Swedish cuisine recipes with photos. National cuisine of Sweden. National dishes of Swedish cuisine

Swedish culinary traditions find a lively response in the broad Slavic soul. Satiety, abundance and healthy peasant simplicity, the national cuisine of Sweden is somewhat reminiscent of Russian. Restaurant menus include cutlets, meatballs, potato salads and pork roll, and cabbage rolls have long been considered a court dish.

What are the favorite foods in Sweden?

Gourmet tours to Sweden have become fashionable as a tribute to the craze for an ecological lifestyle and organic food that does not contain artificial flavors. Swedish chefs are very careful with spices and appreciate the natural taste of food.

However, traditional Swedish cuisine is notable for the fact that many European delicacies are included in the daily diet of the masses. The classic "sandwich table", which we call Swedish, provides not only all kinds of salads, cold cuts, toasts and canapes: the Swedes have a high regard for red fish, seafood, lobsters, eels, crayfish, and one of Sweden's favorite national dishes is salmon , smoked on fresh juniper twigs.

Herring is eaten with mustard, with lemon or white sauce, and also in the form of a steak (zilbutar mid korintzes). On Sundays and holidays they serve boiled sea pike (luftisk), potato casserole with sprats and spring-style fish - mackerel with mayonnaise and cream, seasoned with herbs.

Many everyday dishes in Sweden have been known since Viking times. The morning begins with velling milk porridge, and for lunch, grutta is usually prepared - dishes of boiled meat and vegetables: beef with beans, lamb with stewed cabbage, peas with pork, corned beef with turnips and so on.

Probably, grutta recipes have come down to us from ancient times only because the Swedish hinterland for a long time did not know either gas or electric stoves. Until the middle of the 19th century, all products were cooked in one cauldron over the hearth.

A prominent place in rural Swedish cuisine is occupied by game - roasted venison and elk, elk liver pate, chopped venison cutlets and soup with elk meat meatballs. Meat, fish and root vegetables are complemented by homemade dairy products - yogurt and soft varieties of goat cheese "Greve" and "Vesterbotten".

As in other northern countries, traditional cuisine Sweden has a high calorie content. Meat dishes they are fried in lard or lard, and zrazy, meatballs, meatballs, sausages and sausages are usually served with a side dish of boiled potatoes, beets or turnips.

There is a widespread village habit of flavoring any dish with bread, which is baked in its own way in each region. In Norrland they love bread with the addition of barley flour (tunnbrød), and in the central counties they prefer fragrant crispbread (knaeköbrød).

Despite the high cost of alcohol, strong drinks in Sweden invariably find themselves at the center of the festive feast. Without arak punch, Christmas is not a joy, and on gloomy winter evenings, glögg appears on the tables - mulled wine with cloves, cardamom, almonds and cinnamon, diluted with vodka. Swedish herbal tinctures Branvin and Aquavit are ideal as gifts for family and friends: a luxurious bouquet of aromas is verified to the last grain.

In Skåne, good wine is made from local grapes, and beer and whiskey are produced in the northern fiefs, rich in barley. Swedish dark-roast Zoegas and hazelnut-flavoured Gevalia coffees may not seem strong enough, but locals love them: Sweden ranks second in Europe in terms of per capita coffee consumption.

Passionate passion of harsh Swedes for all sorts of sweets and pastries sometimes shocks tourists. The bread has a distinct sweet taste, the meat is generously poured with jam, and the black pudding is sprinkled with sugar.

During a trip to Sweden, all diets are canceled: it is impossible to resist when waffles with jam, chocolate, rhubarb pie, gooseberry soufflé, gingerbread and cinnamon cream buns constantly flash before your eyes. As souvenirs from Sweden they bring chocolate candies handmade and natural marmalade.

Restaurant menu: what to choose?

At present, the national cuisine of Sweden is slowly growing out of the peasant role and actively absorbing the achievements of culinary schools. different countries. Leading cities and other major cities have mastered Italian, Chinese and French cuisine, and numerous eatery chains are actively promoting the international menu of products. fast food.

To get acquainted with take a closer look at home-cooked restaurants (husmanskost). Here, tourists are offered to taste spicy easterband pork sausages, flaskrulader pork roll, liver pate leverpastey, Swedish dumplings kottbullar, blood sausage, potato pancakes, blood pudding and chicken baked in clay - delicious, like in childhood with my grandmother!

If you are used to starting your meal with hot rich soup, a rich selection of first courses will not leave you indifferent. Along with the usual soups with noodles, peas and beans, the menu comes across real delicacies - beer soup elebrod, crayfish neck soup, soup with liquor or cognac. Mushroom sauce, dumplings and meatballs are often added to the broth.

The average bill for a dinner for two in a Swedish restaurant will be about 580 SEK. Some delicacies can also be tasted for free during the numerous food festivals that have made Sweden a resounding outpost of gourmet tourism.

In addition to the famous culinary week "Try Stockholm" in June, the country's traditional gastronomic holidays deserve no less attention. In February, Linköping celebrates the Chocolate Festival, on Fat Tuesday, vanilla buns with cream are distributed on the streets of tourist cities, and on Waffle Day on March 25, the country enthusiastically relishes sult with jam and chocolate. In Malmö, gourmet dishes of freshly caught crayfish are enjoyed in August, the first catches of eels are welcomed in September, and on October 4 it is the turn of cinnamon buns.

Participating in a food festival can be an exciting adventure, but keep in mind that some of Sweden's national dishes have more than a specific flavor. Tasting fried herring, surströmming (lightly salted Baltic herring fermenting in its own juice) or trout marinated in grove promises extreme sensations on the brink of failure!

TOP 7 Swedish dishes to try

• Puttipanna- a stew of finely chopped potatoes mixed with slices of pork and beef, fried in lard.
• Beef steak "Lindström" - a small beef chop with finely chopped beets.
• bleak caviar- a favorite delicacy of the coast of the Kalix River.
• Nasselsuppa-lead-egg- cream soup with oysters.
• egg fritters- fried cakes made from biscuit dough, which are usually served with cabbage salad, fried pork or jam.
• Sylt- Swedish waffles with marmalade, hot chocolate and whipped cream.
• - whipped dessert egg whites with the addition of jam, chocolate and berries.

National cuisine 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 tend to be simple, easy to prepare, hearty and delicious. Since ancient times, Sweden has used products that can be stored for a long time in winter period. Therefore, all kinds of marinades, pickles, smoking, canning, drying, pickling have become widespread. In the local cuisine you will not find restaurant delights, exotic dishes, complex combinations of ingredients. Rather, it is a rustic and home cooking.

Basis, Swedish cuisine , are fish and seafood dishes. In the first place is the herring. Swedes have salted herring, in mustard, with onions, with “smell”, in wine, grilled, baked, fried, smoked, with white sauce, with lemon, in a special marinade ... Surströmming is considered a special delicacy - fermented pickled herring (although not everyone will like the smell of this dish). Also, try:

• Grav - salmon in a special marinade;
• Lutfisk - boiled sea pike;
• « zilbular honey korintzes"- herring steak, with sauce;
• » fish in spring» - mackerel with mayonnaise sauce, cream and herbs;
• "fish cakes";
• "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;
• Leverpastey - meat pate;
• "unstekt alg" - fried elk meat;
• "kottbullar" - large Swedish dumplings;
• "game meatballs";
• "chicken baked in clay";
• "meat balls" ;
• « Swedish meatballs» ground beef;
• "cutlets" made of beef, potatoes, beets and onions;
• "fried pork with beans".

If you are used to starting dinner 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;
• "elebrod" - beer soup;
• « nasselsuppa-lead-egg"- oyster soup;
• "tokmag" - soup with noodles;
• "bean soup";
• "soup with oatmeal";
• "mushroom soup with chicken broth";
• “original soup with cognac or liqueur”.
  Dumplings are often added to many soups.

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

Please, the national cuisine of Sweden, sweet lovers. For dessert, the Swedes prefer:

• « rice pudding with almonds,
• "gooseberry soufflé"
• "apple swedish cake with cinnamon",
• "pancakes with jam or jam",
• "waffles with ice cream or various jams",
• "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 coffee consumption per capita. In addition, popular mineral water, lemonade, lingonberry drink, fruit juices, light beer. From strong drinks - vodka, various liqueurs, whiskey, tinctures on local herbs and berries, punch and grog.
Welcome to hospitable Sweden and bon appetit to all!

National cuisine of Sweden

In ancient times, when the family had one pot, they cooked classic and typically Swedish dishes - salted pork with turnip puree, lamb with cabbage, pea soup with pork (artsoppa). In this cauldron, meat, vegetables, and root crops had to be boiled. Fried food could only be enjoyed in the high strata of society.

In the middle of the 19th century, Swedish cuisine was revolutionized when the open hearth was replaced with an iron stove that was fired with wood.
Then new dishes of home cooking appeared - fried meatballs, fried salted herring, pork in onion sauce and cabbage rolls. Cabbage rolls are borrowed from Turkish cuisine about 300 years ago, during the reign of King Charles XII, who was in Turkey for several years, where he got acquainted with this dish made from minced meat and wrapped in grape leaves.

A culinary borrowing is the world-famous smorgosburd (sandwich table) - a buffet consisting of a variety of different dishes. A typical Swedish form of treat.

The national dish is also a festive dish - salmon marinated "grav" (gavlax). "Grav" is Swedish for "pit". The name of the dish is due to the fact that earlier, by the beginning of the summer season, so many salmon were caught in the rivers that it was not possible to save the entire catch. Salt was very expensive, so they dug a deep hole and laid fish in it, sprinkling it with salt in such an amount that the salmon did not deteriorate, but only soured and began to ferment. In this form, salmon could be stored for a long time.
In the 16th century, cooks serving on rich estates discovered that when salmon was treated with salt, sugar, and spices, a process took place as a result of which it did not spoil, and even got rid of the taste of "raw" fish. This dish inherited the old peasant name "fish with a smell", but it no longer had a specific unpleasant smell.
Grav marinated salmon is one of the few Swedish dishes that are now popular in other countries.

Swedish cuisine traditionally uses little fresh produce and is palpably heavy.

Here they like to cook with butter and eat a lot of sugar. Sugar is provided even in recipes for pickled herring and plain bread. In the 19th century, sakha was expensive, so sweetened dishes had a high status. When the common people had the means to sweeten food, sugar began to be used unreasonably much, and this habit took root for a long time.

Swedish national dish - pea soup with pork. This soup is made from dried yellow peas. Pea soup is served only on Thursdays, in memory of the medieval past, when Friday was a fast day and the day before it had to be eaten.
After the Reformation, the direct religious connection between pea soup and Thursday was completely lost, but the Swedes still eat this soup on Thursdays today, washed down with hot punch, which also belongs to the old Swedish drinks.

The sweet punch made from arak is Sweden's unique contribution to Western European liquor culture and is reminiscent of Swedes trading with China and Indonesia in the 18th century. From the island of Java, a large amount of arrack was brought on ships, which became popular in Sweden.
At that time, the Swedes produced vodka as their own alcoholic drink. However, until the 70s of the 19th century, vodka had an unpleasant aftertaste of fusel oil. Swedish punch was invented thanks to inexpensive arrack and the use of Anglo-Saxon experience in making rum-based punch.

But the most famous of the various Swedish drinks is vodka made from grain.

In ancient times, Sweden was divided into three geographical areas, each with its own type of bread baking.
In the north, bread was baked in flat, thin cakes made from barley flour and this bread was called "thin", because the climate of the area did not allow growing other varieties of cereals, and barley flour dough could not be kneaded with yeast.
To the south, the classic version of the Swedish "crunchy" bread knackebrod is popular. The rivers that powered the millstones were covered with ice. The absence of winds did not allow the use of windmills, so it was impossible to grind grain. Therefore, thin crispbread was prepared from flour in advance.
In the southernmost part of Sweden, which once belonged to Denmark, windmills were built already in the Middle Ages. There they could grind grain practically all year round and bake soft bread without caring about its preservation for the future.

Nothing less than the need to conserve large stocks of perishable food so that they could last for a whole year determined in many ways the foundations of Swedish food culture, that is, the basis of today's home cooking. This concerned not only the products of agriculture, animal husbandry, hunting and fishing, but also milk. Milk in the northern part of Sweden was only available in the summer, when the cows were driven out to graze in the meadows. Then butter was churned from cream, and cheese was made from milk.
So that nothing wasted in vain, in Northern Scandinavia, a special kind of cheese was cooked from whey - mesost. This cheese and soft version under the name "messmer" is still produced.

Born in the 19th century new form table communication of the Swedes, when guests were invited to "sip coffee" (kafferep).
Over time, coffee has significantly replaced home-made vodka, which was produced until the middle of the last century.
Today, this tradition of inviting coffee has been preserved primarily in the countryside, but also as a form of treat at birthdays or name days.

According to statistics, Sweden firmly ranks second in the world in coffee consumption per capita. Often they drink it at breakfast, during work breaks in production, or at the end of lunch or dinner.

The national spirit of Sweden is vodka, which is made from potatoes. It is very strong and is drunk chilled.
On ordinary days, the Swedes avoid drinking alcoholic beverages, preferring milk, water, cranberry drink - lingondricka, light beer.

First meal:

• Engamat soup
• Finnish milk soup
• Salmon soup (Laxsoppa)
• Swedish beer soup
• Tokmach (noodle soup)
• Pea soup with bacon and ham
• Rosehip soup

Main dishes:

• Cutlets "Wallenberg"
• Meatballs with lingonberry sauce, pickled cucumber and brown sauce
• "The Temptation of Janson"
• Swedish Meatballs
• Swedish Christmas meatballs
• Swedish meatballs with Brunsås sauce
• Salmon in cream sauce
• Escabeche from guinea fowl
• Chicken with star anise and stewed onions
• Homemade meatballs
• Venison terrine with currant sauce
• Potato casserole with horseradish
• Meatballs with cream sauce(Kottbullar)
• Baked potatoes with cheese in the oven
• Blood sausage in the oven
• Potato dumplings with pork (Kroppkakor)
• Meatballs with rice in tomato sauce
• Swedish salmon with mustard sauce
• Fried bacon with quince and apples
• Shink loda (potato casserole)
• Braised Red Cabbage with Apples (Rodkal)
• Meat stewed in beer
• Salted herring (Inlagd sill)

Salads:

• Salad with liver
• Swedish potato salad

Snacks:

• SOS: herring, cheese and snaps
• Smyorgostorta
• Gravlax with potato salad
• Shrimp Skagen Toast
• Gravlax
• Swedish appetizer for bread
• Cheese fondue pies
• Cheese fondue in pumpkin
• Meatloaf
• Baked potato gassel with dill
• Salaka in Swedish

Dough dishes and desserts:

• Swedish cinnamon rolls
• Lussebullar
• Cake "Princess"
• Gingerbread cookies with icing
• Swedish Christmas cookies
• Cinnamon bun
• Swedish chocolate pie
• Kalitki (Karelian pies) stuffed
• Chocolate fondue with fruit skewers
• Chokladsnitt (Chocolate Cookies)
• Puff pastry almond cake
• Kanelbullar (Cinnamon Buns)
• Sokerkaka (Biscuit)
• Colasnitt (Toffee Cookies)
• Drömmar (Dream Cookies)
• Brusselskekes (Brussels Cookies)
• Finnish pinnar (Finnish sticks)
• Shakrutor (Checkers Cookies)
• Skurna-syultkakor (Squares with jam)

National drinks:

• Glög with almonds, raisins and spices
• Rhubarb compote
• Rhubarb juice

Detailed data on the history of the development of modern Swedish cuisine is extremely scarce.

And the reason for this is not only the rich past of this country, which is a series of endless wars and confrontations for territory and power. But also severe weather conditions, which significantly narrowed the range of ingredients used in cooking. And, as a result, they forced the inhabitants of Sweden to be content with little. However, despite all these obstacles, today this state can boast of an exquisite, satisfying and original cuisine, which is based on nutritious and incredibly tasty dishes.

It is worth noting that Swedish culinary traditions were formed mainly under the influence of Denmark and Norway. However, later France, Germany and Turkey played a huge role in their development, thanks to which the Swedes began to pay attention not only to the taste and nutritional properties of dishes, but also to their appearance.

Initially, Swedish cuisine was not very diverse. It was based only on products subject to long-term storage. First of all, these are pickles, marinades, dried and smoked meats. By the way, in the old days, turnips were widely used here. The beloved potato appeared on the territory of Sweden only in the 18th century and subsequently successfully replaced it.

In addition to it, meat and fish are very popular here. The Swedes have been preparing dishes from them for centuries, which is not surprising. After all, cattle breeding and fishing were the main types of fishing for them. And only over time, agriculture was added to them. Herring is considered a favorite type of fish in Sweden. Not a single feast is complete without it. Moreover, the Swedes know a huge number of recipes for its preparation. It is salted, marinated in mustard or wine, fermented, stewed, baked in the oven or grilled, sandwiches and all kinds of fish dishes are made from it. The Swedish delicacy with fermented herring, which was once included in the list of the most terrible dishes in the world, deserves special attention.

From meat in Sweden they prefer pork, venison and game. In addition, dairy products, in particular, milk, cheeses, butter, kefir, curdled milk or yogurt, are held in high esteem by the Swedes. They love cereals, mushrooms, as well as vegetables, fruits and berries. But they practically do not use spices, successfully replacing them with delicious sauces.

By the way, the concept of "buffet" really came from Sweden. The fact is that in the old days, guests came to various events for a long time. Therefore, they were offered long-term storage dishes, which were taken out to a cool room and left on a long table. Thus, each newcomer could take as much food as he needed, on his own, without bothering either the hosts or other guests.

True Swedish cuisine differs from the cuisines of other Scandinavian countries by the presence of a bright, sweetish flavor in the dishes. After all, the Swedes love to add sugar everywhere and are sincerely proud of it. Meanwhile, this is far from the only feature of Sweden. After all, only in this kingdom they prepare not just gourmet dishes of haute cuisine, but truly unique or even exotic ones. Like, for example, chicken baked in clay. It is worth noting that before cooking it is not plucked, but simply gutted, washed and coated with clay. And then they are baked on stones in order to subsequently enjoy the unique taste of the most delicate roast. In this case, all unplucked feathers remain on the clay. This recipe has been known since Viking times.

Among drinks, the Swedes, like many Europeans, choose coffee, and from fortified drinks - vodka, whiskey, beer. In terms of coffee consumption, the Swedes are second only to the Finns - this is the second country in the world in terms of coffee consumption.

Just stepping out of your comfort zone and tasting a different cuisine is the most exciting part of traveling! If you still don't like the idea of ​​trying something new, remember that it will help you learn more about another culture, expand your understanding of food, and maybe even inspire you to culinary exploits.

Despite the fact that the national cuisine of Sweden is not distinguished by a wide variety of dishes, the Swedes always zealously serve fresh and healthy food to the table. Many traditional dishes are seasonal or served only on holidays, in general, they are hearty, tasty and healthy. In general, simple and elegant aromas are guessed, and the cuisine itself is based on easily digestible dairy products, various types bread, fruit, meat and seafood.

Since the Swedes have always been open to new things, this has led to a huge variety of products on the shelves in supermarkets. In particular, fast food from abroad, pizza and hot dogs have become an integral part of Swedish youth culture. If you are an international student in Sweden, experiment with all the dishes that Swedish cuisine has to offer!

Swedish meatballs (Kottbullar)

Yes, those who know little about Sweden have probably heard of Swedish meatballs, especially since IKEA stores are now at every step in every corner of the world. Together with mashed potatoes, cranberry jam and gravy, you get a tasty and satisfying dish.

Swedish meatballs are easy to make and inexpensive, making them a favorite food for students. Although Swedes eat meatballs all year round, it is especially nice to enjoy this dish on a cold winter day.

Swedish crayfish (Kraftor)

As summer draws to a close in Sweden, it's crayfish party season. As an international student, I was invited to one such party, and I got an unforgettable experience - not only because of the food, but because here you have the opportunity to sing, drink schnapps and enjoy warm summer evenings with friends.

Crayfish are the national dish. They were first tasted in Sweden back in the 16th century. And although crayfish are on sale here all year round, few Swedes will abandon this tradition.

Sandwich Cake (Smorgastarta)

Yes, that's right ... Sandwich and cake at the same time. At first, a sandwich cake looks just like a regular cake, but upon closer inspection, you realize that it is decorated with shrimp, smoked salmon, chopped meat, vegetables and other savory things.

The base is a thick layer of bread, and instead of glaze, a mixture of cream cheese, mayonnaise and sour cream is used. It may seem strange, but this is really a big sandwich with your favorite ingredients. In Sweden, a sandwich is usually served at christenings, funerals and other family celebrations.

Pea soup with pancakes (artsoppa och pannkakor)

You know, you will feel like a true Swede when you associate this dish with a certain day of the week. According to Swedish tradition, pea soup and pancakes are eaten on Thursdays. They say that this tradition appeared even before the revolution as a preparation for the Friday fast. Usually the soup is served with Swedish mustard, followed by pancakes with cream and jam.

This dish is popular both in restaurants and at home; it is a simple but essential attribute of Swedish life. Pea soup and pancakes are easy to make and are a favorite food for adults and children all over Sweden.

Surstromming

I've saved the best, or possibly the worst for some, for last.

Pickled herring is a delicacy in northern Sweden that is definitely aimed at the hobbyist. Small Baltic herring is caught in the spring, salted and sour in barrels for one/two months before canning, where the fermentation process continues. Somewhere between 6 months and a year, gases form, so that the cylindrical jars become more and more rounded.

The finished product is a sour salted fish with a pungent odor. In fact, the smell is so strong that surströmming has rightfully earned the title of "the most foul-smelling food imaginable." As a result, pickled herring has been banned from many homes in Sweden and is almost always eaten outdoors.

Often, herring is served with thin slices of bread, potatoes, chopped onions, dill and sour cream. As with crayfish, herring is eaten in late summer at celebratory parties. Of course, we do not hope that you will love this dish, but you will definitely get impressions and experiences that cannot be forgotten.

I would be interested to know what you think of Swedish cuisine. Do you have a favorite Swedish dish? Perhaps you know dishes that should be included in this list? Don't forget to share your impressions in the comments.