Best Scandinavian Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is a typical Scandinavian dish? ›

Some common dishes in traditional Scandinavian and Nordic cuisine include: Smørrebrød: An open-faced sandwich made with dark, dense rye bread and topped with a variety of ingredients such as smoked salmon, liver pâté, or pickled herring. Gravlax: A dish made from salmon that has been cured in salt, suga.

Gravlax. A delicacy widely available all over Scandinavia, gravlax is salmon that's been cured, but not smoked. The marinade is typically salt, sugar, dill, black pepper, and sometimes berries. Gravlax is typically served as a starter with dill and black pepper. Some like it covered in mustard, or hovmästarsås.

Swedish meatballs, or köttbullar, are perhaps one of the most internationally recognized dishes from Sweden. These small, flavorful meatballs are traditionally served with mashed potatoes, lingonberry jam, and a creamy gravy, making for a comforting and satisfying meal.

Nordic vegetables are cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, roots and peas. Fish varieties include salmon, sardines, mackerel, herring and dried salty cod. Fruits do not grow abundantly in the region; therefore, berries tend to be the primary source of fruit.

For centuries, Scandinavians have used it to prepare dried whitefish, typically cod, in a dish known as lutefisk. We have the Vikings to thank for the unique technique, which rehydrates dried fish in alternating containers of water and lye.

Northern Norwegians eat a lot of smoked, dried lamb. Of course, we can't discuss meat without mentioning meatballs. There must be tens of thousands of different recipes – actually, that's probably a vast underestimation. In Sweden, a mixture of pork and beef is usually prepared, whereas Danes prefer pork and veal.

The habits and culture that people are surrounded by in Scandinavia encourage a healthy lifestyle, such as Nordics' love for nature and physical activity. The convenience foods that people from the U.S. are surrounded by do not incentivize a healthy lifestyle.

Lean meats, such as skinless poultry, and eggs are acceptable in moderation, although most Nordic Diet proteins are derived from fish and plant alternatives, such as legumes, nuts, and seeds.

What food is unique to Sweden? ›

The three main cuisines of Scandinavia are Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian, each with its unique flavors and dishes that reflect the geographical and cultural diversity of the region.

One of the most popular fish, eaten across the region, is herring, which can be pickled, smoked or fried. Cured or smoked salmon, smoked mackerel and cod are also popular choices. In Sweden and Finland crayfish are also particularly prevalent and are celebrated during crayfish parties in late summer and early autumn.

In fact, reindeer is among the dishes regularly referenced as one of Norway's local delicacies. Lamb is also frequently included in Norwegian cuisine. Fårikal, a dish made up of boiled mutton and cabbage served with boiled potatoes, is very popular in the country and has been voted the national dish twice.

Notable are the Norwegian fjords, the Scandinavian Mountains covering much of Norway and parts of Sweden, the flat, low areas in Denmark and the archipelagos of Finland, Norway and Sweden. Finland and Sweden have many lakes and moraines, legacies of the ice age, which ended about ten millennia ago.

Stockholm's gastronomical heritage goes way back. The city is sprinkled with restaurants that have been here for centuries. Discover some of the most iconic ones – from Michelin-starred dining rooms to cosy pubs and loads of traditional Swedish food. No wonder it was named the European Capital of Gastronomy 2023.