Delicious Icelandic Recipes You Must Try

Iceland is well known for boasting a very broad culinary scene, which ranges from delicious hearty soups to stupendous meat dishes. The restaurant culture in Reykjavik is thriving, and features a number of Michelin star restaurants and food crafted by world-renowned chefs. Being an island nation, the influence of water is ever-prominent in Iceland meaning that seafood is very common. Lobster soup and fermented shark are just two traditional Icelandic delicacies. But how do you make your own Icelandic dishes at home? We have some great recipes for you to try out, which we guarantee will take your tastebuds on an unforgettable journey. 

Caramelised potatoes

This sweet, sticky dish is absolutely loved by the locals. Eaten as a side dish, these caramelised potatoes, also known as Brúnaðar Kartöflu, complement roasted meat. Traditionally in Iceland this dish is most often eaten with lamb shoulder around Christmas time.

Ingredients

• 1kg new potatoes
• 90g sugar 
• 90g butter

Method

1. Boil potatoes until cooked.
2. Drain and allow to cool for roughly 5-10 mins.
3. Peel the potatoes.
4. Start to melt the sugar in a pan and heat until it starts to brown. At this stage, add the butter.
5. When the mixture reaches a rich golden colour, add the potatoes and ensure an even coating.

Plokkfiskur

Otherwise known as a ‘fish pie’, Plokkfiskur is one of the oldest dishes in Iceland. This dish is rich and creamy and is bursting with beautiful fish flavour.

Ingredients

• 560g cooked haddock or cod
• 560g potatoes, boiled and peeled 
• 1 white onion
• 350ml milk
• 55g butter
• 3 tbsp flour
• salt and pepper 
• Handful of chives to garnish (optional)

Method

1. Skin and bone the fish, and then break up into bite size chunks.
2. Finely chop the white onion, and roughly chop the potatoes.
3. Slowly heat milk in a pan. 
4. Whilst the milk is heating up, melt butter & sauté onion over medium heat until soft.
5. Add flour to the onions and stir for a further 2 minutes.
6. Add the warm milk, still stirring regularly.
7. Add the fish and potatoes and season generously. Stir together.
8. Once all is cooked through, serve in a bowl with a sprinkle of chives.

Skyr creme brulee

A tasty delight, this sweet Icelandic dish can be served as a tempting dessert or as a tasty treat of its own.

Ingredients

• 100g of cream
• 100g of Skyr
• 40g of egg yolks
• 40g of sugar
• 80g of white chocolate
• One vanilla pod

Method

1. Preheat oven to 120°C
2. Cut the vanilla pod length ways and add to the pan.
3. Add the cream and bring to a boil.
4. Remove from heat and slowly start to add the skyr.
5. In a separate pan and bowl, melt the white chocolate. Once fully melted, add the skyr mix.
6. In the bowl, stir together your sugar and the egg yolks. Once combined, add to the skyr mixture and stir together.
7. Pour the mixture into separate ramekins and cook in the oven for 30 minutes.
8. Once cool, sprinkle the top with brown sugar and use a blowtorch to get a lovely golden crunch.