Rosolli Finnish Beetroot Salad

Rosolli is a Finnish vegetable salad that's traditionally served at Christmas. It's made with beetroot, potatoes, carrots, apple, onion and pickles with a tangy and sweet dressing. A delicious vegetable salad for any time of the year.

You'll love this easy Finnish Rosolli. The salad is not only vibrantly colored but tastes incredible.

Root vegetables, including beets, potatoes and carrots, are tossed with pickles, apples, onion and a tangy, sweet dressing.

This beetroot salad is commonly served at Christmas dinner in Finland and has a variety of different flavors and textures.

Rosolli can be paired with any savory holiday meal as a traditional side dish from Finland that everyone will love.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

It looks great on the table with a pop of color coming from the beets.

Pairs well with savory holiday meals.

It can easily be made into a healthy vegan side dish.

A traditional recipe from Finland.

Can easily be scaled for a small or large gathering.

You can use cooked or pickled beets.

You’ll introduce others to a traditional Scandinavian salad.

The vegetables provide great nutritional benefits.

Ingredients & Tools 

Cooked Beets: This gives color and flavor to this root vegetable salad. You can use boiled or pickled beets.

Potatoes: Adds starch and balances out the flavors by absorbing them.

Carrots: Adds a hint of sweetness to the salad.

Onion: Pairs well with the flavors of pickled and sweet vegetables.

Apple: Apple adds a crunchy texture and sweet flavor.

Pickles: Will add a salty tanginess that pairs well in this salad. You can use cornichons or gherkins or dill pickles.

For The Dressing

Plain Greek Yogurt: Heavy cream is traditional in this dish but greek yogurt is a great lighter substitute.

Apple Cider Vinegar: Will add a bit of acidity to the dressing. Add less if you are already using pickled beets.

Caster Sugar: Balances the acidity in the dressing.

Beetroot Juice: This will help give the creamy dressing a beautiful color.

How to make Rosolli

Follow this step-by-step photo tutorial, then scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredients list and method.

Dice the vegetables.

Boil the diced potatoes and carrots for 5 minutes or until tender but not mushy.

Drain, rinse under cold water and set aside to cool completely.

Meanwhile, make the rosolli dressing by mixing all its ingredients together in a small bowl.

When the potatoes and carrots are cold, add them to a large bowl with the beetroot, onions, apple and pickles. Season with salt and pepper and mix well.

Mix the creamy beet sauce into the vegetables and serve.

Tips 

If you’re using pickled beets, reduce the amount of apple cider vinegar to ½ teaspoon.

Make sure everything is chopped the same size so that all flavors are evenly distributed in each bite.

Traditionally the sauce is mixed into the salad however it can be served on the side if you prefer.

If you use a yellow or brown onion, the flavor may be a bit stronger, so use a little less or soak them in cold water for 5 minutes to make them a little less punchy.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with a bowl of this Finnish Vegetable Soup.

Serve a traditional Finnish Christmas feast with this Lanttulaatikko (swede/rutabega cassesrole).

Bring to a party with Icelandic Pepper Cookies.

Pairs well with baby Hasselback Potatoes.

Serve at Christmas dinner with this Mulled Wine Spritzer.

Looks great at the table with this Roasted Brussels Sprouts Christmas Tree.

Variations

Try with some fresh chopped dill on top.

Instead of the yogurt, you can use heavy cream (the most traditional way), sour cream, creme fraiche or a vegan cream.

Use white pepper instead of black pepper for a slightly different flavor.

Add some boiled eggs on top before serving.

If using pickled beets from a jar or can, add a dash of the liquid to the dressing to make it pink.

Add some lemon zest and horseradish to the creamy sauce.

Special diets

To Make Gluten Free: The ingredients in this rosolli Christmas salad are naturally gluten free.

To Make It Vegan: To make this rosolli recipe vegan, use a vegan cream instead of greek yogurt or heavy cream in the dressing.

Storage 

Storing: Store the rosolli salad and dressing separately in the refrigerator, they will keep for approximately 5 days.

Freezing: This salad will not freeze well as the dairy and vegetables will not hold the same texture and flavor. It’s best to be eaten within 5 days.

To make ahead: Refrigerate both the veggies and dressing separately, then mix before serving or serve the dressing on the side.

FAQs 

Can I make this in advance? Yes, it will taste better when made a day in advance, because the flavors will have time to bind together. Just make sure you store the salad and dressing separately.

Can I leave out the sugar? You can leave out the sugar, however beetroot salad tastes best when it is balanced with a hint of sweetness.

Do I need to peel the potatoes and carrots? While you don’t need to, the texture and flavor of this salad works best if they are fully peeled.

More Christmas side dishes

I hope you love trying Rosolli resepti. Be sure to try these other meat-free Christmas side dishes. All vegetarian or vegan.

Maple Glazed Carrots - with cloves and a hint of cayenne.
Parmentier Potatoes - French cubed potatoes with a hint of rosemary.
Green Beans Almondine - my favorite way to serve green beans - with butter, garlic and almonds.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Vinegar - a tasty way to serve sprouts.
Maple Roasted Butternut Squash - gets caramelised and delicious.
Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad - a tasty way to serve sprouts raw.

📖 Recipe