Hi, I am Chef Zara. In this post, I will guide you through Scandinavian Cookbooks.
I love exploring new foods and recipes and cooking with friends and family. One of the most common questions that I often get is for cookbook recommendations. I have created this guide for friends, family, and new friends alike. I hope that you enjoy our site.
Tradition, Culture, and Family
Scandinavia is made of three countries, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, which are all uniquely picturesque in their own way, they are in Europe, but they are most famous for capturing and inspiring the Hygge lifestyle. Each and every one of these countries has Scandinavian cuisine at the heart of their Hygge culture and we have found a Scandinavian cooking book for every occasion that will entice you to indulge in everything Scandinavian, from the good food to the hygge culture itself. So, if their food is anything like their well-known culture, then you’re in for a real treat. Scandinavian people are well known for being such a calm and family-oriented culture – Hygge (meaning coziness, warmth, and enjoying the good things in life).
We have sourced the top 10 Scandinavian Cookbooks that will have your mouth watering! 👇
1. Scandinavian Comfort Food
Review 📖
This is an excellent example of how Scandinavian people transform and create Hygge within their homes—using traditional ingredients, highlighting how amazing Scandinavian cuisine from Sweden to Icelandic can be by creating the right ambiance. This Nordic Cookbook has modern everyday recipes to feed not just your nearest and dearest but all your loved ones. The recipes are wholesome and healthy, ranging from delicate summer dishes to heartwarming winter dishes. Are you ready to welcome a little piece of Nordic Hygge into your life? This is the ultimate cookbook that will satisfy all your Nordic food cravings.
About the Author ✍️
Trine Hahneman is the author of this Ultimate comfort-eating cookbook. She has produced an array of cookbooks, all of which focus on fabulous Nordic and Scandinavian cultural recipes. Trine is well known in Danish food; being the owner and CEO of Hahnemann’s Køkken, she loves sustainability and provides sustainable lunches in private and public companies all around Copenhagen. Not only is she a chef, but she also enjoys writing about food.
2. Tina Nordström’s Scandinavian Cooking
Review 📖
This is one of those timeless cookbooks that you will reach for time and time again, it has some unforgettable yet simple Scandinavian food recipes that your friends and family will be asking for you to recreate. This is THE cookbook that everyone must have – it has 200 Scandinavian recipes, and these Scandinavian dishes are all about the delicate flavor and the simplicity of their classic dishes.
About the Author ✍️
Tina Nordström is a fantastic chef and is best known for being a Swedish Celebrity Chef as well as a TV personality. She has been on TV on a number of cooking shows, one being New Scandinavian Cooking, she even produced Tina’s Cookalong and had the famous British chef and celebrity Gordon Ramsay on as a guest chef. As well as appearing on TV, she also has written a couple of other cookbooks which also showcase some great food recipes.
3. North Wild Kitchen
Review 📖
This cookbook has slightly more about it, the food used and Scandinavian food recipes produced have a more elegant style.
Not only that, the book itself is one that you can enjoy reading; you’ll learn more about the author and her style of Nordic cooking as well as the Scandinavian lifestyle. It really brings a piece of Scandinavia right to your doorstep, highlighting different parts of the culture in each chapter with some stunning images found throughout.
About the Author ✍️
Nevada Berg was born and raised in Utah. She loves to explore and be adventurous. Enjoying being out in the elements and being with her friends and family. Norway is her home and her cooking is all about showing you the simple pleasures of Norway, enjoying not only the food she creates but how it brings friends and family together; being a self-taught chef, you are in for a real treat. You can follow her on Instagram and read her blog to gain a real insight into her life and her Scandinavian recipes.
4. Scandinavian Gatherings
Review 📖
This is a different type of cookbook. Not only does it share some tasty, simple Scandinavian food recipes with some mouthwatering Scandinavian baking, but it also lets you step into the art and craft of Scandinavia, allowing you to really indulge and create a real Hygge experience for all that enter your home. If you are an arty crafty family, then this is The Nordic cookbook for you, where you can get everyone involved, even the little ones!
About the Author ✍️
Melissa Bahen lives in Oregon with her family but is known for her blog Lulu Baker; she credits her love and talent for cooking to her Mum and her Nana. Food and celebrations, and especially the two together, are where her passion for cooking comes from. Melissa loves to create recipes and is the co-founder of the Hello sessions, as well as regularly writing food blogs
5. Smörgåsbord
Why We Love It ❤️
Now you may be thinking, why do I need a sandwich cookbook? But honestly, this Scandinavian cookbook really has perfected and updated the honest Scandinavian food recipes of smorgasbords. The Scandinavian recipes really celebrate the unique and delicate flavor of Scandinavian cooking and present them in such a beautiful and harmonic way you’ll be wanting smorgasbords every day of the week.
About the Author ✍️
Signe Johansen grew up in Norway but she now lives in London. She worked for Heston Blumenthal at The Fat Duck, and she trained at the Leith School of Food and Wine. She is a talented chef who specializes in modern Nordic cooking and Scandinavian baking and is known as a food anthropologist with 10 Scandinavian cookbooks.
6. Fäviken
Review 📖
Now, this is a different type of Scandinavian cookbook, one which a real foodie with an aptitude for comforting food that is purely sublime will thoroughly enjoy.This book is a hommage to Nilsson’s restaurant Fäviken. Dedicating page after page to explaining and talking through his life and what this success was like for him and his family while running a one-of-a-kind restaurant and the spectacular dishes that he created.
About the Author ✍️
Magnus Nilsson is most known for his unique restaurant in Sweden, which is unfortunately now closed. He is a Swedish chef who has currently won 2 Michelin stars, before starting his restaurant, which was ranked 57th best restaurant in the world, he worked in France. He’s now happily spending time with his family and enjoying his everyday life and hobbies.
7. Scandinavian Green
Why We Love It ❤️
Our first Scandinavian cookbook mentioned above was written by Trine Hahnemann, Scandinavian Comfort Food: Embracing the Art of Hygge. She is such a phenomenal Scandinavian cook that we couldn’t mention this one – Scandinavian Green; for all of you vegetarians and plant-based eaters out there, this is the cookbook for you.
The fruit and vegetables are center stages and the cookbook showcases all of the tasty vegetarian Scandinavian recipes you can have throughout the year – a real Scandinavian kitchen cookbook that everyone should have on their shelf, whether you are plant-based or just looking to cut down on your meat consumption.
About the Author ✍️
Trine Hahnemann as previously mentioned, is a Danish food writer and chef who owns a large food space in Copenhagen. From the array of books and presence she has in the Foodie world, it will not surprise you to know that her favorite thing to do is to spend time creating Scandinavian recipes in her kitchen, ready to share with us all. We can’t wait for her next Scandinavian kitchen cookbook!
8. Fika
Why We Love It ❤️
If you, like us, love nothing more than a nice warm beverage and indulging in a nice tasty treat, whether that be a muffin, biscuit, or a large piece of yummy layer cake. Then this is the book for you. Not only has it got some fantastic options for Scandinavian baking it also emphasizes the Swedish traditions that I feel many of us can already resonate with. Fika, enjoy a cup of something on your own or with a group and enjoy a delicious sweet treat.
About the Authors ✍️
Anna Brones is a writer, artist, and producer. She has written a fair few books and is exceptionally passionate about sharing her experiences and bringing people together. She loves to travel and explore, especially on her bicycle.
Johanna Kindavall is an illustrator and a cook; she co-wrote the Scandinavian Baking cookbook with Anna and was the illustrator. She has also written a few other cookbooks and continues to write a cooking blog.
9. ScandiKitchen: Fika and Hygge
Why We Love It ❤️
This is a great Scandinavian baking cookbook, if you are a lover of sweet treats, then this book is 100% for you. It features an abundance of recipes that will have you baking from morning to dusk. Fika quite literally means to have a cup of tea and eat something delicious. We can’t quite believe that Fika hasn’t become a go-to verb here!
About the Author ✍️
Bronte Aurell is originally from Denmark but now lives in London and owns a ScandiKitchen cafe/grocery shop and an online food store. Her cafe encapsulates her Scandinavian beliefs. She has also created a few Norwegian cooking books, all of which show her talents and the beautiful Hygge nature of Scandinavia.
10. Authentic Norwegian Cooking
Why We Love It ❤️
This is one of those Scandinavian cooking books that everyone should have, from proficient chefs to complete beginners. It has 300 recipes and they are simple and easy to make, allowing easy access for all.
About the Author ✍️
Astrid Karlsen Scott comes from Norway and is very well known in Scandinavia. She is a freelance writer and everything she does is well-received. One of them was a video that she produced about Christmas in Norway.
Final Thoughts
Wow, what a selection of Scandinavian cookbooks! There is a huge array here that everyone can enjoy, from Scandinavian baking to more traditional Scandinavian cookbooks, with simple Scandinavian food recipes to follow and some which tell a story with beautiful images alongside. There is no doubt that if you haven’t visited these beautiful countries, once you have purchased one of these Scandinavian cookbooks, you’ll be booking the next flight out there.
When reading one of these gorgeous Nordic region cookbook options, you can’t help but feel fully immersed in the Scandinavian way of life. Their Scandinavian traditions, whether Fika or Hygge, is evident in each and every one of these Scandinavian cookbooks, each transporting you to a Scandinavian kitchen.
Scandinavia – with its three countries, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. Having each such intriguing and dynamic ways to create simple yet profoundly delicious dishes, with Scandinavian cuisines being prominent in each but all having their own little tweaks. Scandinavian food is really one that everyone should delve into, especially for those special celebratory occasions. So what are you waiting for, whether it’s cake, meatballs, or a smorgasbord that has taken your fancy? Go and get the cookbook that most resonates with you – We just can’t decide!
About Scandinavian Cooking 🌼
Food is certainly at the heart of this. Norway, Denmark, and Sweden all have some fine delicacies to inspire and challenge your tastebuds. All are rich with their own tasty local Scandinavian cuisines. Ranging from their famous rye bread open sandwiches – Smorrebrod, Swedish meatballs to tasty beloved sweet treats, which will have you reaching out for your Nordic Cookbook time and time again.
Scandinavia is located far North, and therefore, their food is heavily influenced by what surrounds them and the products that they can grow easily in their climate. Indulging in the local cuisine and surrounding yourself with their Scandinavian heritage will ensure that you fully appreciate and enjoy the Hygge experience.
Being surrounded by water, fish is a key ingredient in a lot of Scandinavian food recipes, especially herring and salmon. And, of course, Sweden is often famously known for its Swedish meatballs. This is a must-try recipe in many of the recommended best Scandinavian cookbooks found above, which will never disappoint at any family gathering!
