Denmark's Lunchtime Plate, Perfected in 19th-Century Copenhagen
At lunchtime in Copenhagen, people head for the smørrebrød shops. Smørrebrød means "buttered bread" in Danish, a compound of smør (butter) and brød (bread). But real smørrebrød is far more than buttered bread. On a hearty slice of rye, seafood, meat, vegetables, and sauces are stacked in careful, beautiful layers. It is edible art.
This open-faced sandwich is said to have started as the plain bread, spread with butter or fat, that farmhands ate in the fields. In the 19th century it became the lunch of Copenhagen's workers, and by the 1880s shops were serving elaborate smørrebrød piled high with toppings. If Ethiopian injera (in Japanese) is the classic example of bread used as a plate, smørrebrød takes the idea one step further: the bread is the plate, and you eat it too.
Danish: "Smørrebrød." Smør = butter, brød = bread. Its roots are said to lie in the simple lunches of farmhands, and it was refined in Copenhagen's shops in the late 19th century. The tall, generously topped versions are usually eaten with a knife and fork.
Outside Denmark it's often introduced as nothing more than "a Danish open sandwich," yet in Denmark everything from the topping combinations to the order you eat them in has been carefully handed down. This article shows you how to make smørrebrød with ingredients from an ordinary supermarket.
Where Norwegian fårikål (in Japanese) earned its national-dish status through the art of subtraction, smørrebrød has been passed down as the art of addition. How beautifully, and how logically, can you build on a simple base? That is the heart of smørrebrød.
Ingredients (serves 4; five kinds of smørrebrød)
Tips for Success
Aim for at least three colors of toppings and the plate will come together. Salmon (pink) + dill (green) + red onion (purple). Egg (yellow) + shrimp (orange) + scallion (green). Color contrast makes it beautiful and appetizing at the same time.
Soften the butter at room temperature, but never melt it. Melted butter soaks too far into the bread and loses half its waterproofing power. The ideal is soft enough that a finger leaves a dent. Plan on about 30 minutes out of the fridge. In winter you can microwave it at 200 W for 10 seconds, but if it turns liquid, start over.
It helps to think of flavor as built from the bottom up: bread → butter → sauce (cream cheese, remoulade, or sour cream) → main topping → accent → finishing herbs. Stick to this order and every cut with your fork gives you every layer in one bite. If you pour the sauce on top instead, the surface tastes strong while the bread underneath tastes of nothing.
At a proper Danish lunch (frokost), smørrebrød is eaten in a set order: fish (herring first) → meat and the like → cheese, and cheese always comes last. Aquavit (a distilled spirit) is the classic match for herring smørrebrød; beer goes with the meat ones.
Variations
Japanese-style smørrebrød (shime saba + shiso)
Swap the pickled herring for shime saba (vinegar-cured mackerel) and garnish with shiso leaves instead of dill. Spread yuzu kosho mayonnaise (2 tbsp mayo + 1 tsp yuzu kosho) instead of sour cream for a new Japanese-Western smørrebrød. Add thinly sliced myoga ginger for a perfect pop of color. The balance of acidity and richness is close to pickled herring.
Vegetarian (avocado + beets)
Spread hummus on the buttered bread (see Lebanese hummus, in Japanese), then layer avocado slices, roasted beets, sprouts, and pumpkin seeds. Season with lemon juice and salt. Even with vegetables alone, paying attention to how you layer the colors gives you a plate that feels like true smørrebrød.
Frikadeller version
Frikadeller (Danish meatballs) are a classic smørrebrød topping. Mix 300 g ground beef-and-pork blend, 1/2 finely chopped onion, 1 egg, 3 tbsp breadcrumbs, 2 tbsp milk, and 1 tsp salt. Shape into ovals and pan-fry over medium heat for 5 minutes per side. Spread remoulade on the bread, top with the frikadeller, and add pickled red cabbage on the side.
South American style (ceviche-inspired)
A variation inspired by Peruvian ceviche (in Japanese). Cut white fish (such as sea bream or flounder) into 5 mm cubes and toss with 2 tbsp lime juice, 1 tbsp finely chopped red onion, and 1 tbsp cilantro. Spread avocado mash on the bread and pile the ceviche-style marinade on top. The lime's acidity pairs surprisingly well with the flavor of rye.
Luxurious version (beef tartare)
Beef tartare is one of the most indulgent smørrebrød toppings. Finely chop 150 g very fresh beef tenderloin into 5 mm cubes and mix with 2 tsp capers, 1 tbsp finely chopped red onion, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, and 1 egg yolk. Mound it on the bread and drop the egg yolk into a hollow on top. Freshness is everything. Use only beef bought the same day from a butcher you trust.
Breakfast version (cheese and jam)
Butter the rye bread, top with Gouda or cream cheese, and add 1 tsp strawberry jam. It's a Danish breakfast staple and an easy, familiar combination. Kids love it.
Middle Eastern style (hummus + lamb)
Spread a generous layer of Lebanese hummus (in Japanese) on the bread and top with ground lamb spiced like Turkish köfte (in Japanese). Finish with pomegranate seeds and mint. This fusion of Middle Eastern and Nordic cooking is a modern smørrebrød that reflects Copenhagen's multicultural food scene.
The Story Behind the Dish
From a field lunch to Copenhagen's shops
The exact origins of smørrebrød are unclear. Rye bread is thought to have been baked in Denmark since around the year 1000, and the Vikings also ate bread, herring, cheese, and ham. Originally, smørrebrød was simply bread spread with butter or fat, eaten by farmhands in the fields. The custom of laying rye bread under moist dishes as a stand-in plate is also seen as a forerunner of the open sandwich.
As industrialization took hold in the 19th century, workers who couldn't go home for lunch began bringing packed lunches to work. Those without one bought smørrebrød at taverns, and this was the beginning of Copenhagen's smørrebrød shops. In 1883 the restaurant Nimb in Tivoli Gardens introduced an order sheet for smørrebrød, and in 1888 Oskar Davidsen began selling smørrebrød from his wine shop. Davidsen's order sheet was said to be 140 cm (about 4 1/2 feet) long, listing up to about 170 varieties, and that tradition lives on today at Ida Davidsen's restaurant.
Frokost: the Danish lunch culture
The Danish word for lunch is frokost, and smørrebrød sits at its center. Whether at a business lunch or a family gathering, the table is lined with smørrebrød.
When you eat several kinds, there's an order to follow. Start with fish, and if there are several kinds of fish, begin with herring: cold herring, enjoyed with a glass of aquavit in hand. Next come vegetable, chicken, and meat smørrebrød, such as roast beef, liver pâté, or frikadeller, with beer alongside. Cheese always comes last. At formal occasions, more than ten kinds of smørrebrød may be served.
Why "open"?
Around the world, a sandwich normally means fillings between two slices of bread, yet smørrebrød uses just one slice. Why no lid?
There are three reasons. First, Danish rye bread is so heavy that two slices would make it awkward to eat. Second, to show off the beauty of the arrangement; put a lid on it and you'd hide the artwork. Third, history: on the farmhouse table, bread served as the plate, and you don't put a lid on a plate.
Decline, then a revival in the 2000s
From the 1960s on, smørrebrød was no longer seen as food for special days, and with competition from other lunch options, its quality declined. Oskar Davidsen's restaurant closed in 1974.
The tide turned in the 2000s. Long-established restaurants such as Schønnemann and Told og Snaps raised their standards, and in 2006 Adam Aamann opened his own place, reviving the tradition with smørrebrød that paid close attention to the bread, the toppings, and seasonal ingredients. The New Nordic movement, centered on the restaurant Noma (opened in 2003), also sparked fresh interest in Nordic ingredients. Today, from old-guard institutions to young chefs' spots, traditional and modern smørrebrød can be enjoyed side by side. Whether in a city shop or a country home, the foundation of buttered rye bread hasn't changed. In a home kitchen, a dense pumpernickel gets you closest to that foundation.
How to Make a "Cheater's Rugbrød"
A homemade recipe for when you can't find authentic Danish rye bread.
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Whole-grain rye flour | 350 g |
| Bread flour | 150 g |
| Beer (dark beer recommended) | 200 ml |
| Plain yogurt | 100 g |
| Dark brown sugar | 2 tbsp |
| Salt | 1.5 tsp |
| Active dry yeast | 2 tsp |
| Lukewarm water | 100 ml |
| Sunflower seeds | 3 tbsp (optional) |
| Flaxseed | 2 tbsp (optional) |
Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water and let it stand for 10 minutes. Mix the rye flour, bread flour, and salt, then add the beer, yogurt, brown sugar, and yeast mixture and knead for 5 minutes. It doesn't need as much kneading as regular bread. Work in the sunflower seeds and flaxseed, transfer to an oiled loaf pan, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise for 90 minutes in a warm place. Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 60 minutes. It's done when a skewer comes out clean. Turn it out of the pan and let it cool completely before slicing; fresh from the oven it crumbles to pieces. Ideally, let it cool for at least 12 hours before slicing.
Nutrition (per salmon smørrebrød)
With fiber from the rye bread, omega-3 fatty acids from the salmon, and high-quality protein from the eggs, smørrebrød makes a nutritionally well-balanced light meal.
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 380 kcal |
| Protein | 22 g |
| Fat | 18 g |
| Carbohydrates | 32 g |
| Fiber | 6 g |
| Sodium | 820 mg |
Danish rye bread is made with plenty of whole-grain rye and is rich in fiber. Because the toppings sit on one hearty slice of bread, even a single smørrebrød is genuinely filling.
Pair It With
- How to make fårikål (in Japanese): Norway's national dish of lamb simmered with cabbage.
- How to make karjalanpiirakka (in Japanese): Finnish pies of rye dough wrapped around rice porridge.
FAQ
Answers to the questions first-time smørrebrød makers ask most.
Q1. I can't find rye bread. Can I use regular sandwich bread?
You can, but the texture and flavor will be very different. Sandwich bread is too soft to hold up the toppings and tends to go soggy. If you substitute, toast whole-wheat bread first. Like the knedlíky dumplings served with Czech svíčková (in Japanese), every country's bread culture is deeply rooted in its cooking. Toasting firms up the bread so it can support the toppings. Still, you won't get the distinctive tang and grainy flavor of rye. If you plan to make smørrebrød regularly, keep a supply of dense German pumpernickel on hand, or try the homemade recipe above.
Q2. Is it OK to eat smørrebrød with your hands?
In Denmark, the proper way is with a knife and fork. Smørrebrød is piled high, so it falls apart if you pick it up. At a casual meal at home, don't worry about it, though a knife and fork really are easier. When you cut, press the blade straight down. If you saw sideways, the toppings slide off.
Q3. Can I make it ahead?
You can butter the bread up to 2 hours ahead. But once the toppings are on, eat within 30 minutes. Over time the bread absorbs moisture. If you're serving a lot of smørrebrød at a party, butter the bread in advance and add the toppings just before eating.
Q4. Is there a smørrebrød kids will enjoy?
The egg smørrebrød (æggemad) is the biggest hit with kids. Leave out the curry powder and add a bit more mayonnaise to make it even easier to love. The cheese-and-jam smørrebrød (the breakfast version above) is also kid-friendly, and a simple liver pâté with cucumber is another easy combination.
Q5. What drinks go with smørrebrød?
In Denmark, aquavit is smørrebrød's faithful companion. It's a spirit flavored with caraway or dill, and it's a perfect match for herring smørrebrød in particular. Look for it at well-stocked liquor stores. For beer, Denmark's own Carlsberg and Tuborg are the go-to choices. As with Belgian carbonnade (in Japanese), pairing beer with food is a pillar of Northern and Western European food culture. Any crisp lager works well. For wine, a dry Riesling suits fish smørrebrød and a Pinot Noir suits the meat ones.
Bread-Centered Dishes From Around the World
Like smørrebrød, these dishes from around the world are built on bread.
European bread dishes
- Fårikål (in Japanese): Norway's lamb and cabbage stew. Also Nordic, but the ultimate in "subtraction."
- Burek (in Japanese): Bosnia's phyllo pie. Thin dough wrapped around the filling, the opposite idea from smørrebrød.
- Pierogi (in Japanese): Poland's dumplings, a beloved national dish of the region.
- Karjalanpiirakka (in Japanese): Finland's rye pies, another gem of Nordic rye culture.
Middle Eastern bread dishes
- Shawarma (in Japanese): Lebanon's pita wrap. The cultural divide between "topping" bread and "wrapping" in it.
- Falafel (in Japanese): Lebanon's chickpea fritters, a street food tucked into pita.
- Tabbouleh (in Japanese): Lebanon's parsley salad, which also makes an excellent side for smørrebrød.
Other regions
- Bánh mì (in Japanese): Vietnam's baguette sandwich, an example of French bread culture evolving its own way in Southeast Asia.
- Roti canai (in Japanese): Malaysia's thin flatbread, from the South Asian tradition of wrapping food in bread.
Sources
This article draws on Danish encyclopedias, travel media, and other sources, adapted for the home kitchen.
- lex.dk (Den Store Danske) "smørrebrød" (origins, 19th-century workers' lunch, Nimb's 1883 order sheet, Davidsen in 1888, decline from the 1960s and revival in the 2000s, eating order; accessed 22 October 2026)
- lex.dk "Oskar Davidsen" (accessed 22 October 2026)
- Traveller "What is smørrebrød? The origins of the Danish open sandwich" (accessed 22 October 2026)
- Wikipedia "Smørrebrød" (accessed 22 October 2026)
- Hahnemann, Trina. Scandinavian Baking. Quadrille Publishing, 2014. (Nordic rye bread)
