Quick and Easy

Sour Cream and Chive Smoked Herring Dip

March 18, 2025
5
1 Ratings
Photo by Noah Tanen
  • Prep time 15 minutes
  • Serves 8
Author Notes

I love herring unconditionally – pickled, smoked, or otherwise. Truth be told, this recipe is versatile and would be just as delicious with another canned, smoked, or flaked fish. I’m imagining, specifically, trout or hot-smoked salmon. However, if you’re a herring lover, or perhaps just interested in trying it, you’ll love to make this recipe as it is written. The sour cream and generous amount of chives give this dish a signature flavor, and balance out the smokiness of the fish. —Noah Tanen

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 12 ounces canned smoked herring, drained of juices
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 whole lemon, zest and juice
  • 2 teaspoons whole grain mustard
  • hot sauce, to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • potato chips for serving
Directions
  1. Add the smoked herring to a bowl and use a fork to flake apart into small pieces. Add the sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon zest and juice followed by the mustard, hot sauce, old bay, and fresh chives. Reserve some chives for garnish.
  2. Season to taste with salt and pepper. This can be kept in the fridge for a few hours and up to two days or served immediately with potato chips for dipping and the reserved chives for garnish.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

Noah Tanen

Recipe by: Noah Tanen

Test Kitchen Content Creator at Food52

1 Review

3lvi April 17, 2025
I can't rate because I didn't find canned smoked herring so I used packaged Digby smoked herring, and I don't recommend doing this. Way too smoky and salty. Maybe one is supposed to soak this type of herring before using it. Will have to try another time with canned.