Polish Vegetable Salad ("Sałatka Jarzynowa" in Polish)

Polish Vegetable Salad ("Sałatka Jarzynowa" in Polish) accented with sliced beets sprinkled with goat cheese and honey roasted pecans.

I had the in-laws over for Easter dinner this year (2024). I wanted to have a touch of Polish flavor so I made ham and kielbasa, along with potato and cheese and sauerkraut and mushroom pierogi. I also made, for the first time, a Polish vegetable salad called Sałatka Jarzynowa in Polish. I don’t remember any of my Polish relatives making this dish, but I reached out to folks on the I Love My Polish Heritage Group on Facebook and so many folks recommended it. It was absolutely delicious and everyone enjoyed it! There are many variations, but I experimented and made my own combination. The only odd items were the apple and the parsnip. I highly recommend including both.

Polish Vegetable Salad ("Sałatka Jarzynowa" in Polish)

INGREDIENTS

5 medium red skin potatoes

3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2” dice

1 medium to large parsnip, peeled and cut into 1/2" dice

2 cups frozen baby green peas

1/2 cup celery, chopped finely

1 medium dill pickle, chopped finely

1 apple, peeled, cored, and cut into1/2"dice (I used Fuji)

3 green onions, white part and a little green, chopped finely (optional)

DRESSING

2/3 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

4 large eggs, hard-boiled, peeled and chopped

2 tablespoons Italian parsley, minced

DIRECTIONS

In a medium pot, boil potatoes in their skins in salted water until fork tender. Drain potatoes. While the potatoes are cooking, in a separate medium pot, gently boil carrots and parsnips in salted water until fork tender. Cook peas in salted water for about 4-5 minutes. Drain vegetables and then put into an ice bath. Drain and let sit for about 1/2 hour or until most of the water has drained away.

When cool enough to handle, peel potatoes and cut into 1/2" cubes.

Transfer chopped cooked vegetables, chopped pickles, chopped apple, and chopped green onion in a large mixing bowl and carefully mix vegetables.

In a small bowl, blend mayonnaise with lemon juice, sugar and vinegar. Pour over mixed vegetables. Add chopped egg and mix dressing and egg into the vegetable/apple mixture. Salt and pepper to taste. Stir in minced parsley. Transfer to a serving bowl.

Cover, chill in refrigerator 2 hours before serving.