Latvia · Dish
Kartupeļi ar siļķi un biezpienu: potatoes with herring and curd cheese
This straightforward Latvian plate brings together boiled potatoes, salted herring and biezpiens, a fresh curd cheese. Sour cream and onion are common companions, but the arrangement varies by kitchen.
- Dish type
- Simple fish, potato and dairy plate
- Key ingredients
- Potato, salted herring, biezpiens
- Dish type
- Traditional main or supper
- Useful word
- Biezpiens means fresh curd cheese
This guide is independently written and checked against official Latvian government cultural information.
Kartupeļi ar siļķi un biezpienu
Potatoes with herring and curd cheese
Boiled potatoes served with herring and a creamy Latvian-style curd cheese mixture with sour cream and dill.
- Preparation
- 15 min
- Cooking
- 25 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Energy / serving
- Approx. 490 kcal
Estimated energy is calculated from the listed quantities and stated yield. Actual values vary with brands, optional ingredients, serving size and absorbed frying fat.
Ingredients
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- 800 g waxy potatoes
- 300 g prepared salted or marinated herring fillets
- 400 g dry curd cheese, quark or farmer's cheese
- 180 g sour cream
- 1 small bunch fresh dill, chopped
- 3 spring onions or 1 small onion, finely sliced
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Salt, only if needed
Method
-
Boil the potatoes
Boil the potatoes in lightly salted water until tender. Drain and keep them warm.
-
Prepare the herring
If the herring is very salty, soak it briefly in cold water or milk, then dry it. Cut the fillets into bite-sized pieces.
-
Mix the curd cheese
Mix the curd cheese with the sour cream until creamy but still textured. Stir in the dill, onion and black pepper. Add salt only after tasting.
-
Arrange and serve
Serve the warm potatoes, herring and cold curd cheese mixture as separate, recognisable components on each plate.
Storage
Refrigerate the herring and curd mixture separately for up to 2 days. Cooked potatoes are best used within 3 days.
Allergens
Fish, Milk
For eating out in Latvia, see Restaurant and allergy phrases.
What the dish is
The components usually remain recognisable rather than being baked into a casserole: boiled potato, pieces or fillets of salted herring and a portion of fresh curd. Onion and sour cream may add sharpness and richness.
Its simplicity is central to the dish. Quality and salt balance matter more than elaborate preparation, and household presentations can look quite different while using the same three main elements.
Why these ingredients belong together
Potatoes, fish and dairy recur in official accounts of Latvian food. Salted herring supplies a concentrated savoury element, while mild potato and fresh curd balance it.
The combination is often treated as a substantial cold-weather meal, although it is not restricted to winter.
Variations to expect
Herring may be served in oil, brine or another marinade, changing acidity and salt. Biezpiens can be plain or mixed with sour cream and herbs, while onion may be raw, marinated or absent.
Ask whether the herring is salted or pickled if that distinction matters to you. The English phrase “herring with potatoes” may omit the curd component even when it is present.
Where to try it
Look on traditional Latvian menus, lunch menus and cold-season offerings. Markets are useful for seeing the individual herring, dairy and potato components, although assembling them yourself is different from ordering a prepared plate.
Because the dish is simple home-style food, it may appear as a starter, cold plate or modest main rather than a restaurant centrepiece.
Dietary and ordering notes
The dish contains fish and dairy. Herring can be very salty, and marinades may introduce sugar, mustard or other ingredients not visible in the short dish name.
Ask whether the potatoes or onions are prepared with meat fat if you avoid it. The core plate does not require pork, but accompaniments can change that.
Questions cooks often ask
What kind of herring should I buy?
Buy prepared salted or marinated herring fillets that are ready to eat, preferably boneless. This recipe does not use raw fresh herring. Check the package for storage instructions and whether the fillets need soaking.
What should I do if the herring is very salty?
Soak it briefly in cold water or milk, then drain and dry it before cutting. Taste a small piece before adding any salt to the curd cheese mixture because packaged herring varies considerably.
What can I use instead of Latvian biezpiens?
Dry quark, farmer cheese, or well-drained curd cheese gives the closest practical texture. Drained cottage cheese can work, although its curds are usually wetter and larger.
Are the potatoes served hot or cold?
Serve the potatoes warm, with the herring and cool curd cheese mixture kept as separate, recognisable components. The contrast in temperature and texture is part of the appeal of the dish.
Can I prepare this dish in advance?
The herring and curd cheese mixture can be refrigerated separately for up to 2 days. Boil or reheat the potatoes close to serving so they remain pleasant and do not take on a refrigerated texture.
Check the primary information
Sources and editorial checking
This guide was last reviewed on 5 August 2026. The source below provides official cultural background on potatoes, fish and dairy in Latvian cooking.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Latvian cuisine
Official cultural overview of Latvian staples, celebrations, smoked-pork pastries and dairy traditions.
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