Smoked Mackerel Salad with Potatoes and Horseradish

Russian Fast With Fish Published January 14, 2026

Smoked mackerel is a pantry staple across Russia and Northern Europe — rich, oily, deeply savory, and available year-round. This salad pairs it with warm boiled potatoes, sharp horseradish, pickled onions, and fresh dill for a dish that is substantial enough for a main course and deeply satisfying on a cold fish day during Great Lent. No cooking required beyond boiling potatoes.

Mackerel is one of the most nutritious fish available — packed with omega-3 fatty acids and protein. A fish day built around mackerel is a day your body will thank you for.

FASTING LEVEL: Fast With Fish
SERVINGS: 4
TIME: 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

- 400g smoked mackerel fillets (skin removed), flaked into large pieces
- 600g waxy potatoes (new potatoes or fingerlings), scrubbed
- 1 small red onion, sliced thin and soaked in 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar for 15 minutes
- 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish (or freshly grated horseradish root)
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
- 4 cornichons or small pickles, sliced
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Mixed greens (arugula, watercress, or lettuce), for serving

METHOD

1. Boil the potatoes in salted water for 15-18 minutes until tender when pierced with a knife. Drain and let cool for 5 minutes, then cut into halves or thick slices while still warm.

2. Whisk together the olive oil, horseradish, Dijon mustard, and lemon juice to make a dressing. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Arrange the greens on a platter or divide among plates. Place the warm potato slices over the greens.

4. Scatter the flaked smoked mackerel over the potatoes. Top with the pickled red onion, cornichon slices, and fresh dill.

5. Drizzle the horseradish dressing over everything. Serve immediately while the potatoes are still warm.

NOTES

- The contrast of warm potatoes and cool mackerel is key to this salad. Serve within 10 minutes of assembly.
- Smoked mackerel varies in saltiness. Taste before adding salt to the dressing.
- Hot-smoked mackerel (the type that flakes easily) is what you want here. Cold-smoked mackerel is thinly sliced and has a different texture.
- A hard rye bread (like Borodinsky) alongside completes the Russian fish-day table.
- Substitute smoked trout if mackerel is unavailable — the flavor is milder but the dish still works.