Cool, creamy and quick to make, skagenröra (or Swedish Shrimp Salad) is the kind of easy and versatile dish you want in your collection of Scandinavian recipes.
Skagenröra is most notably the topping for the legendary Swedish appetizer known as Toast Skagen, but it has many other delicious uses as well! Keep reading for step by step instructions for making skagenröra and tasty ways to serve it at home!
Why This Recipe Works
- Frozen cooked shrimp form the base of this recipe which makes it easy to whip together on a moment's notice.
- A simple, flavorful dressing is whisked together in minutes and tossed with the shrimp making this possibly the most quick and elegant shrimp salad of all time.
- I've got a few tips and tricks outlined below to keep your dressing super creamy (aka NOT watery) and delicious!
Ingredients
- Frozen cooked shrimp form the base of this recipe making it extra easy to prepare. Look for the smallest shrimp you can find.
- Creme fraiche and mayonnaise create the creamy base of the dressing. The two together create a luxurious texture and balanced flavor.
- A bit of dijon mustard and minced shallot add a little something extra to the dressing without being overpowering. Some people find minced shallot or onion to be objectionable in skagenröra. If this is you, please feel free to omit it.
- Chopped fresh dill finishes off the dressing with herbal flair, and a squeeze of a lemon wedge over the top just before enjoying adds welcome brightness.
How to Make This Recipe
- Begin by thawing the shrimp, either overnight in the refrigerator or by placing them in a strainer and rinsing the shrimp under cold water until they are thawed (this should only take 5 minutes or so). Transfer the shrimp to a paper towel-lined baking sheet and pat dry.
- Whisk the creme fraiche , mayonnaise, dijon mustard, shallot and dill together in a medium bowl.
- Add the shrimp to the bowl and toss gently to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper (it's quite likely you won't need any salt depending on how salty your shrimp are to begin with so be sure to taste it first.
- Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes or up to a day. Serve with lemon wedges.
Expert Tips
- Thaw the shrimp thoroughly and dry them well before adding to the dressing. Extra moisture is the enemy of skagenröra as it can create a watery dressing. Take care to eliminate as much moisture from the shrimp as possible prior to tossing them with the dressing.
- Squeeze lemon wedges over the top rather than adding lemon juice to the dressing. This will also help keep you dressing as moisture free and creamy as possible.
FAQs
Skagenröra can contain a variety of different shellfish but is usually made with small shrimp. Some recipes are entirely mayonnaise-based, and some contain a combination of mayonnaise and creme fraiche or sour cream. The former produces a much creamier salad, whereas the latter creates something a little lighter. Skagenröra usually contains chopped fresh dill and sometimes includes lemon juice, grated horseradish, Tabasco sauce or brandy for added flavor.
Some recipes include minced onion or shallot, but this is a controversial topic. There are some people who feel very strongly that skagenröra should NOT contain any onion or shallot whatsoever.
There are many ways to switch up this recipe! Add a combination of shellfish rather than using all shrimp, add some lemon zest to the dressing to give it a little lemony zing, add some fresh or prepared horseradish or a dash or two of Tabasco sauce for a little heat. And feel free to leave out the chopped shallot if it doesn't suit your taste. It's totally up to you!
Store it tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to a day.
It's most likely that you didn't thaw the shrimp completely before tossing them with the dressing or that you didn't pat them dry thoroughly. It's also important to wait and squeeze a lemon wedge over the top of the salad before serving rather than including lemon juice in the dressing itself.
Check out the section below for serving suggestions!
Serving Ideas for Skagenröra
- Use it as a topping for Toast Skagen (Swedish Shrimp Toasts). This is probably the most popular and well known use for skagenröra, and it is an incredibly simple and elegant appetizer.
- Pile it on rye bread along with a few complimentary ingredients such as sliced hard-boiled egg, cucumbers and fish roe. This makes for a very tasty and substantial open face sandwich.
- Simply spoon it on top of rye crackers. Sometimes simple is best.
- Make Tunnsbrödrulle! This very uniquely Swedish way of enjoying a hot dog is not to be missed: Soft flatbread is wrapped around mashed potatoes, a hot dog, crispy fried onions, ketchup, mustard and a spoonful or two of skagenröra. I know it sounds kind of crazy but it is SO unexpectedly delicious.
Related Recipes
Looking for more Scandinavian-inspired salad recipes? Give these a try!
Skagenröra (Swedish Shrimp Salad)
Ingredients
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup creme fraiche
- 1 small shallot minced (optional)
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 12 ounces small frozen precooked shrimp thawed, drained and patted dry
- Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Whisk mayonnaise, creme fraiche, shallot, mustard and dill together in a medium bowl. Gently fold in shrimp. Season to taste with salt and pepper (it may not need any additional salt depending on how salty the shrimp is). Chill for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours before serving. Serve with lemon wedges.
Notes
- Thaw the shrimp thoroughly and dry them well before adding to the dressing. Extra moisture is the enemy of skagenröra as it can create a watery dressing. Take care to eliminate as much moisture from the shrimp as possible prior to tossing them with the dressing.
- Squeeze lemon wedges over the top rather than adding lemon juice to the dressing. This will also help keep you dressing as moisture free and creamy as possible.
- Lemon: Add a half teaspoon of lemon zest to the dressing.
- Spicy: Add Tabasco sauce, freshly grated horseradish or prepared horseradish to the dressing to taste.
Nutrition
If you loved this recipe, give it a star review! Also, snap a picture of your skagenröra and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #truenorthkitchen and tagging me @true_north_kitchen.
Kristi
Delicious and easy classic Swedish recipe!
Erin
We made this and the pickled mustard seeds to top it off for a Progressive Dinner with our neighbors and everyone raved about it. Definitely the favorite of the night.
Kristi
Hi Erin,
How good of you to share the Nordic deliciousness with your neighbors! Thanks so much for your comment. Those pickled mustard seeds are something else!
Kristi
Libby
Made this for an early midsommar celebration and it was amazing! I couldn't find the mini salad shrimp unfortunately, so I ended up chopping up some larger sized shrimp and it was perfect.
Kristi
Sometimes I think the larger shrimp are tastier so maybe it was good thing. Thanks so much for your comment!
Kristi