Mutti's Potato and Herring Salad Recipe – Kartoffel und Heringsalat (2024)

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Mutti's Potato and Herring Salad Recipe – Kartoffel und Heringsalat (1)

by: Gerhild Fulson / Cookbook Author, Blogger, German Oma!

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This Potato and Herring Salad recipe, akaKartoffel und Heringsalat,comes from my Mutti's handwritten cookbook. She usually made it as one of her party buffet recipes.

As well, she often made this traditional German food as a special treat for our summer picnics. To differentiate this salad from potato salad, Mutti would add slices of pickled red beets.

Mutti's Potato and Herring Salad Recipe – Kartoffel und Heringsalat (4)

The resulting pink-colored herring salad became her trademark. I used to think it was her special way of making this salad special.It wasn't till I was older and had traveled to Germany that I realized adding beets to herring and potato salad was normal.

Which herring to use ...

Use pickled herring that's sold in jars. Drain well and cut the herring into smaller pieces. If onions are in the jars, chop these and add to the salad as well.

Ifthe pickled herring you've bought still has the back-bones in it,you'll need to remove this. Just cut along the back-bone and pull theflesh away from it.

You'll find a different version of the herring salad recipe minus the potatoes as Heringsalat,a great treat that my kids loved when they were little. Sweet and sourand creamy, too! Herring recipes that kids would love. Who would believethat?

Ready to make this potato & herring salad?

Mutti's Potato and Herring Salad Recipe – Kartoffel und Heringsalat (6)

Mutti's Potato and Herring Salad Recipe –Kartoffel und Heringsalat

This Potato and Herring Salad recipe, aka Kartoffel-und-Heringsalat, comes from my Mutti's handwritten cookbook.

To differentiate this salad from potato salad, Mutti would add slices of pickled red beets.

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

none

Total Time

15 minutes

Servings:

Makes 4 - 6 servings

Ingredients:

  • 6 tablespoons (90 grams) sour cream
  • 1½ tablespoons (22.5 milliliters) lemon juice
  • 1½ pounds (681 grams) cooked potatoes, sliced
  • 1 cup (150 grams) diced pickled herring
  • 1 large celery stalk, diced
  • 1 15-ounce (425-gram) can whole beets, drained and diced
  • minced parsley and chives, to taste
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions:

  1. In a large bowl, mix together the sour cream and lemon juice.
  2. Add the potatoes, herring, and celery and toss gently.
  3. Add the beets and toss gently.
  4. Season with parsley, chives, salt, and pepper.
  5. Serve chilled.

Notes/Hints:

  • Use the pickled herring that's sold in jars. Drain well and cut the herring into smaller pieces. If onions are in the jar, chop these and add to the salad as well.
  • If the pickled herring you've bought still has the backbones in them, you'll need to remove them. Just cut along the backbone and pull the flesh away from it.
  • Add some diced onions or green onions.
  • The potatoes, herring, and beets can be sliced or cubed instead.

* * * * *

Unless otherwise noted recipe, images and content © Just like Oma | www.quick-german-recipes.com

05.13.2023 revision update

Grab your copy of Oma's favorite salads in herSummer Salads e-Cookbook.

Mutti's Potato and Herring Salad Recipe – Kartoffel und Heringsalat (7)

Take a peek atall Oma's eCookbooks. They make sharing your German heritage a delicious adventure!

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Mutti's Potato and Herring Salad Recipe – Kartoffel und Heringsalat (19)

Potato and Herring Salad Recipe made Just like Oma



By Oma Gerhild Fulson


Mutti's Potato and Herring Salad Recipe – Kartoffel und Heringsalat (20)


This Potato and Herring Salad recipe is especially great for a buffet dinner. Add some beets for some added color and you've got a real treat.


Ingredients: boiled potatoes,herring,celery,sour cream,lemon juice,canned beets,seasonings,

For the full recipe, scroll up ...

Words to the Wise

"If your enemies are hungry, give them food to eat. If they are thirsty, give them water to drink. You will heap burning coals of shame on their heads, and the Lord will reward you."

Proverbs 25:21 (NLT)

Top of Potato and Herring Salad Recipe

Mutti's Potato and Herring Salad Recipe – Kartoffel und Heringsalat (2024)

FAQs

Why don't you peel potatoes for potato salad? ›

There's no reason at all, so my advice is to leave the skins on. The skin on a potato adds a nice texture and flavor to the potato salad and it's also the healthiest part.

How does Bobby Flay make potato salad? ›

Bobby Flay's Mustard and Scallion Potato Salad

In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustards, vinegar, salt and pepper, olive oil, honey, lime juice, jalapeño, and scallions. Add the warm, sliced potatoes to the bowl and fold until well combined.

What is the history of German potato salad? ›

American style “German Potato Salad” originated from German immigrants based upon the German Kartoffelsalat. But the true origin of this recipe may be southern Poland.

How to make potato salad Martha Stewart? ›

Directions
  1. Put potatoes in a large pot of salted water; bring to a boil. Cook until just tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain; let cool.
  2. Stir together mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, and dill; season with salt and pepper. Peel potatoes; cut into 1-inch chunks. Fold into mayonnaise mixture.
Feb 25, 2021

Is it better to cut potatoes before boiling for potato salad? ›

For potato salad, we recommend chopping medium to large potatoes into large chunks before boiling. After they're cooked, chop them into bite-sized pieces: this helps the potatoes to cook more evenly and stay together.

Why is my potato salad gummy? ›

The starch in potatoes is held together by pectin. When that pectin breaks down too quickly in the boiling process, mushy potatoes result. Adding vinegar to the water fixes that problem because, as López-Alt explains, “pectin breaks down much more slowly in acidic environments.”

Why is my potato salad hard? ›

Not Getting The Cook Time Right

If you overcook them, the result is a mushy, grainy mess. And if you undercook them, you end up with crunchy (not in a good way) potatoes. It's a delicate balance to achieve soft, tender potatoes for that just-right potato salad texture.

Why do Germans love potatoes so much? ›

According to legend, King Frederick II of Prussia believed in the economic and nutritious value of potatoes. He tricked local farmers into planting more of the so-called apple of the earth by posting soldiers around the potato fields to protect them. It worked — highly valued goods taste even better.

How do Germans eat potatoes? ›

Here are some general guidelines:
  • Boiled potatoes: Boiled potatoes are a common side dish in Germany. ...
  • Mashed potatoes: Mashed potatoes are often served as a side dish with meat and gravy or with sausages. ...
  • Roast potatoes: Roast potatoes are a popular side dish in Germany, particularly during the colder months.
Feb 13, 2023

What did Germans eat before potatoes? ›

Bread, butter and stew (or porridge) were what most Europeans ate before the potato became so popular. Occasionally a biscuit or cake sweetened with honey. Stews were usually made from various meats (when available), grains , beans and other vegetables mixed together and cooked in a large pot over an open fire.

Why is my potato salad always watery? ›

Potatoes can retain moisture. To prevent this, drain the potatoes very well in a colander or pot. Allow all the steam to escape the potatoes before mixing them with the dressing and other ingredients.

How do you keep potatoes from turning black when making potato salad? ›

Add lemon juice or vinegar

Lowering the pH of the potato helps fight off oxidation. Just like you might use a squirt of lime juice to keep guacamole from browning, a bit of lemon juice or white vinegar in the bowl with the potatoes will ward off gray hues.

How to make a potato salad Jamie Oliver? ›

Method
  1. Gently boil the potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain and leave to cool slightly.
  2. Whisk the mustard with the vinegar and slowly add the olive oil. ...
  3. Slice the cooked potatoes in half and dress with the shallot and parsley vinaigrette.

Is it OK to eat potatoes without peeling? ›

"From a health point of view, and I think from a taste and texture point of view, it's much better to leave the skin on," Simon says. "The skin of the potato is very high in fibre, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin B — all of those good, healthy things are in high concentration in the skin."

Why you shouldn't peel your potatoes? ›

It's best to peel potatoes for dishes like mashed potatoes, scalloped potatoes, or potato salad since they should have a smoother texture. On the other hand, potato peels contain iron, fiber, vitamin B, and vitamin C, so leave the peels on if you want a nutrient boost in your dish.

Can you eat potatoes without peeling them? ›

Eat the skin to capture all the russet potatoes nutrition. The potato skin has more nutrients than the interior of the potato. It has lots of fiber, about half of a medium potato's fiber is from the skin. Baked Idaho® Potato with salsa makes for a low calorie healthy lunch, try it!

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