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Danish Smorrebrod Recipe with Salmon | an open-faced sandwich

A traditional, Danish open-faced sandwich layered with salmon pate, cream cheese, cucumber, greens and has an egg on it. This healthy and easy Scandinavian Smorrebrod recipe makes a perfect Summer lunch.  This is the best, open-faced sandwich I have eaten so far, I hope you like it too!  Make this for dinner.

An open face sandwich on a cutting board.

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This smørrebrød recipe is adapted from Scandinavian Comfort Food by Trine Hahnemann.

I don’t have the type of Danish rye bread that is traditional to smørrebrød nor the smoked herring her recipe calls for but I do have canned salmon and a quick, easy recipe for salmon pate so I problem solved.

Cooking is like that.  I think I will put rugbrød, the traditional Danish rye bread on my to-learn-list of all good things.  Let me know if you have a recipe:)

This recipe is easily scalable if you are going to feed a lot of people and can easily be assembled for single servings.  The pate is simple and has only a few ingredients and rest of the layers are easy.

Just some fresh veggies and a fried or poached egg on top.  If you are wondering how to eat smørrebrød, it’s with a fork and knife.  You can try to pick it up but I would wear a bib if you do, like one with a lobster on it!

As for how to pronounce smørrebrød, the best I could come up with is smorabrote.  I’m gonna have to reach out to the audience here for some help on this.  Leave a comment if you have a better enunciation of smørrebrød.

Open-faced sandwiches have been around since the middle ages, not a recent invention by far.  In England and France, sliced bread was used as plates and stuff was piled on.

The word smørrebrød was first mentioned 200 hundred years later by the Danish playwright Ludwig Holberg, when describing what the gentry ate.  It is the un-official national dish of Denmark.  I understand you get exposed to it even before leaving the airport when you arrive.

More smørrebrød toppings

roast beef + horseradish + pickles + fried onions

roast beef + remoulade

pork + pickles + red onion slices

liver pate + red beets

pickled herring + cream cheese + cucumber

smoked or cured salmon + cream cheese + pickles + red onion slice

brie + pear + bacon

blue cheese + apple + bacon

any mild cheese + pickled beets

peanut butter + jelly (JK)

pork + swiss + remoulade + olives

charcuterie + cheese + olives + olive oil + red wine vinegar

anything you love + anything you love + topped with anything you love

Rye bread, sliced with salmon pate in a bowl.
Open faced sandwich with an egg on it.
Open faced sandwich on a cutting board with a fork.

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Danish Smorrebrod with Salmon | an open-faced sandwich. This easy to make classic Danish sandwich is layered with Salmon Pate, cream cheese, cucumber slices, greens, dill, chives and has an egg on it. A traditional Scandinavian sandwich.

Danish Smorrebrod Recipe with Salmon

Yield: 4
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

A traditional open-faced Danish sandwich with salmon, cream cheese, cucumber, greens and egg.

Ingredients

  • 4 large slices of rye bread or 8 small slices
  • 1 salmon pate recipe
  • 4 oz cream cheese, I prefer whipped for easier spreading
  • 1/2 cucumber, sliced
  • greens of your choice, such as arugula, spring lettuce mix, spinach, chard
  • 4 eggs, poached or fried over easy
  • chives and black pepper for garnish

Instructions

  1. Toast the bread in a toaster or skillet.
  2. Layer the sandwich as follows; cream cheese, pate, cucumber, greens, egg, garnish.
  3. Serve with a knife and fork.

Notes

This recipe can be scaled up to feed more people. The bread can be substituted for any bread per your preference but traditionally is served with a dense sourdough rye called rugbrod.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: sandwich
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 354Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 250mgSodium: 369mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 5gSugar: 3gProtein: 25g

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Benny C

Saturday 16th of October 2021

As a Dane I have to say that this version of smørrebrød is delicious… It is now part of my repetoire…

Tina

Sunday 17th of October 2021

Benny, I am so glad to hear that, you made my day! I really need to make this more often, it's not only delicious but the smorrebrod making process is also therapeutic. Enjoy!

Kathryn @ FoodieGirlChicago

Sunday 2nd of July 2017

This looks delicious! Like it would be the perfect breakfast!

Tina

Sunday 2nd of July 2017

We are kindred spirits Kathryn! I loved this, in fact I'm having it again tonight, for dinnah:)

Dominique | Perchance to Cook

Friday 30th of June 2017

This looks sooooo yummy! I'm going to Sweden this summer and I'm excited to try Scandinavian food... hopefully I can find this there!

Tina

Friday 30th of June 2017

That's great Dominique! Wow, Sweden. Now you will know what to look out for on the menu. Let me know what their Smorrebrod is like:)

Ashley @ Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen

Wednesday 28th of June 2017

I love sandwiches like this! And any time a runny egg is involved, I am ALL IN! Looks fantastic :)

Mark, CompassandFork

Friday 23rd of June 2017

That's a great selection of smorrebrod! Great idea for something different. Look nice and healthy as well.

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