Mimosa Salad – Layered Tuna Salad Recipe (video)
You’ll love this incredibly delicious and unique layered tuna salad recipe! Mimosa Salad is a layered salad that’s very popular in Eastern Europe, specifically Ukraine and Russia. It’s a popular choice for holidays and special occasions. This tuna salad is made with potatoes, carrots, eggs, mozzarella cheese, and canned tuna, all combined with mayonnaise. Garnish the top with fresh dill and salmon roe or caviar for an extra fancy salad!
Watch My Mimosa Salad Video Tutorial
Watch my YouTube mimosa salad video tutorial for step-by-step instructions and see how easy it is to make this layer salad. You’ll love it! Want to stay up to date on the latest recipes? Make sure to subscribe to my website email list and my YouTube channel and turn on notifications.
Ingredients for Tuna Salad
Here are my tips for the main ingredients you’ll need for this delicious tuna salad recipe. Find the full list of ingredients with measurements in the printable recipe card below.
- Tuna – I recommend using tuna preserved in oil. The richer flavor works best for this recipe.
- Eggs
- Potatoes & Carrots – use yellow or golden potatoes and regular carrots.
- Mozzarella Cheese – you can also use similar cheeses, such as white cheddar or gruyere.
- Fresh Dill – fresh herbs are a must for this recipe!
- Mayonnaise – any variety of mayo will work well. I like avocado oil-based mayo the best.
- Dill Pickle – make sure to use dill, not sweet pickles for the recipe!
Supplies & Tools for the Recipe
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Cooking the Eggs, Potatoes & Carrots
A mimosa salad is made with cooked potatoes, carrots, and hard-boiled eggs. You can prepare the cooked items ahead of time and keep them stored in the refrigerator overnight.
- Place the potatoes and carrots into a large pot of salted water. Bring the water up to a boil and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes for the carrots and up to 25 minutes for the potatoes.
- Remove the vegetables from the water onto a plate. Allow them to cool to room temperature, then use a paring knife to peel them.
- For the hard-boiled eggs: place the eggs into a pot of cold, salted water. Bring the water to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Drain off the water and fill the pot with ice. This will stop the cooking process.
- Once the eggs are cooled, peel them, then split each egg in half. Keep the egg whites and egg yolks separate.
Preparing the Filling Ingredients
I like to prepare each of the layers in separate bowls before assembling the salad. The carrots, potatoes, cheese and eggs need to be grated.
- Grate the potatoes, carrots, egg whites, and mozzarella cheese, each into separate bowls. Using a fork, crush the egg yolks until finely crumbled.
- Add a few tablespoons of mayo to the potatoes, a sprinkling of dill, and season with salt and pepper. Mix together thoroughly.
- For the carrots: add a few tablespoons of mayo, season with salt and pepper, and combine.
- Place half of the grated egg whites into a separate bowl. Combine the remaining egg whites with the grated mozzarella cheese. Add a few tablespoons of mayo and mix together.
- Drain the tuna and place it into a separate bowl. Add about 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise to the tuna, along with a tablespoon of fresh dill and half the diced green onions. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then mix everything together.
How to Make Mimosa Salad
There are a few different ways you can assemble this beautiful mimosa salad. You can layer the ingredients into a trifle bowl, or into a casserole pan. I like to arrange the salad into a springform pan.
- Use an 8 or 9-inch springform pan. Place the ring only onto a cake stand or serving tray. Grease the inside of the springform with oil so it comes out easily.
- Begin with the potato layer. Add the grated, seasoned potatoes and spread them evenly, creating a level layer.
- Add the tuna layer next. Sprinkle the diced dill pickles and the remaining diced onions over the top. Add the carrot layer next, followed by the egg white and cheese filling.
- Sprinkle the crushed egg yolks over the cheese layer, reserving a few tablespoons of the egg yolks for the topping.
- Make sure to spread each layer evenly to the edges! Finish the top with the reserved egg whites. Gently spread a few tablespoons of mayonnaise over the top, sealing the salad.
- Cover the salad with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
Garnishing the Layered Tuna Salad
Once the salad is set, gently release and remove the springform ring. Use a spatula to straighten up the edges.
Create a ring around the edge of the layered tuna salad using the remaining crushed egg yolks. Garnish with fresh dill and salmon roe or caviar, if desired. Caviar is optional!
Serve a mimosa salad either with a spoon or use a knife and cake lifter to serve it like a cake. Enjoy!
More Recipes to Try!
Enjoyed this delicious Easter European salad recipe? Check out some of my other recipes you’re sure to love!
- Smoked Salmon Olivier Salad – a delicious and creamy potato salad with salmon, eggs, and a lemon mayo dressing!
- Olivier Salad – a staple at every Ukrainian and Russian holiday and special occasion! A delicious potato salad with eggs, pickles, carrots and more.
- Smoked Salmon Potato Salad – a family favorite! This delicious salad is made with baby potatoes, chunks of smoked salmon, soft-boiled eggs, and salmon roe. Plus, a dill, lemon and caper dressing.
- ‘Vinaigrette’ Beet Salad – this popular Ukrainian potato salad is made with beets, carrots, peas, and more! Enjoy it dressed with oil or mayonnaise.
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Mimosa Salad – Layered Tuna Salad Recipe (video)
Ingredients
- 2 to 3 medium yellow or white potatoes, such as Yukon Gold
- 2 to 3 large carrots
- 8 large eggs
- 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
- 15 oz canned tuna in oil, drained
- 4 green onions, mostly white part; finely diced
- 1/4 cup finely diced dill pickles, about 2 medium pickles
- 1/4 cup fresh chopped dill
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 oz salmon roe, optional
- fresh dill, for garnish
Instructions
Cooking Veggies & Eggs:
- Place the potatoes and carrots into a large pot of salted water. Bring the water up to a boil and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes for the carrots and up to 25 minutes for the potatoes.
- Remove the vegetables from the water onto a plate. Allow them to cool to room temperature, then use a paring knife to peel them.
- For the hard-boiled eggs: place the eggs into a pot of cold, salted water. Bring the water to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Drain off the water and fill the pot with ice. This will stop the cooking process.
- Once the eggs are cooled, peel them, then split each egg in half. Keep the egg whites and egg yolks separate.
Preparing the Fillings:
- Grate the potatoes, carrots, egg whites, and mozzarella cheese, each into separate bowls. Using a fork, crush the egg yolks until finely crumbled.
- Add a few tablespoons of mayo to the potatoes, a sprinkling of dill, and season with salt and pepper. Mix together thoroughly.
- For the carrots: add a few tablespoons of mayo, season with salt and pepper, and combine.
- Place half of the grated egg whites into a separate bowl. Combine the remaining egg whites with the grated mozzarella cheese. Add a few tablespoons of mayo and mix together.
- Drain the tuna and place it into a separate bowl. Add about 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise to the tuna, along with a tablespoon of fresh dill and half the diced green onions. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then mix everything together.
Assembling the Salad:
- There are a few different ways you can assemble this beautiful mimosa salad. You can layer the ingredients into a trifle bowl, or into a casserole pan. I like to arrange the salad into a springform pan.
- Use an 8 or 9-inch springform pan. Place the ring only onto a cake stand or serving tray. Grease the inside of the springform with oil so it comes out easily.
- Begin with the potato layer. Add the grated, seasoned potatoes and spread them evenly, creating a level layer.
- Add the tuna layer next. Sprinkle the diced dill pickles and the remaining diced onions over the top. Add the carrot layer next, followed by the egg white and cheese filling.
- Sprinkle the crushed egg yolks over the cheese layer, reserving a few tablespoons of the egg yolks for the topping.
- Make sure to spread each layer evenly to the edges! Finish the top with the reserved egg whites. Gently spread a few tablespoons of mayonnaise over the top, sealing the salad.
- Cover the salad with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
Garnishing & Serving:
- Once the salad is set, gently release and remove the springform ring. Use a spatula to straighten up the edges.
- Create a ring around the edge of the layered tuna salad using the remaining crushed egg yolks. Garnish with fresh dill and salmon roe or caviar, if desired. The caviar is optional!
- Serve a mimosa salad either with a spoon or use a knife and cake lifter to serve it like a cake. Enjoy!
Silly question, but you do have Keto recipes on your website. If I were to try and omit the potatoes for low carb reasons, what would you recommend as a base instead?
Would cauliflower hold up? Thank you! Love your site.
Hi Monica! I do have a few keto recipes on my website. If you go to my recipe index page, I have a subsection for keto-friendly recipes!
I personally haven’t tried this with cauliflower, but I think riced cauliflower would work great here. Hope it works out well for you!