Herring Under a Fur Coat Salad

Herring Under a Fur Coat or Shuba salad Recipe is a classic Russian layered salad made with pickled herring fillets, eggs, mayo, and cooked vegetables. This traditional salad is served mostly at holidays, parties, or weekend dinners.

What is Shuba Salad?

Shuba is a beautiful Russian layered salad that originated in the soviet era, it’s made with cooked vegetables that are grated or diced, grated hard boil eggs, and chopped pickled herring fillets. Everything is layered in a springform pan with light mayo layers between the rest of the layers.

What makes this salad so special is its “fur coat” which is the vibrant beet layer that covers the entire salad. In Russian, this salad is called Seledka Pod Shoboi (селедка под шубой).

This dish is New Year’s Eve national dish, it’s also popular at other holidays such as Christmas, Easter, and Women’s Day. You can’t call it a holiday without Shuba salad on the table! But let’s be honest, this layered salad is delicious at any time of the year.

Many variations of this salad contain a diced fresh apple which gives it a nice crunch and flavor.

Ingredients In Recipe

Here’s what you need to make this classic salad:

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

• Herring: We are using pickled salted herring fillets here that are chopped into ⅓ inch (1cm) pieces. Herring can be found in most European supermarkets or Russian stores.
• Potatoes: Waxy potatoes are best for potato salads because they hold their shape well. In this salad, you can go for waxy potatoes like new potatoes or all-purpose potatoes such as Yukon Golds. Avoid Russet potatoes or Idaho potatoes. If you’re in the UK, go for new potatoes or Charlotte potatoes.
• Beets: You will need 2 large cooked beets or 3 medium ones, traditionally they are boiled but I like baking them in foil until tender. Allow to cool completely, then peel and grate. I recommend using gloves to handle beets as they will stain your hands.
• Onion: I used 2 small yellow onions that I finely chopped then marinated in apple cider vinegar, oil (sunflower or olive oil), black pepper, and a sprinkle of sea salt. The marinade will go in the salad as well.
• Carrot: 4 medium carrots are boiled or roasted, then peeled once they’re cooled completely, and then grated.
• Eggs: 5-6 large eggs are hard boiled, peeled, and cooled then grated on a box grater before they’re added to the salad.
• Mayonnaise: This is a one ingredient dressing recipe, so make sure you’re using good-tasting real mayo. Check out my homemade mayo recipe if you’d like to make your own!

How To Make Herring under a fur coat salad

This salad is very simple to make once you prep all of your vegetables and eggs. Below is a collage of images to show you the steps of layering the salad. And if you scroll down a little, you will find a graphic that I created to make it easier for you to assemble the salad.

1. Marinate the Onions: I don’t like sharp onions in this salad, so I dice them and then shock them with boiling water for 10 seconds and drain. Then I marinate them in vinegar, oil, ground black pepper, and salt. Marinate for 10 minutes before adding to the salad.
2. Assemble: Use a springform pan without the bottom to work as a mold, and layer the salad directly on a serving plate. The first layer is grated potatoes that I layer with the help of a fork, do not pack down the potatoes as you place them.
3. Add Mayo: Spread a light layer of mayo on top of the potatoes (⅓ cup).
4. Add Herring and Onion: The next layer is the chopped herring fillets, followed by the grated onion along with its juices and marinade.
5. Add Carrots and Mayo.
6. Add Grated Egg and Mayo.
7. Add Grated Beets.
8. Top with Mayo, and use a spoon to spread it. As it’s being spread, the mayo will be mixed with the beets and turn into a beautiful purple or pink color.
9. Chill. Cover the salad with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 6 hours. The salad will set and will hold its shape as you cut it into “slices” to serve. Remove the springform pan ring before serving, and garnish with fresh herbs such as dill or chives.

Recipe Tips

• Mold: I used a 9-inch (23cm) springform pan to create the layered salad. You can also use a cake mold, a trifle dish, or just a glass bowl to assemble and serve the salad. This recipe can be halved, but be sure to use a smaller mold.
• Individual Portions: This layered salad is great for making individual portions! Use small cake molds, springform pans, bowls, or cups.
• Add Garlic: A little bit of crushed garlic added to the mayo makes it delicious!
• Be Careful with The Salt: The herring is pickled and salted, so be careful when you add salt to the onions or the potatoes. I usually skip the salt and only add it to the onions.
• Eggs are Optional: You can totally skip the eggs if you don’t like them in salads.

Storing Tips

Is it important that you chill the salad for at least 6 hours before serving.

Store the leftovers covered with plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing this salad.

More Salad Recipes To Try

Russian Vinegret Salad

Beet Salad with Arugula, Apples, & Feta

Seven Layer Salad

Red Potato Salad

FAQs

I hope that you love this Russian classic as much as I do! Let me know in the comments if you grew up eating it, or where did you learn about this salad? And share with me your spin on the Shuba salad!

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Recipe

5 from 11 votes

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Herring Under a Fur Coat Salad

Prep Time: 40 minutes mins

Cook Time: 40 minutes mins

Chill time: 6 hours hrs

Author: Diana

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Herring Under a Fur Coat or Shuba salad Recipe is a classic Russian layered salad made with pickled herring fillets, eggs, mayo, and cooked vegetables.

8 servings

Herring Under a Fur Coat or Shuba salad Recipe is a classic Russian layered salad made with pickled herring fillets, eggs, mayo, and cooked vegetables.

Equipment

• 9 inch springform pan

Ingredients 

1/2x1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 large cooked potatoes or 3 medium potatoes, chilled, peeled, and grated
• ▢ 1 cup mayonnaise
• ▢ 9 ounces (250g) herring fillets drained from oil, and chopped
• ▢ 2 small yellow onions finely diced
• ▢ 1 teaspoon apple cider or distilled vinegar
• ▢ Salt & pepper to taste
• ▢ 4 medium cooked carrots chilled, peeled, and grated
• ▢ 5 large boiled eggs peeled and grated
• ▢ 2 large cooked beets chilled, peeled, and grated
• ▢ Fresh dill or green onions to garnish

Instructions

• Cook the carrots and the potatoes in boiling water until soft (about 20 minutes), then grate using a small grater.
• Cook the beets in boiling water as well, until soft (about 1.5 hours), then grate using a small grater. If too liquid is produced you can pat dry using a paper towel if you don’t want a soggy salad.
• Finely chop the onion, and pour hot water on it, then get rid off the water. Again pour cold water on it, and get rid off it. This will help you get rid of the bitter taste. Pour white vinegar on it and keep it for 5 minutes, then again wash with hot water and then get rid off it.
• Take a huge plate preferably round, and start layering the salad. Layer half of the beets on the plate, then layer half of the shredded potatoes, and then layer a thin layer of mayonnaise.
• Layer all of the onions, and again layer with a thin layer of mayonnaise.
• Cut the herring fillets in pieces, and layer all of it.
• Layer with the other half of the potatoes followed by thin a layer of mayonnaise.
• Layer all of the carrots, followed by a thin layer of mayonnaise. And then the rest of the beets followed by more mayonnaise. Make a pattern with the mayonnaise using a fork.
• Decorate with greens, I decorated with chopped scallions.
• Refrigerate overnight, and serve on the next day.

Notes:

• Mold: I used a 9-inch (23cm) springform pan to create the layered salad. You can also use a cake mold, a trifle dish, or just a glass bowl to assemble and serve the salad. This recipe can be halved, but be sure to use a smaller mold.
• Individual Portions: This layered salad is great for making individual portions! Use small cake molds, springform pans, bowls, or cups.
• Add Garlic: A little bit of crushed garlic added to the mayo makes it delicious!
• Be Careful with The Salt: The herring is pickled and salted, so be careful when you add salt to the onions or the potatoes. I usually skip the salt and only add it to the onions.
• Eggs are Optional: You can totally skip the eggs if you don’t like them in salads.
• Storing: Is it important that you chill the salad for at least 6 hours before serving. Store the leftovers covered with plastic wrap in the fridge for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing this salad.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 339kcal, Carbohydrates: 12g, Protein: 12g, Fat: 27g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 147mg, Sodium: 321mg, Potassium: 495mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 5328IU, Vitamin C: 7mg, Calcium: 61mg, Iron: 1mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© Little Sunny Kitchen

This recipe first appeared on the blog in November 2015, and was updated with new images and more useful tips in January 2023.