can remove from boiling water and peel.

Step 8: Then once the beets, carrots, and potatoes have soften, you can remove from water and allow them to sit and cool down for about 5-7minutes. You want to make sure that they are not overly soft so make sure to frequently keep an eye on them. The goal is soft enough to poke a fork through but not make mashed potatoes.

Step 9: Once they have cooled down you can then chop into small, diced sizes and mix into the large bowl.

Step 10: After this you can mix in all the other remaining ingredients, mayonnaise, eggs, and bacon

Step 11: Lastly you can season to taste. We like to lightly salt the salad to add some added flavor

Step 12: Serve and enjoy!

Serving Suggestions

This salad is the perfect side dish to pair with any protein like chicken or a nice ribeye, but if you want to keep it simple you can make this dish the main meal and serve if with a side of chips to add some nice texture to. With Chips this salad goes from a small side dish to the main dish. Truthfully, it’s perfect for dipping.

Here we paired it with a spinach salad and fried egg. It keeps the overall dish light, full of flavor, and well balanced.

Recipe Card

Try it Yourself!

Are you ready to transport your taste buds to Costa Rica with this vibrant Ensalada Rusa!?!

Try this easy beet salad recipe today and bring a little taste of pura vida to your next meal. Don’t wait—your perfect side dish is just a few steps away! Leave your rating in the comments section below and let us know what you think about this unique dish.

God Bless