If you are exploring easy Finnish recipes at home, the iconic Rosolli salad (Rosolli) is the perfect place to start. Traditional to Finnish holiday feasts, this vibrant beet-based salad combines earthy root vegetables, tart apples, crisp pickles, and a signature pink sour cream dressing. It is balanced, wholesome, and surprisingly simple to prepare right in your own kitchen.

Recipe Overview Card

Feature Details
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 6 – 8 servings
Difficulty Level Easy

Ingredients

Salad Ingredients

  • 3 medium beetroots (~550g)

  • 4 medium potatoes (~550g)

  • 5 medium carrots (~300g)

  • 1 yellow onion, finely diced (~100g)

  • 1 pickle / pickled cucumber, diced (~100g)

  • 1 tart green apple (such as Granny Smith), peeled and diced (~200g)

  • 1 tsp salt

  • ½ tsp black pepper

Pink Dressing Ingredients

  • 250g sour cream (20% fat content recommended)

  • 2–3 tbsp reserved beetroot cooking liquid

Step-by-Step Preparation Method

1. Boil the Vegetables

  • Cut the raw beetroots in half to speed up cooking, place them in a pot, cover with water, and boil until fork-tender.

  • Drain the beetroots, but reserve the liquid in a separate bowl to make the dressing later.

  • In a separate pot, boil the peeled whole potatoes and carrots together until soft.

2. Chop and Assemble

  • Dice the cooked potatoes, carrots, and beetroots into uniform, small cubes.

  • In a large glass salad bowl, combine the diced onion, pickled cucumber, and diced tart green apple.

  • Add the diced carrots, potatoes, and beetroots to the bowl.

  • Sprinkle with salt and black pepper, then gently toss all ingredients together until evenly distributed.

3. Prepare the Signature Pink Dressing

  • In a small mixing bowl, place the sour cream.

  • Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of the reserved beetroot cooking liquid.

  • Stir thoroughly until the dressing takes on a bright pink color and smooth consistency.

4. Serve and Garnish

  • Transfer the tossed salad to a serving platter.

  • Spoon the pink sour cream dressing generously over the top.

  • Garnish with fresh parsley if desired and serve chilled.

Chef’s Pro Tips & Substitutions

  • Uniform Dicing: The secret to an authentic Finnish Rosolli salad is precise, neat dicing. Aim for all ingredients to be cut into equal, bite-sized cubes.

  • Keep Ingredients Chilled: Allow cooked root vegetables to cool completely before dicing and mixing to maintain crisp textures.

  • Pro Substitution: If sour cream isn’t available, full-fat Greek yogurt or crème fraîche works as a great substitute for the dressing.

  • Herring Addition (Silli): For a traditional Nordic twist, you can serve pickled herring alongside or diced directly into the salad base.

Watch the Video Tutorial

For a complete step-by-step video tutorial demonstrating the exact preparation method, watch the embedded YouTube video below:

Give this authentic Rosolli salad (Rosolli) a try for your next dinner gathering! Let us know in the comments how your Finnish cooking experiment turned out.