The Swedish Christmas buffet, served on Christmas Eve, with herring, gravlax, ham, meatballs, Jansson's Temptation and sweets, eaten in several rounds.

When do Swedes celebrate Christmas?

The main celebration and meal are on Christmas Eve, December 24.

What are lussekatter?

Saffron buns shaped like an S with raisins, baked for Saint Lucia's Day on December 13.

What is Jansson's Temptation?

A gratin of potatoes, onions, cream and Swedish anchovies (sprats), a fixture of the Swedish Christmas table.

Swedish Christmas Julbord

Collage of Swedish Christmas dishes: gravlax, Swedish meatballs, Jansson's Temptation and lussekatter

In Sweden, the big Christmas celebration is on Christmas Eve, julafton, and the meal is the julbord: a long buffet eaten in rounds, starting with herring and cold fish, then cold meats, then the warm dishes, and ending with sweets and coffee. These are the Swedish recipes from our family collection that belong on the table.

First rounds: herring, salmon and cold dishes

Pickled herring always comes first, with boiled potatoes, knackebrod and a little sour cream; our chopped herring is a good addition. Cured gravlax with mustard-dill sauce and shrimp on bread follow.

Gravlax with Mustard-Dill Sauce48 hr 25 min total | 10 to 12 servings
Salmon cured for two days under salt, sugar, white pepper and plenty of dill, sliced paper-thin and served with a sweet mustard-dill sauce. Serves 10 to 12 as a starter.
Pressgurka (Swedish Pickled Cucumber)55 min total | 6 servings
Paper-thin cucumber slices pressed with salt and quickly pickled in a sweet vinegar brine with parsley and white pepper. The classic side for Swedish meatballs. Serves 6.
Toast Skagen (Swedish Shrimp Toast)25 min total | 4 servings
Sweet cold-water shrimp folded into a dill, lemon and crème fraîche dressing and piled on butter-fried toast, topped with roe and fresh dill. Serves 4 as a starter.
Räksmörgås (Swedish Open-Faced Shrimp Sandwich)30 min total | 4 sandwiches
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.
Chopped Herring (Forshmak)4 hr 32 min total | About 2 cups
Classic Ashkenazi chopped herring, also called gehakte herring or forshmak: cured herring pulsed with tart apple, onion, hard-boiled eggs and soaked bread into a coarse spread, then chilled. Makes about 2 cups.

Warm dishes

The center of the julbord is the Christmas ham, julskinka, traditionally brushed with mustard and bread crumbs; our glazed holiday ham makes a good stand-in. Around it go Swedish meatballs, small sausages and Jansson's Temptation, the creamy potato and sprat gratin that is on almost every Swedish Christmas table.

Swedish Meatballs (Köttbullar) with Cream Gravy55 min total | 4 servings (about 30 meatballs)
Small, tender beef and pork meatballs seasoned with allspice and white pepper, browned in butter and simmered in a silky cream gravy. Served with mashed potatoes and lingonberries. Serves 4.
Jansson's Temptation (Janssons frestelse)1 hr 25 min total | 6 servings
A creamy Swedish potato gratin of matchstick potatoes, softened onions and sweet spiced sprats baked in cream until golden. The star of the Swedish Christmas table. Serves 6.
Brown Sugar Glazed Holiday Ham2 hr 40 min total | 12 to 16 servings
A spiral-cut ham warmed slowly and brushed with a glossy brown sugar, Dijon, orange and clove glaze until caramelized. Serves 12 to 16.
Kåldolmar (Swedish Cabbage Rolls)1 hr 45 min total | 6 servings (about 14 rolls)
Tender cabbage leaves wrapped around a beef, pork and rice filling, glazed with golden syrup and butter, baked until caramelized and served with cream sauce and lingonberries. Serves 6.

Saffron buns, breads and coffee

Saffron buns, lussekatter, are baked for Saint Lucia's Day on December 13 and eaten all through the season with coffee or warm glogg. Rye limpa and crisp knackebrod go with the herring and ham.

Lussekatter (Swedish Saffron Buns)2 hr 35 min total | About 20 buns
Golden saffron buns shaped into S-curls with a raisin in each end, baked for Saint Lucia Day on December 13. Soft, buttery and bright yellow. Makes about 20.
Kardemummabullar (Swedish Cardamom Buns)2 hr 37 min total | About 16 buns
Twisted Swedish yeast buns filled with cardamom butter and sugar, baked golden and brushed with a light syrup and pearl sugar. Fragrant, buttery and not too sweet. Makes about 16.
Limpa (Swedish Orange Rye Bread)2 hr 50 min total | 2 loaves
A soft, slightly sweet Swedish rye bread flavored with orange zest, fennel and anise seeds and a little molasses. Wonderful with butter, cheese or under a shrimp sandwich. Makes 2 loaves.
Knäckebröd (Swedish Rye Crispbread)1 hr 15 min total | 8 large rounds
Thin, crunchy Swedish rye crispbread rounds with a hole in the middle, made from rye flour, a little yeast and seeds and baked until crisp. Perfect with butter, cheese and gravlax. Makes 8 large rounds.

Planning a julbord

Three days ahead: start the gravlax, which cures for about two days.
The day before: make the meatballs and the pressgurka, glaze and roast the ham, and bake the limpa.
On the day: set out the cold dishes, bake Jansson's Temptation, and warm the meatballs in their sauce.

Frequently asked questions

What is a julbord?: The Swedish Christmas buffet, served on Christmas Eve, with herring, gravlax, ham, meatballs, Jansson's Temptation and sweets, eaten in several rounds.
When do Swedes celebrate Christmas?: The main celebration and meal are on Christmas Eve, December 24.
What are lussekatter?: Saffron buns shaped like an S with raisins, baked for Saint Lucia's Day on December 13.
What is Jansson's Temptation?: A gratin of potatoes, onions, cream and Swedish anchovies (sprats), a fixture of the Swedish Christmas table.