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Romanian Potato Salad - Oriental Salad

This Romanian potato salad, known as Salata Orientala, is a classic made with gherkins, olives, and eggs, commonly found in every Romanian home.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
50 mins
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 503 kcal
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Romanian

Ingredients

Salad:
  • 2 lbs waxy potatoes 1 kg
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 large red onion
  • 4 hard-boiled eggs
  • 4 oz sweet-sour cucumbers (gherkins) 120 g, more to taste
  • 10 black olives Note 2
  • 10 green olives
Dressing:
  • 1-2 tablespoons white wine vinegar to taste
  • 2 tablespoons gherkin water or more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon medium mustard or Dijon mustard
  • 4 tablespoons sunflower oil
  • fine sea salt and pepper
  • a small bunch of parsley

Instructions

Salad:
    Cup of Yum
  1. Cook potatoes: Wash the potatoes. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon salt and the potatoes. Bring to a simmer again and cook for 15-20 minutes or until you can easily pierce the potatoes with a fork. Drain well and let cool slightly. Peel the potatoes and cut them into slices. Place them into a bowl.2 lbs waxy potatoes/ 1 kg + 1 tablespoon salt
  2. Prepare ingredients: Quarter the onion and slice it thinly. Add to the bowl. Slice the hard-boiled eggs and the gherkins and add them to the salad as well. Finally, add the olives; you can either leave them whole or slice them.1 large red onion + 4 hard-boiled eggs + 4 oz sweet-sour cucumbers (gherkins) + 10 black olives + 10 green olives
Dressing:
  1. Whisk 1 tablespoon of the vinegar, gherkin water, and mustard. Slowly add the sunflower oil while whisking all the time until the dressing emulsifies slightly. Add salt and pepper generously.1-2 tablespoons white wine vinegar + 2 tablespoons gherkin water or more to taste + 1 teaspoon medium mustard or Dijon mustard + 4 tablespoons sunflower oil + fine sea salt and pepper
  2. Combine: Pour the dressing over the salad and mix gently until all the ingredients are coated with the sauce.
  3. Adjust taste and add more vinegar or gherkin water and salt to taste.
  4. Serve: Stir again before serving and adjust the taste again if necessary; you could add one extra tablespoon of oil, vinegar, gherkin water, and salt and pepper. Chop the parsley and sprinkle it over the salad just before serving.a small bunch of parsley

Notes

  • Serving: The Romanian potato salad is usually served as a main dish. However, it makes an excellent side dish for grilled meats, sausages, and so on.
  • Preferably unpitted black olives; they taste so much better. However, if using them, warn the people at the table about the pit.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1/4 of the salad Calories 503kcal (25%) Carbohydrates 66g (22%) Protein 13g (26%) Fat 22g (34%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Polyunsaturated Fat 17g Cholesterol 187mg (62%) Sodium 744mg (31%) Fiber 7g (28%) Sugar 12g (24%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4people

Amount Per Serving

Calories 503

% Daily Value*

Serving 1/4 of the salad
Calories 503kcal 25%
Carbohydrates 66g 22%
Protein 13g 26%
Fat 22g 34%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Polyunsaturated Fat 17g 100%
Cholesterol 187mg 62%
Sodium 744mg 31%
Fiber 7g 28%
Sugar 12g 24%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.