Iceland: 6 Nordic dishes

Iceland is known for its breathtaking nature, but what about the Icelandic cuisine and which dishes you must try? Want to learn more about traditional Icelandic food and Icelandic dishes? Then this article is just right for you! We have compiled the most famous and popular dishes here for you, so you know what you should not miss on your next trip to Iceland.

In the past, the cuisine of the Icelanders was heavily dependent on the given resources. Importing food was very complicated due to the island's remote location, and the often bad weather conditions with little sun and long winters meant that vegetables and cereals could hardly be grown. Thus, everything edible was utilized.

Berries, cabbage and beets provided the necessary vitamins and ground moss was used as a substitute for flour. However, the main source of food was fish, which was caught fresh from the sea. Since livestock farming was limited to cows, horses and sheep, seabirds (e.g. puffins) or whale and seal meat were soon added to the menu. The basis for surviving long, cold winters was preserved food. Thus, smoking, curing, drying, salting and fermenting were among the common methods used by Icelanders.

Modern Icelandic cuisine is mainly composed of a wide variety of fish. Besides fish, the most popular dishes include lamb, fresh berries and Icelandic skyr. Potatoes, turnip puree and bread are the most common side dishes on the Icelanders' menu.

Skyr

The Icelandic dairy product should not be missing from any shopping list. In terms of taste, Skyr could be described as a mixture between yogurt and quark, which is very popular due to its creamy and mild taste. Strictly speaking, however, the product is a soft cheese. Icelanders traditionally eat it with milk, sugar and some berries for breakfast. But the dairy product is also consumed for smoothies, sauces, dips and even as a drink (Skyr Drykkur).

Hangikkjöt: smoked lamb

Lamb can be found on every menu in Iceland. Icelandic lamb roams freely in nature, drinks fresh glacier water and feeds on various berries. All this gives the meat a special flavor, which you will clearly taste. 

One method that was originally developed to make the meat last longer is smoking: To prepare hangikjöt, a leg of lamb is hung in a smokehouse where a fire burns constantly for two to three weeks. After smoking, the meat is either sliced or kept in one piece. The thinly sliced hangikjöt, together with a piece of flatkaka (Icelandic flatbread) and some butter, is a real treat for breakfast. The other way to eat this smoky delicacy is to cut it right off the bone and serve it with potatoes, peas, carrots and white sauce.

Rúgbraud: Icelandic rye bread

You must also try the so-called "rugbraud". This is a dark rye bread, which is very common among Icelanders. You can prepare the rugbraud in the normal way in a pot, or in typical Icelandic fashion, bury the dough after preparation near a hot spring and let the geothermal heat bake it. If that's too much work for you, you can also buy the rye bread in almost any supermarket. The sweet bread tastes best with butter and cheese. Icelanders often eat it as a side dish with fish or meat.

Plokkfiskur: fish dish

Iceland impresses with a large selection of different types of fish. Whether fried, smoked or dried, you can taste the fish in many different variations. 

Plokkfiskur, a fish stew made from fillet pieces of cod or haddock, potatoes, onions, flour and milk, seasoned with various spices. This specialty is served with a few slices of rye bread and butter.

Harðfiskur: dried fish

A delicacy, rich in protein is dried fish. For this purpose, the fish is hung outside to dry, preferably near the sea, and then distorted as a snack or side dish together with some butter.Traditionally, mainly cod, haddock and sea catfish (wolf fish) are dried. Dried stockfish, in particular, was long a staple of the Icelanders' diet in times when grain was scarce.

Pylsa: Icelandic hot dog

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An Icelandic hotdog, also called a pylsa, should definitely be on your food list during your visit to Reykjavik. The meat is a mixture of lamb, beef and pork. The traditional Icelandic hotdog is served on a warm bun, topped with raw onions, ketchup, sweet brown mustard called pylsusinnep, fried onions and tartar sauce.

You want to try all these delicious dishes? That's exactly what you can do on our unique Iceland trip. From our local experts you will get an authentic and unfiltered insight into the land of the Natural wonder and dive deep into the Icelandic culture.

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