Overview

Ensalada de Remolacha

Name: Ensalada de Remolacha
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: Uruguay
Ingredients: 600g (1 lb 5 oz) cooked, from about 750g raw Fresh beets; 200g (7 oz) cooked, from about 250g raw Potatoes; 100g (1 medium) Carrot; 100g (1 small) Onion; 30ml (2 tbsp) Olive oil; 20ml (1 tbsp + 1 tsp) Red wine vinegar; 10g (2 tbsp, chopped) Fresh parsley; 3g (1/2 tsp) Salt; 1g (1/4 tsp) Black pepper

Uruguayan Beet Salad, Ensalada de Remolacha

This ensalada de remolacha recipe tosses sweet boiled beets with potato, carrot and onion in a plain olive oil and red wine vinegar dressing. One serving is about 266 g and carries 199 calories. It is the cool, ruby-red salad that sits beside the grill at Uruguayan asados, and it tastes even better the next day.

Beets came to the River Plate with European settlers, and the boiled-beet salad became a fixture of the Uruguayan table — a cool, sweet counterpoint to grilled meat at the asado, and a standard dish in the salad bars of Montevideo rotiserías. The Uruguayan version stays plain: beets boiled whole, diced with potato, carrot and onion, and dressed with oil and vinegar. No cumin, no lemon, no spice — the beet itself does the work.

Pairs well with: Serve chilled with grilled meat, milanesa or chorizo, and crusty bread.

Provenance

Uruguay

Uruguayan Asado Classic

Latin America & Caribbean

Time Dedication

55m

15m prep • 40m cook

Batch Yield

4 Servings

199 kcal per serving

1 serving ≈ 266 g

Technical Skill

Easy

Easy (Boil & Toss)

Meal Timing & Digestive Fit

Breakfast

Not Advised

Lunch

Prime Metabolic Fit

Dinner

Ideal Hearty Main

Snack & Tea

Inappropriate

Occasions: Asado side dishes, summer lunches, picnics, make-ahead salads Cost: Low — about $1.50 per serving at home

Tags: Vegetables Vegetarian Vegan Salad

Diced red and dark beets tossed in a glossy dressing, piled on fresh beet leaves on a white plate

Uruguayan Asado Classic

Photo: Geoff Peters, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Heritage Formulary

Measured Ingredients

Fresh beets 600g (1 lb 5 oz) cooked, from about 750g raw

Boiled whole, peeled and diced. Substitute: Vacuum-packed cooked beets, same weight (check for added vinegar).

How to choose: Firm, heavy beets with smooth skin and no soft spots; similar sizes so they cook evenly.

How to prepare: Scrub well, trim the leaves to 2 cm, and boil whole; peel and dice once cool.

Required
Potatoes 200g (7 oz) cooked, from about 250g raw

Waxy potatoes, diced. Substitute: Sweet potato, same weight, boiled.

How to choose: Firm waxy potatoes that hold their shape when boiled.

How to prepare: Peel, dice into 1.5 cm cubes, and boil until just tender.

Required
Carrot 100g (1 medium)

Diced small. Substitute: Parsnip, same weight.

How to choose: Firm, bright orange, with no cracks.

How to prepare: Peel and dice into 1 cm cubes; boil briefly until just tender.

Required
Onion 100g (1 small)

Finely sliced. Substitute: Spring onion, same weight.

How to choose: Firm, with dry papery skin.

How to prepare: Peel and slice very thinly.

Required
Olive oil 30ml (2 tbsp)

Extra virgin, for the dressing. Substitute: Sunflower oil, same amount.

How to choose: A mild extra virgin oil.

How to prepare: Measure out.

Required
Red wine vinegar 20ml (1 tbsp + 1 tsp)

For the dressing. Substitute: White wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar, same amount.

How to choose: Plain red wine vinegar, no added flavourings.

How to prepare: Measure out.

Required
Fresh parsley 10g (2 tbsp, chopped)

Chopped, for the salad. Substitute: Fresh chives, same amount.

How to choose: Bright green leaves, not wilted.

How to prepare: Wash, dry and chop.

Optional
Salt 3g (1/2 tsp)

For the dressing. Substitute: Fine sea salt, same amount.

How to choose: Fine salt dissolves evenly.

How to prepare: Add to the dressing and taste.

Required
Black pepper 1g (1/4 tsp)

Freshly ground. Substitute: White pepper, same amount.

How to choose: Whole peppercorns, ground fresh.

How to prepare: Grind just before using.

Optional

Estimated cost: Low — about $1.50 per serving at home (USD)

This is the Uruguayan oil-and-vinegar beet salad with potato and carrot — no cumin, no lemon and no beet stems — distinct from the Egyptian and Moroccan beet salads on this site, which are cumin- and lemon-dressed.

Execution Methodology & Culinary Technique

Step-by-Step Cooking Guide

Active 55m

Prep Stage: Beets, Vegetables and Dressing

15 Mins • Beets, Vegetables and Dressing

Scrub the beets and trim the leaves to 2 cm. Peel and dice the potato and carrot, slice the onion thinly, and chop the parsley. Whisk the olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper in a small bowl — this is the dressing.

Maestro Tip: Keep the beets whole while they boil — cut beets bleed their colour into the water and turn pale.

1
Boil the beets whole

40 Mins Boiling water, 100°C (212°F)

Put the whole scrubbed beets in a large pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil at 100°C (212°F). Simmer gently for 35 to 40 minutes until a knife slides easily into the thickest beet. Drain and leave until cool enough to handle.

Do not peel or cut the beets before boiling — the skin keeps the colour and sweetness inside.

Done when: A knife slides into the centre of the largest beet with no resistance.
2
Boil the potato and carrot

15 Mins Boiling water, 100°C (212°F)

Add the diced potato and carrot to the beet pot for the last 15 minutes of its cooking time, then drain them with the beets.

Cooking the potato and carrot in the beet pot saves a pan — and a little beet colour on the potato is part of the dish.

Done when: The potato and carrot are just tender, not mushy.
3
Peel and dice everything

10 Mins Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)

Rub the skins off the cooled beets — they slip off easily — and dice the beets, potato and carrot into even 1.5 cm cubes. Put the beets, potato, carrot and sliced onion in a large bowl.

Dice the beets last and wash the knife between jobs if you want the potato to stay pale; most Uruguayan cooks let the beet colour run — it is part of the look.

Done when: Even cubes, about 1.5 cm, ready to dress.
4
Dress and toss

5 Mins Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)

Pour the oil and vinegar dressing over the vegetables, add the parsley, and toss gently until everything is coated. Taste and add a pinch more salt or a splash more vinegar if it needs it.

Toss gently — hard stirring breaks the potato and turns the salad pink and mushy.

Done when: Every piece glistens with dressing.
5
Rest and serve

10 Mins Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)

Let the salad rest for 10 minutes so the dressing soaks in, then serve cool or at room temperature. It keeps well in the fridge and tastes even better the next day, once the flavours have settled.

For the best flavour, make it at least 30 minutes ahead and keep it chilled until serving.

Done when: The salad is cool, glossy and evenly dressed, with the beet colour just starting to tint the potato.

Finishing Touches & Plating

Serve the ensalada de remolacha cool, in a wide bowl, with the parsley scattered over the top — a ruby-red side that needs nothing more than grilled meat and bread beside it.

Nutritional Physiology & Benefits

Nutrition

Energy

199

kcal / serving

Protein

Complete AA

Carbs

30g

Complex

Fats

Healthy

Per serving (4 servings · 1 serving ≈ 266 g)
Energy	199 kcal
Protein	4 g
Carbohydrates	30 g
Fat	8 g
Fibre	5.2 g
Sugar	14.7 g
Sodium	429 mg

Per 100g
Energy	75 kcal
Protein	1.5 g
Carbohydrates	11.3 g
Fat	3 g
Fibre	1.9 g
Sugar	5.5 g
Sodium	161 mg

Nutrition values are estimated — calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients.

Vitamins & minerals: Folate and manganese (beets), vitamin A (carrot), vitamin C and vitamin K (parsley, onion), potassium (beet, potato).

Beets, Naturally Sweet and Full of Folate

Beets give each serving natural sweetness plus folate and manganese, with no added sugar in the dressing.

Fibre From Three Vegetables

Beets, potato and carrot together give each serving about 5.2 g of fibre, so the salad is filling for its 199 calories.

Light, Make-Ahead Side

Oil and vinegar keep this salad light, and it holds well in the fridge — it is often better on the second day.

Food Pairings

What to Eat With

To optimize nutrient absorption and elevate the sensory depth, pair with these authentic accompaniments:

Sides

Asado or Grilled Meat

The cool, sweet-sour salad is the classic counterpoint to smoky grilled meat — it refreshes the palate between bites.

Milanesa

Crisp breaded milanesa and cool beet salad is a standard Uruguayan lunch pairing: rich and crunchy against cool and soft.

Crusty Bread

Bread is made for the pink, vinegary juices left at the bottom of the bowl.

Drinks

Sparkling Water With Lemon

Cold sparkling water keeps the meal light and matches the salad's sharp vinegar dressing.

Complete menu

Serve the beet salad chilled beside asado or milanesa with crusty bread, then fresh fruit to finish, for a classic Uruguayan lunch.

Digestive Guardrails

What NOT to Combine

To prevent digestive distress, sluggishness, or palate clash, avoid pairing the dish with these elements:

Raw Onion Too Sharp

Thinly sliced raw onion can overpower the salad; soak the slices in cold water for 10 minutes and drain them before tossing if you want a gentler bite. This is general food information, not medical advice.

Leaving the Salad Out in the Heat

A dressed salad should not sit out in summer heat for hours; keep it chilled and return leftovers to the fridge within 2 hours. This is general food information, not medical advice.

General information only, not medical advice — consult a doctor for personal dietary decisions.

Who Should Eat It

Who Should Eat

General adultsA light, colourful side — a generous spoonful beside grilled meat or milanesa is a full lunch plate for most adults.
ChildrenSweet, soft and mild; the beets and potato are easy to eat. Serve a small portion first.
ElderlySoft, easy to chew and easy to digest; serve at room temperature rather than ice cold.
Pregnant womenFine as a fresh vegetable side; keep it refrigerated and use within a day.
Breastfeeding womenA light, iron- and folate-rich side that sits well beside a main course.
AthletesGood after training: about 199 calories with 30.1 g of carbohydrate per serving for recovery, plus potato for steady energy.
Weight gainA gentle side rather than a main — pair it with milanesa or grilled meat to add energy.
Weight lossAt 199 calories a serving with 5.2 g of fibre, it is a filling low-energy side; keep the oil as written.

Health Conditions — Adjust or Avoid

Conditions

DiabetesAbout 30.1 g of carbohydrate and 14.7 g of natural sugars per serving from the beets — a modest portion with salad greens is gentler; ask a clinician about portion size.
High blood pressureAbout 429 mg of sodium per serving — keep the salt as written and skip extra salty sides; ask a clinician if you watch sodium.
Kidney diseaseBeets and potato are high in potassium, so portions matter — ask a clinician before making it a regular dish.
GoutLow in purines and mostly vegetables, so it is usually a comfortable choice; ask a clinician if gout is a concern.
Stomach issuesSoft, mild and easy on the stomach for most people; the raw onion is the sharpest part, so use less if it bothers you.
Cardiovascular diseaseLow in saturated fat and rich in vegetables — a heart-friendly side as written; ask a clinician about frequency.
Fatty liverLight and vegetable-based with little fat, so it fits well as a side; ask a clinician about portion size.
Food allergiesNo major allergen in the base recipe — check labels if you use packaged cooked beets, and ask a clinician if you have allergies.
Special therapeutic dietsAsk a clinician or dietitian before using this dish in a therapeutic diet — it is high in potassium from beets and potato.

If you have a medical condition, consult your doctor before changing your diet.

Storage & Use

How to store: Cool completely, then keep in a sealed container in the fridge.
In the fridge: 2 days in the fridge at 4°C (39°F) or below; the colour deepens and the flavour improves overnight.
In the freezer: Not recommended — the beets and potato turn soft and watery on thawing.
How to reheat: Do not reheat — serve this salad cold or at room temperature.
Freezing recommended: No — this is a fresh salad, not a freezer dish.
Signs it has spoiled: A sour or off smell, slimy vegetables, or a dull grey colour — discard it.

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