[Recipe] The Big Swedish Midsummer Menu

The mythological, romantic, and fun Midsummer is just a few days away!

It is safe to say that this holiday is one of the Swede’s favorite holidays. Since the food, and drinks are a vital part of every midsummer celebration, we have decided to compile a Midsummer menu, recipes included, for you to try. If you’re not the home chef type, make sure to support your local Scandinavian caterer/café/restaurant by ordering your Midsummer food from them.

So, what do the Swedes typically eat during midsummer?

Potatoes, sour cream & chives, and dill, so much dill.

We are starting out easy. Peel and boil some potatoes with dill.
Chop some chives and sprinkle on top of the sour cream.

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Salmon

All shapes and forms of salmon would work here, but typically gravlax or cold-smoked salmon are the crowd favorites. Serve with the IKEA’s mustard and dill sauce.

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Skagen toast

One of the best dishes to ever hail out of Sweden. You are definitely going to want to serve this on your midsummer table. The one and only, Big Swede BBQ, makes the best Skagen Toast we’ve tried so far.

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Smörgåstårta

Smörgåstårta is one of the Swede’s best party tricks. This dish is easy to make, versatile enough to fit anyone’s palate, dietary restrictions, or preferences, and it’s filling. Also, a smörgåstårta is a sure sign of summer in Sweden.

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Pickled Herring

Ah, the pickled herring! A staple on the Midsummer, Christmas, Easter, any table really. Do Swedes even like herring, or are we just eating it for the sake of tradition? Thankfully, you can go the easy route here and click home a few jars of herring from Amazon, or you can make your own. We found a recipe from honest-food.net for you brave souls out there.

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Surströmming

Pickled herrings evil cousin. Look, we’re not saying you have to. But if you are celebrating outdoors, is it really Swedish midsummer without opening a container of surströmming, effectively striking out your family and friends for a good couple of minutes? If you are indoors, don’t bother unless you are willing to repaint the walls in your house.

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Meatballs

No surprise here. Some have them, some don’t. If you’re not into the fishy stuff, meatballs are a good substitute. We’ve included IKEA’s recipe here. And there’s a vegetarian version too. Hooray!

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Schnapps & Akvavit

This is could get tricky as schnapps in the United States isn’t the same snaps as in Scandinavia. But, there are a few companies in the United States that sell akvavit.

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Cheese

Based on our own preferences, we recommend a Jarlsberg cheese, which is similar to the popular Swedish cheese: Herrgårds ost. It can be found at most grocery stores in the United States, including Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s. Enjoy on a baguette or a gluten-free Wasa hard bread.

Did we miss a popular dish or recipe? Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us on social media or at hello@swedesinthestates.com

This article was originally published on June 18, 2020 and has since then been edited and updated.