Traditional pickled herring salad with potatoes and herbs is a cold, sharp, filling salad made with brined herring fillets, boiled waxy potatoes, onion, dill, parsley or chives, vinegar, mustard, oil, and sometimes sour cream.
It works as a make-ahead lunch, holiday side, picnic dish, or small dinner because it delivers strong flavour without long cooking. A good version keeps 4 elements in balance: salty fish, mild potato, fresh herbs, and enough acid to cut through the richness.
The main mistake is treating it like ordinary potato salad. Add salt too early, and the dish can turn harsh because pickled herring already brings brine, sugar, vinegar, and sodium.
Pickled Herring Salad with Potatoes and Herbs
Equipment
- Medium saucepan or pot for boiling potatoes
- Colander
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- Mixing bowls
- Small whisk or fork
- Measuring spoons
- Large serving bowl
- Airtight container for storage
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 300 g pickled herring fillets, drained
- 500 g waxy potatoes Yukon Gold, Charlotte, red potatoes, or new potatoes
- 1 small red onion or shallot, finely sliced
- 2-3 dill pickles or cornichons, chopped optional
- 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
- 1-2 tbsp fresh parsley or chives, chopped
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Dressing
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar or reserved herring brine
- 2 tbsp neutral oil or light olive oil
Optional Creamy Version
- 3 tbsp sour cream or Greek yogurt
Instructions
- Boil and Slice the PotatoesBoil the potatoes whole and unpeeled until just tender, about 15–20 minutes.Drain, cool until warm, peel if desired, then slice into bite-sized pieces.
- Prepare the HerringDrain the pickled herring and cut it into 2 cm pieces. If it tastes too salty, rinse briefly under cold water and pat dry.
- Make the DressingWhisk together Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar or herring brine, oil, and black pepper until combined.
- Combine the SaladToss the warm potatoes with the dressing first. Add herring, onion, pickles, dill, and parsley or chives, then fold gently.
- Chill and ServeRefrigerate for at least 30 minutes. For a creamy version, stir in sour cream or Greek yogurt after chilling. Taste before adding any salt, then serve cold.
Video
Notes
- Use waxy potatoes for the best texture; they hold their shape better than floury varieties.
- Do not add salt before tasting the finished salad. Pickled herring often provides plenty of seasoning.
- Dress the potatoes while still slightly warm so they absorb more flavor.
- Avoid overcooking the potatoes or they may become mushy when mixed.
- If using herring packed in sweet brine, increase vinegar slightly before considering additional sweeteners.
- Add dairy ingredients only after chilling to prevent a watery dressing.
- Fresh dill is traditional and highly recommended for authentic flavor.
- For extra freshness, add diced cucumber or crisp apple before serving.
Why Herring, Potatoes, and Herbs Work Together
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Herring brings oiliness, salt, vinegar, and a firm bite. Potatoes soften all of that. Herbs stop the salad from tasting heavy.
That balance explains why variations appear across Northern and Eastern European kitchens, from Scandinavian-style herring plates to Polish and Baltic cold salads. The form changes, but the logic remains steady: a preserved fish needs a mild starch and something green.
Herring also has a nutritional reason for staying relevant in 2026. Mayo Clinic lists herring among omega-3-rich fish options, while the FDA/EPA fish advice places herring in the Best Choice category for mercury-conscious seafood selection.
What People Usually Miss
The key decision is potato texture, not the brand of herring. Overcooked potatoes collapse into the dressing and turn a clean salad into paste. Undercooked potatoes stay separate from the fish and taste like leftovers from another meal.
Aim for potatoes that hold a clean edge after slicing. Cool them until barely warm, then dress them before adding herring. That timing detail gives the salad better seasoning without crushing the fish.
Another missed point is sugar. Many jars of pickled herring already contain a sweet brine. If the salad tastes flat, reach for vinegar, mustard, or pepper before adding honey or sugar.
Extra sweetness makes the dish taste closer to a dessert relish than a cold savoury salad.
Nutrition: Strengths and Limits
Pickled herring salad is rich, filling, and useful as a protein-forward cold meal, but it is not a low-sodium dish.
Readers who track vitamin D separately from seafood intake may also use a supplement such as Vitamin D3 5000 IU, but higher-dose supplements should fit personal medical advice, not guesswork.
Nutrition records from USDA FoodData Central list pickled Atlantic herring per 100 g at about 262 calories, 14.2 g protein, 18 g fat, and 9.6 g carbohydrates. Sodium can be high in pickled fish, so a 75 g serving of herring may bring a large share of a day’s sodium before pickles, mustard, or added salt enter the bowl.
That matters because the FDA sodium guidance sets the Daily Value for sodium at less than 2,300 mg per day. The CDC sodium data page reported in March 2026 that Americans consume more than 3,300 mg daily on average.
A practical serving size is about 1 cup as a main lunch with greens, or 1/2 cup as a side. Anyone watching blood pressure or sodium intake should choose a smaller herring portion, skip added pickles, and use extra potato, herbs, cucumber, or apple for volume.
Storage and Food Safety
Keep the finished salad refrigerated at 40°F (4°C) or below. The FoodSafety.gov cold-storage chart lists egg, chicken, ham, tuna, and macaroni salads at 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator, so use that range for mixed herring potato salad once jarred fish has been combined with cooked potatoes, herbs, and dressing.
Do not freeze the salad. Potatoes become grainy, dairy dressings split, and herbs lose their clean flavour. For the best texture, eat it within 24 to 48 hours.
Summary
@clems_kitchen_06 Ep. 43 Herring nach Hausfrauenart This is the meak the we always eat on Aschermittwoch and Karfreitag because it is with fish and no meat Recipe: – 500g/8 herring Cut in half – 1 apple Peel and cut into small chunks – 1 small onion – 4 pickles Cut into small cubes – 250g mayo (recipe is coming soon) – 200g sour cream – 2 tbsp cream – 1/2 tsp mustard – 3 tbsp pickles water – Salt to a taste – Pepper – Pinch of sugar Mix everything and add all the other ingredients and season it – potatoes – Water – Salt Wash the potatoes and cook them for about 20min or until soft Peel them just before eating or eat them with the skin Have fun and enjoy!😊 #germanfood #osterrezepte #recipe #homemadefood #herring #sahnehering #heringhausfrauenart #hering #matjes #aschermittwoch #karfreitag #karfreitagessen #fastenzeit ♬ Originalton – Clementine
Traditional pickled herring salad with potatoes and herbs succeeds when the cook respects balance. Keep the potatoes firm, the herbs fresh, the dressing acidic, and the salt under control.
Herring brings enough character on its own. The supporting ingredients should sharpen it, soften it, and make every forkful easier to finish.