What is Smörgås? - American Swedish Institute (2024)

What is Smörgås? - American Swedish Institute (1)

Learn / Blog / Swedish Culture / What is Smörgås?

A smörgås or sandwich is a typical breakfast or lunch meal for a Swede. Often with one piece of bread or cracker, butter and toppings, the open-face sandwich is delicious. But why the name smörgås and what are common items Swedes like to add to sandwiches?

Smörgås is a compound word with smör meaning butter and gås meaning goose. How come these two words were combined? There is no one answer, but people have a few theories. One is that while the butter was being churned it looked like a goose. Geese are used in other situations to describe things. For example, white foam on water is known as vita gåss, so perhaps people used goose as a descriptor of butter as well. Another is that goose was perhaps a popular topping for Swedes a long time ago. Whatever the case, smörgås is now the most common way to describe a sandwich in Sweden.

Check out some popular Swedish smörgås:

Breakfast — Ost med skinka och grönsaker: A cheese, ham, and vegetable sandwich are quite common for a breakfast dish. Sometimes one can add egg with kaviar paste. The veggies traditionally used are cucumbers, peppers or tomatoes.

What is Smörgås? - American Swedish Institute (2)

Lunch — Räksmörgås: The classic shrimp sandwich is a specialty of Sweden. It has small, peeled shrimp with mayonnaise and egg, often topped with dill and lemon to add more flavor to this delicious meal.

What is Smörgås? - American Swedish Institute (3)

At ASI’s restaurant FIKA Café, they always have unique flavorful options of smögåsar that change all the time. Here are some they’ve done before:

Salmon (top right) — Watercress, Beet and Mustad Sause on Danish Rye. Simple and delicious, Swedes enjoy salmon regularly which inspired FIKA Café to create their own spin on it.

Mushroom Toast (bottom right) — Braised Wild Mushroom, Chive White Bean Purée on Brioche. Vegan and Dairy friendly, plus mushroom foraging is a popular summer activity both in Minnesota and Sweden. ASI offers foraging classes regularly as a Nordic Table program.

Lobster (left) — With fennel, ricotta, cucumber, on Sourdough another seafood delight for all people to explore.

Making a smörgås or even ordering one from FIKA Café, it is a delicious meal enjoyed by many and is a time honored tradition by Swedes and many people. (Click here for an updated menu).

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What is Smörgås? - American Swedish Institute (2024)

FAQs

What is the American Swedish Institute strategic plan? ›

The plan directs the work of ASI through five major areas: 1) Financial sustainability 2) Governance and investment in staff and volunteers 3) Sharing of ASI history and Swedish heritage 4) Connecting to contemporary Sweden and the Nordic region 5) Inviting programming for current and new audiences.

What is the meaning of smörgås? ›

Smörgås means "sandwich", but is most familiar to non-Swedes as part of the compound noun smörgåsbord. In Swedish, this refers to a buffet of open sandwiches, but in English it's usually used metaphorically to talk about a wide variety of something.

What is a sandwich in Sweden? ›

A smörgås or sandwich is a typical breakfast or lunch meal for a Swede.

What is the history of the Swedish Institute? ›

Swedish Institute was founded in 1916 as the Swedish Institute of Physiotherapy and is the country's oldest continuously operating massage therapy institution. The school has seen some name changes, but its mission has remained steadfast.

What is the mission of the Swedish Institute? ›

The Swedish Institute is a public agency that builds interest and trust in Sweden around the world. We work with Sweden promotion, cooperation in the Baltic Sea region and global development.

What is the purpose of the American strategy? ›

Our strategy is rooted in our national interests: to protect the security of the American people; to expand economic prosperity and opportunity; and to realize and defend the democratic values at the heart of the American way of life.

What is a common synonym for the word "smörgåsbord"? ›

synonyms: assortment, medley, miscellanea, miscellany, mixed bag, mixture, motley, potpourri, salmagundi, variety.

What is the meaning of smorg? ›

: a luncheon or supper buffet offering a variety of foods and dishes (such as hors d'oeuvres, hot and cold meats, smoked and pickled fish, cheeses, salads, and relishes) 2. : an often large heterogeneous mixture : mélange.

What time do Swedes eat dinner? ›

The average times for meals in Sweden are generally from 8 to 11am for the standard continental breakfast, noon to 2:30pm for lunch, and as early as 5:30pm for dinner to around 8 or 8:30pm. (Many restaurants in Stockholm are open to midnight -- but don't count on this in the small villages.)

What do Swedes eat in a day? ›

The Swedish diet is very varied with a healthy mix of whole grains, lean protein (lots of fish but also game), a focus on vegetables, berries, fermented dairy – all things that have been hailed as part of the healthy Nordic Diet.

Do they eat eggs in Sweden? ›

Their typical breakfast of a couple of bread slices with butter or cheese, a boiled egg, some yogurt, and a cup of coffee is already filling for people who don't have time to cook in the morning. Aside from eggs and yogurt, a Swedish breakfast also provides protein by way of cold cuts of meat and smoked sausages.

Who is the CEO of the American Swedish Institute? ›

About. Dr. Molly Wright Steenson is the President & CEO of the American Swedish Institute, a…

Who is the head of the Swedish Institute? ›

Madeleine Sjöstedt is Director-general of the Swedish Institute and also chair of the board that on behalf of the Swedish public has insight into the work of the agency.

What is the strategic plan of the aubmc? ›

In addition to improving facilities and capacity, the AUBMC 2020 Vision will establish centers of excellence that will provide new medical options for the treatment of illnesses endemic in the Arab world, and it will expand access to the quality of care that families in Lebanon have depended on for generations.

What is the strategic goal of the NRC? ›

Ensure the safe and secure use of radioactive materials

Provide quality licensing and oversight of nuclear facilities and radioactive materials.

What is the AFC strategic plan? ›

The AFC's strategic plan aims to catalyse growth, ensure sustainability, and drive inclusivity within the agricultural sector through eight pillars, including financing agri-food value chains, promoting climate-smart agriculture, and enhancing financial inclusion.

What is the strategic plan of Sweden? ›

Sweden's strategy aims to increase the productivity, viability and competitiveness of the agricultural sector while protecting animal welfare and seeking increased ambition in environmental and climate standards. Increasing food production is another priority.

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