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Vinaigrette on sauerkraut with pickles

Sauerkraut Vinaigrette with Pickles

Everyone's favorite — made with sauerkraut and pickles! This classic vinaigrette with peas comes together simply and quickly, and it works for any occasion. It's a great light bite for dinner and a perfect appetizer for a holiday table, including New Year's.

BLUE-EYED

Recipe author

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Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Potatoes

Carrots

Beets

Onion (large)

Green peas

400

Sauerkraut

300

Pickles

Fresh herbs (fresh green onion, dill, parsley)

Salt (about 3 pinches)

Vegetable oil (salad, unrefined)

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 17 % 2 g

Fats 17 % 2 g

Carbohydrates 67 % 8 g

58 kcal

GI: 67 / 0 / 33

Cooking method

Step 1:

Gather your ingredients.
Step 2:

Cook the potatoes, beets, and carrots however you like. I've cooked mine in a steamer for years: I peel them first, cut the beets and potatoes into a few pieces, and leave the carrots whole. I set the timer for 20 minutes. After 10–15 minutes I start checking and pull them as they're done — first the carrot tray, then the potatoes. For the beets I'll add about 10 minutes to the original 20 if they need it, but I check early so they don't overcook; if they're still underdone, I give them more time.
Step 3:

While the steamer works, start on the salad: finely dice the onion.
Step 4:

Finely chop the pickles, too.
Step 5:

In a deep bowl, start combining the cold ingredients: add the onion.
Step 6:

Drain the brine from the sauerkraut, squeeze it lightly, and add it to the onion.
Step 7:

Then the green peas.
Step 8:

And the pickles. Mix everything well but gently, cover, and refrigerate while the vegetables finish cooking and cool.
Step 9:

Dice the cooled potatoes, carrots, and beets into small cubes no bigger than a pea. A vegetable dicer makes this fast, neat, and easy.
Step 10:

Here's what the cubes should look like.
Step 11:

Put the boiled, diced vegetables in a separate bowl, salt lightly, and mix gently.
Step 12:

Finely chop the fresh herbs and combine everything in a large bowl with the contents of both bowls; mix well. Taste for salt, add more if needed, and only then dress with the vegetable oil. (If you're making a small batch, you can usually just mix everything in one bowl.)
Step 13:

This amount makes nearly a full 5-quart (5 L) pot of delicious vinaigrette. Let it rest in the fridge for an hour or more, then serve. Enjoy!

I made this vinaigrette for an event. If it's just for a family of four rather than a party, half of all the ingredients is plenty — and the cooking time drops accordingly.
Note: steamers vary in power. I'm giving times for mine, which is on the strong side.
So: I set the timer for 20 minutes — that's the maximum cooking time for the lower tray with the beets. I check the upper trays with carrots and potatoes and pull them as they're done. Their timing always varies with the vegetables, so it's hard to pin down exactly — roughly 8–15 minutes.
The time also depends on the size of the vegetables. If they're large (as in the photos — cut up, they cook faster and more fits in the tray), that's from experience. But nothing stops you from steaming them whole, or just washing them and peeling after they cook and cool — any method works.
I pull the tray when a fork slides easily into the potato; the carrots are ready even sooner. Plenty of people like them al dente, though.
If the beets aren't done after 20 minutes — vegetables vary — I add about 10 minutes, but I always check for the doneness I want early so they don't overcook. On average 20 minutes is enough, hence the number.
Vinaigrette with peas is a real lifesaver, on weekdays and holidays alike. Many people love it for its flavor, heartiness, and lightness. It's easy to make, especially with modern kitchen gadgets! There are lots of variations, but people almost always ask for the classic — the way our moms and grandmothers made it when we were kids. This is another family recipe.