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beef salad (salata de beouf) on a white serving bowl topping with mayonnaise.
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4.78 from 35 votes

Beef Salad (Salata de boeuf)

This Beef Salad, known as "Salata de Boeuf" in Romania, is a popular dish typically served as an appetizer or a side dish at holiday celebrations, such as Easter or Christmas. The salad typically consists of boiled beef, diced carrots, potatoes, and pickles, all mixed together with mayonnaise and sometimes other seasonings or herbs. It's a delicious and classic Romanian dish that is sure to impress your family and friends.
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time2 hours 15 minutes
Total Time3 hours 15 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Dinner, Side Dish
Cuisine: Romanian
Keyword: beef, salad, salata, salata de boeuf
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 615kcal
Author: Joanna Cismaru

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds beef or turkey or chicken, white or dark meat
  • 2 pounds potatoes peeled
  • 1 pound carrots peeled
  • 1½ cups pickles chopped
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup mustard
  • ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon pepper or to taste
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Add the beef to a pot of boiling water and cook it for about 2 hours. You can also use an Instant Pot to cook it faster. If using an Instant pot cook it on high pressure for 1 hour. Transfer the meat to a bowl and let it cool before chopping.
    process shots showing how to make beef salad (salata de beouf).
  • Add the potatoes and carrots to a large pot and cover with water. Season with a teaspoon of salt. Bring the water to a boil and cook the potatoes and carrots until they are fork tender, should take about 15 minutes. Drain and cool slightly.
    process shots showing how to make beef salad (salata de beouf).
  • Chop the meat, potatoes, carrots and pickles; they should all be small pieces about ¼ inch by ¼ inch. Drain all the liquid from the diced pickles and the peas. I usually place them in a paper towel lined bowl to soak up all the extra liquid.
    process shots showing how to make beef salad (salata de beouf).
  • Add all the veggies and meat to a big bowl, then add the mayo and mustard, season with salt and pepper and mix everything together.
    process shots showing how to make beef salad (salata de beouf).
  • The salad is often decorated to make it more visually appealing and festive. The decoration typically involves arranging colorful vegetables, herbs, and other garnishes on top of the salad in an attractive and creative way. For simplicity, I simply smoothed out the top and topped it more mayonnaise. Now, serve the salad immediately or put it in the fridge to stay cold.
    process shots showing how to make beef salad (salata de beouf).

Video

Notes

  1. You can use chicken or turkey instead of beef for this recipe.
  2. You can use the broth from boiling the meat and veggies to make a soup.
  3. Roasting cuts like sirloin or chuck roast work best for this recipe.
  4. This salad will last up to 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container. If stored in a bowl, make sure to cover it tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. This salad does not freeze well, so I wouldn't recommend freezing leftovers.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 615kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 805mg | Potassium: 1047mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 10022IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 4mg