Toast Skagen
Prawns in dill mayonnaise on butter-fried bread, Sweden's restaurant starter since 1958.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 5 min
- Rest
- None
- Total
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- Very easy
- Spice
- No chilli
- Cost
- A bit special$16–28 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Toast Skagen is cold prawn salad on hot toast. Peeled cooked prawns are folded through mayonnaise lightened with crème fraîche, sharpened with lemon and loaded with chopped dill, then heaped onto bread that has been fried golden in butter. A spoon of bleak roe or other fish roe on top is the classic finish and worth it if you can find it. There is nothing to cook beyond the toast, so the whole thing rests on the quality of the prawns. Cold-water prawns, small and sweet, are the right ones.
What you'll need
9 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
Ingredients
- Prawn, cooked, peeled, cold-water if possible; roughly chopped if large300 g
- Mayonnaise44 ml
- Crème fraîche30 ml
- Dill, finely chopped, plus fronds to finish15 g
- Lemon, zest of half, juice to taste, wedges to serve1
- Red onion, very finely chopped (optional)15 ml
- Black pepper, freshly ground1.2 ml
- White bread, good sandwich loaf, crusts off4 slice
- Butter30 g
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Drain the prawns well and pat them dry on kitchen paper. Wet prawns make a watery salad.
3 min
Step 2
Stir mayonnaise, crème fraîche, chopped dill, lemon zest, a squeeze of juice, red onion if using and pepper together. Fold in the prawns. Taste; it should be sharp enough to notice.
5 min
Step 3
Fry the bread in butter over medium heat until golden on both sides, about 2 minutes a side. Drain on paper.
5 min
Step 4
Pile the prawn salad high on the warm toast. Finish with dill fronds and a lemon wedge. Serve at once while the toast is crisp.
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 328 kcal
- Protein
- 21.8 g
- Carbs
- 25.9 g
- Fat
- 15.4 g
- Saturated fat
- 5.4 g
- Fibre
- 1.6 g
- Sugar
- 0.9 g
- Sodium
- 162 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- Shellfish
- Eggs
- Milk
- Wheat
- Pescatarian
- Nut-free
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 12 November.
Substitutions
Crème fraîche → Sour cream or thick yoghurt
Sour cream is the usual swap in Swedish homes.
Tips
- Mix the salad no more than an hour ahead. It slackens and the dill dulls.
- A teaspoon of bleak roe, trout roe or lumpfish roe on each toast is how restaurants send it out.
- Cut the toast into a triangle. It is a small thing that makes it look right.
History & culture
A restaurant starter that became a home one. It opens Swedish Christmas and midsummer meals, turns up on New Year's Eve menus and is the thing to order at a Stockholm bistro before the main. Served with a wedge of lemon and a cold beer or a glass of white.
Invented in 1958 by restaurateur Tore Wretman at Riche in Stockholm and named after Skagen, the Danish fishing town, though the dish has nothing to do with Denmark. It spread through Swedish restaurant culture in the following two decades and is now a modern classic.
Traditional — Bleak roe (löjrom) on top is the restaurant finish. It is not in the catalogue, so it is left to a tip. Without roe the toast is still what most Swedish homes serve.
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Toast Skagen take?
20 min all in — 15 min prep, 5 min cook. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 4 toasts. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Very easy.
How spicy is it?
No chilli.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Shellfish, Eggs, Milk, Wheat. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Pescatarian, Nut-free.
7 more questionsFewer questions
What does it cost to cook?
A bit special — about $16–28 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Frying pan, Mixing bowl.
How much salt do I put in?
This recipe does not list a salt amount. We will not invent one.
What can I use instead?
Crème fraîche → Sour cream or thick yoghurt. Sour cream is the usual swap in Swedish homes.
Any tips from this recipe?
Mix the salad no more than an hour ahead. It slackens and the dill dulls. A teaspoon of bleak roe, trout roe or lumpfish roe on each toast is how restaurants send it out. Cut the toast into a triangle. It is a small thing that makes it look right.
Can I prepare this ahead?
Mix the salad no more than an hour ahead. It slackens and the dill dulls.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
Similar dishes
Smørrebrød
Butter, rye, and a composed topping — Danish open sandwiches. Herring, roast beef, or egg and shrimp. Knife and fork.
Easy
Open-faced Sandwich With Potato
Scrub the potatoes clean and place in a small saucepan with water and 1 tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil and simmer the potatoes for about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the potatoes stand in the water for 5 mi
Medium
Prawn & noodle salad with crispy shallots
Prawn & noodle salad with crispy shallots from Vietnam.
A bit of work
Gravlax
Gravad lax
Salmon cured for two days in salt, sugar and dill, sliced thin and served with sweet mustard sauce.
Easy