Swedish Beet Salad (Rödbetssallad)

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This Swedish Beet Salad (Rödbetssallad) recipe is delightfully simple and SO delicious...pickled beets (homemade OR store bought) and apples are cubed and tossed in a quick mixture of mayonnaise, sour cream and horseradish. Add a shower of chopped parsley and that's all there is to it!

Not only is Swedish Beet Salad tasty, it's also drop dead gorgeous with its stunning pink hue. A real pop of color on the dinner table! Ready to make a batch? It only takes a few minutes to whip together, I promise. Keep reading for step-by-step instructions!

Swedish Beet Salad in a bowl next to a spoon and towel.

Why This Recipe Works

It's got big flavor for little effort. You can certainly start with homemade pickled beets (try my quick pickled beet recipe here), but for maximum ease go ahead and use store bought pickled beets.
The creamy dressing has only 3 ingredients.
I've got a few tips and tricks for recreating that GORGEOUS pink color you see in the photo above.

Ingredients

Pickled beets are the star of this recipe. Feel free to make your own (start with my recipe for Spicy Quick Pickled Beets if you like) or use store bought pickled beets. Both work great in this recipe.
Peeled and cubed apples are traditional, but I've left them as an optional ingredient. They add a pleasing crunch and a bit of tart sweetness but you can certainly make the salad with just pickled beets if you prefer.
A combination of mayonnaise and sour cream or creme fraiche forms the creamy base of this recipe.
A few teaspoons of prepared horseradish lends a bit of tang and spice, but I've also listed it as optional as you can certainly choose not to include it.
Chopped fresh parsley adds a bit of welcome herby freshness and a pop of green color which is lovely with the pink salad.

How to Make This Recipe

Whisk the mayonnaise, sour cream and horseradish (if using) together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
If you want to include the apple, cut it in half and reserve one of the halves for another use. Core and peel the remaining half and dice into ½ inch cubes.
Drain the beets and reserve the pickling juices. Cut the beets in ½ inch cubes.
Fold the beets, apples and chopped parsley into the mayonnaise mixture. Add 1-3 tablespoons of the reserved pickling juices until you achieve a bright pink color. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve!

Expert Tips

Be sure to reserve the pickling juice and add it to the salad at the end, one tablespoon at a time, until you achieve a bright pink hue. Without adding the pickling juice, your salad will be very pale in color.

FAQs

Can I make Swedish Beet Salad in advance?

Yes! The salad keeps well tightly covered in the refrigerator for a couple of days.

What should I serve with this salad?

It goes well as a side dish for nearly anything (my mind naturally drifts to Swedish meatballs and salmon) and is a cheerful addition to a smörgåsbord table, particularly at the holidays. It also makes a nice topping for an open face sandwich (smörgås or smørrebrød). It's traditional to serve this creamy beet salad on rye bread with leftover Swedish meatballs (it sounds odd, I know, but is is so delicious). For the sandwich pictured below, I used buttered rye bread for the base and toped it with lettuce, Swedish Beet Salad, capers and a hard boiled egg.

Lettuce, Swedish Beet Salad, hard boiled egg and dill on rye bread.

Looking for more Nordic-inspired recipes for beets? I've got you covered:

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