Russian Beet Salad with Walnuts and Prunes is very simple to make but tastes amazing and looks very pretty. Folks often serve it to guests as part of a festive dinner, and I remember it being more of a treat than an everyday meal.
In Russia, most sour cream based salads, including this beet salad, are made the night before, which allows the flavor to develop. I often make beets in advance using a slow cooker where I place the beets wrapped in foil, and turn it on high for about 2 hours. The lower heat allows the beets to preserve more of its antioxidants. If you don’t have one, grab a little one at Target for under $15. If you don’t know how to justify it – try wrapping potatoes in foil and cooking them for 2 hours – you will never go back to an oven baked potato again.
There are two ways to tell if the beets are ready: they start to smell yummy, almost caramel-like, or if you insert a fork it’ll go in easily. The beets that are done perfectly will have the skin almost slide off when you touch it. Using a paring knife to remove the skin works way better than a vegetable peeler.
Prunes are a popular addition to salads in Russia because of their sweetness, chewy texture and mild taste that complements other flavors. They are not considered to be ‘for old people only’, but a delicious dried fruit, which happens to be full of nutrients. Check out this summary of several studies looking at health benefits of prunes.
HOW TO MAKE RUSSIAN BEET SALAD WITH WALNUTS AND PRUNES
- 3 beets
- 1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
- 1 cup finely chopped prunes
- 3 tablespoons of sour cream, preferably raw
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- Wrap the beets in foil, and roast in the oven at 350ºF for 1.5 hours. Or you can cook them in a slow cooker, also wrapped in foil, on high for 2 hours.
- Let the beets cool, peel the skin off, cut the root stems off.
- You can either grate the beets or chop them finely.
- Add walnuts, prunes, sour cream, kefir, salt and pepper. Mix well.
- Allow to sit in the fridge for a couple of hours, or better overnight, for the flavors to develop.
Russian Beet Salad with Walnuts and Prunes
Ingredients
- 3 beets
- 1/2 cup walnuts toasted and chopped
- 1 cup prunes finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons sour cream
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Wrap the beets in foil, and roast in the oven at 350ºF for 1.5 hours. Or you can cook them in a slow cooker, also wrapped in foil, on high for 2 hours.
- Let the beets cool, peel the skin off, cut the root stems off.
- You can either grate the beets or chop them finely.
- Add walnuts, prunes, sour cream, kefir, salt and pepper. Mix well.
- Allow to sit in the fridge for a couple of hours, or better overnight, for the flavors to develop.
