Norwegian Herring-Stuffed Crepes (Norvezki Mlyntsi)
If you love the idea of pairing delicate, paper-thin crepes with a bold, savory filling, these Norwegian herring-stuffed crepes are about to become your new favorite party trick. You make tender, golden pancakes, then roll each one around a creamy salad of lightly salted herring, hard-boiled eggs, tangy pickles, and onion. Sliced in half and crowned with green onion rings, they look elegant on the plate but are wonderfully easy to put together. This is the kind of appetizer that quietly disappears from the table before the main course even arrives.
Despite the name, this dish is a beloved fixture of Ukrainian and broader Eastern European home cooking, where thin pancakes (mlyntsi or blini) are a canvas for endless fillings, both sweet and savory. Salted herring has long been a pantry staple across Northern and Eastern Europe, prized as an affordable, protein-rich fish that keeps well. Wrapping that briny herring salad inside soft crepes is a clever marriage of two traditions, and the “Norwegian” label is a nod to the high-quality, lightly cured Atlantic herring that made its way into local markets. It is festive food, the sort of thing that shows up for holidays, name-day celebrations, and Sunday gatherings.
The secret to great crepes is a thin, smooth batter and a properly hot, lightly oiled pan. Pour just enough batter to coat the bottom in a whisper-thin layer, swirling the pan as you go. Stacking the finished crepes on top of one another as they come off the heat traps steam and keeps them soft and foldable, so they will not crack when you roll them. Soaking the herring in milk for a few minutes tames excess salt and mellows any sharpness, giving you a rounder, more delicate flavor in the filling.
Tips & Substitutions
- No herring? Lightly salted mackerel or good-quality smoked trout works beautifully in the same salad.
- Lighten the filling: swap half the mayonnaise for sour cream or Greek yogurt for a fresher, tangier bite.
- Bread binder: the crustless white bread soaks up extra moisture, but you can leave it out for a looser, more textured salad.
- Make it dairy-free: use a plant-based milk for the batter and skip soaking the herring, rinsing it briefly instead.
- Pickle options: dill pickles, cornichons, or even capers all add the bright acidity that cuts through the rich fish.
Serve these rolls chilled or at room temperature, arranged cut-side up so guests can see the colorful filling, with extra green onion scattered over the top. They are best assembled a few hours ahead so the flavors meld, then kept covered in the refrigerator until serving. Stored airtight, they will hold for up to two days, though the crepes are at their most tender on the day you make them. Enjoy them as a standout appetizer for any celebration, or as a satisfying snack alongside a cold drink.
Part of Ukrainian cuisine — 447 more recipes in the section.
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Ingredients
Instructions
Make the crepe batter: pour the warm milk into the flour, then add the eggs, melted butter, and salt and sugar to taste. Mix everything well with a mixer until you have a smooth, thin batter.
Grease a skillet with oil, heat it well, and fry thin crepes on both sides until golden. Stack the finished crepes in a pile so they stay soft.
Make the salad filling: soak the herring fillet in milk, pat it dry, and cut it into small cubes.
Hard-boil the eggs, cool them, and chop finely. Add them to the herring.
Finely chop the pickled cucumbers and onion and add them to the rest of the chopped ingredients.
Add the chopped crustless white bread to the mixture and dress the salad with mayonnaise. Stir until evenly combined.
Place the filling along the edge of each crepe and roll it up tightly into a tube.
Before serving, cut the Norwegian crepes in half and sprinkle with green onion rings. Enjoy!
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