Haring Salade (Marinated Herring Salad)

A classic Dutch herring salad that balances briny, tangy, sweet, and earthy in every forkful. Marinated herring gets tossed with diced beets, potatoes, chopped apples, and dill pickles, then dressed in a mustard-spiked cream dressing with fresh dill.

This is a no-cook salad, which makes it ideal for warm weather entertaining or a light lunch. Everything gets prepped, tossed, and plated on lettuce leaves with quartered hard-boiled eggs on top. The beets stain everything a gorgeous pink-red that makes the plate look as bold as it tastes.

The cream dressing is the glue. Whisked together with white vinegar, mustard, and dill, it’s rich enough to coat the hearty ingredients without drowning out the herring’s distinctive brine.

Pro Tips

• Drain the marinated herring well. Excess liquid will water down the cream dressing.
• Dice everything to roughly the same size for even bites. Uniformity matters in a composed salad like this.
• Toss gently. The beets, potatoes, and herring break apart easily, and you want distinct pieces, not mush.
• Chill the assembled salad for 20-30 minutes before serving. The flavors meld and the dressing thickens slightly.

Variations

• Use sour cream instead of heavy cream for a tangier, thicker dressing closer to Scandinavian versions.
• Add capers or cornichons for extra briny punch.
• Swap apples for diced pear when they’re in season for a softer sweetness.