Whitefish Salad

Mayonnaise, sour cream, and a hard-boiled egg make this spread extra satisfying.

Makes
About 2 cups
Time
25 minutes

PHOTO: MATT TAYLOR-GROSS • FOOD STYLING: BEN WEINER

Published on March 26, 2026

Celery and red onion add crunch to this whitefish salad enriched with mayonnaise, sour cream, and a hard-boiled egg, while fresh dill and lemon brighten the salty, smoky fish. Serve it as a spread for matzo, or on a toasted bagel half topped with tomato and onion slices. This recipe is adapted from the now-closed Wolfie Cohen’s Rascal House, a beloved Jewish deli and local institution in Sunny Isles, Florida.

Featured in “The Sandwich and the Rascal” by Helen Rosner in the March 2009 issue.

Ingredients

½ small red onion, finely chopped
1 lb. smoked whitefish or trout, skin and bones removed
⅓ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream
1 Tbsp. finely chopped dill
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 hard-boiled egg, finely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper

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Instructions

Step 1

To a small bowl, add the onion and enough cold water to cover. Set aside to soak for 15 minutes, then drain.

Step 2

Using a fork, flake the fish into a medium bowl. Add the onion, mayonnaise, sour cream, dill, lemon juice, celery, and egg and stir to combine. Season to taste with black pepper. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

To a small bowl, add the onion and enough cold water to cover. Set aside to soak for 15 minutes, then drain.
Using a fork, flake the fish into a medium bowl. Add the onion, mayonnaise, sour cream, dill, lemon juice, celery, and egg and stir to combine. Season to taste with black pepper. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days.