Danish Recipes
16 recipesDanish cooking rests on pork, potatoes, dairy, rye and the sea. Everyday food, called husmandskost, means frikadeller, fried pork belly with parsley sauce, meatballs in curry and fried plaice with remoulade, served with boiled potatoes and something pickled. Lunch is smørrebrød, buttered rye bread topped with care, and the bakery tradition runs from dense rye loaves to the laminated pastries Danes call wienerbrød. Flavors lean on dill, parsley, mustard, horseradish and pickles, with a taste for sweet and sour. Summer brings new potatoes, strawberries and cold buttermilk soup. Christmas is the peak of the year, with roast pork, caramelized potatoes, red cabbage and rice pudding with a hidden almond, and æbleskiver through Advent. Meals tend to be unhurried, with candles on the table and a sense of hygge, the Danish word for cozy togetherness.
Staple ingredients
- pork and veal
- potatoes
- rye bread
- butter and buttermilk
- herring and plaice
- pickled beets and cucumber
- dill and parsley
- apples and red berries
Main Dishes
Frikadeller (Danish Pan-Fried Pork and Veal Meatballs)DK55 minEasy
Smørrebrød med Roastbeef (Danish Open Roast Beef Sandwich)DK1 h 15 minMedium
Flæskesteg (Danish Roast Pork with Crackling)DK2 h 40 minMedium
Stegt Flæsk med Persillesovs (Crispy Pork Belly with Parsley Sauce)DK50 minEasy
Boller i Karry (Danish Meatballs in Curry Sauce)DK1 h 10 minEasy
Brændende Kærlighed (Danish Mashed Potatoes with Bacon and Onions)DK1 h 5 minEasy
Stegt Rødspætte med Remoulade (Danish Pan-Fried Plaice with Remoulade)DK55 minEasy
Tarteletter med Høns i Asparges (Danish Chicken and Asparagus in Pastry Shells)DK1 h 55 minMedium
Side Dishes
Breads
Kanelsnegle (Danish Cinnamon Swirls)DK1 h 38 minChallenging
Rugbrød (Danish Seeded Rye Bread)DK1 h 50 minMedium
Desserts
Rødgrød med Fløde (Danish Red Berry Pudding with Cream)DK30 minEasy
Æbleskiver (Danish Pancake Puffs)DK50 minMedium
Koldskål (Danish Cold Buttermilk Soup)DK10 minEasy
Risalamande (Danish Christmas Rice Pudding with Cherry Sauce)DK1 h 15 minEasy
Sauces, Dips and Condiments
Common questions
What is Danish food known for?
Smørrebrød, frikadeller, fried pork belly with parsley sauce, roast pork at Christmas, rye bread and Danish pastries are the best-known foods. Everyday cooking is built on pork, potatoes, fish, dairy and pickles.
What is the national dish of Denmark?
Stegt flæsk med persillesovs, crispy pork belly with parsley sauce, won a public vote for national dish in 2014. There is no official dish, and frikadeller and smørrebrød are also named often.
What do Danes eat for lunch?
Typically smørrebrød, open sandwiches on dense rye bread with toppings such as roast beef and remoulade, egg and shrimp, herring or liver pâté, eaten with knife and fork. Many people bring a packed rye bread lunch, called madpakke, to work.