Ensaladilla Rusa

Immediately recognisable on almost every bar counter in Spain, it is the go-to tapa available across the entire country

Andrew J. Linn

Marbella

Friday, 4 April 2025, 14:42

The full name is Ensaladilla Rusa, or Russian salad, although it is more commonly referred to as simply ensaladilla. Immediately recognisable on almost every bar counter in Spain as a mound of roughly chopped potatoes in mayonnaise, it is the go-to, simplest tapa available across the entire country. Indeed, when confronted with the dazzling array of tapa selections, or pintxos as they are known in the north, many people will rather boringly opt for it.

Despite being a staple of Spanish bars, it was originally created in the 19th century by Lucien Olivier, a Belgian-French chef working in Moscow. His original version featured game meats, caviar, and crayfish. Spain, however, made it its own with simpler, humbler, ingredients such as potatoes, mayonnaise, tuna, boiled eggs, carrots, and peas. Some versions add olives, roasted red peppers, or prawns and no beer or sherry session is complete without it, usually accompanied by crispy breadsticks.

During Franco's dictatorship, the name Ensaladilla Rusa was considered unpatriotic due to Cold War tensions and Spain's anti-communist stance. Some menus even started calling it Ensaladilla Nacional but the original name survived. The bar-made version usually features olive oil, unlike store-bought products that use sunflower oil. This gives the authentic Ensaladilla Rusa a richer taste. Spanish chefs recommend boiling unpeeled potatoes in salted water as this helps maintain the right texture, keeping the salad creamy but not mushy. Actually, the Canary Island version is tastier, being made with a spicy red pepper sauce.

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