Scandinavian inspired recipes from fika treats like cardamom buns and visiting cake to salmon soup and Swedish meatballs. Delicious comfort food, Nordic style!
Sure, you’ve baked spritz cookies during the holidays, and maybe you’ve had a Swedish meatball or two, (thanks Ikea), but do you really know what Scandinavian food is all about?
These Scandinavian/Nordic recipes run the gamut from light, bright, and minimal all the way to uber cozy and comforting ~ and that’s what’s so exciting about Nordic cuisine, it’s got it all covered, and more. Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden have made an art out of cozy cold weather cooking, but this region is also known for its brilliant spring and summer recipes. If you happen to have some Nordic DNA, share your favorite recipes in the comments!
CHOPPED STEAK WITH BACON AND MUSHROOM GRAVY
This classic shopped steak skillet is a Danish recipe straight from Mormor’s kitchen. Served with a big plate of boiled parslied potatoes, this chopped steak is a meal fit for a (Viking) king.
FINNISH SALMON SOUP (Lohikeitto)
One of my favorite Nordic recipes, this pretty soup has a light creamy broth infused with dill and allspice, and of course, chunks of tender salmon. I make a quick fish stock, which is essential for the flavor, using the salmon skin. Waste not want not 🙂
SWEDISH CARDAMOM BUNS (KARDEMUMMABULLAR)
Swedish Cardamom Buns is a classic Scandinavian recipe ~ they’re soft, plush sweet rolls with a fragrant cardamom sugar filling. This easy knotted pastry is beyond delicious and so easy to make, I?ll hold your hand through it, step by step!
ROAST CHICKEN WITH POTATOES, APPLES, AND BROWN CABBAGE
I guarantee this aromatic meal is like no chicken you’ve had before ~ it’s become a winter staple in our house. It brings together everything we love about Scandinavian recipes into one delicious pot!
SARAH BERNHARDT COOKIES
Sarah Bernhardt Cookies are a little known Scandinavian cookie with a dramatic flair ~ they’re gluten free, too!
LINGONBERRY JAM TART WITH CARDAMOM
The combination of tart jam with warm cardamom all wrapped up in a buttery shortbread crumble is irresistible!
SWEDISH VISITING CAKE
Swedish Visiting Cake is a buttery, almond-infused cake that is simple and elegant ~ the perfect excuse for a Swedish style fika coffee break!
TOASTED MUESLI
Technically more Alpine than Scandinavian, but too perfectly in the Nordic breakfast spirit to leave out. Muesli is a delicious cold cereal made by soaking rolled oats (along with totally optional but totally recommended add-ins like dried fruits, nuts, and seeds) in milk or a mixture of milk and yogurt. See my recipe for Bircher-muesli here.
RASPBERRY ALMOND DANISH
A shortcut version of the Danish breakfast favorite, this recipe puts this classic pastry within everyone’s reach!
GRATED POTATO CASSEROLE
Finnish-style grated potato casserole (riivinkropsu) is easy, wholesome, and cozy alongside everything from meatballs to roast chicken to salmon!
NORWEGIAN RHUBARB AND ALMOND CAKE
This lovely breakfast cake hails from Norway where rhubarb thrives in the chilly climate.
SWEDISH MEATBALL MEATLOAF
This recipe is fabulous, and takes no more effort than the same old loaf you’ve been making for years. It’s basically a giant Swedish meatball, complete with all the trimmings.
SWEDISH STYLE GINGER COOKIES
Crisp ginger cookies decorated for the snowy season with a pretty ~ but super easy ~ decorating technique.
SCANDINAVIAN STYLE RICE PUDDING WITH CRANBERRIES
A Scandi style Christmas dessert that feels right all year long. Sub spring and summer berries in season.
TRADITIONAL SWEDISH PEPPARKAKOR
This traditional Swedish Pepparkakor Recipe makes deliciously crisp spice cookies with ginger, cinnamon, cardamom and clove. They’re a Scandinavian Christmas tradition and they’re absolutely fabulous!
SPRUCE TIP TEA
A simple vitamin C rich infusion of the bright green spruce shoots that appear in spring!
SWEDISH MEATBALLS
These Swedish cocktail meatballs are the more sophisticated, toothpick-able versions of the ones you get at Ikea ~ they’re delicate and tender, with that classic lightly spiced gravy that drives everybody mad.
SWEDISH MEATBALL NOODLE BOWLS
A modern way to enjoy these iconic meatballs ~ so good and so comforting. Kids love this!
SWEDISH SUGAR COOKIES
A classic cookie that spans the seasons ~ just swap out the sprinkles to match your mood!
CREAMY SALMON SOUP WITH LEMON
Fish soups like this creamy salmon soup are a highlight of Nordic cuisine. Compared to American or Mediterranean soups they tend to be a bit lighter, both in texture and flavor.
SHAVED VEGETABLE SALAD
I was influenced by Scandi minimalism in this colorful salad ~ it proves that just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean you can’t have a bit of fresh crunch in your diet.
SCANDINAVIAN WHITE CHOCOLATE CAKE (Kladdkaka) ~ Yellow Days
This classic sticky chocolate cake comes straight from the sidewalk cafes of Sweden, and the pages of the Fika and Hygge cookbook. You can use your favorite type of chocolate for this cake.
SWEDISH BREAKFAST PUFFS
Swedish Breakfast Puffs are cloud-soft and dunked in butter, then cardamom sugar for the perfect morning bite. Think bite-size doughnut meets muffin meets tea cake (if you love my Apple Cider Doughnut Muffins or my Cinnamon Toast Muffins, you’ll love these!)
7-LAYER SMOKED SALMON DIP
This beautiful Scandinavian inspired layered salmon dip is a stunning appetizer for any gathering. I?ve given you suggestions for the layers, but you can definitely customize it, there are so many possibilities.
HASSELBACK POTATOES
These accordion-sliced, baked potatoes were first served in the 1950s at the Hasselbacken restaurant in Stockholm, and the name stuck!
MIDSUMMER AQUAVIT COCKTAIL ~ Honestly Yum
A beloved Nordic spirit, Aquavit (water of life) is a neutral alcohol, like vodka, flavored with caraway, and sometimes dill, fennel, coriander, citrus and anise. Everybody drinks it up North. Skoal!
NORDIC OPEN FACED SMOKED SALMON SANDWICHES
Open faced sandwiches are a way of life in the North. This beautiful Nordic recipe makes a lunch or light dinner, and the toppings are endlessly variable. Move over avocado toast!
CARDAMOM SPRITZ COOKIES
Spritz cookies are a beloved Scandinavian recipe and we Americans love them too! These cookies are particularly popular in Sweden and Norway, where they’re known as “spritsar” or “sprut kaker”, respectively.
What a terrific array of amazing recipes Sue. I would love to try several myself. Sharing and pinning!
Just a teeny correction from an English major who is 100% Norwegian – pfeffernusse are actually German (the name means “peppernuts” in German), and it is lingonberries, not lignonberries…:) I love your site and your recipes!!
Thanks Rebecca! I’ll make the corrections now 🙂
note : the gravadlax recipe (by Donal Skehan) is not smoked; it’s fridge cured, and easy to do.
Just adjusting the wording there, thanks Irish Chef! I’m excited to try that easy method myself.
OH MY!!! What BEAUTIFUL dishes! On the salmon soup (YUM!) could I successfully used canned salmon, or do I need to make a trip to the grocery store this afternoon? (Would LOVE to serve this for dinner.)
Love this Nordic spotlight Sue! My husband’s teaching a photography workshop in Iceland in April. I was jealous before this post, now I’m really sad Im not going. I’ll be at home making cinnamon buns and that white chocolate cake!
Oh wow, I bet your husband’s eating well!
Such an interesting compilation of food Sue. I must admit that I haven’t cooked much nordic food myself; however, I did travel to Iceland a couple of years back and really enjoyed the food. One of these days I hope to make it to Norway. . .which hopefully will inspire me to learn more about this unique cuisine.
I think it would be amazing to go to Iceland, it’s on my bucket list 🙂
Wow, what beautiful photos and fabulous recipes. They look delicious and appealing I want to try all of them…I don’t know where to start.
Wow Sue…incredible roundup! I love it that you’re setting the record straight with these stunningly gorgeous recipes, and giving us the opportunity to make Scandinavian food [that isn’t Ikea-made] lol. Thanks for sharing…I’ll be sharing this everywhere! Love EVERYTHING you do! 🙂
Everything looks just amazing, but the gravdlax caught my eyes – I LOVE salmon this way!
I’m definitely going to try to do that one this winter, love it!
Such a wonderful collection of recipes! Those Lussekatter look absolutely incredible. We are planning a trip to NYC next month and I have come across a couple of Nordic restaurants in my research. Can’t wait to try more food from this part of the world.