Which herring should I choose? Our herring jars compared
October 27, 2026 – Fiskskaldjur
The Swedish herring table offers many flavours. Here is how our herring compares, so you can choose by taste. For the full tradition, read the guide to the Swedish herring table.
Mild and easy: start here
- Löksill: pickled herring with onion; mild, tangy, savoury. A good first herring.
- Senapssill: herring in a sweet, mild mustard sauce, a great classic. (Allergens: fish, mustard.)
Fresh and fruity
- Svartvinbärssill: herring in a blackcurrant marinade; fresh, sweet and sour. A modern take that suits strong cheese.
- Torslandasill: with bostongurka (sweet-and-sour diced cucumber relish), chives and leek; crisp and a little sweet.
Herbal and rich
- Smögensill: with dill, onion and roe, named after the fishing village of Smögen; herbal, fresh, savoury.
- Matjessillfilé: matjes herring fillets cured in a mild brine; rich, mild-sweet and tender.
Fried and pickled
- Stekt inlagd strömming: Baltic herring, fried then pickled; tangy with a firm bite. See sill or strömming.
How to serve
Serve with boiled new potatoes, sour cream and chives, a hard-boiled egg and crisp bread, often with a small glass of snaps. Keep refrigerated; read the label for the full ingredients.
Allergens: fish (Smögensill includes roe; senapssill also mustard).
