German Herring Salad with Beetroot is a versatile dish enjoyed in various ways across Germany. It is one of the country’s most popular fish salads, known for its delicious flavour and vibrant colour that can entice those who are usually sceptical about herring. Whether served as a snack with a slice of bread, a main dish alongside boiled potatoes, or a starter for Christmas dinner, this salad always impresses.
Table of Contents
Recipe
German Herring Salad with Beetroot
Ingredients
- 250 g herring filet cured
- 1 mild onion small
- 1/2 apple sweet. medium
- 1 beetroot small
- 1 pickele large
- 70 g mayonnaise
- 1 tsp mustard
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the herring by rinsing it with water and tapping it dry.
- Peel the onion, peel and core the apple.
- Cut the ingredients: onion into small cubes, apple and pickles into medium-sized cubes, and herring into 2 cm wide slices. Traditionally, beetroot is also cut into medium-sized cubes for this salad. However, I am serving the salad as a Christmas starter, so I want it to look extra nice. Therefore, I cut the beetroot into half and slice it.
- Mix herring, onion, pickles, apple, and the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
- Once the salad is mixed, it's time to personalize it. Correct the seasoning by adding salt, pepper, or sugar to suit your taste. This step allows you to take control of the dish and ensure it's exactly how you like it.
- To assemble the salad, I used the dessert ring. It was 3 cm high. For this fancy look, I stuck a half slice of the beetroot to the edge of the salad.
Herring, a staple in German cuisine, is one of the most abundant fish species in the world. Its popularity is highlighted by dishes such as German Herring Salad with Beetroot. This dish features a delightful mix of apples, onions, pickles, red beetroot, and a creamy sour dressing, showcasing the love for herring in German cooking. I don’t know any herring enthusiast who doesn’t appreciate this tasty preparation!
Ingredients & Substitutes
German Herring Salad with Beetroot contains a few ingredients that go perfectly together.
Herring – I use mild, brined herring with a smoky note from Nordsee
Pickles – choose the pickles that you love the most; for this recipe, I use dill pickles
Apples – to balance the sour pickles, I like selecting sweet apples for this salad, like gala, pink lady, or red delicious
Onion – for salads, I suggest selecting mild onion types like red onion or shallot
Beetroot – to save some time, I use already-cooked beetroots from the food market
Mayonaise – classic, mayo I use mayonaise from Heinz
Lemon Juice – from fresh lemon
Mustard – medium spicy German mustard
Parsley – fresh parsley for serving
Salt, Pepper, Sugar
Tools that might come in handy
Storage & Reheating
Store German Herring Salad for up to 2 days in the fridge. The salad cannot be freezed.Â
Herring Salad Variations
Another of my favourite variations is German Matjes Herring in Cream Sauce. This creamy salad can also be served on bread or with boiled potatoes as a main course. Additionally, being part Polish, I know there are various other herring salads available, such as Herring Salad with Cream, Herring Salad with Onion, and Herring Salad with Garlic for the adventurous!
How to serve German Herring Salad with Beetroot?
My favourite ways of serving Herring Salads are:
- on the slice of rye bread with butter
- on the German bread roll
- with boiled potatoes as a main meal
When to eat German Herring Salad with Beetroot?
Traditionally, herring salad is particularly popular during the Christmas holidays and New Year. Many people also enjoy the fish dish on New Year’s Eve itself, or on Ash Wednesday, shortly before Lent begins.
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2 thoughts on “German Herring Salad with Beetroot”
Love the salad using beetroot.
Sorry to be a pedant but In your list of ingredients this web page
I think you mean 250g herring filet “drained” rather than brained?
Or maybe you did mean brained in which case I’m confused??
I am sorry for the confusion; I meant cured herring. Is that something you will be able to get?