Toast Skagen (Toast Skagen) — Swedish Shrimp Toast with Dill and Roe
Toast Skagen is a Swedish seafood classic of butter-fried bread topped with creamy shrimp, dill, lemon and roe. It belongs beside gravlax and sill on a smörgåsbord, yet is simple enough for a festive home lunch.
Printable Recipe Card
Servings: 4 · Total: 26 min · Difficulty: easy
Ingredients (quick list)
- 320 g peeled cooked cold-water shrimp (small North Atlantic shrimp are ideal; drain very well)
- 90 g mayonnaise
- 45 g crème fraîche
- 16 sprig fresh dill (finely chopped, plus extra fronds for garnish)
- 10 ml lemon juice
- 5 g Dijon mustard
- 2 g fine sea salt
- 0.5 tsp ground white pepper
- 4 slice white sandwich bread
- 32 g unsalted butter
- 4 Bibb lettuce leaves
- 40 g vendace roe (Swedish löjrom if available; trout roe may be used)
+ 1 more in the full ingredients section below.
Steps (summary)
- Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels until the surface moisture is removed. If the shrimp are larger than bite-size, cut them i…
- In a chilled bowl, combine the mayonnaise, crème fraîche, chopped dill, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt and white pepper. Fold…
- Add the drained shrimp to the dressing and fold gently so the shrimp stay whole and distinct. Refrigerate the mixture for 10 mi…
- Trim the crusts from the bread if you want the classic restaurant presentation, then heat a frying pan over medium heat. Add th…
- Place the fried bread on a rack for 2 minutes so steam does not soften the underside. Set 1 lettuce leaf on each slice; the let…
- Spoon the chilled shrimp mixture generously over the lettuce-lined toast. Keep the mound loose and abundant, as Toast Skagen sh…
+ 1 more steps in the full instructions section below.
Cultural Background
Often credited to Swedish restaurateur Tore Wretman, Toast Skagen became a modern classic of Swedish entertaining. Magnus Nilsson places dishes like this within the Nordic love of cold-water seafood, open sandwiches and generous smörgåsbord hospitality.
Equipment
💡 Tips
- Use small cold-water shrimp, not warm-water prawns, for the sweet flavor and firm texture associated with classic Toast Skagen.
- Drain the shrimp thoroughly before mixing; excess brine will loosen the dressing and make the toast soggy.
- Fry the bread in butter shortly before serving so the contrast between crisp toast and cool shrimp salad stays vivid.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ Using wet shrimp straight from the brine
✅ Fix: Drain and pat the shrimp dry before mixing so the dressing stays thick and the toast remains crisp.
❌ Overloading the dressing with lemon juice
✅ Fix: Measure 10 ml lemon juice first, then serve extra lemon wedges at the table for guests who want more acidity.
❌ Assembling the toast too early
✅ Fix: Prepare the shrimp mixture ahead, but fry the bread and assemble within 5 minutes of serving.
🧊 How to Store
Store the shrimp mixture in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Keep toast, lettuce and roe separate; re-crisp bread in a dry pan for 1 minute per side, then assemble just before serving.
📅 Make Ahead
Make the Skagen mixture up to 24 hours ahead and keep it chilled. Chop dill and cut lemon wedges the same day, but fry the bread and add roe only at serving time.
🍽️ Pairs Well With
- Knäckebröd
- sill
- gravlax
- boiled new potatoes with dill
- crisp lager
- chilled aquavit.
Regional Variations
- Restaurant versions often use Swedish löjrom, while home cooks may choose trout roe or a smaller amount of bleak roe.
- Some cooks replace part of the mayonnaise with extra crème fraîche for a lighter, tangier topping.
- For a larger smörgåsbord, the same Skagen mixture can be served in small portions beside sill, gravlax and boiled new potatoes.
Ingredients
- 11.5 ozpeeled cooked cold-water shrimp (small North Atlantic shrimp are ideal; drain very well)
- 3.2 ozmayonnaise
- 1⅝ ozcrème fraîche
- 16 sprigfresh dill (finely chopped, plus extra fronds for garnish)
- 2 tsplemon juice
- 5 gDijon mustard
- 2 gfine sea salt
- ½ tspground white pepper
- 4 slicewhite sandwich bread
- 1⅛ ozunsalted butter
- 4Bibb lettuce leaves
- 1⅜ ozvendace roe (Swedish löjrom if available; trout roe may be used)
- 1lemon (cut into 4 wedges)
🔄 Substitutions
- vendace roe→ trout roe
- crème fraîche→ sour cream
- white sandwich bread→ gluten-free white bread
Instructions
- 1
Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels until the surface moisture is removed. If the shrimp are larger than bite-size, cut them into 1 cm pieces so the topping sits neatly on the toast.
- 2
In a chilled bowl, combine the mayonnaise, crème fraîche, chopped dill, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt and white pepper. Fold with a spatula until the dressing is smooth and lightly speckled with dill.
- 3
Add the drained shrimp to the dressing and fold gently so the shrimp stay whole and distinct. Refrigerate the mixture for 10 minutes, which firms the dressing and gives the dill and lemon time to season the shrimp.
- 4
Trim the crusts from the bread if you want the classic restaurant presentation, then heat a frying pan over medium heat. Add the butter and fry the bread for about 90 seconds per side, until the slices are golden, crisp and buttery rather than dry.
- 5
Place the fried bread on a rack for 2 minutes so steam does not soften the underside. Set 1 lettuce leaf on each slice; the lettuce is traditional and helps protect the toast from the creamy topping.
- 6
Spoon the chilled shrimp mixture generously over the lettuce-lined toast. Keep the mound loose and abundant, as Toast Skagen should look like a proper Swedish smörgåsbord seafood serving rather than a thin canapé.
- 7
Top each toast with 10 g vendace roe and a small dill frond. Serve immediately with lemon wedges, and offer knäckebröd, sill or gravlax alongside if you are building a larger Swedish appetizer table.
🪪 Recipe Passport
Cultural Background
Often credited to Swedish restaurateur Tore Wretman, Toast Skagen became a modern classic of Swedish entertaining. Magnus Nilsson places dishes like this within the Nordic love of cold-water seafood, open sandwiches and generous smörgåsbord hospitality.
Regional Variations
Researched from multiple sources and validated by the Zaffaron editorial team. Every recipe is tested for accuracy, measurements, and cultural authenticity.
📚 Sources & Cultural References
- Magnus Nilsson — The Nordic Cookbook — (2015)
- Tore Wretman — Svensk Husmanskost — (1967)
Sources cited by the Zaffaron editorial team during recipe research. Cultural and culinary references supporting authenticity claims.
Nutrition per serving
Pairs well with
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