This Buraczki, or Polish Beet Salad, is one of the simplest side dishes you'll find on a Polish table. Made with grated cooked beets, sweet apples, onion, lemon juice and a touch of honey, it's fresh, lightly sweet, slightly tangy, and comes together in just 10 minutes using ready-to-eat cooked beets.
In Poland, buraczki are often served alongside comforting family dinners like Kotlety Mielone (Polish Meat Patties) and creamy Mizeria (Polish Cucumber Salad). It isn't usually the star of the meal, but no Polish plate feels quite complete without a colorful side like this.
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Recipe at a glance
🇵🇱 Origin: Traditional Polish cold beet side dish served with everyday family meals
⏱️ Total Time: About 10 minutes (using cooked beets)
🍽️ Serves: 4–6
🥩 Best Served With: Kotlety mielone, schnitzel, roasted chicken, pork chops, grilled meats, dill potatoes, or mashed potatoes
🌿 Key Flavor: Sweet, tangy and earthy with a fresh crunch from apple and onion
✨ What Makes This Recipe Different: This version uses crisp apple, fresh lemon juice, and a touch of honey to brighten the earthy beets. Made with ready-to-eat cooked beets, it comes together in just 10 minutes, making it an easy everyday side dish that's just as common on Polish family tables as mizeria.
Ingredient notes
- Cooked beets – Vacuum-packed cooked beets are the biggest time saver and work beautifully. You can also roast whole beets yourself for a deeper, sweeter flavor.
- Apple – A crisp, slightly tart apple like Honeycrisp, Gala or Pink Lady adds freshness and balances the earthy beets.
- Onion – Yellow or white onion gives the salad just enough bite without overpowering it. I only use a little!
- Lemon juice – Brightens the salad and helps keep the apples from browning.
- Honey – Just enough to balance the acidity without making the salad overly sweet.
- Neutral oil (not pictured) – Canola, sunflower or avocado oil all work well.
- Prepared horseradish (optional) – Traditional in many Polish homes. It adds a gentle kick that pairs beautifully with beets.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make cold Polish Beet Salad
- Step 1: Grate the cooked beets using the large holes of a box grater.
- Step 2: Peel and grate the apple, then grate or finely chop the onion (I grate mine).
- Step 3: Combine the beets, apple and onion in a large bowl.
- Step 4: Add the lemon juice, oil, honey, prepared horseradish (if using), salt and pepper.
- Step 5: Mix everything together until evenly coated. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Step 6: Serve immediately or refrigerate for a few hours before serving. Garnish with chopped parsley or fresh dill.
Buraczki Salad vs. Buraczki Zasmażane
If you've spent time in Poland, you've probably noticed there are two popular versions of buraczki.
Buraczki salad (sałatka z buraczków) is served cold and combines grated cooked beets with apple, onion and a light dressing. It's fresh, slightly sweet and perfect for summer meals.
Buraczki zasmażane are a warm side dish made by cooking grated beets with butter (sometimes flour) until soft and silky. They're especially popular during colder months and often served with traditional meat and potato dinners.
Both are classics—you'll find them on family tables all over Poland—but this cold salad is the quickest version to make at home.
Storage Suggestions
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
The flavors continue to develop as the salad sits, making it an excellent make-ahead side dish for holidays, meal prep or weeknight dinners.
Freezing isn't recommended, as the apples become watery once thawed.
Expert tips
Use ready-to-eat cooked beets for the quickest preparation. For richer flavor, roast whole beets instead of boiling them. Grate everything using the same side of the box grater for the best texture. Let the salad chill for at least 30 minutes before serving if you have time. Taste before serving—the sweetness of beets varies, so you may want a little more lemon juice or honey.
Recipe FAQ
Buraczki is the Polish word for beets (or "little beets" to be precise). It can refer to several traditional beet side dishes, including this cold beet salad and the warm cooked version called buraczki zasmażane.
You can, but plain cooked vacuum-packed beets usually have a fresher flavor and firmer texture. If using canned beets, choose ones without added sugar or pickling liquid.
Buraczki, or beet salas, are traditionally served alongside kotlety mielone (Polish meat patties), breaded pork cutlet (kotlet schabowy), roasted chicken, pan-fried fish, mashed potatoes or dill potatoes. It also pairs well with grilled meats during the summer.
More Polish recipe ideas
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Recipe
Polish Beet Salad (Buraczki)
Ingredients
- 1 lb cooked beets store bought or roasted in the oven and cooled
- 1-2 apples small, peeled
- ½ small onion yellow or white
- ½ lemon juiced
- 2 tablespoon neutral tasting plant oil such as canola, sunflower or avocado
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1-2 teaspoon prepared horseradish (optional)
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Grate the beets using the large holes on your box grater.
- Peel and grate the apple(s).
- Grate or finely chop the onion.
- In a medium or large bowl combine together grated cooked beets, apples and onion. Add lemon juice, oil, honey, horseradhish (if using), honey, salt and pepper.
- Mix together, taste and add more seasoning, if needed.
- Serve sprinkled with chopped parsley or fresh dill.
Notes
Nutrition
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Meet the Author
Hi, I'm Agnieszka. I'm a mom of three and recipe developer, writer and photographer behind Wholly Tasteful. I love creating comforting, delicious, family-friendly recipes that you can feel good about.
Stan says
More beets = lower blood pressure. Old man approved.
Agnieszka says
Lol Stan. That's all true but they are also delicious :-).