An open sandwich with beet and celery root cakes and creamy sauce on a plate

This is one tasty vegetarian smørrebrød…hearty rye bread topped with spicy arugula, crispy root vegetable cakes and a dollop of herby, garlicky skyr sauce. A perfect open sandwich to get you through these waning days of winter with Nordic style.

A close up of shredded beets and a spatula

The Beet and Celery Root Cakes themselves come together in no time at all (especially if you have a food processor that can grate the vegetables for you). Cumin and coriander bring a subtle warm spice to the cakes, and beaten eggs and a bit of flour help bind everything together.

The cakes cook quickly, only about 8 minutes total, which is just enough time for the thinly shredded vegetables to become tender and crisp. A generous dollop of Herbed Skyr Sauce on top provides a tangy, creamy foil to the crispy cakes.

Beet and celery root cakes in a pan cooking on the stove

The Beet and Celery Root Cakes are best enjoyed immediately for maximum crispiness, but if you have extras left over, reheat them in the oven and make another sandwich a day or two later. They won’t be quite as crispy but still delicious.

Please give this Beet and Celery Root Cake Smørrebrød a try and let me know what you think in the comments below! Looking for more smørrebrød ideas? I’ve got plenty here on the blog:

Beet and Celery Root Cake Smørrebrød with Herbed Skyr Sauce

A hearty open face sandwich with crispy beet and celery root cakes and a luxurious dollop of Herbed Skyr Sauce.

Author: Kristi
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 12 cakes or 6 open sandwiches 1x
Category: smørrebrød
Cuisine: Scandinavian, Nordic

Scale

Ingredients

For the Smørrebrød:

6 thin slices dense rye bread (such as Danish rugbrød)

Butter for spreading, preferably salted

A few handfuls of baby arugula or other small lettuces

Beet and Celery Root Cakes, recipe follows

Herbed Skyr Sauce for serving

Dill or chives for garnish

For the Beet and Celery Root Cakes:

8 ounces beets (about 1 large), trimmed, scrubbed and peeled

8 ounces celery root (about half of one large celery root), scrubbed and peeled

½ onion

2 large eggs

¼ cup flour

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon coarse salt

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Sea salt flakes, such as Maldon, for sprinkling

6 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Instructions

Make the Beet and Celery Root Cakes: Using the large holes on a box grater or the grater function of your food processor, grate beets, celery root and onion.
Crack eggs into a large bowl and beat lightly. Add grated vegetables, flour, cumin, coriander, salt and a few grinds of pepper. Stir to combine.
Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add ¼ cup of mixture to the pan at a time, pressing down slightly with the back of the measuring cup to flatten into ½-¾ inch thick cakes. You should be able to fit 6 cakes in the skillet at a time. Cook until golden brown, crisp and cooked through, about 8 minutes total, flipping cakes occasionally. Lower the heat as necessary if the cakes are browning too quickly.
Transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes.
Wipe out skillet and add the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Repeat the process with the remaining mixture.
Assemble the Smørrebrød: Transfer bread slices to a work surface. Spread with butter.
Place a small handful of arugula on each slice of bread.
Top arugula with 2 cakes per sandwich.
Artfully dollop a spoonful of Herbed Skyr Sauce on top.
Garnish with dill or chives, if desired. Serve.

Keywords: beet, celery root, cake, yogurt, skyr, rye, smørrebrød

Beet and Celery Root Cake Smørrebrød with Herbed Skyr Sauce

Ingredients

Instructions

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