Hi, I am Chef Zara. In this post, I will guide you through the Swedish Cookbooks.
I love discovering new food 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.
A little about Scandinavian Cooking and Traditional Swedish Recipes! 🏔❄️
Just like its landscapes, Swedish cuisine is also very diverse, with a rich cultural history. Their food is largely shaped by the climate in different regions during different times of the year. This elegant cuisine is now being globally recognized because the Swedish style of cooking limits the consumption of processed foods. The people belonging to this region love to use natural ingredients. They also believe in the zero-waste philosophy and know the art of creating filling meals with leftover food in the fridge.
With all the traditional and modern Swedish recipes, our helpful picks will accompany you on your virtual trip to Sweden. So let’s get started with the Swedish cookbooks.
Here are the 10 Swedish Cookbooks we’ve selected just for you! Nordic Cooking for your home🢃
1. The Little Swedish Kitchen
Review 📖
Each recipe comes with a brief introduction and is complimented by delightful images to keep you interested. The cookbook is sectioned into four parts, representing all four seasons of the year. Thus, you can find perfect Swedish recipes for every occasion. A significant number of healthy recipes and simple vegetarian are also scattered throughout its pages which highlight Sweden’s balanced approach to food and cooking. This beautiful and elegant Nordic cookbook covers over a hundred delicious, fuss-free recipes.
About the Author ✍️
Rachel Khoo is a famous British cook, podcast broadcaster, and the author of six best-selling cookbooks. For the love of food, Rachel has traveled all around the globe. She has also hosted many television cooking shows for BBC, Food Network, and Netflix. In 2015, Rachel got married to a Swedish man, Robert Wiktorin.
2. Lagom
Review 📖
Lagom can be defined as the act of maintaining a healthy balance in every aspect of one’s life. When it comes to Scandinavian cuisine, the Swedes know how to celebrate life through classic dishes and food without overindulging.
As the name suggests, this beautifully curated cookbook gives an insight into the minimalist and sustainable food culture of Sweden. The book is divided into six detailed chapters, and the recipes range from breakfast items and lunches to desserts, salads, and sides. Each recipe incorporates fresh ingredients and local spices with balanced flavors and textures. If you want to experience authentic Swedish food with a hint of moderation, this is the book for you.
About the Author ✍️
Steffi Knowles-Dellner is a Swedish food stylist, recipe developer, writer, and blogger living in East London. She has worked with many renowned celebrity chefs, publishers, international brands, advertising agencies, and production companies. Steffi also conducts Scandinavian cooking classes on a consistent basis.
3. Fika: The Art of The Swedish Coffee Break
Review 📖
Next up on our list is a unique Swedish baking cookbook that highlights the most cherished Swedish culture of Fika.
Fika emphasizes on slowing down in this fast-paced world and finding joy in little things. It is a mandatory social coffee break that originated in Sweden, accompanied by heartwarming conversations and sweet treats of all sorts. The book consists of nearly 50 scrumptious recipes, including crispbread, cardamom cake, coconut macaroons, and much more. There are so many wonderful illustrations that expand your imagination for better creativity. This amazing cookbook has traditional and modern recipes and is an absolute treat for those who have a life-long love for coffee.
About the Author ✍️
Anna Brones is a Swedish-American food writer and illustrator. She is the author of six famous books and the founder of Comestible, an online and print platform about food. Her illustrations have been featured in the best Scandinavian cookbooks. Brones also organizes regular classes on cooking, creativity, and well-being.
Johanna Kindval is a Swedish cook, freelance designer, and illustrator. She has been running an illustrated food blog since 2005, named Kokblog. Her work has also been featured in various books and magazines. Johanna is currently based in New York City.
4. Traditional Swedish Cooking
Review 📖
Inspired by traditional Scandinavian home cooking and kitchen, this great Swedish cookbook is centered around the idea of preserving traditional Swedish cuisine and allowing it to evolve naturally over time. It is filled with vibrant images and a collection of classic recipes from the author’s grandmother, with a modern twist. This complete cookbook begins with small dishes, making their way to the baked goods at the end. This recipe book is a delight for fish lovers as a significant proportion of recipes is based on salmon.
About the Author ✍️
Caroline Hofberg is a famous Swedish food writer and a Gourmand World Cookbook Award winner. She is also the author of Morocco on a Plate. Hofberg currently lives in Stockholm, Sweden.
5. The Scandinavian Cookbook
Review 📖
This book is an excellent tribute to the food and culture of the Scandinavian region. From Swedish Christmas ham to Danish butter cookies, this gorgeous cookbook gives a complete insight into the authentic flavors of the north. The aesthetic images of the Scandinavian landscapes bring the essence of the region to your table. The recipes are organized by month of the year, depending on the seasonal ingredients that are found in the region.
Swedes, to be specific, love to eat fish. The fact that this book shows countless ways to cook and serve it undoubtedly makes it one of the best Swedish cookbooks on this list.
About the Author ✍️
Trina Hahnemann is a famous Swedish chef and food writer from the Scandinavian region. She is the owner of Hahnemann’s Kokken, an organic bakery, and café in Copenhagen, Denmark. She also has a monthly magazine column and often makes an appearance on different television cooking shows.
6. Smorgasbord
Review 📖
As the name suggests, Smorgasbord discloses the beauty of a Swedish-style feast enjoyed on certain holidays. This is the best cookbook for anyone who wants to learn about the meaning of Smorgasbord, its origination and importance in Scandinavian cooking culture, and the traditional ways to serve it. The book offers a variety of easy-to-follow recipes made with simple ingredients and unique flavors that will help you lay out your own Smorgasbord from scratch and create more than just a meal.
About the Author✍️
Johanna Kindvall (as mentioned above) is the co-author of Fika: The Art of the Swedish Coffee Break.
7. Recipes of Sweden
Review 📖
Recipes of Sweden is a classic Scandinavian cookbook in English that does not follow a contemporary theme. Instead, the author wants you to vibe with the old-fashioned Scandinavian home cooking era and taste the authentic flavors of Sweden. The book consists of 300 traditional Swedish recipes that are perfect for every occasion. It also offers countless ideas for preparing the famous Swedish-style buffet known as Smörgåsbord. Recipes of Sweden is an absolute treat for anyone who is curious to uncover the ancient culinary secrets of the highlands. This is, so far, one of the best Scandinavian cookbooks!
About the Author ✍️
Inga Norberg is a Swedish food enthusiast. She is the author of another classic, beautiful cookbook named Good Food from Sweden.
8. The Ultimate Swedish Cookbook
Review 📖
Swedish food is not just about unbelievable flavor combinations. It is a unique blend of fruits, vegetables, grains, meat, and seafood. With a collection of one hundred and one comforting meals from Sweden, you can incorporate all the essential ingredients in your diet and create a complete menu using this traditional cookbook in your own kitchen. The Ultimate Swedish Cookbook is enough to cater to your culinary needs as it brings all classic and modern, delicious, nutritious, and delicate flavors in Swedish recipes in one place.
About the Author ✍️
Slavka Bodic is a European food writer with a vast experience in Mediterranean cuisine. She is the author of various great Scandinavian cookbooks also on Serbian, Hungarian, Russian, Irish, Japanese, and French cuisine.
9. Swedish Summer Feasts
Review 📖
Summer in Sweden is all about long walks by the beach, BBQ parties, suntans, and food with great friends. Swedish Summer Feasts is a lighthearted Swedish cookbook that locks up all the seasonal flavors and ingredients of summer in its pages. The book is based on a Swedish family and their favorite recipes to create savory dishes to try during summer. Their personal stories will not only inspire you to try those meals yourself but also enjoy this season to the fullest with the simple pleasures of new Nordic meals.
About the Authors ✍️
Amanda Schulman and Hannah Widell are two Swedish sisters who have been spending quality time running their production company Perfect Day since 2011. Together they also hosted a television show called På middag hos Hannah & Amanda from 2012 to 2013.
10. The Swedish Christmas Table
Review 📖
If you are in search of a festive Swedish cookbook that can spruce up the next Christmas dinner with your loved ones, then look no further. The last one on our list, but definitely not the least, The Swedish Christmas Table has all the seasonal delicacies. With bright-colored illustrations and so many wonderful recipes for the holidays, this cookbook feels like a warm-fuzzy hug on a chilly winter night.
About the Author ✍️
Jens Linder is a Swedish cook and journalist. He is an award-winning author and co-founder of a food magazine named Gastronaut.
And Johanna Westman is a Swedish children’s book author and television host.
Final Thoughts
Sweden is a land of lush green forests, snow-capped mountains, islands, and lakes. It is a Scandinavian country located in northern Europe, famous for its midnight sun during summer and cinnamon buns during winter. In the far north of Sweden, the majestic northern lights appear in the sky from late September to early March, attracting visitors from all corners of the world.
Thus, we hope that the above-listed Swedish cookbooks will not only help you explore this innovative and sustainable cuisine but will prove to be a source of inspiration for many years to come. But that’s only a fraction of what Sweden has to offer. It has a rich culinary history and a remarkable cuisine with many simple yet contrasting and unique flavors fit for any true Viking.
Inspiring and achievable recipes in every Swedish Cookbook 📚
The traditional Swedish dishes are based on locally produced ingredients. They are often comprised of fish, meat, berries, potatoes, bread, butter, and cream. Sweden’s meatballs, cinnamon buns, Lingonberry jam, artsoppa or yellow pea soup, and raggmunk or crispy potato pancakes are some of the globally recognized Swedish dishes in the world. The country also has many holiday traditions when it comes to home cooking.
Swedes have strong culinary traditions and have been historically very open to trying new gastronomical experiences. Thus, the French influence on Swedish cuisine during the 17th and 18th centuries gave rise to many rich and creamy sauces and comforting food that are cherished by the Swedes even today. They also used to trade exotic spices, such as cinnamon, cardamom, and saffron, which eventually found their way into Swedish cookies and cakes that are generally enjoyed during their traditional coffee break known as Fika.
