Ensaladilla Rusa

The Tapa That Surprises Everyone

Despite its name — Russian salad — Ensaladilla Rusa is one of the most quintessentially Spanish tapas you will find. Creamy, hearty and deeply comforting, it has been a fixture of the Spanish tapa bar for well over a century and shows no sign of going anywhere.

The Spanish version transforms the original with the addition of tuna, roasted red peppers, briny olives and a generous hand with the mayonnaise. The result is something richer and more flavourful than its Eastern European ancestor — unmistakably Spanish in character.

The Ensaladilla Rusa is the tapa that surprises people. They expect something ordinary and instead find something deeply satisfying — a dish that has earned its place at the Spanish table through decades of quiet excellence.

From Russia to Spain — and Beyond

The original Russian salad — Olivier salad — was created in Moscow in the 1860s by a Belgian chef named Lucien Olivier. It arrived in Spain via France in the early 20th century, where Spanish cooks immediately set about making it their own.

The Spanish adaptations were bold and instinctive: in went tuna, roasted red peppers, briny olives, and a much more generous hand with the mayonnaise. Out went some of the original's more austere elements. The result was a salad that was richer, more flavourful and entirely at home on the Spanish tapa bar.

At Tapas Madriz, our Ensaladilla Rusa is made fresh for every event — creamy, well-seasoned and finished with roasted red peppers and olives. It carries beautifully alongside the bolder flavours on the tapa table.