Herring and Potato Salad (with Pickled or Smoked Herring)

This herring and potato salad is a simple French dish made with tender potatoes, onions, and your choice of pickled or smoked herring, all with a bright dressing.  If you’re new to herring, this recipe is a great place to start. The fish adds a rich, savory depth that pairs beautifully with the potatoes and the bright vinaigrette dressing.

Known as “Harengs Pommes à l’huile” this herring salad is very popular in France, often served chilled and enjoyed as a starter, light lunch, or picnic dish. Whether you use pickled herring for a tangy bite or smoked herring for a deeper, more robust flavor, this recipe adapts easily to what you have on hand.

What is Herring and Potato Salad?

Herring and potato salad is a classic French dish made with cooked potatoes, onions, and herring – either pickled or smoked – tossed in a light vinaigrette. It’s classic French bistro fare, typically served chilled and enjoyed as an appetizer, light lunch, or side dish.

Unlike creamy American potato salads, this version is fresh, tangy, and slightly briny, allowing the flavor of the fish to shine.

Versions of this herring salad are enjoyed across France, Scandinavia, and Northern Europe, where herring has long been a staple ingredient. What makes the French one special, is that bright and tangy vinaigrette with red onions and mustards.

Ingredients for Herring and Potato Salad (and tips on where to source them)

To make this herring potato salad, you’ll need:

• Waxy potatoes. Choose a variety that hold its shape well once cooked. If you’re making this recipe in the Spring, small new potatoes are perfect! They’re small, keep a great shape once cooked, and their skin is so thin that I don’t even bother pealing them. The rest of the year, Yukon Gold, Fingerling or red potatoes are great choices.
• Pickled or smoked herring. You can choose pickled (tangy and sweet) or smoked (rich and savory) herrings. For the pickled ones, roll mops are great options (available in most grocery stores) or you can often find them in a Jewish or Eastern European deli stores. In the US, you can also find pickled herrings at Whole Foods (occasionally), Costco (bulk pickled herrings, varied by region) or IKEA (Swedish pickled herring jars). Smoked herrings come more often canned, labelled as “kippers”, available in most grocery stores.
• Vinaigrette Dressing. For the dressing, we’re using olive oil, lemon juice, mustard (both grainy and Dijon), salt, pepper, fresh herbs (a mix of dill and parsley) and thinly sliced red onions. I like to prepare the vinaigrette at least 30 minutes before serving. The red onion needs to macerate in the vinaigrette for a while, to lose its “edge”.
• Egg. Boiled egg adds a nice, soft texture and extra-protein.
• Radishes. When in season, a few slices of fresh radishes add a nice tang and crunch.
• Fresh greens. That’s optional – but I often like to serve this dish on a bed of fresh green like mâche (lamb’s lettuce), watercress or arugula.

How to Make Herring and Potato Salad

This herring salad recipe comes together in just a few simple steps:

1. Slice the onion and herbs. Thinly slice the onion and chop the fresh herbs for the vinaigrette.
2. Make the vinaigrette dressing. Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, mustards, salt, pepper, onions and herbs. Chill for 30 minutes.
3. Prepare the herring. Cut the pickled or smoked herring into bite-sized pieces.
4. Cook the potatoes. Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender, then drain and let them cool slightly.
5. Assemble the salad. Plate potatoes and herring pieces onto a bed of fresh greens. Add sliced radishes, halved boiled egg and dress generously with the vinaigrette.

Pickled vs. Smoked Herring: Which Should You Use?

The traditional French “Harengs Pommes à l’Huile” salad is more often made with smoked herring, rather than pickled herring filets.

But as with most classic French recipes, I like to say there are likely as many versions of this salad as home cooks in France. Some prefer the saltiness and boldness of smoked herrings; some prefer the brightness and tang of pickled herrings. I love both versions, and often use what I have on hand – smoked or pickled.

Both options work beautifully in this herring and potato salad, but they create slightly different flavor profiles:

• Pickled herring: Tangy, slightly sweet.
• Smoked herring: Richer, deeper, and more savory.

If you’re new to herring, I find pickled is often milder and more approachable. You can simply buy a jar of rollmops, and cut each rollmops into large chunks. If you enjoy bold flavors, smoked herring adds a delicious intensity. You can even try a combination of both for a more complex herring salad.

How to Store Herring Salad ?

Store the salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Because of the fish, it’s best enjoyed fresh, but the flavors often deepen after a few hours of resting. Give it a gentle stir before serving again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use smoked herring instead of pickled herring?

Yes! Smoked herring works beautifully in this recipe and gives a deeper, more savory flavor, while pickled herring adds a tangy, slightly sweet taste.

What does herring taste like?

Herring has a rich, slightly oily texture with a mild fish flavor. Pickled herring is tangy and briny, while smoked herring is more robust and smokier.

Is herring and potato salad served cold?

Yes, this salad is typically served chilled or at room temperature, making it perfect for warm weather or make-ahead meals.

How long does herring salad last in the fridge?

It can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. The flavor often improves after a few hours.

Is this like American potato salad?

Not quite. This version is lighter and made without mayonnaise, more similar to a French-style potato salad.

I hope you’ll love this French-Style Herring and Potato Salad as much as I do! If you have any questions, please leave a comment. 

More French Salads to try: 

• • Green Bean Potato Salad
  • French-style Rice and Tuna Salad
  • French Grated Carrot Salad (Carottes rapées)
  • French-style Potato Salad
  • Piemontaise Potato Salad
  • Frisée Salad with bacon, eggs and croutons (Salade Lyonnaise)
  • Classic French Lentil Salad 
  • Cucumber Salad with crème fraiche
  • Classic French Celery Root Remoulade
  • Classic Parisian Salad (Salade Parisienne)
  • French Lentil Salad with tomatoes and cucumbers
  • Authentic Niçoise Salad
  • Warm Goat Cheese Salad

Herring and Potato Salad (with Pickled or Smoked Herring)

Print Recipe

Serves: 2 Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cooking Time: 20 minutes 20 minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.8/5

( 4 voted )

Ingredients

3 tbsp (45ml) Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tbsp lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
½ tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp Grainy Mustard
5-6 sprigs fresh parsley, stemmed and roughly chopped
A handful of fresh dill, stemmed and roughly chopped
½ red onion, peeled and thinly sliced in half rounds
1 lb (450g) waxy potatoes
1 tbsp salt
4 large herring filets (pickled or smoked)
1 boiled egg
4-5 radishes.
handfuls fresh greens (lamb’s lettuce, arugula)

Instructions

1. Prepare the Vinaigrette dressing. In a small jar, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, two mustards, salt, pepper, sliced onions and chopped fresh herbs. Close jar and chill for 30 minutes.
2. Slice the small potatoes in half, or in quarters if larger. Place them in a large pot and cover by 1 inch with water. Add 1 tbsp of salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 12 minutes or until you can easily poke a knife in the potatoes; but they shouldn’t be mushy. Drain immediately into a colander/strainer and let steam and cool.
3. Make the hard-boiled egg. Add egg to a saucepan. Cover with water by 1 inch and bring to a rapid boil. Boil for 1 minute and immediately remove from heat. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Carefully removed eggs from the water and rinse under cold water. Once cooled, peel the egg under running cool water and slice in half.
4. Cut the pickled or smoked herring into bite-sized pieces. Slice the radishes into thin slices. 
5. To assemble the salad, divide the fresh greens pieces onto 2 salad plates. Top with equal parts of potatoes and herring pieces. Top each plate with sliced radishes, half a boiled egg and about 3 tablespoons of dressing. Adjust seasoning to taste (more/less salt, pepper and vinaigrette dressing).