Name: Polish Layered Herring Salad (Śledź pod pierzynką)
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 290 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients: 450 g commercially prepared, refrigerated salt-cured herring fillets; Up to 2 l cold drinking water for optional desalting; 500 g waxy potatoes; 250 g carrots; 450 g raw beetroot; 4 l arge eggs; 100 g yellow onion, finely diced; 250 g commercial mayonnaise made with pasteurized egg; 10 ml neutral oil, for the beetroot; 1 g ground black pepper; Up to 1 g fine salt, only if needed after tasting; 8 g fresh parsley, chopped; 5 g fresh dill, chopped

Wide serving table with layered herring salad and a cut slice showing its layers.

Yield 8 servings

Serving about 275 g layered salad

Active preparation about 35 minutes

Cooking time about 1 hour 15 minutes, mostly hands-off

Ingredients ↓

Recipe at a glance

Polish Layered Herring Salad (Śledź pod pierzynką)

Śledź pod pierzynką means “herring under a blanket.” This Polish-named cold salad layers cured herring with potato, carrot, beetroot, hard-cooked egg and mayonnaise. The red, orange, pale and white layers make it easy to recognize on a shared table.

The workbook documents the dish as a widely known Polish preparation, but similar layered herring salads are part of a broader Eastern European food tradition. Family recipes vary: some omit beetroot, change the layer order or use a different herring cure. This measured version includes beetroot and finishes with grated egg and herbs.

Plan ahead: the vegetables and eggs need to cool before assembly, and the covered salad needs at least two hours in the refrigerator to settle. Taste the herring before adding salt because the cured fish can season the whole dish. Serve cold in scoops or neat slices; keep it refrigerated between servings.

Tips for a good result

Choose commercially prepared herring that has been kept refrigerated; check its label and use-by date.
Salt-cured herring and vinegar-pickled herring behave differently. This recipe uses salt-cured fillets; taste before deciding whether to soak.
If the fish is too salty, soak it in cold water in the refrigerator, changing the water every 30 minutes and tasting as you go. Stop within 60 minutes once pleasantly seasoned.
Roast the beetroot whole and let it cool before peeling; this limits staining and keeps its moisture contained.
Cook potatoes and carrots until just tender rather than waterlogged, then cool them fully so the grated layers remain distinct.
Use mayonnaise made with pasteurized egg and keep it chilled.
Grate each cooled vegetable separately and spread each layer gently without pressing it dense.
Use little or no extra salt until you have tasted the herring and assembled layers.
Chill the finished salad for at least two hours; overnight chilling is convenient.
Keep the salad at or below 4°C and limit time on the table.

Ingredients

Herring and vegetable layers

450 g commercially prepared, refrigerated salt-cured herring fillets
Up to 2 l cold drinking water for optional desalting
500 g waxy potatoes
250 g carrots
450 g raw beetroot
4 l arge eggs
100 g yellow onion, finely diced
250 g commercial mayonnaise made with pasteurized egg
10 ml neutral oil, for the beetroot
1 g ground black pepper
Up to 1 g fine salt, only if needed after tasting
8 g fresh parsley, chopped
5 g fresh dill, chopped

Method

Directions

Roast the beetroot.Heat the oven to 200°C. Scrub and trim the beetroot, rub with the oil, wrap in foil or place in a covered roasting dish, and set on a rimmed tray. Roast for 60–75 minutes, until a knife passes easily through the centre. Cool completely, then peel and coarsely grate.
Taste and desalinate the herring if needed.Read the package and taste a small piece. If it is too salty, cover with cold water and refrigerate for up to 60 minutes, changing the water every 30 minutes and tasting again. Stop when pleasantly seasoned. Drain and pat dry. If the salt level is already balanced, skip soaking.
Cook the potatoes and carrots.Put whole potatoes and peeled carrots in a saucepan, cover with fresh water and bring to a boil. Simmer until just tender, about 18–25 minutes depending on size; remove carrots earlier if ready first. Drain and cool completely. Peel the potatoes and carrots, then coarsely grate them into separate bowls.
Set the eggs and soften the onion.Boil the eggs for 10–12 minutes until both whites and yolks are fully set. Cool promptly, peel and grate. Briefly pour boiling water over the finely diced onion, drain and cool completely.
Season the herring.Dice the drained herring into small pieces and mix with the cooled onion and black pepper. Taste before adding any salt; cured fish may provide enough.
Build the layers.In a glass or ceramic serving dish, spread the herring and onion, then grated potato, a thin layer of mayonnaise, carrot, another thin mayonnaise layer, beetroot, more mayonnaise and grated egg. Keep the layers even and loose. Finish with parsley and dill.
Chill and serve.Cover and refrigerate at or below 4°C for at least 2 hours, or overnight. Serve cold in scoops or slices. Return leftovers promptly to a shallow covered container and use within 2 days.

Estimated nutrition per serving

Energy460 kcal
Carbohydrate21 g
Protein20 g
Fat32 g
Fibre4 g
Sodium850 mg
Allergensfish (herring) and egg (hard-cooked eggs and mayonnaise); check product labels for additional allergens

These rounded estimates cover about one eighth of the salad and use generic ingredient data rather than laboratory analysis. Sodium varies with the herring cure and mayonnaise brand; optional added salt is not included.

Serving, storage and make-ahead: Serve the salad cold as a shared appetizer or side. A wide glass dish shows the layers; a clean knife makes tidy slices, though scooping is also traditional in home kitchens. Assemble it the day before if convenient and keep it covered at or below 4°C. Do not leave it at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or more than 1 hour when it is hotter than 32°C; discard portions left out longer. Refrigerate leftovers in a shallow container within two hours and use within 2 days. This mayonnaise-and-fish salad is not shelf-stable and is not reheated.

Frequently asked questions

Is this salad uniquely Polish?

No such claim is made. Śledź pod pierzynką is a familiar Polish-named home-style salad, while related layered herring-and-beet salads are shared more broadly across Eastern Europe.

Can I use vinegar-pickled herring?

You can, but it will taste sharper. Drain it well and taste before assembling; do not soak it unless it is unusually salty. Salt-cured herring gives the measured version’s more balanced flavor.

How long can I keep it?

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