Whitefish Salad
on Feb 18, 2025, Updated Feb 28, 2025
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Your go-to recipe for the classic Jewish deli-style bagel spread, creamy, salty, and umami.
I was born in NYC (the bagel capital of the world, some might argue) and have lived here for the vast majority of my life. So, I have decades’ worth of Jewish deli and bagel brunch memories from childhood through today. Whitefish salad is a cornerstone memory for me, a special treat that, to this day, makes me shiveringly happy.
Growing up, we would always get bagels, cream cheese, smoked salmon, and cucumber salad, but if it was a special occasion like Yom Kippur break fast, there would also be whitefish or whitefish salad. There would also be whitefish salad if my dad was picking up the bagels — he was a sucker for this spread.
This whitefish salad recipe takes its inspiration from all of those childhood memories and Cathy Barrow’s Smoked Whitefish Salad recipe in her awesome book, Bagels, Schmears, and A Nice Piece of Fish.
Whitefish is salty, and you should taste the salad before adding any additional salt. The finished salad is not as salty as straight whitefish, though, as the smoked fish is tempered by the other creamy ingredients and the acidity of the lemon juice. A little celery adds a welcome crunch. This recipe makes about 3 cups of whitefish salad, which should serve 10 unless there are a number of huge whitefish salad fans at the table.
Table of Contents
What Is a Whitefish?
Whitefish usually refers to any mild freshwater fish with oily, rich flesh. In the U.S., whitefish often comes from the cold waters of the Great Lakes area of the Midwest. However, because the term is used fairly generic, some fish labeled white fish might also be from salt water. In the case of Jewish whitefish salad, the fish is fresh water, and a key element is the smoking of the fish, which results in the singular salty, smoky flavor.
How To Prepare Whitefish for Salad
This is how to remove the bones and skin from the whitefish for this salad recipe or even to serve the whitefish on its own.
- Place the smoked whitefish on a cutting board. Use a sharp chef’s knife to remove the head and tail. Cut off the fins. Peel off the outer skin. Use your hands to “open” the fish like a book, with the backbone side down. Then, using your hands, press along the middle bones to separate the fish from the bones.
- Remove the backbone, starting at the tail and lifting it up. The goal is to separate the flesh from the bones as carefully as possible without breaking any bones. Work slowly and carefully.
- Use your fingers to locate and remove any small pin bones left in the fish. Flake the whitefish into small pieces, searching for stray bones.
Ingredients
- Smoked whitefish – See the tips above about how to clean, debone and flake whitefish.
- Sour cream – I prefer full-fat.
- Chopped celery
- Chives or finely minced scallions or green onions
- Jarred horseradish – I prefer white horseradish so the salad stays a nice pale color.
- Lemon juice – Please use fresh!
- Black pepper – To taste.
Variation
- You can use half mayonnaise and half sour cream if you prefer.
- Add some chopped fresh dill or fresh parsley to the whitefish salad; about 1 tablespoon minced dill, or 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley.
- Add a 1/2 teaspoon of fresh grated lemon zest for the salad for a more pronounced lemony flavor.
How to Make Whitefish Salad
- Check the fish: Make sure there are no little tiny bones left in the whitefish as you flake it.
- Mix the dressing: In a medium bowl, combine the sour cream, celery, chives or scallions, and horseradish. Add the flaked fish. Add the lemon juice and pepper and stir with a fork to blend thoroughly. You can make it as smooth or as chunky as you like.
- Chill and serve: Chill for at least 1 hour before serving. Taste and add more pepper or lemon juice if needed.
Storage
Whitefish Salad will last for up to 4 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
How to Serve Whitefish Salad
- On a bagel (your choice of flavor: onion, sesame, everything, poppy, and plain are good choices). Toast the bagel, or enjoy it untoasted. You can layer on vegetables like sliced tomato, onion, and cucumber if you like.
- Serve with bagel chips as an appetizer.
- Serve with matzoh for a Passover appetizer.
- Serve on rye bread or toast.
- Serve with celery sticks, or on cucumber rounds, or with endive leaves.
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Whitefish Salad
Ingredients
- 1 whole (2 pounds) smoked whitefish (skinned, boned, and flaked; about 3 cups)
- 1 cup sour cream
- ½ cup finely chopped celery
- ¼ cup minced chives (or finely minced scallions or green onions)
- 1 tablespoon jarred horseradish
- Black pepper (to taste)
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (or more if desired)
Instructions
- Make sure there are no little bones left in the whitefish as you flake it.
- In a medium bowl, combine the sour cream, celery, chives or scallions, horseradish, and pepper. Add the flaked fish and lemon juice. Stir to blend thoroughly. You can make it as smooth or as chunky as you like.
- Chill for at least 1 hour before serving. Taste and add more pepper or lemon juice if needed.
Notes
- To flake whitefish, place the smoked whitefish on a cutting board. Use a sharp chef’s knife to remove the head and tail. Cut off the fins. Peel off the outer skin. Use your hands to “open” the fish like a book, with the backbone side down. Then, using your hands, press along the middle bones to separate the fish from the bones.
- Remove the backbone, starting at the tail and lifting it up. The goal is to separate the flesh from the bones as carefully as possible without breaking any bones. Work slowly and carefully.
- Use your fingers to locate and remove any small pin bones left in the fish. Flake the whitefish into small pieces, searching for stray bones.
Quick, easy, and perfect flavor.