Swedish Stinky Fish: How to Serve Surströmming

Swedish stinky fish, or surströmming, is fermented Baltic herring traditionally served cool with potatoes, thinbread, onion, and other mild accompaniments. Its salty, tangy intensity is balanced by soft potatoes, creamy sour cream, and fresh herbs, making each bite more approachable than the aroma suggests; Swedish households and regions vary their preferred toppings.

Ingredients

1 can surströmming, about 10.6 oz (300 g); the drained fish yield varies by brand. It is sold in Scandinavian food shops and some specialty grocers.
1½ lb small waxy potatoes, such as new potatoes, about 680 g
8 sheets soft Swedish tunnbröd, about 7 oz (200 g); crispbread is a practical alternative, though it makes a crunchier, less pliable serving.
1 medium red or yellow onion, about 4 oz (110 g), finely chopped
½ cup sour cream, about 120 g
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill, about 6 g
2 tbsp softened butter, about 1 oz (28 g)
4 oz Västerbotten cheese, about 115 g, finely grated, optional; aged sharp cheddar is easier to find but tastes less nutty and distinctly Swedish.
2 tsp salt, about 10 g, for the potato water

Instructions

Set up the serving ingredients. Rinse the potatoes, finely chop the onion, chop the dill, and set out the bread, sour cream, butter, and optional cheese. Keep the sour cream refrigerated until serving. Put the unopened fish can in a sturdy bowl or small bucket outdoors, or in a well-ventilated area that can be cleaned easily. Opening it outside is especially helpful for keeping the strong smell away from fabrics and indoor surfaces.
Open the can carefully. Keep the can chilled until you are ready to open it. If you want to contain brine and splashes, lower the can into a basin of cold water so the lid is submerged, then open it slowly with a can opener while keeping your face away. The fish is ready to eat; do not cook it. Lift out the fillets with a fork and let excess brine drip back into the can. Do not rinse them, since rinsing washes away some of their characteristic salty, fermented flavor. Put the drained fish on a small plate and cover it while the potatoes cook.
Boil the potatoes. Place the potatoes in a saucepan and add enough cold water to cover them by about 1 inch (2.5 cm). Stir in the 2 teaspoons salt. Bring the water to a boil, lower the heat to maintain a steady simmer, and cook for about 20 minutes, until a small knife slides easily into the largest potato. Very small potatoes may finish earlier, so start checking at 15 minutes. Drain them as soon as they are tender; leaving them in hot water can make their skins split and their texture waterlogged.
Prepare the potatoes for serving. Let the drained potatoes stand just long enough to handle, then halve or thickly slice them. Leave the skins on if they are thin and clean. Spread the soft tunnbröd on a board or arrange the crispbread on plates. If using soft flatbread, keep it covered with a clean towel so it does not dry out while you assemble the meal.
Build the servings. Set the fish, potatoes, onion, sour cream, dill, butter, and cheese on the table in separate bowls or plates. For a simple open-faced bite, spread a little butter on bread, add a potato half or slice, then top with a small piece of herring, onion, dill, and a little sour cream. Add cheese if you like. Start with a modest amount of fish: the flavor is concentrated, and diners can add more to suit their taste.
Eat promptly. Fold soft tunnbröd around the fillings, or pile them onto crispbread just before eating. Crispbread softens quickly when it touches warm potatoes, sour cream, or fish, so assemble those bites at the table rather than making them well ahead. Keep extra fish and dairy chilled when they are not being served.

Tips

Choose a manageable first bite. Surströmming is intensely salty, sour, and aromatic, so a thin sliver of fish with potato, bread, and sour cream is a sensible starting point. Add fish gradually rather than loading the first piece of bread.
Open it outside and protect the work area. The brine can splash, and the smell may linger on hands, utensils, and kitchen surfaces. Use a basin, keep the can away from clothing and porous surfaces, and seal the empty can and its waste in a bag before putting it in the rubbish. Follow local rules for disposing of food packaging.
Look for the traditional bread, but do not let it stop you. Tunnbröd means thinbread and may be hard to find outside Sweden. Soft Scandinavian flatbread, a thin flour tortilla, or crispbread will work. A tortilla is more flexible and mild; crispbread brings extra crunch and can break under a heavy topping.
Do not mistake normal fermentation swelling for a cooking instruction. Surströmming cans can be pressurized and swollen as fermentation continues, which is why careful opening matters. Do not use a can that is leaking, punctured, badly corroded, or has a damaged seam; when in doubt, contact the seller or discard it without opening.

Serving Suggestions

Serve this as a shared meal, with the fish and toppings in the middle of the table so everyone can assemble bites to their own preference. The classic combination is fish, boiled potatoes, onion, and soft tunnbröd, with butter, sour cream, and dill as supporting toppings. Some people prefer Västerbotten cheese; others keep the plate simpler. The recipe is intentionally flexible because the balance of fish to bread and toppings is personal.

For a fuller spread, add sliced cucumber, crisp green lettuce, or a bowl of extra boiled potatoes. These are useful mild additions, not essential traditional components. A cold, nonalcoholic drink such as sparkling water or a tart berry drink can be served alongside. Put out small plates, napkins, and a separate serving fork for the fish, and keep the can and any strong-smelling waste outside or sealed away from the table. If serving guests new to surströmming, explain that its powerful smell is expected and let them choose how much to try.

Variations

There is no single topping arrangement that every Swedish household uses. Some servings emphasize soft tunnbröd and butter; others add cheese, sour cream, or extra onion. For a less rich plate, omit the butter and cheese and lean on potatoes, dill, and a small spoonful of sour cream. For more tang, offer finely chopped pickled onion as an optional extra, while keeping fresh onion available for a more direct bite.

If you cannot find surströmming, salted or pickled herring can make a convenient fish-and-potato plate, but it is not a direct replacement: it lacks the distinctive fermented aroma and flavor. Use it as a separate herring variation rather than presenting it as surströmming. If tunnbröd is unavailable, choose a thin flatbread for a soft wrap or rye crispbread for a firm, crunchy base. You can also serve the toppings as a potato platter without bread, though that changes the customary combination.

Storage and Reheating

Keep an unopened can according to its label and the seller’s storage directions. Once opened, transfer leftover fish and a little of its brine to a clean, airtight glass or food-safe plastic container; do not store it in the opened metal can. Refrigerate it within 2 hours of opening and use it within 3–4 days, or sooner if the package gives a shorter period. The smell can transfer to other food, so use a well-sealed container and place it on a stable refrigerator shelf.

Store leftover potatoes separately in a covered container and refrigerate them within 2 hours of cooking. They keep for 3–4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat potatoes until they reach 165°F (74°C), checking with a food thermometer; the fish is served cold and should not be reheated. Keep sour cream and other perishable toppings refrigerated when not in use, and discard food that has been left at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Assembled bread bites are best eaten straight away because the bread softens and the toppings make leftovers less pleasant.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Swedish stinky fish?
It is surströmming, fermented Baltic herring associated with Sweden. The fish is fermented in brine and sold in cans; it is served ready to eat, usually with potatoes, thinbread, onion, and other toppings. Its strong smell is a normal feature of the food, not a sign that it should be cooked to remove the aroma.

Is surströmming already cooked?
It is fermented and ready to eat, rather than a raw fish that needs a home cooking step. Do not fry or boil it for this serving recipe, since heat changes its texture and spreads the smell. Handle the opened fish as a perishable refrigerated food and follow the package directions.

Why is the can swollen?
Fermentation can continue in the sealed can and create gas, so some swelling is expected with this product. Open it slowly outdoors or in a basin to contain brine, and keep your face away. A leaking, punctured, severely corroded, or seam-damaged can is different: do not open or eat its contents.

What can I use instead of tunnbröd?
Use a soft Scandinavian flatbread, a thin flour tortilla, or rye crispbread. Soft bread makes it easy to fold the fillings; crispbread has more crunch but may break or soften quickly. If no bread works for your meal, serve the fish with potatoes and toppings on a plate.

Can I make this recipe without surströmming?
Yes, but the result becomes a herring-and-potato meal rather than surströmming. Salted or pickled herring is a practical substitute, though its flavor and aroma are much milder and different. Keep the same accompaniments and adjust the amount of fish to match how salty the substitute is.

Can I prepare the meal ahead?
You can chop the onion and dill, chill the sour cream, and cook the potatoes earlier in the day. Refrigerate the potatoes and toppings separately, then reheat the potatoes to 165°F (74°C) before serving if you want them warm. Open the fish close to mealtime, assemble bites at the table, and refrigerate leftovers promptly.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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