This burger puts Danish-style pickled herring on a toasted brioche bun with sautéed red onions, shredded red cabbage, and a dill-caper mayo. It takes under an hour, requires no cooking of the main protein, and the flavor — briny, tangy, a little sweet — is genuinely unlike anything else in the burger rotation. If you’ve been curious about pickled herring but not sure where to start, this is a low-pressure way in.
What makes this version work
Two things carry this burger. First, patting the herring dry before you cut it. Pickled herring sits in brine, and if you skip that step, the liquid soaks straight into the bun and you end up with a soggy mess before you’ve taken a bite. A few firm presses with paper towels makes a real difference. Second, toasting the brioche. Brioche is soft and rich, which is exactly why it works here, but that softness also means it collapses fast under wet ingredients. A quick run under the broiler gives the cut side a light crust that holds everything together. Don’t skip it — a flabby bun is the most common reason a good burger falls apart on the first bite.
Ingredient notes
- Pickled herring: Look for Danish-style or Scandinavian-style in the refrigerated section near smoked salmon, or at a deli counter. Avoid the shelf-stable jars in the canned fish aisle — the texture is softer and the flavor is sharper. If your store only carries matjes herring, that works fine; it’s a little milder.
- Capers: Buy the small nonpareil variety if you can. They’re less aggressive than the larger ones and blend into the sauce without overpowering it. Rinse them briefly before chopping.
- Fresh dill: Dried dill won’t do the same job here. The sauce depends on the brightness of fresh dill. If your store is out, fresh tarragon is a decent backup.
- Brioche buns: A bakery bun is worth it if you have access to one. Grocery store brioche buns work, but they’re often smaller — check that they’re wide enough to hold the toppings without everything spilling out.
If something goes sideways
- The sauce tastes flat: Add a small squeeze of lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Caper brine also works — stir in half a teaspoon at a time until it brightens up.
- The onions are browning too fast: Lower the heat and add a splash of water to the pan. You want them soft and translucent, not caramelized — caramelized onions taste great but they’re sweeter, and that tips the balance of the whole burger.
- The herring is too salty or sharp for your taste: Soak the drained fillets in cold water for 10 minutes, then pat dry again. This pulls out some of the brine without washing away the flavor entirely.
- The bun burns under the broiler: Broilers run hot and every oven is different. Watch the buns from the moment they go in — 60 to 90 seconds is usually enough. Pull them the second the edges turn golden.
- Everything slides out when you pick it up: Press the cabbage layer down firmly onto the sauced bottom bun before adding the herring. The sauce acts as a grip, and the cabbage gives the herring something stable to rest on.
Storage and reheating
Store the components separately — assembled burgers go soggy quickly. The dill-caper sauce keeps in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Sautéed onions will keep for 3 days as well; reheat them in a small pan over low heat for a minute or two. The pickled herring should be used within 2 days of opening the package — check the label on your specific brand, as some have shorter windows once opened. Don’t freeze the herring or the sauce; the texture of both breaks down badly. Brioche buns can be stored at room temperature in a bag for a day, or frozen for up to a month and toasted straight from frozen.
Danish Pickled Herring Burger
Ingredients
- 4 pieces brioche burger buns freshly baked if possible
- 400 grams pickled herring fillets Danish-style, drained
- 1 cup red cabbage finely shredded
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon capers chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill chopped
- 1 medium red onion thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter unsalted
Instructions
- Prepare the Herring Mixture. Gently pat the pickled herring fillets dry with paper towels. Cut them into smaller, bite-sized pieces and set aside.
- Make the Sauce. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, chopped capers, and fresh dill. Stir until smooth and set aside.
- Sauté the Red Onion. In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and add the thinly sliced red onion. Sauté until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
- Assemble the Burger. Slice the brioche buns in half and lightly toast under a broiler or in a toaster for a slight crunch. Spread the prepared sauce generously on both halves of each bun.
- Layer the Burger. Start with a layer of shredded red cabbage on the bottom bun, followed by a few pieces of the pickled herring. Add sautéed red onions, and cover with the top bun.
Notes
Nutrition
Your questions, answered
Do I need to cook the pickled herring before putting it on the burger?
No — pickled herring is fully cured and ready to eat straight from the package. The only prep is draining it, patting it dry, and cutting it into pieces as the recipe describes.
Where do I actually find Danish-style pickled herring?
Most well-stocked grocery stores carry it in the refrigerated seafood section, often near smoked salmon or lox. Scandinavian specialty stores, IKEA food halls, and some delis are reliable sources if your regular store doesn’t stock it.
Can I make the sauce ahead of time?
Yes, and it actually tastes better after 30 minutes in the fridge — the dill and capers have time to come together. Make it first, before you do anything else, and keep it covered in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble.
The recipe says 45 minutes prep — what takes that long if I’m not cooking the fish?
Most of the time is the onion sauté plus getting everything prepped and organized before assembly. If you make the sauce first and shred the cabbage while the onions cook, you can get the total time closer to 30 minutes.
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