What is the national cuisine, traditional dishes and food in Sweden? What do Swedes eat besides meatballs? What do they eat in Sweden?

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From the extensive literature, and from your own experience, you, the reader, know that meals should be balanced, varied and fractional. You might be interested to know what Swedes eat during the day, and how meals are distributed over time.
Swedes usually eat 5 times during the day: two of them are main meals, an afternoon snack and lunch, the rest are snacks.

What do Swedes usually eat for breakfast?

The morning for most Swedes begins with a cup of coffee (that is, a cup, since they drink coffee from large cups here) with sandwiches. Some people prefer to eat oatmeal porridge, boiled in water, followed by the addition of milk and, the favorite of all types of jam, lingonberry. True, men prefer a breakfast consisting of sandwiches and coffee.

They claim that after eating oatmeal porridge, the feeling of hunger quickly returns. The shared tastes of our family confirm the above: my husband has sandwiches with coffee for breakfast, I prefer oatmeal with numerous additives, one of which is fresh or frozen berries.

The most popular, used almost daily in every Swedish family, is lingonberry. Lingonberry jam is added to morning porridge; on the dinner plate it is also an accent side dish for a meat dish.

If you add lingonberry jam to a popular fermented milk product in the north, which is called Fil here - an analogue of our kefir, then you can consider that you have eaten yogurt... An amazing berry!!! Some Swedes prefer to eat this fermented milk product for breakfast, with corn flakes or muesli.

The 10-hour “snack” following breakfast often consists of a sandwich made from hard bread (hård bröd) with a thin slice of ham or cheese. And such a sandwich is “crowned” with lettuce and, of course, coffee. Complement the snack with some fruit.

About the bread that Swedes eat

The clear favorite here is hard bread (bread), of which there are many varieties: from crispy delicacy to thick homemade. In terms of popularity among the population, hard bread is significantly ahead of the soft bread we are used to. However, it would be wrong to keep silent about the fact that along with the unpopularity of purchased varieties of soft bread, they often still bake their own homemade bread here, they continue to use special rooms or even separate small houses (bagarstuga) with ovens for baking bread, and mothers and grandmothers teach children this ancient art.

For a long time I did not dare to try hard bread; it seemed rough and tough to me. In fact, the bread turned out to be crispy and very pleasant to the taste. Moreover, there are so many varieties that you can always find the one that suits you best. Its forms are also varied. These can be: large circles, rectangular plates, triangular “sectors”, small loaves of bread.

What do Swedes usually eat for afternoon snacks and lunch?

Afternoon tea follows between 12 and 1 p.m. This is the first main meal that includes meat. It must be said that the menus for afternoon tea and lunch are not much different from each other. People employed in production usually bring a prepared portion of food with them from home.

Salads have become popular here lately. I grow several types of them in my garden. In the summer, as salads and other vegetables ripen, ample opportunities for dietary diversity open up. There are a great many options... Thus, the protein component of salads can be either fish or mushrooms.

It should be noted that the majority of the male population of Kalix are fishermen. So in my family, my husband became the supplier of fresh fish. Fish: salmon baked in an air fryer, trout (a type of salmon), whitefish are frequent “guests” on our table.

The “green” part of salads consists of: lettuces themselves, radishes, cucumbers or young zucchini, tomatoes, onions, celery, peppers, etc. It is good to use natural yogurt for salad dressing.

Mushrooms go well with durum wheat pasta and vegetables.

Lunch is quite late (around 6 pm), classic, including a hot meat dish, and in the evening - as strange as it may seem, coffee with a sandwich of hard bread and a slice of salted salmon or cheese.

According to my observations, soups are not very popular here, with the exception of the clear favorite - elk meat soup. Every housewife is sure that only she knows the “correct” recipe for this soup. Swedes eat beef or pork more readily than poultry. Despite the fact that fishing is very popular here, fish dishes are rare on the buffet.

Separately, I would like to say about Kalix water, the quality of which is recognized as one of the highest in Sweden. Admit it, reader, how many cities do you know where you can drink water (with great pleasure) straight from the tap? For me, the delicious water of Kalix was a pleasant discovery.

Sweden has always been among the world leaders in coffee consumption, and this trend continues today. Swedes drink coffee often, with pleasure, from large cups, throughout the day. Older people, by the way, prefer to brew coffee the old fashioned way, using small teapots.

I asked my local friends what Swedes eat for dinner and is there a tradition of late meals? The answer was: “Yes, there is, but it happens to be a late lunch.”

The reader can learn about what Swedes of different generations eat and their culinary preferences by reading the article

Naturally, we all have different tastes, but the trend that I was able to notice is this: the older generation of Swedes are the most conservative and prefer to eat dishes prepared according to “grandmother’s” recipes, using local products. The middle generation and young people enjoy eating dishes prepared according to recipes from peoples of other countries.

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Along with ketchup and mustard, lingonberry jam is served with some hot dishes in Sweden: cutlets and pancakes, porridge and blood sausage (blodpudding). At the same time, despite its sweetness, it is rarely spread on bread. True connoisseurs of wild nature, many Swedes have been accustomed since childhood to picking lingonberries and making jam from these tart red berries.

2. Pickled herring is a regular at the buffet

7. Sweet holiday - red date

A Swede will always find a reason to enjoy something sweet – there are even special days for sweets in the calendar. Day cinnamon rolls(Kanelbullens dag) is celebrated on October 4th. Semla buns, filled with cream and almond paste (semlor), are traditionally eaten on Fat Tuesday (fettisdagen) - the day before the start of Lent. Freshly baked waffles (våfflor) are eaten on March 25, and a creamy sponge cake decorated with a chocolate or marzipan silhouette of King Gustav Adolfs-bakelse is eaten on November 6 in memory of the Swedish monarch, who was killed on this day in 1632 at the Battle of Lutzen.

8. Cancer is the head of everything

“Cancer parties” (kräftskivor) in Sweden are a symbol of August. Freshwater and saltwater crayfish are eaten on warm summer evenings in gardens and balconies across the country. In the 16th century, when this tradition began to take shape, only the upper class and aristocracy could afford crayfish. Over time, they became a national delicacy for everyone. Crayfish began not only to be caught in Sweden, but also to be imported from other countries - and their price dropped significantly.

9. Pickled herring – it doesn’t smell like roses

Every national cuisine (at least the Swedes think so) has a dish that horrifies both the natives and guests. In Sweden, pickled herring (surströmming) plays this role - it appears on store shelves in the second half of August. The tradition is this: swollen cans of herring are opened in the fresh air because of the unbearable stench. The bouquet of smells combines notes of rotten eggs and sewage. Pickled herring is actually eaten. Nothing human is alien to the Swedes: sometimes you really want fresh fish.

10. Sweets - on Saturdays

The average Swedish family, consisting of two adults and two children, eats 1.2 kg of sweets a week - most of it on Saturday, the official day of sweets. This tradition is associated with a dubious medical experiment. In the 1940s and 50s, in a psychiatric hospital in Lund, patients in a study were fed large amounts of candy to deliberately cause tooth decay. Based on the results of an experiment that established a direct link between eating sweets and tooth decay, the National Medical Council recommended that Swedes limit eating sweets to once a week. Many families adhere to this unwritten rule to this day.

Swedish cuisine is capable of surprising: from the most ordinary products they prepare dishes with incredible taste, excellent aroma and original appearance.

Cooks in Sweden, carefully selecting ingredients for preparing dishes, prefer exclusively natural, fresh products that are obtained locally. Dishes are made from fish, seafood, meat, mushrooms, vegetables and wild berries.

The first place in popularity among fish is occupied by herring: it can be found in almost every Swedish dish, both first and second, and in side dishes and appetizers. Salmon is found in local reservoirs, and therefore this fish is also used quite often. It is boiled, fried, pickled, baked, smoked. Famous dishes are dishes prepared from trout, cod and eel.

It is also important that Sweden has a wide selection of seafood: here the dishes are supplemented with shrimp, lobster, crab, crayfish and other seafood.

The Swedish assortment includes many meat dishes. Beef, pork, poultry, small game are the most commonly used products. However, especially in gourmet restaurants, you can find dishes with the main ingredient – grilled reindeer meat. This is a real delicacy, served with a side dish of potatoes and mushrooms. The national and, perhaps, the most popular meat dish is the famous Swedish meatballs - meatballs.

Swedes' food is nutritious and calorie-rich. Abuse of spices, herbs and various mixed seasonings is not the style of Swedish chefs; they are added to dishes in moderation. The fat content of foods is achieved using lard, cream, butter, and sour cream. From lingonberries, blueberries, strawberries, cranberries and other wild berries, the Swedes make excellent sauces used for serving fish and meat dishes, and, of course, desserts.

By the way, about sweets! Sweden can boast of them: pies, cakes, cookies, buns, pancakes, souffles, jelly, ice cream with various additives - Swedish cuisine will delight you with all this.

Pamper and surprise yourself, your family members, and unexpected guests with the national dishes of Sweden. The step-by-step recipes with photos offered on our website will help you with this. We will tell you more about the cuisine of this northern country later.

Cooking recipes with step-by-step photos

Swedish bread
Swedish cookies
Swedish buns
Salmon gravlax
Oatmeal cookies for diabetics
Sandwich cake
Swedish meatballs
Steamed meatballs in a slow cooker

Features of the national cuisine of Sweden

The national cuisine of Sweden has very interesting features: an abundance of fish and meat dishes prepared in a variety of ways, side dishes and snacks that decorate the table, desserts and pastries that will please every gourmet, a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

National culinary traditions are based on the geographical location of Sweden: this country is located in the North, washed by many rivers, lakes, seas and oceans, there are a large number of forests, and the general climate in the country is very harsh. Traditionally, Swedish dishes are prepared simply, without frills; here you will not find a variety of gourmet dishes, which are many, for example, in French, Italian, oriental (Chinese, Japanese) cuisines. In Sweden, simplicity in food combined with calorie content and nutritional value is valued, because due to climatic conditions it is important that the food be satisfying. Most of the dishes are prepared in advance, and all kinds of preservation are done. Particular attention is paid to berries and fruits, which are difficult to enjoy in a short summer period. For this reason, in order to have the opportunity to refresh yourself with goodies in winter, decorate the table with berries and fruits that are not on sale during the cold season, prepare dishes based on them, as well as sauces, they are stocked with preserves.

The main products that are most often used in cooking recipes are vegetables, mushrooms, meat, fish, milk, fruits and berries that are familiar to many European countries. However, Swedish chefs have the important ability to use an ordinary product to prepare an original and truly unique dish that can compete well with the famous delicacies. This is precisely the main feature of the national cuisine of Sweden. An excellent example would be serving blood sausages along with berries, fruits and drinks made from them.

Supplementing meat and fish dishes with sweet additives is a highlight of Swedish cuisine; this fad is quite common in their cooking. Meat dishes are traditionally served with lingonberry sauce, jam or jam from this wild berry. The sweet taste can be felt even in first and second courses, as well as in bread. For example, soup with peas or beans is supplemented with bacon and sugar. The history of such non-standard connections goes back to ancient times. At that time, only rich people, representatives of the upper classes, could afford this shiny white powder. Cooks added sugar to their dishes, and such a dish was considered truly royal. Later, when granulated sugar appeared on the open market, becoming available to everyone, the tradition was preserved. Things are somewhat different with salt, pepper and other spices: Swedes add seasonings to their dishes in moderation.

Perhaps, only its northern neighbors - Norway, Finland, Denmark, where the fishing industry is also developed, can compete with Sweden in the unsurpassed preparation of fish. In these countries, fish is a key product that you simply cannot do without in the kitchen. Traditionally, a meal begins with eating foods that contain this ingredient. Herring is extremely popular. It is prepared in many ways: it is smoked, boiled, pickled, salted, fried and baked either in the oven or on the grill. One of the most famous dishes called “Surströmming” is made from this type of fish. Its peculiarity is that the herring is first fermented, and then left for a while so that the fish ferments. The smell of the dish is very original, but attracts lovers of such exotic things. A large number of dishes - main and additional - are also prepared with oysters, crayfish, shrimp, squid, crabs, and lobsters.

Bread occupies a special and very important place in the Swedish diet. The most common variety is known as "Knackerbrob". These are pieces baked into thin slices. In other countries, this type of bread is called bread. The Swedes spread them with butter and eat them in this form, despite the fact that the baked goods tend to break easily, crumble and crumble.

There are traditions in Sweden regarding etiquette and serving food. All dishes are served to the table without being immediately divided into portions. Each person serves his own food, choosing as much as his heart desires. Pies and cakes are served in the same way, without cutting them into pieces. The main condition of Swedish cuisine is to leave the table completely full. And it is imperative, especially when visiting, that you need to finish all the food on your plate. According to Swedish traditions, leaving food behind is considered a sign of disrespect. No other special rules need to be followed.

There is a certain sequence in how dishes are brought to the table. It is forbidden to violate or deviate from the approved order. The meal begins with fish appetizers. Herring is used in dishes, marinated or in sauce. After this, it’s time to try another fish dish - a smoked product. All this is supplemented with shrimp, crabs, mussels, lobsters and other seafood. Then comes the tasting of meat snacks from boiled veal, boiled pork, ham, and various types of smoked and dried sausage. Next, salads are served. Most often it is regular with onions and potatoes, seasoned with vegetable oil. At the end of the meal, they begin to eat all kinds of desserts and cheeses, of which there are a lot in Sweden. Residents of the country pamper themselves with pies, cakes, pies, mousses, whipped cream, and creams. For filling baked goods or other sweets, berries are used - blueberries, lingonberries, gooseberries, wild strawberries and others. In an effort to make the taste of desserts even more rich and pleasant, the Swedes complement sweets with cinnamon, saffron, rhubarb, almonds, vanilla and other spices.

Important! Swedish cuisine has its own peculiarity during meals: between each course the plates are changed and clean ones are served.

Swedes cannot imagine their life without coffee. Not enjoying the wonderful taste of this wonderful drink at least once a day is akin to not living through the coming day. Lemonade is popular, as well as juices, which housewives often brew at home. In summer, thirst in Sweden is quenched with simple mineral water.

Among alcoholic drinks, the Swedes' choice falls on beer, vodka, liqueurs, whiskey, punch, and liqueurs. The basis for this drink is usually herbal or berry.

So, there are enough peculiarities in the recipes for preparing Swedish dishes, and in the cuisine itself as a whole. For original dishes prepared from ordinary ingredients, you need to go to this country.

Main courses

Sweden will delight you with its main dishes: there are vegetable soups, with meat and fish - excellent first courses, charging you with strength and energy, fish and meat dishes for the main course. Amazing tastes and aromas.

Since Sweden is a northern country with appropriate weather conditions that do not offer sun and warmth for a long time, first courses, which are always served hot to keep warm, are given special attention by professional chefs in restaurants and housewives who cook at home. Swedish national cuisine is what you need for those who like to eat heartily, starting with appetizers or a hearty main course and ending with sweet desserts or aromatic pastries.

After fish appetizers, it is customary to immediately start with the first one or skip the “little things” altogether and move on to a hearty hot lunch. As a first course, in Sweden people enjoy soups, the choice of which is quite large, but the most popular dishes are oyster, mushroom, oatmeal with cereal, pea, beer, noodle and bean soups. Swedish residents hunt and fish, as a result of which the dishes are made either with meat, if there are forests nearby, or with fish, if there are nearby bodies of water - lakes, rivers, seas. The variety of fish is so wide that it is simply impossible to count the recipes for preparing such soups, with all sorts of varieties of these aquatic inhabitants.

Let's talk about some types of first courses in more detail, highlighting their distinctive features from other dishes.

Soup name	Features of cooking recipes
Pea	This dish is not much different from what residents of most European countries are used to. It contains onions and carrots, as well as peas. But the peculiarity of the Swedish dish is that it is supplemented with smoked meat (most often pork), mustard, thyme, cloves, and marjoram. The presentation of the soup at the table is also original, because it comes in combination with a glass of cold beer. We refreshed ourselves with a hot pea first course, washed it down with beer and were satisfied. This is the Swedish tradition.
Dietary	This soup is quite light, however, it satisfies the feeling of hunger, giving the body strength, energy and supplying vitamins, minerals and other beneficial substances. This dish is an ideal dietary option for those who are trying to lose weight, watch their shape, or have problems with the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Of the ingredients necessary for cooking, the standard set stands out - onions, carrots. The basis of the dish is chicken breast, and rice cereal is used as an addition. Season the dish with butter, and upon completion of cooking - with herbs: parsley, dill, onion feathers.
	This type of first course, like the pea dish, is cooked with this legume. It is prepared from carrots, onions, bacon and regular spices. However, it contains special ingredients that distinguish it from other foods of this type. We are talking about pork here, but it is mandatory to use salted pork, in nutmeg, mustard and cloves. Another feature is that the meat is removed during the cooking process, cut into pieces, and then returned to the dish and reached readiness. The onion is removed from the dish before serving.
	This soup can be classified as light, because it consists only of flour, milk, eggs, lemon zest, sugar and salt, as well as the main ingredient for the broth - light beer. This food is consumed on fasting days. Its name is “Elebrod”.
	This first course is prepared with potatoes, onions (onions and leeks), simple spices and herbs (salt and pepper). The difference from other dishes is that pieces of chopped fish fillet are added. The fish can be of any type at the chef's discretion. Often the choice falls on salmon, sockeye salmon, trout, salmon.
With meatballs	Meatball soup is special because of the presence of these meat balls pre-fried in butter in a frying pan, which are prepared from beaten eggs, cream, bread crumbs, ground beef or turkey combined into a single mass. The broth also contains potatoes, garlic powder, whipped cream, pepper and salt.

These soups are very popular in Sweden.

For main course, Swedes prefer to eat meat, fish or seafood dishes. Their choice is great. If fried or stewed food is served on the table, then they will use not the usual vegetable oil, but exclusively butter or lard, lard. Spices and spices in fish and meat dishes should be added to the main course in moderation so that the taste of the dish remains true and not overly rich.

As we have already said, Sweden is a country where fish is the main product in the diet. It is baked with various sauces, smoked and salted, marinated in mustard, onion mixture, and wine. Such dishes can act as main courses, and they can also start a meal with them, because they are considered appetizers. It all depends on the amount of additional ingredients in the dish. Fish dishes are most often served with vegetable casseroles, potato salads, and other potato side dishes. Fish dishes are also complemented with boiled eggs with mushrooms, which are called “Kantereller”.

Among meat dishes, meatballs occupy a special place. There are a lot of varieties, but various sauces and gravies are used to serve all types. When processing meat products, cooks use special knives that are convenient for scraping meat. Main courses are prepared from lamb, pork, beef, and in rarer cases, for example, for special occasions, from deer meat or game. Sweden boasts delicious steaks, rolls, pates, sausages, game meatballs, cutlets, and baked chicken. Swedes can also enjoy their national dumplings, which are filled with the same types of meat. Their main difference is their large size.

In Sweden, a rather unusual second dish known as a sandwich is popular. However, we are not talking here about thin slices of rye or white bread, toast or croutons, where sausages or cheeses are laid out in a single layer on top. Not at all! It’s not for nothing that a Swedish sandwich is eaten as a main dish. And all because it contains a large number of ingredients, so that the size of this food exceeds even the famous American hamburger. One such dish, prepared according to a traditional Swedish recipe, can fill you up to your heart's content. The sandwich consists of fish, meat (they take boiled, fried, and smoked meat), vegetable, cheese, egg, and mushroom tiers, which combine perfectly and replace each other. Salads with vegetables, as well as all kinds of national snacks are served as side dishes for this dish.

Swedish dishes for first and second will delight everyone, because such a wide selection allows you to choose a dish depending on your personal taste preferences.

Side dishes and snacks in Sweden

Side dishes and snacks in Sweden are available both ordinary, which most residents of European countries are accustomed to, and national, distinguished by their uniqueness and belonging to traditional Swedish cuisine.

Let's start a more detailed story with appetizers, because Swedes begin to eat such dishes. Again, fish is used in the cooking process. Herring takes pride of place in popularity. It is prepared and served salted, smoked, combined with wine or onions. Fermented herring, fermented herring, is also present on the Swedish menu. Being the calling card of the country, but not popular with the majority of residents. This is a very specific dish that brings incredible pleasure to some, while it horrifies others. As snacks on the buffet, in addition to fish, sausages, vegetables, and cold cuts are served, which are always welcome to everyone.

The most popular side dishes are potatoes, which are subjected to various heat treatments. The vegetable is sent to fry in a frying pan in butter, cutting it into small pieces. Potatoes are also boiled whole or crushed until smaller pieces are formed, and when finished they are supplemented with cream and herbs - parsley, dill.

Side dishes for meat and fish dishes are dishes made from pasta or rice, which came to Swedish cuisine from other countries, that is, as a result of the assimilation of cultures. Served with meat, fish and seafood dishes are a variety of salads with eggs, cheese, mushrooms, boiled vegetables and other ingredients. A very popular recipe is a salad made from fresh cucumbers, for which a special mixture of honey, water, white wine vinegar and chopped fennel or dill is prepared as a dressing. This dish is an excellent addition to a salmon fish dish.

Swedes have a positive attitude towards dairy products: residents of the state love yoghurts, whether they are classic without additives or with different fruit and berry flavors, curdled milk, cheese products, cream, and milk. Popular Swedish casseroles are complemented with these ingredients, in particular, they make potato casseroles and add whipped cream to the dish.

As you can see, Swedish cuisine can surprise you with appetizers and side dishes, and maybe even delight you with ordinary classic dishes.

Traditional desserts and drinks

Traditional desserts and drinks in Sweden amaze with their abundance: sweet pastries (pies, pastries, cakes, pies, muffins), soufflés, puddings, punches, ice cream, sweets, original alcohol - all this will be an excellent decoration for a buffet.

The national cuisine of Sweden will delight those with a sweet tooth with biscuits, pancakes, cookies, pies, which can be filled with apples, blueberries, wild strawberries, blueberries, and clearings. It is impossible not to mention the famous Swedish jam, variations in the preparation of which vary depending on the ingredient chosen as the basis. Naturally, most often they use berries that you already know. I also use them to make puddings, soufflés, waffles, cakes, and ice cream.

Sweets are always served with coffee. If the baked goods are without filling, then it must be accompanied by jam made from wild berries, which Sweden is rich in just like its neighbors - Finland, Norway, Denmark. By the way, about our northern brothers. They all also love coffee very much, but it is the Swedes who are the undisputed leaders in drinking this invigorating drink. Among non-alcoholic drinks, Swedes enjoy lemonades, juices, compotes, and jelly.

Without glegg and schnapps, a buffet is not considered a buffet. Of course, some can easily do without alcoholic drinks, while others, on the contrary, cannot imagine their feast without strong drinks. According to the traditional recipe, schnapps is prepared from potatoes and cereals, but there can be countless options for additional ingredients, that is, herbs and spices - everything that the cook’s soul desires will be present in this strong drink. Vodka is supplemented with blackcurrant, caraway seeds, wormwood, St. John's wort, waxweed and other seasonings. Swedes also tend to drink liqueurs, whiskey, herbal berry liqueurs and low-alcohol beer.

Sweet treats and drinks are available in a wide range. Every tourist will find the ideal taste for himself.

Names of popular Swedish dishes

We suggest you study the names of popular Swedish dishes in the table along with their brief descriptions for a general acquaintance with Swedish cuisine. This information will be useful if you decide to visit this country - you will know what to try. Also, the names of the dishes will come in handy if you want to cook traditional Swedish food at home. And the recipes presented on the site with step-by-step photos will reveal the correct technology for creating the chosen dish.

Name	Brief description
aFirst courses
	A soup whose peculiarity is that it is brewed using light beer.
Nasselsuppa-lead-egg	Traditional Swedish dish for starters, prepared with oysters.
	This is a national Swedish dish, in which, in addition to the vegetable base, spices and herbs, noodles are added as an additional ingredient.
Ertsoppa	Soup, the highlight of which is the addition of yellow peas and mustard, and unusual herbs - cloves, marjoram.
Second courses
Zilbular honey corinthous	This is a steak made from herring and served with a variety of sauces - vegetable, fruit or berry (lingonberries, cranberries, strawberries).
	The second course consists of minced deer meat.
Fraskrulader	A roll made from pork.
Chöttbullar	The famous Swedish meatballs, also known as meatballs.
	A dish consisting of boiled lamb, beef or pork meat, which is combined with vegetables (most often cabbage) and beans (peas or beans).
Insterband	Spicy pork sausages.
Putipanna	This is a potato stew in which you can add any meat (lamb, pork, beef) or mix meat products together.
Leverpashtey	A meat pate, often game.
Unstect alg	A fried dish consisting of salmon meat cut into pieces.
Kottbullar	This is the Swedish version of dumplings, which is larger in size.

Spettkaka	A sweet in the form of a pyramid, the composition of which is berries, whipped cream, chocolate and jam.
	Waffles with creamy or chocolate filling.
Pepparkakur	Cookies with spices (allspice, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger).
Lussekat	A bun shaped like the letter S and filled with saffron and raisins.
	Sweet bread with sprinkles.
Punch-rulle	Chocolate roll-shaped cookies filled with a mixture of liqueur, butter and cocoa. They are covered with green marzipan on top.
Shukladbollar	Pastry balls covered with chocolate.

So, now you have much more knowledge about the original Swedish cuisine. Despite the simplicity of preparing dishes and the use of the most common products, Swedish dishes are truly unique, which not everyone can replicate exactly. However, you can try to prepare the national Swedish dish at home if you seek help from the step-by-step recipes with photos offered on our website. What if you succeed? We wish you good luck!

The national cuisine of Sweden was formed under the influence of Scandinavian culinary traditions, in which proximity to the sea and the harsh cold climate play a key role. Swedish dishes, as a rule, are without any special frills, easy to prepare, filling and tasty. Since ancient times, Sweden has used products that can be stored for a long time during the winter. Therefore, all kinds of marinades, pickles, smoking, canning, drying, and fermentation have become widespread. In local cuisine you will not find restaurant delights, exotic dishes, or complex combinations of ingredients. Rather, it is rustic and home-style cuisine.

Basics of Swedish cuisine , consist of fish and seafood dishes. Herring comes first. The Swedes have herring salted, in mustard, with onions, flavored, in wine, grilled, baked, fried, smoked, with white sauce, with lemon, in a special marinade... A special delicacy is considered “surströmming” - fermented pickled herring (though not everyone will like the smell of this dish). Also, try:

“grav” - salmon in a special marinade;
“lutfisk” - boiled sea pike;
« zilbular honey corintzes» — herring steak with sauce;
» fish in spring» — mackerel with mayonnaise sauce, cream and herbs;
"fish cutlets";
“potato casserole with sprats”.

Dishes from crabs, crayfish, squid, mussels and other inhabitants of coastal waters.

Meat dishes in the national cuisine of Sweden are prepared from game, pork, venison, and poultry. Of interest are dishes such as:

"Easterband" - pork sausages with a spicy taste;
“renstek” - chopped venison;
"flaskrulader" - pork roll;
“leverpate” - meat pate;
“unstect alg” - fried elk meat;
"kottbullar" - large Swedish dumplings;
“game meatballs”;
“chicken baked in clay”;
"meat balls";
« Swedish meatballs» from ground beef;
“cutlets” made from beef, potatoes, beets and onions;
"fried pork with beans".

If you are used to starting your lunch with the first course, then in this case, the local cuisine will delight you with various hot soups:

“pea soup”, with pork, onions and spices;
“Yolebrod” - beer soup;
« nasselsuppa-lead-egg» - oyster soup;
“Tokmag” - noodle soup;
"bean soup";
"soup with oatmeal";
“mushroom soup with chicken broth”;
“original soup with cognac or liqueur”.
Dumplings are often added to many soups.

Among side dishes, potatoes (boiled, baked, fried) take first place. Often, mushrooms are an addition to meat; they are especially tasty when fried with cream and onions. Although, often fried mushrooms are a separate dish. Also, on the buffet you can see pasta and rice, which came here from neighboring countries.

The national cuisine of Sweden will delight those with a sweet tooth. For dessert, Swedes prefer:

« rice pudding with almonds"
"gooseberry soufflé"
"Apple Swedish Cinnamon Cake"
"pancakes with jam or preserves"
“waffles with ice cream or various confitures”,
"chocolate cakes"
"pudding with saffron and whipped cream"
"blueberry pie"
"rhubarb pie"

Swedes' favorite drink is coffee. Sweden ranks second in the world, after Finland, in per capita coffee consumption. In addition, mineral water, lemonade, lingonberry drink, fruit juices, and light beer are popular. Strong drinks include vodka, various liqueurs, whiskey, liqueurs made with local herbs and berries, punch and grog.
Welcome to hospitable Sweden and bon appetit everyone!

Anonymous Sunday, May 17, 2015 Comments: 1

When learning a foreign language, it is very important to immerse yourself in the culture and life of the country whose language we are studying. Today I would like to talk about a tasty topic - traditional Swedish food, when and what to eat it with.

Swedish cuisine is very closely intertwined with Swedish culture and includes a variety of dishes and certain eating traditions. All Swedes are very particular about cooking and prefer freshly prepared food to semi-finished products. All traditional Swedish dishes are usually prepared from locally sourced ingredients and are therefore inexpensive. Such products include pork, fish, potatoes and other root vegetables, and a lot of vegetables. Frankfurters, bratwursts, and blood pudding are also present in Swedish cuisine.

Special attention should be paid to the method of preparing dishes. The Swedes treat this process very responsibly, with love, and often drink a glass of wine while preparing food. Swedes use spices carefully, however, they do not neglect mixing, at first glance, incompatible products. So, for example, a vegetable salad can be seasoned with a mixture of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, honey and herbs.

The most famous Swedish semi-finished products are meatballs and pit-i-panna (literally translated"pieces in a frying pan"). Meatballs are usually small in size and served with mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam, which is rich in vitamin C and tends to make the meal more nutritious and filling. Very tasty and unusual. Pit-i-panna is diced potatoes, ham (or meat) and onions fried in vegetable oil, usually served with a fried egg. Today, meatballs and pit-e-panna are increasingly rarely prepared at home; they are sold frozen. Moreover, this is a favorite treat for children.

In addition, typical Swedish food is considered to be a special type of boiled sausage, curdled milk and crispbread.

Sami Potatoes are considered a common side dish, but rice and pasta are often used.

Due to the fact that Sweden has fairly long winters, Swedish dishes do not contain many fresh vegetables. Instead, traditional Swedish cuisine increasingly includes vegetables and root vegetables that last longer or that can be dried, pickled or pickled (cabbage, beets, onions, legumes). Of course, nowadays any vegetables can be bought at any time of the year in stores across the country, which is what the Swedes do. Raw vegetables such as carrots, cauliflower, and avocado can also be offered as an appetizer with wine.

Another dish that I would like to talk about is blood casserole. It is prepared from meat, flour and potatoes, and blood is always poured into it. This dish is an alternative to the famous blood pudding in the south of the country. Water is added to the blood pudding and simmered in a frying pan. By the way, this dish is described in the famous story Emil from Lönnberga by Astrid Lingren, beloved by all Swedes.

Soups have a special role. Some people think that eating soups is very healthy and prepare them from peas, mushrooms, and nettles. Others are convinced that during the cooking process all the beneficial vitamins “evaporate” from vegetables. However, it is difficult to find indifferent people on this issue.

Not a single holiday passes in Sweden without fish. The most common are salmon and herring. By the way, Swedes have sweet herring, which is very unique for us. If you love salmon, then in Sweden you will try all kinds of dishes made from it: baked, fried, smoked, boiled, dried, salted and with the most unusual side dishes.

Of course, I can’t help but mention the dishes that are included in the holiday menu. So, for Christmas you can enjoy herring, boiled potatoes, smoked salmon, shank, meatballs, mini sausages with rice porridge, ginger biscuits. During the sports holidays, the whole country eats incredibly delicious scones with cream and marzipan. At Easter, boiled eggs are served, and everyone is invited to color them with felt-tip pens, and a lamb is baked. On the summer solstice, people traditionally eat herring, salmon, fresh potatoes and, of course, strawberries.Saffron buns with raisins are baked on St. Lucia's Day, and mothers try to involve their children in this process.