A piece of shuba with salmon on a white plate

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This Shuba with Salmon salad looks like one, hence the name. Shuba ( салат шуба) means fur coat. Originally this salad is made with herring. I know many people are turned off by the herring, while others love it.

The idea to use smoked salmon actually came from my sister Tanya, who I believe is not a fan of the herring either. It’s so much better than herring! It’s the most bizarre salad to those who haven’t seen it. My husbands co-workers tried it; “What is it?” asks one; “I don’t know, but it’s good!” You can make the veggies ahead of time and assemble when you’re good and ready.

P.s. You can even Cook Beets in the Instant Pot and it will be even faster.

Watch How to Make Smoked Salmon Salad (Shuba):

Ingredients for Shuba:

1 lb smoked salmon
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 to 4 medium potatoes
3 to 4 medium beets, (or use 2 cans beets which don’t require cooking)
4 medium carrots
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups real mayonnaise (2 cups if using a very large casserole).

How  Make Shuba with Salmon:

1. If you want to cook your own beets: In one pot, place beets in boiling water (enough water to cover the beets). Boil 1 hour, or until soft when pierced with a knife. The cooking time varies depending on your beets. Some will cook sooner than others, so test all of them. When cooked, remove from boiling water and let cool to room temperature. Peel the cooked beets (I use gloves for this)

Shuba with Salmon

2. In a separate pot, boil whole potatoes and carrots 30 minutes, or until smooth when pierced with a knife. Don’t overcook. When cooked, remove from boiling water and let cool to room temperature. Peel the cooked potatoes and carrots. It’s easiest to peel carrots by putting a slit down the length of the carrot and peeling in a circle around the carrot.

Shuba with Salmon-2

Shuba with Salmon-3

3. Place 4 eggs in another pot of salted cold water and bring them to a boil. Once the water is boiling, place the lid on, turn heat off and let the pot sit on the same  burner for 15 minutes. (Or you can throw them in with your potatoes and carrots and fish them out after 15 minutes. Let eggs cool to room temperature. Peel the eggs.

LAYERS OF SHUBA:

1. Break or chop the salmon into quarter size pieces place evenly in the bottom of a large 13×9 casserole dish.

Shuba with Salmon-6

2. Using a cheese grater, shred the potatoes evenly over the salmon & spread onion over potatoes.

Shuba with Salmon-7

3. Spread ¾ cup mayo evenly over the onions.

A layer placed in a bowl for shuba

4. Using the same cheese grater, shred the beets evenly over the mayo.

Shuba with Salmon-8

5. Then shred the carrots evenly over the beets.

Shuba with Salmon-9

6. Spread the remaining ¾ cup mayo over the carrots.

Shuba with Salmon-10

7. Using the smaller holes of the cheese grater, shred the eggs evenly over the mayo and you’re done.

Shuba with Salmon-11

Shuba with Salmon-12

Shuba with Salmon-4

Shuba with Salmon, a twist on Herring Salad

5 from 25 votes
Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com
A piece of shuba with salmon on a white plate
Shuba is a layered salad popular in Russian and Ukrainian cuisine. Instead of herring, we love to use smoked salmon.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 12 people
  • 1 lb smoked salmon
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 3 to 4 medium potatoes
  • 3 to 4 medium beets, (or use 2 cans beets which don't require cooking)
  • 4 medium carrots
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise*, 2 cups if using a very large casserole

Instructions

  • If you want to cook your own beets: In one pot, place beets in boiling water (enough water to cover the beets). Boil 1 hour, or until soft when pierced with a knife. The cooking time varies depending on your beets. Some will cook sooner than others, so test all of them. When cooked, remove from boiling water and let cool to room temperature. Peel the cooked beets (I use gloves for this).
  • In a separate pot, boil whole potatoes and carrots 30 minutes, or until smooth when pierced with a knife. Don't overcook. When cooked, remove from boiling water and let cool to room temperature. Peel the cooked potatoes and carrots. It's easiest to peel carrots by putting a slit down the length of the carrot and peeling in a circle around the carrot.
  • Place eggs in another pot of salted cold water and bring them to a boil. Once the water is boiling, place the lid on, turn heat off and let the pot sit on the same burner for 15 minutes. (Or you can throw them in with your potatoes and carrots and fish them out after 15 minutes. Let eggs cool to room temperature. Peel the eggs.

LAYERS OF SHUBA:

  • Break or chop the salmon into quarter size pieces place evenly in the bottom of a large 13x9 casserole dish.
  • Using a cheese grater, shred the potatoes evenly over the salmon & spread onion over potatoes.
  • Spread ¾ cup mayo evenly over the onions.
  • Using the same cheese grater, shred the beets evenly over the mayo.
  • Then shred the carrots evenly over the beets and Spread the remaining ¾ cup mayo over the carrots.
  • Using the smaller holes of the cheese grater, shred the eggs evenly over the mayo and you're done.

Nutrition Per Serving

307kcal Calories12g Carbs11g Protein24g Fat4g Saturated Fat75mg Cholesterol531mg Sodium457mg Potassium3g Fiber3g Sugar3534IU Vitamin A9mg Vitamin C43mg Calcium3mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Shuba with Salmon, a twist on Herring Salad
Amount per Serving
Calories
307
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
24
g
37
%
Saturated Fat
 
4
g
25
%
Cholesterol
 
75
mg
25
%
Sodium
 
531
mg
23
%
Potassium
 
457
mg
13
%
Carbohydrates
 
12
g
4
%
Fiber
 
3
g
13
%
Sugar
 
3
g
3
%
Protein
 
11
g
22
%
Vitamin A
 
3534
IU
71
%
Vitamin C
 
9
mg
11
%
Calcium
 
43
mg
4
%
Iron
 
3
mg
17
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine: Russian, Ukrainian
Keyword: shuba
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $$
Calories: 307
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

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5 from 25 votes (10 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Katerina, a happy new subscriber
    July 10, 2018

    I made it yesterday in the evening, left in the fridge overnight, and, oh goodness, it was delicious. I love salmon so much but using it in this recipe, oh so clever! Thank you, Natasha, for all your hard work. I believe I used your recipes before but now I am on a mission to try cooking everything you suggest!!!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      July 10, 2018

      You are so nice! Thank you so much for sharing your awesome and encouraging comment 🙂

      Reply

  • Erin
    May 26, 2018

    do you think this would taste good with grated pickled beats? I have some on hand to use up.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      May 26, 2018

      Hi Erin, I honestly have never tried this with pickled beets so I’m not sure how that would meld with the rest of the flavors since the other ingredients are either lightly sweet (beets, carrots) or salty (smoked salmon) and not really tangy.

      Reply

  • Kaylynn Tkachev
    March 15, 2018

    Thank you for this wonderful recipes and all of your others! I am making this for a Russian dinner party tonight, and have made it previously for my Russian in-laws. Спасибо, Natasha! 🙂

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      March 15, 2018

      My pleasure! I’m happy to hear how much you’re enjoying the recipes. Thanks for following and sharing your encouraging comments!

      Reply

  • Janet
    October 13, 2017

    Scrumptiously delicious

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      October 13, 2017

      I’m glad you like it Janet! Thanks for sharing!

      Reply

  • olga
    April 21, 2017

    could I make this the day before party? Or is it best to be made on the day of party?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      April 21, 2017

      Hi Olga, yes this is great when made a day ahead, covered and refrigerated. Enjoy!!

      Reply

  • Tatyana Shevchenko
    January 21, 2017

    I usually make shuba with herring but decided to try smoked salmon and we loved it, delicious 😋
    Thank you!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      January 21, 2017

      You’re welcome Tatyana! Glad you enjoyed it!! 🙂

      Reply

  • Inna
    December 24, 2016

    A tip my sister gave me was to put the potatoes on the bottom so the juices from the salmon or herring can get soaked up in it!!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      December 24, 2016

      Oh Interesting!! Thank you for sharing that with us!

      Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      December 24, 2016

      Oh Interesting!! Thank you for sharing that with us!

      Reply

  • diana s
    November 23, 2015

    I absolutely love your blog. I have learned so much from you. I have a question about this shuba salad. What is the best smoked salmon to buy for this salad?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      November 23, 2015

      It works well with either dry smoked or lox (like from Costco). I kind of prefer the dry smoked like the one pictured here. I purchased this one at Winco but I’ve seen it in several other grocery stores.

      Reply

      • Joseph
        September 27, 2019

        the lox from coco n others isa combo salt sugar cured then smoked no same a lox like served on a bagel with cream cheese sliced onion maybe chives I make my own gravlox with 50 50 salt coarse not table salt fresh basil and little vodka ,,

        Reply

  • cher
    March 7, 2015

    Thanks for the idea, will try it with salmon next time. I steam my veggies and eggs in one pot/steamer – a lot easier for me and takes less than an hour to make. A close friend makes it with boiled chicken or pork (minced) too, great for children’s party!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      March 7, 2015

      what kind of steamer do you use? That sounds like a really good and healthier option than boiling veggies.

      Reply

      • cher
        March 17, 2015

        I use Redmond multicooker, don’t know if it’s available in the US but it’s popular here in Ukraine and Russia. I guess any programmable steamer will do!

        Reply

  • Alesya
    January 8, 2015

    Natasha, this twist on the traditional herring salad was a discovery of the year!!! I don’t know how many times I tried making the herring salad in the U.S., but the herring here doesn’t taste the same to me. I finally stopped making this salad. Since I saw your post, I kept craving this salad with salmon. It was a bomb! Thank you! Greetings from sunny, snowy Colorado:)

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      January 8, 2015

      I’m so glad you loved it! It’s the only way I like it too 🙂

      Reply

    • Alesya
      January 23, 2015

      I am in the process of making shuba salad again, that’s how much you turned me onto this dish that I haven’t made in years, actually.
      I love your blog, not only the recipes, but the stories as well, food and life blend so well, don’t they?:)

      Reply

      • Natasha
        natashaskitchen
        January 23, 2015

        I’m so happy to hear that! I agree; they do blend well together. Food brings back so many memories for me – people, events, good times and even throwing up in the forest… lol.

        Reply

  • Anna
    November 19, 2014

    Baked beets also add a lot of color to shuba and vinegret, whereas boiled beets lose some of their natural color in the water.

    Reply

  • angela
    September 21, 2014

    Have you ever make shuba with tuna? I’ve tried it at a friends house and it wasn’t bad at all! Love all of your recipes. Your blog is my go to, first, for any recipe I want to make.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      September 21, 2014

      It’s probably very similar in taste to the Mimosa salad I have posted and that one was very good (just a lighter texture). I hadn’t considered using Tuna in this but it totally makes sense 🙂

      Reply

  • Chris
    November 18, 2013

    I used to live in Ukraine, outside L’viv, and шуба with herring was my favorite салат!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      November 18, 2013

      Isn’t it amazing? It’s a salad I crave often!

      Reply

  • Anna
    November 8, 2013

    I am a native Russian but my fiancé is American. Everyone in the family is a VERY picky eater. They never liked the salad with herring so I switched to cooked/canned chicken and they LOVE it/beg me to make it now. So everyone I highly recommend trying canned chicken if you live with picky eaters!!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      November 8, 2013

      oooh that’s brilliant! Thank you 🙂 I bet kids would love it better too!

      Reply

  • Alina K
    August 8, 2013

    Quick note- and I found this very useful- since cooking beats does take the longest- I found that if you get them in a smallest size- the boiling time is literally cut in half. Just a note 🙂

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      August 8, 2013

      Alina, Thank you for sharing! 🙂

      Reply

  • Kimberlin Le
    January 1, 2013

    Sounds Delicious to me, I will make it for my dinner party today. Thanks for recipe.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      January 1, 2013

      Let me know how it will turn out 🙂

      Reply

  • Ilonka
    September 19, 2012

    This looks soooooooo good I really really want some. . . I better make this soon
    Thank you so much for your recipes. I loved each and every one that I tried to make because the details you give are meant exactly for people like me 🙂
    I like when I know how much to put a ne na glaz. And by the way- love reading the introduction paragraphs 😉 Keep it up! God Bless you and your family!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      September 20, 2012

      Thank you so much Ilonka, comments like this mean so much to me. May God bless you and your family as well 🙂

      Reply

  • Natasha (aka Natalia), London, UK
    August 14, 2012

    Im so going to try your shuba with the twist ie the smoked salmon! My only issue with this dish is its richness and I really dislike the greasiness of mayo.. I must admit The last time I had shuba was 5 years ago and I was quite unwell afterwards 🙂 so, the question is can I use anything else instead of mayo?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      August 14, 2012

      I haven’t really experimented with anything else. I don’t know what would taste as good as mayo 🙁 sorry

      Reply

      • Alla
        August 19, 2016

        My mom makes it with half mayo and half sour cream then adds a little bit of salt and onions chopped small then mixes all together and uses that as a spread instead of just mayo. It turns out so light and is easier to spread too 🙂

        Reply

    • D0sa
      October 6, 2017

      I’m thinking, maybe you can use canned tuna (or just whatever fish you have) and prepare it the way you would for a sandwich (tuna, lemon, mayo, etc). That way, you won’t have to layer on mayo by itself, and it would already be mixed in witht the fish?

      I’m still trying to figure out a way to get around using that much mayo.

      Reply

      • Natasha
        natashaskitchen
        October 6, 2017

        Hi, I haven’t tried tuna but a couple of my readers suggested it saying they loved it with tuna. One advised to add mayo over the tuna layer to keep it moist. I hope you love it! 🙂

        Reply

  • Tonya
    August 12, 2012

    I loved loved loved it with salmon. I was so excited to find this receipe, I don’t like herring either. Was hoping to turn my hubby into liking it with salmon, but was unsuccessful. So every time I make shuba I have to make a separate plate just for me with salmon. So delicious…. The things we have to do for what we love…

    Reply

  • Olya
    July 20, 2012

    Thank you so much for posting this! Your website is a life saver. I was born in the US, but raised strictly Russian. So when I try to make russian food, I either have to try to use Russian websites (I still can figure out what 100 grams of potatoes is) or call my mom and try to figure out what svikla is. Lol I’m going to trying this today for a friend’s baby shower. But we’re not big on fish so I might try it with canned chicken or tuna. And also do I need to salt anything other than the eggs? Or does the mayo provide enough flavor. I just don’t want it to be bland.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      July 20, 2012

      The mayo provides enough flavor. I’ve never tried it with canned tuna or chicken so please let me know how that turns out. Oh and thank you 🙂

      Reply

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