Räksmörgås (Swedish Open-Faced Shrimp Sandwich)

The classic Swedish shrimp sandwich: buttered bread layered with lettuce, sliced egg and a generous pile of cold-water shrimp, finished with mayonnaise, cucumber, lemon and dill. Serves 4.

Open-faced shrimp sandwich on dark rye with lettuce, sliced egg, a pile of shrimp, mayonnaise, cucumber and dill
  • Prep 20 min
  • Cook 10 min
  • Total 30 min
  • Yield 4 sandwiches

Jump to: Ingredients | Instructions | Tips | Questions | Print recipe

In Sweden the shrimp sandwich is a lunch in its own right, sold in cafes, at train stations and on ferries. It is eaten with a knife and fork, because the shrimp are piled so high they would never stay put otherwise.

The build is always the same: butter, a lettuce leaf, sliced hard-boiled egg, a mountain of shrimp, and a little mayonnaise, cucumber, lemon and dill. A slice of dense rye or limpa is traditional, but any sturdy bread works.

Ingredients

  • 4 large eggs
  • 4 slices sturdy bread, such as rye, limpa or a rustic loaf
  • 2 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
  • 4 leaves butter lettuce
  • 1 1/2 pounds cooked and peeled small cold-water shrimp, thawed and patted dry
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 English cucumber, thinly sliced
  • 1 lemon, cut into wedges
  • Fresh dill sprigs
  • 2 ounces salmon or whitefish roe (optional)

Instructions

  1. Cook the eggs. Put the eggs in a saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat, cover and let stand 10 minutes, then cool in ice water, peel and slice.
  2. Butter the bread. Spread each slice of bread with butter and lay a lettuce leaf on top.
  3. Layer. Arrange the egg slices over the lettuce, then pile the shrimp on top, about 6 ounces per sandwich.
  4. Finish. Add a ribbon of mayonnaise, a few cucumber slices, a lemon wedge, dill and roe, if using. Serve with a knife and fork.

Tips

  • Pipe the mayonnaise from a small plastic bag with the corner snipped off for the classic cafe look.
  • Thaw frozen shrimp overnight in the refrigerator and dry them well before building the sandwiches.

Questions about this recipe

What bread is best for a Swedish shrimp sandwich?
A dense rye or the slightly sweet Swedish limpa is traditional. A sturdy sourdough or whole grain loaf is a good substitute.
How do I keep the sandwich from getting soggy?
Butter the bread all the way to the edges and dry the shrimp well; the butter and lettuce keep moisture away from the bread.

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