Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Salad Base
- 300 g pickled herring fillets, drained, patted dry
- 200 g pickled beets, drained and diced 8mm
- 150 g tart apple, peeled, cored, diced 8mm
- 50 g red onion, finely diced
- 3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
Dressing
- 150 g sour cream, cold
- 40 g mayonnaise, cold
- 10 g fresh dill, finely chopped, stems removed
- 8 g dijon mustard, smooth
- 10 ml white wine vinegar
- 15 ml beet pickling liquid, reserved from the beet jar
- 3 g caster sugar, fine granulated
- g fine sea salt
- g white pepper
Garnish
- 1 hard-boiled egg, sliced or quartered
- 3 g fresh dill sprigs, whole
- 30 g beet slices, thinly sliced
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
Only basic nutrition values are available for this recipe. More detailed nutrient data is incomplete.
- Calories
- 259 kcal
- Protein
- 13 g
- Carbohydrates
- 21 g
- Fat
- 14 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place 3 eggs in a small saucepan and cover with cold water by 2 cm. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then immediately cover, remove from heat, and let stand 10 minutes (this yields yolks that are fully set with no green ring).
Drain the eggs and transfer to a bowl of ice water for 5 minutes to stop cooking. Peel under running water to lift membranes cleanly. Set aside 1 whole egg for garnish and chop the remaining 3 eggs into 1 cm pieces.
Place pickled herring fillets in a fine mesh strainer and rinse briefly under cold water for 10 to 15 seconds to remove excess brine. Pat dry with paper towels, then dice into 1 cm pieces on a cutting board using a chef's knife.
Drain the pickled beets, reserving 15 ml of the pickling liquid. Dice the beets into 8 mm cubes on the cutting board. Reserve 30 g of thinly sliced beet for garnish.
Peel, core, and dice the apple into 8 mm cubes. Toss immediately with a few drops of lemon juice (from your prep) to prevent oxidation. Finely dice the red onion and soak in cold water for 5 minutes, then drain.
Finely chop 10 g of dill, reserving 3 g of whole sprigs for garnish.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, dijon mustard, white wine vinegar, reserved beet pickling liquid, sugar, and chopped dill until smooth and uniformly pale pink.
In a large mixing bowl, combine diced herring, diced beets, diced apple, drained red onion, and chopped eggs. Pour the dressing over the top and fold gently with a spatula until every piece is evenly coated.
Season with 2 g fine sea salt and 1 g white pepper, fold once more, and taste. Adjust salt and add a few more drops of vinegar if the salad needs brightness.
Cover the bowl and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld. Before serving, stir gently and taste once more for seasoning.
Spoon the chilled salad onto a serving platter or individual plates using a slotted spoon. Garnish each portion with reserved sliced beet, quartered hard-boiled egg, and a sprig of fresh dill. Serve cold, ideally between 8 and 12°C (46 to 54°F).
Chef's Notes
- The hallmark of a proper sillsallad is balance: the beet must color the dressing without dominating it, the apple must snap without turning to mush, and the herring should whisper brine rather than shout it.
- For the cleanest dice, partially freeze the herring fillets for 10 minutes. The firmer flesh will give you sharp 8 mm cubes that hold their shape when folded.
- Always chill the finished salad for at least 1 hour. The resting period allows the beet pigments to dye the dressing an even rose color and lets the dill perfume permeate every component.
- Pickled herring varies dramatically in saltiness by brand and country of origin. A 10-second rinse is the difference between a balanced salad and an inedible one.
- If serving as part of a midsommar smörgåsbord, present this salad in a shallow glass dish so the rosy dressing and garnished egg slices are visible to guests.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in a sealed glass container; flavors deepen after 12 hours but consume within 3 days for best texture.
Reheating: Serve chilled. Remove from refrigerator 10 minutes before serving to take the chill off and release aromatics.
Troubleshooting
Salad tastes overwhelmingly salty or fishy
Cause: Herring was not rinsed, or salt was added before tasting the dressed mixture
Fix: Fold in an extra tablespoon of sour cream and a few more apple cubes to balance, or dilute with additional chopped hard-boiled egg
Prevention: Rinse herring briefly and always taste before adding salt since herring and beets contribute significant sodium
Dressing has separated or looks watery
Cause: Beets released moisture after sitting, or ingredients were warm when mixed
Fix: Drain off pooled liquid, whisk an additional tablespoon of sour cream into the salad, and re-chill for 30 minutes
Prevention: Pat beets dry after draining and ensure all ingredients are cold before combining
Apple cubes have turned brown or pink
Cause: Apple was cut too far in advance or was not tossed with acid
Fix: Cannot be fully reversed; remove the most discolored pieces and fold in freshly diced apple for the final assembly
Prevention: Dice apple last and toss with lemon juice immediately, or submerge in cold water with a squeeze of lemon until ready to fold in
Eggs have a green ring around the yolk
Cause: Eggs were overcooked or cooled too slowly after boiling
Fix: Cannot be reversed; flavor is unaffected but trim the green ring before chopping if presentation matters
Prevention: Use the hot-start method in step 1 and transfer immediately to ice water
Salad lacks brightness or tastes flat
Cause: Acid component is insufficient or the salad was not chilled long enough
Fix: Stir in 5 ml additional white wine vinegar and a pinch of sugar, then re-chill 20 minutes
Prevention: Always finish with a final taste test and an extra splash of vinegar before plating
Cultural Context
Sillsallad is a cornerstone of the Swedish midsommar and julbord table, where dozens of composed fish salads, pickled herring varieties, and cold dishes are arranged as a buffet. While every Swedish household guards its own version, the combination of herring, beet, apple, and egg traces back to 19th-century rural preservation traditions when autumn beet harvests and spring herring runs coincided. The salad reflects the broader Scandinavian ethos of stretching a small amount of preserved fish into a festive, satisfying dish through the addition of root vegetables and dairy.
