This herring salad is a popular party food dish in Poland, easy to make and full of flavour. This simple dish offers a surprisingly complex flavour profile including savoury, sweet and zesty. It accompanies family gatherings and celebrations including Christmas, but is also often served as an everyday dish.

Top down view of herring salad in white bowl with spoon.

This herring salad ('salatka ze sledzia' or 'salatka sledziowa' in Polish) is a delicious way of enjoying this somewhat underrated fish. It has none of the harshness of store-bought marinated herring, which is usually dominated by vinegar. This is not that kind of recipe!

Because of its strong, distinct salty flavour (when marinated in oil or brine) herring pairs well with lots of different ingredients and is perfect to use in a salad. The ingredients used in Polish herring salad enhance the flavour of the herring rather than mask it.

Herring salad ingredients and substitutions

Herring: in oil or brine (see details below).
Onion: use either red or white onion. Alternatively use scallions/green onions.
Potatoes: use waxy (salad) potato varieties, such as Anya, Jersey Royals, Carola red or yellow potatoes as well as baby potatoes.
Apple: any sweet variety will work.
Dill pickles/pickled gherkins.
Mayonnaise: regular or reduced-fat.
Yogurt: Greek, natural, Skyr or sour cream.
Lemon juice: sub a little vinegar if preferred.
Pepper: to taste.

Ingredients for making herring salad in individual dishes. — Herring salad ingredients.

What herring to use

I recommend using herring in oil. This type of herring has a melt-in-your mouth quality and is not as salty as herring in brine so doesn’t require soaking. Just chop it and make your herring salad!

You can use herring in brine instead if you like, but soak it first for about 30 minutes in cold water to remove excess salt. I also recommend adding a couple of teaspoons of vegetable oil into the salad when using this type of herring.

You could also use pickled herring (along with the onion from the jar) as well as readymade rollmops you can find in most supermarkets. With this type of herring it’s a good idea to add a little oil and use less lemon juice.

How to prepare the herring

Chopping herring fillet on top of wooden board.

Because I am using salted herring fillets marinated in oil preparation is quick and easy.

There is no need to wipe all the oil off the herring fillets. Just drain then chop the fillets along their width into bite size pieces (about 1 cm/1/2 inch wide).

Recipe instructions

1.Boil the potatoes (whole, unpeeled) until tender (you can do this step ahead).Drain and set aside to cool. Once cooled peel and cut the potatoes into quarters (or chop them more finely if you like).

2. In a large bowl assemble all the chopped salad ingredients.

Chopped ingredients in large white bowl for making herring salad.

3. Add the mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon juice and a generous grind of pepper.

Assembled ingredients in white bowl for Polish herring potato salad.

4. Stir gently but thoroughly, taste the mixture and adjust the seasoning/lemon juice if needed. If possible, chill your herring salad for 30 minutes before serving.

Side view of potato herring salad in white bowl with lemon in background.

How to serve this salad

Polish herring salad is usually served with bread (often rye) and butter as a party dish, lunch or supper (as are other fish recipes including smoked mackerel). It’s also delicious on its own, with fresh chives, parsley or dill (Poland’s most popular herb trio).

What other ingredients can be used

This herring potato salad is extremely adaptable and there are different variations of this recipe in Poland. Some people add hard-boiled eggs, canned peas or sweetcorn into the mixture. Other ingredients you can use in a herring salad include:

Finely sliced fennel
Cooked or pickled, cubed beets
Finely chopped celery
Mustard and honey used alongside the mayonnaise and yogurt
Capers
Raisins

Top tips

Herring is very salty so you may not need to add any salt into your salad. Pepper can be used liberally.
You can boil the potatoes ahead and once cooled refrigerate overnight. Peel just before assembling the salad.
Core and cut the apple just before assembling the salad (it browns quickly).
Adjust the recommended proportions to your taste – make it more peppery or creamy etc.
For best results chill for 30 minutes before serving.
Best eaten within 4 hours. Keep refrigerated.
Not suitable for freezing.

Check out also these other traditional Polish recipes!

Keep in touch!

If you make this Polish herring salad recipe I’d love to know how it turned out for you. Let me know in the comments below, thanks😊

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Herring Salad Polish-Style (Salatka ze Sledzia)