Name: Polish Herring in Sour Cream (Śledź w śmietanie)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 195 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients: 600 g refrigerated, commercially salt-cured herring fillets; Up to 2 l cold drinking water, for soaking salt-cured herring as needed; 100 g red onion, thinly sliced; 160 g tart apple, cored and finely diced or grated; 250 g full-fat sour cream; 15 ml lemon juice; 8 g fresh dill, chopped; 1 g ground black pepper; 900 g waxy or all-purpose potatoes; 2 l water for boiling

Wide table with creamy Polish herring, warm potatoes and rye bread.

Yield 6 servings

Serving about 190 g herring mixture and 150 g potatoes

Active preparation about 25 minutes

Cooking time about 20 minutes for potatoes

Ingredients ↓

Recipe at a glance

Polish Herring in Sour Cream (Śledź w śmietanie)

Śledź w śmietanie is a familiar Polish cold dish of herring folded into a tangy cream dressing. This version balances salty fish with tart apple, red onion, dill and black pepper, then chills the mixture so the flavours settle.

The dish has no single regional claim in the ranked source. Herring appears among the foods that may be served at Polish Christmas Eve supper, but menus vary by family and region. Sour-cream herring is also served as a cold appetizer outside the holiday season.

Use commercially prepared, refrigerated herring and check whether it is salt-cured or vinegar-pickled. Salt-cured fillets may need a cold-water soak; vinegar-pickled ones are usually drained and tasted first. Serve the creamy herring cold with warm boiled potatoes. The fish is not cooked by soaking or mixing, so keep it chilled and observe the safety guidance below.

Tips for a good result

Buy herring that has been commercially prepared and kept refrigerated; follow the package date and storage directions.
Read the label before soaking. Salt-cured fillets may need desalting; vinegar-pickled fillets can become bland if soaked unnecessarily.
Change the soaking water every 30 minutes and taste a small piece. Stop as soon as the salt level is pleasant; two hours is the limit in this recipe.
Briefly soften the onion with boiling water, then cool it fully so it does not warm the cream.
Dice or grate the apple just before mixing and coat it with lemon to slow browning.
Do not add salt until you have tasted the finished mixture; cured fish is often salty already.
Keep the fish separate from ready-to-eat foods while cutting, and wash hands, board and knife after handling it.
Keep the finished dish at or below 4°C and serve it cold.

Ingredients

Herring in sour cream

600 g refrigerated, commercially salt-cured herring fillets
Up to 2 l cold drinking water, for soaking salt-cured herring as needed
100 g red onion, thinly sliced
160 g tart apple, cored and finely diced or grated
250 g full-fat sour cream
15 ml lemon juice
8 g fresh dill, chopped
1 g ground black pepper

Potato accompaniment

900 g waxy or all-purpose potatoes
2 l water for boiling

Method

Directions

Check and desalinate the herring.Read the package. If the fillets are salt-cured and taste very salty, cover them with cold water and soak in the refrigerator, changing the water every 30 minutes. Taste a small piece and stop when pleasantly seasoned, up to 2 hours. For vinegar-pickled herring, drain and taste; do not soak unless it is unusually salty.
Prepare the fish.Drain and pat the fillets dry. Cut them into bite-size pieces and check for pin bones, removing any with clean tweezers. Keep the fish cold while you prepare the other ingredients.
Mellow the onion.Thinly slice the onion. Pour freshly boiled water over it in a heatproof sieve for about 10 seconds, then drain and cool completely.
Boil the potatoes.Put the potatoes in a pot, cover with fresh water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 18–20 minutes, until a knife slides into the centre easily. Drain and keep warm.
Mix the dressing.Core and dice or grate the apple. Immediately combine it with the lemon juice, sour cream, cooled onion, dill and black pepper.
Chill the herring.Fold the herring gently into the dressing. Cover and refrigerate at or below 4°C for at least 30 minutes. Taste before serving and add no salt unless it is genuinely needed.
Serve and store safely.Serve the herring cold with warm potatoes. Keep it chilled until serving and return it promptly to the refrigerator. Refrigerate leftovers in a shallow covered container and use within 2 days.

Estimated nutrition per serving

Energy430 kcal
Carbohydrate31 g
Protein22 g
Fat23 g
Fibre3 g
Sodium1,250 mg
Allergensfish (herring) and milk (sour cream); check the herring label for additional allergens

These rounded estimates include about 190 g of the herring mixture and 150 g of boiled potatoes. They use generic ingredient data rather than laboratory analysis. Sodium varies substantially by fish brand and cure; no added salt is included.

Serving, storage and make-ahead: Serve the herring cold beside freshly boiled warm potatoes or with rye bread. You can prepare the dressed fish up to one day ahead; keep it covered at or below 4°C. Keep potatoes separate and cook them near serving time. Refrigerate leftovers promptly, never leave the dish at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour above 32°C), and discard anything held out longer. This uncooked fish dish is not suitable for pantry storage and has no reheating step.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to soak every kind of herring?

No. Soak salt-cured fillets only if they taste too salty, changing the cold water and tasting as you go. Drain and taste vinegar-pickled herring instead; soaking can remove its intended flavour.

Is the herring cooked?

No. Salt-curing and soaking do not cook the fish. Pregnant people, young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems should avoid this uncooked fish preparation and choose fully cooked fish.

How long can I keep it?

Keep it at or below 4°C and use within 2 days. Discard it if it has been out for more than 2 hours, or more than 1 hour in hot conditions above 32°C.