Dish guides
What is ensaladilla rusa?
Ensaladilla rusa ("little Russian salad") is Spain's favourite potato salad: boiled potato and carrot bound with mayonnaise, usually with tuna, hard-boiled egg and olives or roasted pepper on top. It's served cold as a tapa or ración, and almost every bar in Spain has its own version.
- At a glance
- Ensaladilla rusa
- Cold potato salad with tuna, egg and mayonnaise, a classic Spanish tapa.
- Pronunciation
- Say it like en-sah-lah-DEE-yah ROO-sah · IPA /ensalaˈðiʝa ˈrusa/
- Also written as
- ensaladilla, ensalada rusa, ensaladilla rusa casera, ensaladilla de gambas, ensaladilla de pulpo, Russian salad
What’s in it
Core ingredients
- boiled potatoes
- carrots
- mayonnaise
- tuna (atún or bonito)
- hard-boiled egg
Often added
- peas
- green or stuffed olives
- roasted red pepper or piquillo pepper
- prawns
- octopus
- pickled chillies (piparras)
- ventresca (tuna belly)
- picos or regañás (crunchy breadsticks) on the side
Allergens
| Allergen | How likely |
|---|---|
| Eggs | Typically contains |
| Fish | Typically contains |
| Shellfish | Sometimes contains |
| Mustard | Sometimes contains |
| Gluten | Sometimes contains |
| Molluscs | Rarely contains |
| Dairy | Rarely contains |
| Peanuts | Rarely contains |
| Tree nuts | Rarely contains |
| Soy | Rarely contains |
| Sesame | Rarely contains |
| Diet | Suitable? |
|---|---|
| Vegetarian | Depends — Tuna is part of the classic recipe; a version without fish exists but isn't standard, so ask whether it has tuna (¿Lleva atún?). |
| Vegan | No |
| Pescatarian | Usually |
| Halal | Usually |
| Kosher | Depends — Tuna and egg are permitted foods, but prawn versions aren't, and bars in Spain are rarely kosher-certified. |
| Gluten-free | Usually |
Allergen and calorie details are AI estimates based on the menu and typical recipes. They can be incomplete — if you have a serious allergy, always check with the staff.
From Moscow to every Spanish bar
The salad descends from the Olivier salad created in the 1860s by Lucien Olivier, a chef in Moscow, which spread across Europe as "Russian salad". In Spain it became something simpler and very local: potato, carrot and often peas, bound with mayonnaise and mixed with canned tuna, then topped with egg, olives and strips of roasted pepper. Ensaladilla is the diminutive of ensalada, salad.
Andalusia, and Seville in particular, takes it especially seriously. There it often comes with picos or regañás, small crunchy breadsticks, for scooping. Many bars make their own mayonnaise, which gives a richer, more yellow salad.
Typical price
Median price 7.5 EUR
Typical range 3.5–14 EUR.
Median of 79 menus, 2025-04 – 2026-04. Basis: Spanish-language menus scanned with MenuGuide.
How to order it
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Una tapa de ensaladilla, por favor. | A tapa of Russian salad, please. |
| ¿La mayonesa es casera? | Is the mayonnaise homemade? |
| ¿Lleva atún o marisco? | Does it contain tuna or shellfish? |
Not to be confused with
- Ensalada mixta — A simple mixed green salad with tomato, onion, tuna and egg, dressed with oil and vinegar, not mayonnaise.
- Olivier salad — The Russian original, usually with pickles, peas and ham or chicken; Spain swapped in tuna.
- Ensalada de patata / patatas aliñás — Potato salad dressed with olive oil and vinegar instead of mayonnaise.
Frequently asked questions
What's in ensaladilla rusa?
The base is boiled potato and carrot mixed with mayonnaise. Most Spanish versions add tuna, hard-boiled egg and often peas, with olives or strips of roasted red pepper on top. Some bars add prawns or octopus. It's a cold dish, closer to a creamy potato salad than to a leafy salad.
Does ensaladilla rusa have eggs?
Yes, typically twice: the mayonnaise is an emulsion of egg yolk and oil, and chopped or sliced hard-boiled egg is usually mixed in or placed on top. Homemade mayonnaise in Spanish bars is often made with raw egg. If you have an egg allergy, ensaladilla is one to skip.
Is ensaladilla rusa gluten free?
The salad itself is usually gluten free: potatoes, vegetables, tuna, egg and mayonnaise don't normally contain gluten. The risk comes from the picos or regañás (small breadsticks) often served with it, and from shop-bought mayonnaise or tuna in some cases. Leave the breadsticks aside and ask if it's homemade.
Why is it called Russian salad?
It comes from the Olivier salad, created in the 1860s by Lucien Olivier, chef of a celebrated Moscow restaurant, and known across Europe as Russian salad. Spain adopted it and made it its own, most notably by adding canned tuna. Similar salads are called insalata russa in Italy and rossiki salata in Greece.
