12 Scandinavian Dinners That Bring Cozy Nordic Comfort to Your Table

There is a reason people in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland talk so much about cozy evenings at home. Long dark winters taught them to make simple food that warms you from the inside out. Scandinavian dinners are honest and comforting: fresh salmon, buttery potatoes, creamy sauces, fresh dill and a little sweetness from berries. Most of these recipes use everyday ingredients and very few steps. Light a candle, grab a blanket, and let us cook like the Nordics..

Swedish Meatballs in Creamy Gravy

No list of Scandinavian dinners is complete without Swedish meatballs. These little meatballs are soft and gently spiced with allspice and nutmeg, then simmered in a silky cream gravy. In Sweden they are served with mashed potatoes, quick pickled cucumber and a spoon of lingonberry jam. That mix of savory, creamy and sweet is what makes them so addictive. Are you team lingonberry jam or team plain gravy?

You will need: Need: 1 lb ground beef and pork mix, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, 1/3 cup milk, 1 egg, 1 small onion grated, 1/4 tsp allspice, pinch nutmeg, salt, pepper, 3 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp flour, 1.5 cups beef stock, 1/2 cup cream, 1 tsp soy sauce.

How to make it: Steps: Soak breadcrumbs in milk, then mix with meat, egg, onion and spices. Roll into small balls and brown in butter, then set aside. Whisk flour into the pan, add stock, cream and soy sauce and simmer until thick. Return meatballs and simmer 10 minutes.

Gravlax With Dill Potatoes

Gravlax is salmon cured at home with salt, sugar and fresh dill, and it is one of the most loved Scandinavian dinners for special nights. There is no cooking at all; the cure does the work in the fridge over two days. Slice it thin and serve with warm boiled potatoes, mustard dill sauce and rye bread. It looks fancy but it is really simple. Would you be brave enough to cure your own salmon?

You will need: Need: 2 lb very fresh sushi grade salmon fillet with skin, 1/3 cup salt, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tbsp crushed peppercorns, 1 big bunch dill, 2 lb small potatoes, 3 tbsp mustard, 1 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp oil.

How to make it: Steps: Mix salt, sugar and pepper. Rub on the salmon and cover with dill. Wrap tightly and refrigerate 48 hours, turning twice. Scrape off the cure and slice thinly. Boil potatoes and toss with dill. Whisk mustard, honey, oil and chopped dill for the sauce.

Baked Salmon With Peas and New Potatoes

In Sweden and Norway, salmon with new potatoes and peas is a true weeknight classic. It is simple, healthy and ready in about 25 minutes. A quick sauce of sour cream, lemon and dill brings it all together. This is the kind of clean, comforting food that makes Scandinavian dinners so easy to love. Do your kids eat fish, or do you have to sneak it in?

You will need: Need: 4 salmon fillets, 1.5 lb new potatoes, 2 cups peas, 1 tbsp butter, 1 lemon, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup sour cream, 2 tbsp chopped dill.

How to make it: Steps: Boil potatoes 15 to 18 minutes. Season salmon and bake at 400F for 12 to 14 minutes. Cook peas in butter for 3 minutes. Stir sour cream with lemon juice, dill and salt. Serve salmon with potatoes, peas and the dill sauce.

Norwegian Pan Seared Salmon

Norway is famous for its salmon, and this simple pan seared fillet shows why. The skin gets crispy, the inside stays tender, and a little butter and lemon at the end makes it shine. Serve it on a bed of roasted root vegetables for a cozy fall plate. It is quick enough for a Tuesday and pretty enough for guests. Crispy skin: do you eat it or leave it?

You will need: Need: 4 salmon fillets with skin, 1 tbsp oil, 2 tbsp butter, 1 lemon, salt, pepper, 2 carrots, 1 parsnip, 1 small beet, 1 tbsp olive oil, fresh dill.

How to make it: Steps: Roast cubed root vegetables with olive oil and salt at 425F for 30 minutes. Pat salmon dry and season. Cook skin side down in hot oil 5 minutes, flip, add butter and baste 2 minutes. Squeeze lemon on top and serve over the vegetables.

Finnish Salmon Soup for Cold Scandinavian Dinners

Lohikeitto is the Finnish salmon soup that warms you up on the coldest night. Potatoes, carrots and leeks cook in a light broth, then chunks of salmon and a splash of cream go in for the last few minutes. Lots of fresh dill finishes it off. It is gentle, creamy and full of flavor without being heavy. Serve it with dark rye bread and butter for a full Nordic meal.

You will need: Need: 1 lb salmon fillet cubed, 4 potatoes cubed, 2 carrots sliced, 1 leek sliced, 1 tbsp butter, 4 cups fish or vegetable stock, 1 cup cream, 1 bay leaf, allspice, big handful dill, salt, pepper.

How to make it: Steps: Soften leek in butter. Add potatoes, carrots, stock, bay leaf and a few allspice berries. Simmer 15 minutes. Add cream and salmon and cook gently 5 minutes until the fish is just cooked. Season and stir in plenty of dill.

Swedish Pea Soup for Thursday Scandinavian Dinners

In Sweden, Thursday has meant pea soup for hundreds of years, often followed by pancakes for dessert. Dried yellow peas simmer with onion, thyme and smoky pork until thick and hearty. It costs very little and keeps you full for hours. Serve it with a spoon of mustard on the side, just like the Swedes do. Would you try a weekly soup night tradition like this one?

You will need: Need: 2 cups dried yellow or green split peas, 1 onion chopped, 1 lb smoked ham hock or diced ham, 1 tsp thyme, 1 tsp marjoram, 7 cups water, salt, pepper, mustard to serve.

How to make it: Steps: Rinse peas. Put everything except salt and mustard in a big pot. Bring to a boil, skim, then simmer 1.5 hours until the peas are soft. Remove the ham hock, shred the meat and return it. Season and serve with mustard.

Pyttipanna, Swedish Hash With Fried Eggs

Pyttipanna means small pieces in a pan, and it is the clever way Swedes use leftovers. Diced potatoes, onions and any leftover meat or sausage are fried until crispy, then topped with fried eggs and pickled beets. It is cheap, filling and one of the most comforting Scandinavian dinners. Kids love it because it is basically potatoes and eggs. What leftovers would you throw into your hash?

You will need: Need: 2 lb potatoes diced, 1 onion diced, 2 cups diced cooked ham, sausage or roast, 2 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp oil, 4 eggs, salt, pepper, parsley, pickled beets.

How to make it: Steps: Fry potatoes in butter and oil over medium heat 15 to 20 minutes until golden. Add onion and meat and cook 5 to 7 minutes. Season well. Fry eggs separately. Serve the hash topped with eggs, parsley and pickled beets.

Danish Roast Pork, Festive Scandinavian Dinners

Flaeskesteg is the roast pork Danes serve at Christmas, and the crackling is the star. The skin is scored, salted and roasted until it puffs up into crunchy, golden strips. Inside, the pork stays juicy. Serve it with red cabbage, brown gravy and little caramelized potatoes for a true Danish feast. This is one of those Scandinavian dinners that turns a normal Sunday into a holiday.

You will need: Need: 3 to 4 lb pork loin roast with skin, 1 tbsp coarse salt, 4 bay leaves, 2 cups water, red cabbage, potatoes and gravy to serve.

How to make it: Steps: Score the skin in thin lines down to the fat. Rub salt into the cuts and tuck bay leaves in. Roast at 400F with water in the pan for 1.5 hours until the center reaches 145F. Turn the oven to 475F for 10 to 15 minutes until the skin crackles. Rest before slicing.

Danish Smorrebrod Open Sandwich Night

Smorrebrod are open faced sandwiches on buttered rye bread, and in Denmark they can be a full meal. Toppings range from roast beef with crispy onions to egg and shrimp to smoked salmon with dill. Set out a board of toppings and let everyone build their own. It is a fun, light dinner on busy evenings. Quick poll: which topping would you pick? A) Roast beef B) Smoked salmon C) Egg and shrimp D) Liver pate.

You will need: Need: 1 loaf dark rye bread, butter, sliced roast beef, smoked salmon, boiled eggs, cooked shrimp, cucumber, radishes, red onion, dill, chives, remoulade or mayo, crispy fried onions.

How to make it: Steps: Slice the rye thin and butter every slice to the edges. Top each slice with one main topping. Add garnishes like cucumber, onion, herbs and a little sauce. Arrange on a board and eat with a knife and fork.

Swedish Shrimp Sandwich

The rakmacka is a Swedish favorite: a slice of bread piled high with sweet shrimp, boiled egg, lettuce and a creamy dill sauce. In summer it is served at every seaside cafe, but it makes a light and easy dinner any time of year. It takes about 15 minutes and feels like a treat. Make a few and serve with a simple salad for a relaxed Friday night.

You will need: Need: 4 slices good bread, butter, 1 lb cooked peeled shrimp, 4 boiled eggs, lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 tbsp sour cream, 1 tbsp dill, lemon.

How to make it: Steps: Butter the bread and add lettuce. Mix mayonnaise, sour cream, dill and a squeeze of lemon. Spread a spoon of sauce, add sliced eggs and pile shrimp on top. Garnish with tomatoes, cucumber, dill and a lemon wedge.

Pickled Herring With Beets and Potatoes

Herring is a key part of Scandinavian dinners, especially at holidays. Pickled herring is sweet, tangy and soft, and it tastes great with warm potatoes, sour cream, red onion and beets. If you have never tried it, this simple plate is the perfect start. Buy a jar from the store and you have dinner in 20 minutes. Be honest: would you try it? Yes, no or only if someone else goes first?

You will need: Need: 1 jar pickled herring, 1.5 lb small potatoes, 1 cup sour cream, 1 small red onion, 2 cooked beets, chives, dill, rye crispbread.

How to make it: Steps: Boil potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the herring and cut into bite size pieces. Slice onion and beets. Mix sour cream with chopped chives and dill. Arrange herring, potatoes, beets and onion on plates with the sauce and crispbread.

Swedish Cabbage Rolls, Classic Scandinavian Dinners

Kaldolmar are Swedish cabbage rolls filled with beef, pork and rice, then baked with a little syrup that makes them sweet and golden. They came to Sweden from Turkey hundreds of years ago and became a beloved home dish. Serve them with boiled potatoes, cream gravy and lingonberry jam. Want more cozy ideas? Try these juicy chicken thigh dinners too.

You will need: Need: 1 head green cabbage, 1 lb ground beef and pork mix, 1/2 cup cooked rice, 1 egg, 1 small onion grated, 1/2 cup milk, salt, white pepper, 2 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp golden or maple syrup, 1 cup stock.

How to make it: Steps: Blanch cabbage leaves in boiling water until soft. Mix meat, rice, egg, onion, milk and seasoning. Roll a spoon of filling in each leaf. Brown the rolls in butter, place in a dish, drizzle with syrup and add stock. Bake at 400F for 45 minutes.