Köttbullar are famous Swedish meatballs with a crispy brown exterior, and light, airy and tender texture on the interior. The original recipe for the dish first appeared in Cajsa Warg's 1754 cookbook. The meatballs usually consist of beef mixed with pork or veal, and the combination is typically seasoned with onions, salt, pepper, and allspice.
The mixture is shaped into small, round meatballs and browned in hot butter. This dish is traditionally accompanied by lingonberry sauce, creamy mashed potatoes, and a thick gravy on the side, although lighter side dishes such as cucumber salad or red cabbage are also quite popular.
MOST ICONIC Köttbullar
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The crispy, golden Finnish meatballs are traditionally made with beef, with the occasional addition of ground pork. The meat is frequently seasoned with allspice and combined with a mixture of breadcrumbs, eggs, and onions. Although they appear in numerous varieties throughout the country, Finnish meatballs are usually round and small in size, with a light, airy texture.
Typically consumed as the main course doused in a creamy brown sauce, they can also be enjoyed as a light cocktail snack.
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Hakkebøf is the Danish variety of a hamburger patty made with coarsely minced beef. Pan-fried until perfectly crispy, it is typically served alongside caramelized onions and boiled potatoes, a dish often referred to as hakkebøffer med bløde løg.
Since it is one of the most common and favorite dishes in Denmark, it appears in numerous versions, and the ready-made varieties are available in most grocery stores. It is believed that hakkebøf was invented in the outskirts of Copenhagen, and that the famous American hamburger was the real inspiration for its creation.
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This tasty Danish dish consists of pan-fried bread that is topped with a thick beef patty. It is complemented with pickled beets, onions, capers, horseradish, and a raw egg yolk. Although not much is known about its origin or name, it is a common home-cooked meal and a staple dish found on the menus of many Danish restaurants.
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Frikadeller are popular Danish and German meatballs that are usually made with ground pork, with the occasional addition of ground veal. These small meatballs have been prepared and consumed in that part of Europe for more than 200 years. The term frikadelle is German, and there are also many frikadeller sold as street food in Germany, Poland, and throughout Scandinavia.
Frikadelle are typically served with boiled potatoes and traditional creamy sauces (for example, Danish brown sauce) on the side, a dish that is usually enjoyed as a hearty weekend meal. Pickled vegetables, mustard, rye bread, potato salad and a variety of other vegetables can also be served alongside frikadeller.
MOST ICONIC Frikadeller
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Wallenbergare is a classic Swedish patty made with ground veal which is mixed with egg yolks and cream, then rolled in breadcrumbs. The usual accompaniments include green peas, carrots, boiled or mashed potatoes, and lingonberry jam. There are different stories regarding the origin of this dish, but it is certain that it was named after Marcus Wallenberg, a member of a renowned Swedish family.
One story suggests that Wallenberg, after his return from a business trip, went to his favorite restaurant Cecile in Stockholm, and asked the chef, Julius Carlsson, to make a dish similar to the one he consumed on his trip. Another story suggests that the dish was created by Wallenberg's father-in-law Charles Emile Hagdahl, a famous Swedish chef, in the late 1800s.
MOST ICONIC Wallenbergare
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This traditional Danish version of the American hamburger is prepared with a thick beef patty that is served on a bun or a bread roll. It is usually accompanied by various sides and condiments such as pickles, onions, ketchup, or mustard.
Due to its popularity, there is also a unique variety of the dish – a local specialty of the Jutland region – where the whole hamburger is doused in brown gravy before serving. Since their first first appearance in 1949, hamburgers have become an important part of Danish food culture, traditionally enjoyed at numerous burger bars across the country.
MOST ICONIC Bøfsandwich
Kjøttboller or kjøttkaker are traditional Norwegian meatballs. Even though they share many similarities to their Swedish counterpart, they are usually larger in size and more often shaped as meat patties or meat cakes.
Among the numerous varieties, traditional versions mainly employ minced beef that is generously seasoned with nutmeg and ginger, and occasionally combined with eggs, onions, oats, and cornstarch. Norwegians prefer to pan-fry the meatballs and enjoy them as a main course, accompanied by a creamy sauce or a thick gravy.
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Boller i karry is a traditional dish that was invented around the 1840s, when the first curry powder mix was introduced to the country. It consists of pork meatballs that are doused in a creamy curry sauce. The dish is typically served over rice.
It was first regarded as an exotic dish, but soon it became incredibly popular, and today it is considered a Danish national dish. Occasionally, the meatballs are made with turkey meat, and the sauce is often mixed with cream in order to subdue the spiciness.
The dish is easily prepared at home and it can be commonly found in many Danish restaurants.
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Medisterkaker is a traditional dish consisting of pork meatballs. Although there are many recipes for these meatballs, they're usually made with a combination of ground pork, flour, eggs, salt, nutmeg, ginger, milk, black pepper, and oil. The meat, salt, and eggs are stirred until sticky, then mixed with the flour and spices.
The milk is added a bit at a time, and the resulting mix shouldn't be too firm. The mixture is shaped into balls that are fried in oil until slightly browned on both sides. In order to finish the dish, the medisterkaker are typically cooked in the oven for about 15 minutes.
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