German Red Herring Salad (Roter Heringssalat)

Kimberly Killebrew

Pickled herring, apples, onions, pickles and red beets are covered in a luscious creamy sauce with a beautiful pinkish-red hue.

5 from 8 votes

Prep Time 15

Total Time 15

Course Entree, hors d'oeuvres, Main Dish, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine danish, Finnish, German, Norwegian, Scandanavian, Swedish

Servings servings

Calories 382 kcal

1/2 pound pickled (soused) herring fillets (German Bismarck herring or matjes herring), drained and diced small
2 medium apples , cored and diced small
1/3 pound cooked red beets , diced small
1 medium yellow or red onion , diced small
4-5 German pickles , diced small (authentic German pickles are key to the flavor, do not substitute with American pickles as they have a very different flavor)
For the Creamy Dressing:
2-3 tablespoons pickle juice from the German pickles
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon German yellow mustard (tastes significantly different than American yellow mustard) (optional: some also like to add a touch of horseradish)
1 cup sour cream
1/4-1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons German mayonnaise (tastes significantly different than American mayonnaise)
1-2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill
for serving: boiled potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, crusty bread

In a small bowl, whisk together the pickle juice, mustard, oil, vinegar, salt and sugar until emulsified and the salt and sugar are dissolved. Stir in the whipping cream, sour cream, mayonnaise, mustard and dill.
Place the diced herring, apples, beets, onions, and pickles in a large bowl.
Pour the dressing over the herring mixture and carefully stir until thoroughly combined. Add salt and pepper to taste. If the salad is thicker than you prefer, add a little whipping cream. If you prefer the dressing thicker, add more sour cream and/or mayonnaise.
To serve, lay some slices of boiled egg over a mound of herring salad with a sprig of fresh dill. You can also add some onions sliced into rings. Place the potatoes next to the salad. Alternatively, spread the herring salad on crusty bread.
Can serve 4 as a side or main dish or more people as an hors d'oeuvres.

Keyword Herring Salad

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