Shuba Salad Herring Classic

Be the first to rate

(No Ratings Yet)

Loading...

A beloved Russian celebration salad, Shuba combines silky pickled herring with sweet roasted beets, tender potatoes, carrots, and eggs, all bound together with cool mayonnaise. Unlike the famously layered version, this classic is finely chopped and tossed so every bite carries the full spectrum of flavors and the iconic magenta hue.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 380 kcalCalories
• 26 gFat
• 5 gSaturated Fat
• 22 gCarbs
• 4 gFiber
• 7 gSugar
• 14 gProtein
• 780 mgSodium
• 560 mgPotassium
• 65 mgCalcium
• 2 mgIron
• 9 mgVitamin C
• 340 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the salad

• 2 medium potatoes (about 400 g), peeled
• 2 medium carrots (about 200 g), peeled
• 2 medium beets (about 250 g), trimmed
• 3 large eggs
• 1 fillet pickled herring (about 200 g), drained and deboned
• 1 small yellow onion (about 100 g), peeled
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the dressing and garnish

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (about 110 g)
• 1 tablespoon sour cream
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped
• Extra fresh dill sprigs, for serving

Directions

1. Place the eggs in a small saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil; cook 10 minutes, then transfer to ice water. In a separate pot, cover the potatoes and carrots with cold salted water, bring to a boil, and simmer 20 to 25 minutes until tender when pierced. In a third pot, cover the beets with cold water, bring to a boil, and simmer 40 to 45 minutes until fork-tender.
2. Drain the potatoes, carrots, and beets and let them cool completely. Peel the beets (wear gloves to avoid stained hands). Peel the eggs once cooled.
3. Finely dice the herring, potatoes, carrots, beets, eggs, and onion into roughly 1/4-inch pieces, keeping the beets separate so their color does not bleed into the other vegetables. Place all the chopped ingredients except the beets in a large mixing bowl.
4. In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard, and chopped dill until smooth. Season the herring mixture with salt and pepper, then fold in the dressing until evenly coated.
5. Gently fold in the diced beets just until streaks of magenta run through the salad; do not overmix or the entire salad will turn uniformly pink. Taste and adjust salt.
6. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour to let the flavors meld. Give the salad a light stir before serving, garnish with dill sprigs, and offer extra mayonnaise on the side.

Cook’s Notes

• For the cleanest flavor, shred the onion on a fine grater and squeeze out excess liquid before adding it to the salad.
• Pickled herring fillets labeled matjes or Baltic-style are milder and less salty than wine-vinegar cured varieties; rinse them briefly if they taste briny.
• Salting the vegetables while still warm pulls out moisture and helps the dressing cling better, but only salt right before serving if you want the salad to look vibrant.
• Make the salad up to 24 hours ahead and keep it refrigerated; the flavor actually improves overnight as the beets tint the mayo and the herbs mellow.
• Serve on rye toast or with dark rye bread for a traditional Russian accompaniment, and add a wedge of lemon to brighten the plate.

You might also like

European

Beef Stroganoff Classic Version

European

Kotlety Russian Meat Patties

European

Russian Chicken Pie Classic Kurnik

European

Russian-Style Buckwheat Porridge with Mushrooms and Onions