25+ Scandinavian Recipes • Nordic Comfort Food! (2024)

FAQs

What are the 5 favorite Scandinavian foods? ›

Generally, though, this is a hearty cuisine based on fresh, local ingredients. While Scandinavian cuisine comes with plenty of traditional dishes that immediately spring to mind—gravlax, cinnamon buns, waffles, reindeer, and aquavit—there's a sophisticated food movement now in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway.

You'll soon discover that the Scandinavian countries have similar diets, featuring locally-sourced ingredients. Common foods include bread, dairy products, potatoes, porridges, creamy soups, salted or smoked meats and fresh, salted or smoked fish.

For example, Norwegian cuisine is more seafood-centric, while Swedish cuisine has a greater variety of meat dishes. In addition, Norwegian cuisine puts more emphasis on traditional cooking methods such as smoking and pickling, while Swedish cuisine is known for its fried dishes and use of sauces.

Fish and Seafood: Given the proximity to the sea, fish and seafood play a significant role in Scandinavian cuisine. Common varieties include salmon, herring, cod, mackerel, and shrimp. Root Vegetables: Root vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, turnips, and beets are staples in Scandinavian cooking.

The ND diet is based on traditional foods consumed in the Nordic region (Northern Europe), and includes fruits, vegetables, legumes, low fat dairy, fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, herring) oats, barley, and almonds [36,37].

An open-faced sandwich is a very common Scandinavian breakfast. It can be as simple as a piece of rye bread with butter and a slice of cheese, or you can spruce it up a bit with toppings like cucumber, apples, sliced egg, or bell pepper. Chopped chives or dill are never a bad idea.

Mutton and cabbage stew, or “fårikål” in Norwegian, has repeatedly been named Norway's national dish. It even has its own festive day on the last Thursday in September. Throughout the autumn months, people all around the country arrange lamb stew parties. “The dish is perfect if you want to invite a lot of people.

Balls of ground beef are a staple of many national cuisines. Köttbullar, meaning meatballs, are the Swedish variant. This dish is not just served at IKEA—it's many Swedes' favorite food.

Denmark's national food dish: Stegt flæsk

The crispy pork with parsley sauce and potatoes is a very old dish that has won the hearts, and tummies, of Danes for centuries. You can try the Danes' national dish in many restaurants around Denmark.

“Stabbur” means “storehouse” in Norwegian, a traditional, handcrafted log building that was a feature of all old farmsteads in rural Norway.

What fish is Scandinavian delicacy? ›

Surströmming is a traditional dish from northern Sweden that arose during the 16th century when Sweden had a salt shortage. Today, the fish has become infamous due to its stinky smell, yet enthusiasts praise surströmming for its great taste.

Ingredients Include: Dill Weed, Tarragon, Black Pepper, Sea Salt, Lemon Peel, Onion, Caraway Seed, Garlic, Citric Acid.

Some of the most classic fika recipes involve cardamom in some way, from yeast cardamom buns to cardamom cake. The same is true for the rest of Scandinavia; cardamom is a spice that's widely used in Scandinavian baking.

Pickled herring – centre of the smorgasbord

This fishy favourite remains the basis of every typical Swedish buffet. Swedes have been pickling since the Middle Ages, mainly as a way of preserving the fish for storage and transportation.

Scandinavians eat simple, hearty meals. They generally eat three meals a day, plus a coffee break. Breakfast is light and usually includes bread or oatmeal porridge, fruit, eggs, cheese, herring, or potatoes. Fruit soup is a popular breakfast item in the winter and is topped with cream and served with bread and cheese.

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.