Top 5 summer dishes in Denmark that you will never forget

When summer comes to Denmark, the Nordic country seems to light up under endless blue skies and gentle sunlight spreading across fields of wildflowers, white sandy beaches and red-tiled roofs along the canals. But more than the beautiful scenery, Danish summer also attracts visitors with a treasure trove of delicate, light and deep cuisine. Summer dishes in Denmark are not only a harmonious combination of fresh ingredients and skillful preparation techniques, but also embody the philosophy of slow living, appreciating nature and honoring the connection between people.

1. Smørrebrød

Smørrebrød is a dark bread covered with delicate toppings (Photo source: Collected)

When it comes to summer food in Denmark, it is hard to ignore Smørrebrød – a dark bread covered with delicate toppings, like a culinary painting on a plate. This is not only a dish but also a symbol of the culinary culture of the Nordic country, especially on mild summer days.

Smørrebrød starts with a thick, dense slice of rye bread, dark brown and lightly scented with roasted grains. On top of that rustic bread, Danish chefs create countless toppings – from cool pickled herring, pink-boiled Nordic prawns, split-boiled eggs with silky yolks, to crispy pickled cucumbers, bright red radishes and a layer of butter as golden as the morning sun.

Summer is the perfect time to enjoy Smørrebrød outdoors, where the sunshine brings out the bright colors of the dish. Each Smørrebrød not only cools the soul in the mild Scandinavian heat, but also offers a poetic experience: the perfect balance between richness and tartness, the freshness of vegetables and the richness of seafood.

Enjoying this Danish summer dish is enjoying the meticulousness, sophistication and love of nature of the Danes. It is the art of turning the simple into delicious, turning an everyday lunch into a small party on a piece of black bread.

2. Pickled herring

Pickled herring – one of the typical and traditional summer dishes in Denmark (Photo source: Collected)

During the long sunny days of the North, when dusk falls near midnight, Danes often sit together and enjoy pickled herring – one of the typical and traditional summer dishes in Denmark.

The herring is meticulously prepared, soaked in a solution of vinegar, sugar, spices, shallots, bay leaves and black pepper. The pickling process not only helps preserve but also creates a complex flavor, balancing sour, salty, sweet and the gentle aroma of spices. When served on a plate, each piece of herring has a pearly shine, soft and cool, dotted with purple-pink shallots like flower petals.

In the summer, this Danish summer dish is often served with freshly picked boiled potatoes, a refreshing cream sauce, fresh green dill, and slices of rye bread. The meal is not only an opportunity to enjoy the taste of the sea, but also a ritual of sharing and bonding.

As the herring melts on the tip of the tongue, carrying a subtle sweet and sour taste and a salty aftertaste like the North Sea breeze, one can hear the whispers of the waves lapping at the shore, smell the salty sea air and feel the slow pace of life of a country that always appreciates nature and the past.

3. Potato salad sommer kartoffelsalat

Sommer Kartoffelsalat occupies a special place because of its simplicity and elegance (Image source: Collected)

In the list of Danish summer dishes, summer potato salad – Sommer Kartoffelsalat – occupies a special place because of its simplicity and elegance. Without fussy ingredients or complicated techniques, this salad is a celebration of the natural flavors of Nordic crops.

Summer in Denmark means harvesting baby potatoes – small, thin-skinned, pale yellow potatoes with creamy flesh and a naturally sweet taste. The potatoes are boiled until just cooked, retaining their firm but not mushy texture. They are then cut into bite-sized pieces and tossed with a refreshing sour cream sauce, fresh dill, thinly sliced ​​green onions and sometimes a little pickled cucumber for a crunchy texture.

Sommer Kartoffelsalat often appears in summer picnics, amidst the cheerful laughter, colorful picnic blankets on green lawns and golden sunshine pouring into cold glasses of beer. This summer dish in Denmark brings a feeling of closeness, rustic but no less sophisticated, like the character of the people of this country. A spoonful of summer potato salad is a cool, light, fatty spoonful, fragrant with dill and green onions, reminding us of long days that do not want to end, of happiness in simple and sincere things.

4. Fresh strawberries with whipped cream Jordbær med fløde

Jordbær med fløde is an indispensable dessert on every dining table (Photo source: Collected)

When the Nordic sunshine becomes warm and endless, it is also the time when the Danish strawberry gardens ripen bright red, sweet like the warm and vibrant summer. Among the summer dishes in Denmark, fresh strawberries with whipped cream – Jordbær med fløde is an indispensable dessert on every table.

This dish is surprisingly simple yet irresistibly attractive. The plump strawberries are picked from the garden, bright red and juicy, exuding a fresh scent of heaven and earth. They are washed, left whole or cut in half, gently covered with a layer of smooth, creamy whipped cream, sometimes just sprinkled with a little sugar to bring out the natural sweetness.

Jordbær med fløde requires little technique, no fussy spices, but requires the best quality ingredients – something that the Danish summer generously offers. When enjoying, each piece of strawberry bursts in the mouth, releasing a cool sweetness mixed with a smooth, rich cream, like a whisper of summer caressing the taste buds, inviting us to slow down to fully experience the joy.

Strawberries with cream are not only a summer dish in Denmark, but also a symbol of joy, of family parties where children laugh and adults chat endlessly, of picnics by the lake or in the garden as the sun slowly sets.

5. Pølser Danish Hotdog

Pølser – a special Nordic version of hotdog (Image source: Collected)

In the top 5 summer dishes in Denmark, it would be a mistake not to mention Pølser – a unique, colorful and generous version of Nordic hotdog. All over the streets of Copenhagen and small towns, you will easily come across colorful hotdog carts, exuding the fragrant smell of golden grilled sausages.

The Danish hotdog is more than just a hot dog. It is a feast of flavours, with grilled or boiled pork sausages, often red in colour from traditional food dyes, tender and juicy, with a smoky flavour. Topped with a topping “work of art”: crispy pickled cucumbers, golden fried onions, chopped fresh onions, sweet and sour pickles, rich and bright yellow remoulade sauce, mustard sauce and sweet and sour tomato sauce.

In the summer, when the street festivals are bustling, Danes often gather around hotdog carts, laughing and chatting happily, holding a hot and colorful cake in their hands, sipping cold beer. This Danish summer dish is not only delicious but also represents the generosity, friendliness and love of life of the people here.

Pølser is the Danes' way of saying that food doesn't have to be serious, that joy can sometimes be found in a quick hotdog eaten on the sidewalk, but leaving behind smiles and warm memories all summer long.

Summer cuisine in Denmark is a colorful and flavorful picture, drawn from fresh ingredients of the earth and sky, skillful hands of people and a soul that knows how to enjoy the beauty of simplicity. Discovering summer food in Denmark is not only a culinary journey but also a way to understand more about the people and this country: simple but not monotonous, slow but full of excitement, loving nature and appreciating each other.

Source : https://www.vietravel.com/vn/am-thuc-kham-pha/mon-an-mua-he-o-dan-mach-v17488.aspx