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

FAQs

What is the most popular food in Scandinavia? ›

Köttbullar (Meatballs)

Swedish meatballs are possibly the country's most iconic dish, and you'll find them everywhere—beyond Sweden, too. If there's one Scandinavian food that will give you a real taste of the region, this is it.

The Nordic Cuisine is a culinary movement that is earthy and refined, ancient and modern, both playful and deeply serious; and is summarized in four words: purity, freshness, simplicity and ethics.

Root Vegetables: Root vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, turnips, and beets are staples in Scandinavian cooking. They are often used in soups, stews, and side dishes. Berries: Scandinavia is known for its abundant berry harvests, including lingonberries, cloudberries, bilberries (like blueberries), and raspberries.

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.

Swedish meatballs, perhaps the country's most famous culinary item, are a part of both traditional holiday meals and a staple in everyday home cooking. Swedish meatballs are traditionally served with gravy, mashed or boiled potatoes, lingonberries, and pickled cucumber.

Swedish cuisine could be described as centered around cultured dairy products, crisp and soft breads, berries and stone fruits, beef, chicken, lamb, pork, eggs, and seafood. Potatoes are often served as a side dish, often boiled.

It's very heavy on seasonal fruits, vegetables and seafood. Typical “nordic style breakfasts” include items like porridge with fruits and nuts or some type of combination of fresh fruit, seafood, and eggs.

Today, cardamom and saffron can be found in almost every kitchen in Sweden. Most commonly in baked goods, Christmas recipes, and drinks. The tradition of fika is where you'll most likely enjoy these delicious pastries.

With so much coastline, it's no surprise that fish play a lead role in Scandinavian cuisine along with herbs like dill and parsley. In the wonderful baking of Scandinavian countries, warming spices like ginger and cardamom are popular.

The Nordic diet encourages you to eat a lot of whole foods, particularly sourced locally and in season, including: Whole grains, particularly rye, barley and oats. Fruits, especially berries. Vegetables, especially root vegetables like beets, turnips and carrots.

What fruits do Scandinavians eat? ›

These fruits and berries are common to grow in Sweden: Apples, which I guess is both most common to privately grow and eat. Pears, Plums, Cherries, Gooseberries, Red and Blackcurrant are all pretty common to. Blueberries, Lingonberries, Cloudberries are growing naturally in the woods particular in the nothern parts.

Luiza Petre, a cardiologist and nutrition and weight loss expert. “It consists of high amounts of nutrient rich, single foods with vegetables being the corner stone of this diet, and meats only filling the left over space. Nordic vegetables are cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, roots and peas.

The Vikings needed all the energy that they could get in the form of fat – especially in winter. Meat, fish, vegetables, cereals and milk products were all an important part of their diet. Sweet food was consumed in the form of berries, fruit and honey. In England the Vikings were often described as gluttonous.

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.

Stockholm, Sweden

Sweden's capital is a must visit for cinnamon buns, rye bread and glasses of glögg.