Labskaus (Northern German Sailor's Stew)
Hamburg's hearty sailor's dish
By RecipesQueen Kitchen • June 11, 2026
Prep: 15 min
Cook: 25 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Medium
germanlabskausnorthern-germansailorhamburg
Pin This RecipeA hearty Northern German mash of corned beef, potatoes, and beetroot, topped with a fried egg, pickled herring, and gherkins. This colorful pink-hued dish originated as sailor's food in the port cities of Hamburg and Bremen.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 12 oz corned beef
- 2 medium beets, cooked
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 4 eggs
- 4 pickled herring fillets
- 4 gherkins
- 2 tbsp butter
Instructions
- 1
Boil potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and mash roughly.
- 2
Sauté onion in butter until soft. Add crumbled corned beef and diced beets. Cook 5 minutes.
- 3
Mix beef mixture into mashed potatoes. Season with salt and pepper.
- 4
Fry eggs sunny-side up. Serve Labskaus topped with a fried egg, pickled herring, and gherkins.
