featured 9375

Smørrebrød: Traditional Danish Open-Faced Sandwich Recipes

An Introduction to Open-faced Sandwiches

Smørrebrød, Denmark’s beloved open-faced sandwiches, are built on a foundation of dense rye bread spread with butter or lard, then layered with a main topping and complementary garnishes. These sandwiches range from simple weekday lunches to elegant holiday spreads. Traditional toppings include fish, cold cuts, pate, and vegetables—each assembled to deliver a balanced bite. These are eaten with a knife and fork, not with your hands.

A rye bread open faced sandwich topped with herring, onion, radish, and micro greens.
A rye bread open faced sandwich topped with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, sliced egg, and micro greens.
A rye bread open faced sandwich topped with lettuce, avocado, baby shrimp, dill, and lemon.
A rye bread open faced sandwich topped with lettuce, potato, sour cream, chives, and fried onion.
A rye bread open faced sandwich topped with liver pate, pickled beets, and fried onions.
Danish open faced sandwiches on a platter.

Today’s Recipe

This post presents a practical guide to preparing nine classic smørrebrød variations. The ingredient list below is intended as a checklist to feed about four people, with some items yielding leftovers. Following the list are clear assembly steps for each sandwich so you can reproduce the flavors and textures we enjoy. Feel free to swap garnishes and condiments to suit your taste.

Danish open faced sandwiches on a platter.
A collection of danish open faced sandwiches.
Danish open faced sandwiches on a platter.

Our Nine Favorite Sandwiches

Below are step-by-step assembly instructions for each of our favorite smørrebrød. Use the links to jump to a specific sandwich.

  1. Sild (Herring)
  2. Makrel (Mackerel)
  3. Laks (Smoked Salmon)
  4. Rejer (Shrimp)
  5. Frikadelle (Meatball)
  6. Leverpostej (Liver Pate)
  7. Roast Beef
  8. Æg (Egg)
  9. Kartoffel (Potato)

1. Sild (Herring)

A rye bread open faced sandwich topped with herring, onion, radish, and micro greens.
A rye bread open faced sandwich topped with herring, onion, radish, and micro greens.
  1. Start with a slice of rye bread spread with butter or lard.
  2. Place 3–4 pieces of marinated herring on the bread.
  3. Add thin slices of red or pickled red onion.
  4. Finish with radish slices, capers if you like, and a handful of micro greens.

2. Makrel (Mackerel)

A rye bread open faced sandwich topped with mackerel in tomato sauce, cucumber, chives, and micro greens.
A rye bread open faced sandwich topped with mackerel in tomato sauce, cucumber, chives, and micro greens.
  1. Spread butter on rye bread.
  2. Add about half a tin of mackerel in tomato sauce.
  3. Top with fresh cucumber slices or a dollop of mayonnaise; both are traditional options.
  4. Garnish with chopped chives and micro greens.

3. Laks (Smoked Salmon)

A rye bread open faced sandwich topped with cucumber, smoked salmon, onion, lemon, and dill.
A rye bread open faced sandwich topped with cucumber, smoked salmon, onion, lemon, and dill.
  1. Spread butter on rye bread.
  2. Layer cucumber slices and smoked salmon.
  3. Season with salt and pepper and squeeze a little lemon juice over the salmon.
  4. Top with pickled red onion, a thin lemon slice and fresh dill; capers are a nice optional touch.

4. Rejer (Shrimp)

A rye bread open faced sandwich topped with lettuce, avocado, baby shrimp, dill, and lemon.
A rye bread open faced sandwich topped with lettuce, avocado, baby shrimp, dill, and lemon.
  1. Spread butter, or butter mixed with a little mayonnaise or lard, on rye bread.
  2. Add a crisp layer of butter lettuce.
  3. Place sliced avocado on the lettuce.
  4. Pile on small cooked shrimp, season with salt and pepper, and squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top. A small spoonful of mayonnaise is optional.
  5. Garnish with fresh dill and a lemon wedge.

5. Frikadelle (Meatball)

A rye bread open faced sandwich topped with danish meatballs, cucumber, radish, onion, and micro greens.
A rye bread open faced sandwich topped with danish meatballs, cucumber, radish, onion, and micro greens.
  1. Spread butter on rye bread.
  2. Top with slices of Danish meatballs (frikadeller); two slices per sandwich is a good portion.
  3. Add pickles or fresh cucumber, or use pickled beets for a sweeter contrast. Remoulade is a popular alternative to mayonnaise.
  4. Finish with radish slices, red or pickled onion (or fried onions), and micro greens.

6. Leverpostej (Liver Pate)

A rye bread open faced sandwich topped with liver pate, pickled beets, and fried onions.
A rye bread open faced sandwich topped with liver pate, pickled beets, and fried onions.
  1. Spread butter on rye bread.
  2. Add a generous layer of liver pate (leverpostej).
  3. Top with pickled beets or fresh cucumber, and garnish with chives and fried onions for texture.

7. Roast Beef

A rye bread open faced sandwich topped with lettuce, roast beef, remoulade, radish, and micro greens.
A rye bread open faced sandwich topped with lettuce, roast beef, remoulade, radish, and micro greens.
  1. Spread butter on rye bread and add a layer of butter lettuce.
  2. Place slices of roast beef on top of the lettuce.
  3. Add a spoonful of remoulade, sliced radishes, and micro greens. Pickles are an optional addition. Season with salt and pepper.

8. Æg (Egg)

A rye bread open faced sandwich topped with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, sliced egg, and micro greens.
A rye bread open faced sandwich topped with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, sliced egg, and micro greens.
  1. Spread butter on rye bread and place a leaf of crunchy lettuce.
  2. Layer slices of tomato and cucumber, then add sliced hard‑boiled egg.
  3. Season with salt and pepper and finish with chopped chives or micro greens.

9. Kartoffel (Potato)

A rye bread open faced sandwich topped with lettuce, potato, sour cream, chives, and fried onion.
A rye bread open faced sandwich topped with lettuce, potato, sour cream, chives, and fried onion.
  1. Spread butter on rye bread and add a leaf of lettuce.
  2. Top with thin slices of boiled potato.
  3. Add a spoonful of sour cream or mayonnaise, season with salt and pepper, and finish with chopped chives and fried onions.

Preparing the Meal

The most time-consuming part of smørrebrød is assembling and preparing ingredients in advance. Make items like liver pate, frikadeller (meatballs), remoulade, pickled beets, and rye bread ahead of time if you plan a larger spread. Wash and chop vegetables, boil potatoes and eggs, and arrange garnishes in bowls for easy assembly. Slice rye bread slightly thicker than 1/4″ and either prepare individual sandwiches or set everything on platters for guests to assemble their own. Present the fish first, then meats, and finish with vegetables for an orderly progression.

A rye bread open faced sandwich topped with lettuce, avocado, baby shrimp, dill, and lemon.
A rye bread open faced sandwich topped with mackerel in tomato sauce, cucumber, chives, and micro greens.
A rye bread open faced sandwich topped with herring, onion, radish, and micro greens.
A rye bread open faced sandwich topped with cucumber, smoked salmon, onion, lemon, and dill.
A rye bread open faced sandwich topped with lettuce, roast beef, remoulade, radish, and micro greens.
A rye bread open faced sandwich topped with liver pate, pickled beets, and fried onions.
A rye bread open faced sandwich topped with danish meatballs, cucumber, radish, onion, and micro greens.
A rye bread open faced sandwich topped with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, sliced egg, and micro greens.
A rye bread open faced sandwich topped with lettuce, potato, sour cream, chives, and fried onion.
Danish open faced sandwiches on a platter.

Smørrebrød (Danish Open-faced Sandwiches)

The Danish open-faced sandwich is built on rugbrød (rye bread), topped with a main component such as fish or meat, and finished with garnishes that create a balanced bite. This guide lists the ingredients and steps to make nine classic variations of smørrebrød.
Servings 4 people
Prep Time 2
Cook Time 15
Total Time 2 15

Ingredients

Seafood

  • 1 jar marinated herring
  • 1 pack frozen baby shrimp
  • 1 pack smoked salmon (4oz)
  • 1-2 tins mackerel in tomato sauce

Meat & Eggs

  • leverpostej / liver pate
  • Frikadeller / Danish meatballs
  • 1 pack roast beef
  • 4 hardboiled eggs

Vegetables

  • 8 small boiled potatoes
  • 4 campari-sized tomatoes
  • 1 cucumber
  • 1 avocado
  • 1 head butter lettuce
  • 4-5 radishes
  • 1-2 pickles

Toppings, Condiments & Garnishes

  • 1 jar pickled beets
  • capers (optional)
  • mayonnaise (optional)
  • Danish remoulade (optional)
  • butter (for spreading)
  • sour cream (optional)
  • fried onions
  • fresh dill
  • chives
  • micro greens (optional)
  • sliced red onion
  • 1 lemon

Bread

  • 2 loaves Danish rye bread (rugbrød)

Instructions

  • Prepare items that benefit from being made ahead: liver pate, frikadeller, remoulade, pickled beets, and rye bread. These can be made the day before.
  • Wash and chop vegetables, slice cucumbers, tomatoes and onions, boil potatoes and eggs, and rinse herbs. Arrange garnishes and condiments in serving bowls for easy access.
  • Slice rye bread just over 1/4″ thick. Either assemble each sandwich beforehand or present platters of ingredients and let guests assemble their own. We suggest arranging fish first, then meats, and finally vegetables.
  • Follow the assembly guidance above for each sandwich and enjoy a relaxed, social lunch—smørrebrød often stretches into a long, leisurely meal.
Course: Lunch, Dinner
Cuisine: Danish
Keyword: classic, fish, meat, rye bread, garnishes
Difficulty: Intermediate