A Swedish classic! This is no ordinary hamburger….ground beef is mixed with pickled beets, capers and onion to create a zesty and delicious patty bursting with flavor. Top it off with a fried egg for the fully authentic experience.
This easy and tasty meal will have you feeling like you're dining out in Sweden any night of the week!
Why This Recipe Works
This Beef Lindström is sure to become a new dinnertime favorite because:
- The combination of beef, pickled beets, capers and onion hits all the right notes;
- The recipe comes together quickly and cooks in about 20 minutes; and
- It's served with a fried egg on top. Need I say more!
Ingredients
A delicious Beef Lindström is all about big flavor from a few well chosen ingredients:
- 85% Lean Ground Beef. You don't want anything TOO lean here or your patties will be dry.
- Capers. These olive-like little gems are found in a variety of Scandinavian dishes, and are a wonderful contribution here with their signature briny flavor.
- Pickled Beets (Homemade or Store Bought). Pickled beets have an earthy sweetness that is an especially nice contrast to the salty capers.
- Panko Bread Crumbs. These dried breadcrumbs are available at most grocery stores, and bring a welcome lightness to the patties. If you can't find panko, fresh breadcrumbs or even crushed saltine crackers will work just fine.
- Eggs. One egg serves as a binder for the beef mixture and the others are fried and placed on top of the finished patties. While you certainly don't need to add a fried egg to your Beef Lindström, it is customary and so very delicious to do so.
How to Make This Recipe
Beef Lindström comes together quickly and is no more difficult than making a simple meatloaf recipe:
- Begin by adding all of the ingredients (with the exception of the butter and eggs for frying) to a large bowl. Knead everything together with your hands until you have a cohesive mixture.
- Next, form the mixture into four patties with a slight divot in the center (this keeps the the patty from puffing up in the center while it cooks.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet (preferably nonstick) over medium high heat. Once the foaming subsides, add the patties and cook them for 3 minutes on each side.
- Transfer the patties to a wire rack set inside a baking sheet and bake in a 400 degree oven until the internal temperature of the patties is 160 degrees F.
- Let the patties rest, covered loosely with foil while you make the fried eggs. I simply wipe out the skillet I used for the patties and heat another tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Crack 4 eggs into the skillet cook until they are done to your liking, adjusting the heat as necessary (I like a runny yolk but you do you!)
- Top each patty with an egg and serve!
Expert Tips
I've got just a few tricks for ensuring that your Beef Lindström is the very best that it can be every time:
- Thoroughly drain your pickled beets and capers. You don't want any more moisture in the beef mixture than necessary.
- When shaping the patties, make sure that the capers and chopped pickled beets are evenly distributed. If you get a little pocket where there is little meat and too many capers and/or beets, the patties can start to fall apart because there is nothing there to hold them together.
- Create a shallow divot in the center of each patty. This will keep them from puffing up in the center while they cook. This trick works for hamburgers too!
FAQs
The dish is named after Captain Henrik Lindström who was born and raised in Saint Petersburg, Russia to a Swedish family. In 1862 he was staying at the Hotel Witt in Kalmar, Sweden and was dining with a group of friends. Lindström wanted his companions to experience a meal that he had enjoyed growing up in Russia. He told the waiter to bring the ingredients to the table (ground beef, capers, pickled beets, onions, etc.) and the group assembled patties according to Lindström's instructions. The patties were then taken into the kitchen and fried in butter. The Beef Lindström was born and has remained on the menu at the Hotel Witt ever since.
Roasted potatoes and a simple green salad are really delicious side dishes with Beef Lindström.
You can assemble the patties up to 12 hours ahead of time. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook.
Looking for more classic Swedish recipes? I've got you covered:
Recipe
Beef Lindström
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef about 85% lean
- 1 large egg beaten
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- ⅓ cup panko bread crumbs
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- ⅓ cup grated onion grated on the large holes of a box grater
- ½ cup Spicy Pickled Beets or store bought pickled beets, chopped
- 3 tablespoons capers drained, rinsed and chopped coarse
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
- 4 large eggs
- Chopped fresh dill parsley or chives for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and place a wire rack inside of a rimmed baking sheet. Set aside.
- Combine ground beef, beaten egg, mustard, panko, salt, pepper, onion, beets and capers in a large bowl. Knead with your hands to combine. Shape into 4 patties and make a shallow divot in the center of each patty.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet (preferably nonstick) over medium high heat. Once the foaming subsides, add the patties and cook until nicely browned, about 3 minutes per side. Place the patties on the wire rack prepped in step 1 above. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake until patties are firm and cooked through, about 8-12 minutes (a thermometer inserted into each patty should read 160 degrees F)
- Transfer the burgers to a plate and tent with foil. Rest for at least 5 minutes. Meanwhile, make the fried eggs: Heat the remaining tablespoon of butter in a nonstick skillet over medium. Crack 4 eggs into the skillet, salt and pepper the eggs and cover. Cook until white and yolks are just set, about 3 minutes (or until eggs are done to your liking), adjusting the heat as necessary. Top each burger with a fried egg and a sprinkle of chopped fresh dill and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
If you loved this recipe, give it a star review! Also, snap a picture of your Beef Lindström and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #truenorthkitchen and tagging me @true_north_kitchen.
Kristi says
This Swedish classic recipe is chock full of flavor and a nice change from your standard hamburger. I love the pickled beets and capers together.