My boeuf salad is the perfect harmony of tender beef, crisp vegetables, and a creamy mayo dressing.
It’s barely a twist on the classic Olivier salad, crossing cultural borders whilst offering simple clean flavors. And if you love olives, chargrilled peppers and all things pickled, adorn your platters and bowls with them, make art that impresses your guests. Because this dish is made for celebrations 🫶!
There has been no Christmas, New Year or family celebration in my childhood without this salad. It’s a winter salad though and the flavors are hearty and satisfying.
Mum always made her own mayonnaise. During the communist regime, the food supply was scarce in the food shops (“alimentara”), but we were lucky enough to have our grandparents farm. Which meant oil and eggs were abundant.
These are the ingredients you need to make a good mayo: egg yolks, oil, mustard and lemon juice, with a little sparkling water. I remember the drama when the mayonnaise split 😍!
I use store bought, but if you want to make mayo from scratch, this homemade mayonnaise is a winner!
And so I seem to carry on the tradition: every Christmas and New Year there will be a massive platter or two of Boeuf salad in my fridge. Ready for a midnight snack or a quick lunch when everyone had far too much too eat and too much screentime LOL.
What you’ll love about this recipe
Boeuf Salad, or Salată de boeuf, is a classic and cherished dish in Romanian cuisine. This traditional dish takes center stage at festive gatherings and special occasions.
It’s a blend of finely chopped beef, or alternatively chicken or turkey breast, combined with an array of root vegetables. The ingredients are folded into a creamy mayonnaise dressing and adorned with flavorful dill pickled gherkins and other pickled vegetable garnishes (mum makes these picante peppers for winter with a hot vinegar and oil brine, whole peppercorns and cherry twigs, they slice really nicely to decorate the final article) . If you opt for a vegetarian twist, fear not – this dish can be easily transformed into a delicious vegetarian version, just skip the beef.
- A Fusion of Flavors: Say goodbye to boring salads! My Boeuf Salad is a medley of savory and tangy notes, bringing together the robust taste of beef brisket, the earthiness of celeriac, and the sweetness of carrots. The creamy mayo dressing, and Dijon mustard, ties everything together, creating such clean simple flavors. Perfect for gatherings or as a hearty meal, this salad is not just a dish; it’s an experience.
- Easy to make: if you have no cooking skills, this recipe is for you. You literally boil everything, let it cool then chop everything in small dices mix with your dressing, decorate and voila! Impressive dish for your party has been accomplished 😜!
- No waste & double the meals: the broth will give you another meal, all the flavors from the beef and veggies will not go to waste. You don’t even need another dish, just use the same pot!
- Nutrient-Rich Goodness: You have wholesome vegetables, probiotic yogurt, what’s not to love? Such simplicity yet brings an abundance of nutrients for your gut health!
- Gluten-Free: If you are avoiding gluten, this recipe will work for you.
- Versatile and Customizable: You can totally swap the beef for chicken or turkey, and if you want to be closer to the heart of Olivier salad you can add cooked green peas. I encourage you to experiment with different decor, why not scatter some parsley and pomegranate seeds or slices of hard boiled eggs and capers?
Watch how to make boeuf salad
Ingredients you’ll need
- Beef brisket – I bought mine from a local butcher for tender flavorsome beef brisket, you need a cut that’s not too lean, but not too fatty because you will be slicing and dicing the meat after it has simmered and tender.
- Carrots – large are better, because you can slice them faster
- Celeriac – a medium one will do, peel and cut into large wedges
- Salad potatoes – I used the most amazing Vivaldi potatoes, I boil them with the skin on
- Pickled gherkins – avoid the ones that have sugar in the ingredients list
- Mayonnaise – make your own, I use store bought, but always free range real mayo!
- Yogurt (or more mayo) – a few good spoonfools of thick Greek yogurt are not traditional, but oh, such a game changer!
- Dijon mustard – liven it up with a hint of tangy mustard
- Lemon juice – squeeze half a lemon and give it a taste. Add more if needed!
- Salt – I use Cornish sea salt, but any salt works. Be generous with the seasoning, because somehow, the next day taste less salty.
- Black pepper – a generous freshly cracked black pepper
- Olives – optional, for garnish or decoration
- Chargrilled peppers – optional, for garnish or decoration
How to make boeuf salad (step-by-step)
Time needed: 3 hours
This classic Boeuf salad is bursting with flavors and textures. This salad is not only a feast for your taste buds, but also a celebration of wholesome ingredients which you can put together with this easy-to-follow guide.
- Prepare and cook the beef and veggies
Peel the carrots and celeriac, leave the carrots whole, but slice the celeriac into large wedges. In a large pot with lid, add water to cover and simmer the beef brisket and vegetables until tender but still firm. Skim the scum formed from the meat, you can then use the stock to make a wonderful beef broth.
- Cool and chop the vegetables
The vegetables will only take 15-20 minutes to cook, so they can be removed from the broth first.
- Boil the potatoes
Give the potatoes a wash then boil them with the skin on in a medium sized pot until fork tender but still firm (this takes 20-25 minutes). Drain and allow to cool.
- Dice everything
Take the beef out of the broth after 2 hours. Allow the beef and veggies to cool, then dice into 0.5 cm (or around quarter of an inch) pieces. Drain the gherkins and dice them too. Place all the diced veggies, pickles and meat in a huge bowl. Don’t worry about mixing at this stage, you won’t want to overmix so to keep the shape of your diced ingredients.
- Make the dressing
In a separate large bowl, whisk together mayo, yogurt (or additional mayo), Dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
- Mix everything
Combine the diced brisket and vegetables with the dressing until mixed well and all the bits are coated.
- Decorate the salad (or salads)
I ended up with a platter and a large salad bowl, but a large platter will work, just build the salad taller. On my platter, I placed a glass in the middle then build the salad tight around it patting it down with a spatula. Slather a thin layer of mayonnaise, then decorate with pitted olives that you have sliced in halves. Be creative here: make patterns with sliced peppers, more gherkins and herbs.
- Serve and Enjoy
Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour but preferably overnight before serving to let the flavors meld. Serve chilled and savor the goodness!
Pro Tips
- Add a few teaspoons of salt to the potatoes just before they are nearly cooked, they will absorb some salt already, as they take a day or so to take on the seasonings from the dressing.
- Perfectly Tender Brisket: Simmer the brisket on low heat to achieve tenderness without losing its firm texture.
- Keep the stock: I always make a broth from the stock in which the beef brisket and vegetables have boiled. Reserve some of the beef and veggies to thicken it up, add a few dumplings and you have another meal!
- If you want, you can divide evenly into individual small bowls and decorate each bowl.
- BEST TIP: make ahead and keep in the fridge for several days. It will reduce your stress levels before the festivities 😜!
Preparation time
It takes around 15 – 20 minutes to prepare the veggies.
Then another 5 minutes to prepare the dressing. I am being generous here, because I know myself (not always super organised 😉).
Beef cooking time
The beef takes around 2 hours to cook until tender. Remember to take the veggies out after 15-20 minutes, they need to be firm, otherwise you won’t be able to dice them.
Mixing time
Mixing is a doddle! In 5 minutes, you would have brought everything together in a flavorsome embrace.
Total time
I would allow 30 minutes for decorating, but this is very generous, just in case you are a Picasso in disguise LOL! So in 3 hours you will have accomplished your festive dish!
Nutritional benefits
Of course the abundance of vegetables in the Bouef salad makes this dish such a wholesome nourishing option. But for me, the hero here are the cooked and cooled potatoes, with that amazing resistant starch (enhancing the prebiotic effect). Feed those friendly gut bacteria happy!
Servings
This recipe yields 6-8 portions, enough for a small gathering, or several lunches 😉.
What to serve with Boeuf salad
- Display even more pickled gherkins, chargrilled peppers, olives and even slices of hardboiled eggs to serve next to this salad.
- I just grab a chunk of crusty bread and keep going: it’s hard to stop eating this salad, I’m telling you. I guess because the different textures entice you to take another bite, then another…
- If you make a roast, you can serve this salad as a side dish, the same way you would a potato salad. Speaking of which, I encourage you to make my gorgeously easy potato salad!
variations and substitutions
- VEGETARIAN: If you want this recipe vegetarian, just skip the beef!
- VEGAN: For a vegan option, there are tons of vegan mayo options outthere, so just replace the mayonnaise and yogurt and of course, no beef.
- If you are after a quicker cooking time, replace the beef with chicken or turkey, or even cubed ham.
- If you are not a fan of celeriac (my hubby Dave isn’t either, but this recipe hides it well 😉), replace it with parsnip.
- I’ve known Romanian friends that add cooked peas in their Boeuf salad, so try it, why not? More veggie goodness!
This Boeuf Salad will give you a rich taste of beef brisket with the crunch of fresh vegetables and a tangy dressing. You will want to make this easy salad not only for your Christmas and New Year holidays, but for all of your parties too!
- If you make my recipe, take a snapshot for your Instagram
- Post and tag me @candyflosie😉🤗!
- Don’t forget to rate my recipe! It will make my day!
Boeuf salad FAQ
Absolutely! In fact, the flavors deepen when left to chill for a few hours. Make it a day ahead for a stress-free serving experience.
While brisket adds a unique richness, you can experiment with chicken or turkey for a lighter alternative without compromising on taste.
Certainly! Customize the dressing to your preference. More mayo for creaminess or extra yogurt for a tangy kick – it’s your salad, your rules!
The name itself hints at a potential French influence, as “bœuf” translates to beef in French. Notably reminiscent of the renowned Olivier salad, a Russian culinary counterpart, Boeuf Salad stands as a testament to the diverse and flavorful world of international cuisine.
In fact even Olivieh salad (which is a Persian version) has similarities, although it uses chicken not beef. Talk about a small world 😉!
Boiling the spuds with their skins keeps them in shape, choose sturdy salad potatoes for best results. My choice were golden Vivaldi potatoes, they are sweet and have a wonderful bite!
Boeuf Salad
Equipment
- 1 large pot with lid for boiling the beef and vegetables
- 1 medium pot for boiling the potatoes
- 1 very large bowl for mixing everything (5 l should work )
- 1 large serving platter (or individual salad bowls for serving)
- 1 large spoon for plating
- 1 spoon for mixing
- 1 dicer I use a Nova dicer, but you can just use a sharp knife
Ingredients
- 1 kg beef brisket
- 700 g carrots
- 1 medium celeriac 500g
- 1 kg salad potatoes
- 200 g pickled gherkins
- 300 g mayonnaise plus a little more for decorating
- 100 g yogurt or replace with more mayo
- 50 g Dijon mustard
- Juice from 1 lemon
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
Instructions
Prepare and cook the beef and veggies
- Peel the carrots and celeriac, leave the carrots whole, but slice the celeriac into large wedges.
- In a large pot with lid, add cold water to cover and simmer the beef brisket and vegetables until tender but still firm.
- Skim the scum formed from the meat. Keep it after you finished, you can then use the stock to make a wonderful beef broth.
Cool and chop the vegetables
- The vegetables will only take 15-20 minutes to cook, so they can be removed from the broth first with a slotted spoon or tongs.
- Allow to cool.
Boil the potatoes
- Whilst the beef carries on simmering, give the potatoes a wash then boil them with the skin on in a medium sized pot until fork tender but still firm (this takes 20-25 minutes).
- Drain and allow to cool.
Make the dressing
- Make the dressing whilst waiting for veggies to cool down.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together mayo, yogurt (or additional mayo), Dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
Dice everything
- Take the beef out of the broth after 2 hours.
- Allow the beef and veggies to cool, then dice into 0.5 cm (or around quarter of an inch) pieces.
- Drain the gherkins and dice them too.
- Place all the diced veggies, pickles and meat in a huge bowl.
- Don't worry about mixing at this stage, you won't want to overmix so to keep the shape of your diced ingredients.
Mix everything
- Combine the diced brisket and vegetables with the dressing until mixed well and all the bits are coated.
Decorate the salad (or salads)
- This recipe filled a platter and a large salad bowl, but a large platter will work, just build the salad taller. On my platter, I placed a glass in the middle then build the salad tight around it patting it down with a spatula. You can just fill the whole platter surface, no need to have a hole in the middle.
- Slather a thin layer of mayonnaise, then decorate with pitted olives that you have sliced in halves.
- Be creative here: make patterns with sliced peppers, more gherkins and herbs.
Serve and Enjoy!
- Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour but preferably overnight before serving to let the flavors meld.
- Serve chilled and savor the goodness!
Video
Notes
