I brought this Persistence Salad- a marinated vegetable salad - to an annual church event for more years than I can count. When I did, I made a triple batch in my giant Tupperware bowl. If there was any left, and the bowl was often empty, the ladies on the kitchen cleanup crew fought over the leftovers.
When we moved away, one of the church members made sure this salad still showed up every year at St. Mary’s fish fry. If a salad can be iconic, this one is.
My mom called it Persistence Salad, and once you make it, you’ll understand why.
I love taking these dishes to potlucks and fish fries, too:
Sauerkraut Salad- a colorful, crunchy side dish that brightens any plate in every season
Snickers Salad-this "salad" could also be a dessert; it depends on where you put it on the table. 😉
Danish Style Cucumbers-a crisp and crunchy, sweet and salty salad with just cucumbers, onion, salt, sugar, vinegar, and pepper. Great, any time of the year!
What's wonderful about this old marinated vegetable salad recipe is that it keeps so well; my mom christened it "Persistence Salad." It is a great way to use the last of a relish tray or stray veggies in the crisper. The recipe is a guideline, and you can take it from there.
This is one of those old recipes where canned vegetables aren’t a shortcut — they’re the reason it works. It's a salad you can make any day of the year because the base is three different canned vegetables plus freshly chopped vegetables that are always available in the produce department.
White corn (shoepeg white corn) is crispier, and the tiny peas and French-cut green beans absorb the marinade better than regular peas and cut green beans. This is exactly the kind of salad that shows up at fish fries — make-ahead, no mayo, and happy to sit on the table all evening.
Our daughter recently got nostalgic for it and took a bowl to a weekend at the lake, where we enjoyed it with grilled chicken and again with sandwiches. People sometimes hesitate to try it, but once they do, they're hooked like we are!
Begin by draining the canned vegetables and transferring them to a bowl that can be sealed and refrigerated. Then, start chopping the vegetables you'll be adding. I'd chop the celery a little finer than this picture shows.
Now, chop some pretty red onions. No red onions? Green ones are pretty, too. Now chop some peppers, any color you like! You can add some of every color if you want!
You can add some chopped carrots, jicama, water chestnuts, broccoli florets, and cauliflower in any combination. I would choose firm vegetables and avoid cucumbers or zucchini unless you remove the seedy center before adding them.
To make the marinated vegetable salad dressing, combine the ingredients in a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring to a boil, and let the sugar dissolve.
While the dressing is still hot, pour it over the happy vegetable salad mixture, stir well, and refrigerate for several hours; the original recipe calls for twenty-four hours, so all those veggies can get acquainted.
The original persistence salad recipe has sugar, vinegar, and oil in the marinade. Some sweetness makes this vegetable salad so good, but you could use the artificial sweetener of your choice or reduce the amount of sugar if you prefer. Please don't leave it out, though.
The oldest recipe for marinated vegetable salad uses white wine vinegar, LeSueur brand tiny peas (they seem to be the "pea people"), chopped green onions, and pimento from a jar for color. I always use apple cider vinegar, but you can use plain white vinegar or a flavored vinegar if you prefer.
You can use either vegetable oil or olive oil. So there you go. Like all good old recipes, everyone has their spin on them, and you can, too! Remember, this salad is a good keeper, so you can even add vegetables to the dressing if it gets skimpy. If a few stragglers are left on the relish tray, now they have a home!
Here's another good salad that you can vary by what you have on hand: Colorful Pasta Garden Salad
This is a recipe for a delicious marinated vegetable salad that you can modify according to your taste and the ingredients you have on hand. It keeps so well that we call it "Persistence Salad." It's good any time of the year!
This is a great way to use up odds and ends from a relish tray- like carrots, jicama, cauliflower, broccoli florets. Avoid soft vegetables like cucumbers or zucchini unless you remove the soft, seedy centers.
FAQs for Persistence Salad
Why is it called Persistence Salad?
This marinated vegetable salad keeps well in the refrigerator and actually tastes better after a day or two. Since it “persists” for several days and stays crisp and flavorful, we’ve always called it Persistence Salad.
How long does Persistence Salad keep in the refrigerator?
Because the vegetables are marinated in a vinegar-based dressing, this salad keeps very well. Stored in a covered container in the refrigerator, it will stay fresh and delicious for about 4–5 days.
Can you change the vegetables in Persistence Salad?
Yes. This salad is very flexible. You can use whatever vegetables you have on hand, such as cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, celery, bell peppers, onions, or green beans. Just keep the basic marinade the same and adjust the vegetables to your taste.
This salad adds a lot of flavor, crunch, color, and personality to the simplest meals, and it's always welcome at potlucks, picnics, or barbecues.
Here are some great foods that will work well with Persistence Salad:
Sloppy Joes - A classic sloppy joe recipe chock full of veggies in a slightly sweet, tangy sauce. One pound of hamburger stretches to make six sandwiches!
Runza Casserole - This quick and delicious, family-friendly casserole has all the flavors of a traditional Runza and is ready in a fraction of the time.
American Goulash - A quick and easy main dish you make in one pan, starting with a pound of ground beef. Tasty, kid-friendly comfort food.
Butter Baked Cod - Here is a simple and quick way to bake delicious cod in butter, like it is made in Iceland, where fish is the main protein served at every meal.
If you liked how this recipe turned out, I'd love it if you left a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review or dropped me a note in the comments! It really helps my little business connect with people who cook and eat like we do. Thanks! ❤❤
Love, GB (Betty Streff)
Real food. Real kitchen. Real easy.
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sounds quite tasty altho i am a bit dubious about the canned peas.....i think my late aunt jeane's recipe might be even better despite being simpler:
4-BEAN SALAD
1 can wax beans
1 can cut green beans
1 can dark kidney beans
1 can chickpeas
1 medium onion, halved then thinly sliced
1 small green pepper, chopped
Drain and rinse the four cans of beans and chickpeas. Place in large bowl. Add sliced onion and chopped pepper and mix together. Make the dressing.
DRESSING:
In a saucepan, combine 2/3 cup sugar, 2/3 cup cider vinegar,
1 tsp salt, 1 tsp celery seed, and ½ tsp pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring, and boil just until the sugar melts (which does not take very long).
Allow the dressing to cool in the pan, then add 1/3 cup vegetable oil (preferably canola).
Pour the dressing over the vegetables, mix well, and allow to stand (refrigerated) for at least 4 hours or overnight.
That sounds like a delightful recipe similar to a "four bean salad" I have made many times- I have used kidney beans instead of chickpeas. As for the canned peas, leave them out and substiute whatever you like as I said in my post! Freewheel to your heart's content! Our kitchen should be our own lab and playground!! My husband happens to love canned baby peas and so do our kids and grandkids- that's what makes the world go round!! Have an amazing day!!