German Herring Salad
German herring salad made with pickled herring, apple, onion, and sour cream. A simple traditional recipe with just a few ingredients.
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 225kcal
Equipment
- Bowl
Ingredients
- 5 oz pickled herring fillets drained Note 1 150
- 1 small to medium red onion or ½ of a larger one
- 1 medium apple Note 2
- 1¼ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon German yellow mustard or Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper more to taste
Instructions
- Herring: If the herring tastes very strong, you can quickly rinse it and pat it dry. Cut the drained herring into small cubes.5 oz pickled herring fillets
- Chopping: Cut the onion in half and slice it thinly. Quarter and core the apple and slice it thinly. Place everything in the bowl.1 small to medium red onion + 1 medium apple
- Mix: Add sour cream, mustard, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.1¼ cup sour cream + 1 teaspoon German yellow mustard + ½ teaspoon fine sea salt + ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Adjust the taste with more salt and pepper. If the pickled herring is very acidic, you might need to balance the taste with a little granulated sugar. Start with ½ teaspoon and add more to taste if needed.
- Let rest: Cover the bowl and refrigerate the salad for several hours before serving, preferably overnight – it tastes even better on the second or third day when the flavours have blended.
- Serve with boiled potatoes or over sourdough bread.
Notes
- Make in advance: The herring salad is best when it has time to rest in the refrigerator overnight.
- Herring: In Germany, Matjes herring is used. It is lightly salted and not vinegar pickled. In the US, use pickled herring (sometimes labeled soused herring). If possible, choose a milder variety.
- Apple: A slightly tart apple works best, as it balances the fish and dressing.
Nutrition
Serving: 1/4 of the dish | Calories: 225kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 364mg | Potassium: 260mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 513IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 1mg