An open-faced rye bread sandwich piled high with cold-water shrimp, egg, mayonnaise, cucumber and dill.
Räksmörgås is a real, traditional Swedish dish, known as Swedish Open Shrimp Sandwich. An open-faced rye bread sandwich piled high with cold-water shrimp, egg, mayonnaise, cucumber and dill.\n\nRäksmörgås grew out of Sweden's long-standing open sandwich (smörgås) tradition and became especially popular in the 20th century as small cold-water shrimp became widely available in coastal Sweden, remaining a cafe lunch staple today.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Swedish home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.
Serves 4
Spread each slice of rye bread generously with softened butter.
Toss the shrimp gently with mayonnaise and lemon juice in a bowl.
Lay a lettuce leaf on each buttered bread slice.
Arrange cucumber slices, then sliced egg over the lettuce.
Mound the dressed shrimp generously on top of the egg and cucumber.
Scatter fresh dill over each open sandwich and serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side.
Use small, sweet cold-water shrimp — the delicate flavor is the entire point of the sandwich.
Butter the bread all the way to the edges; it keeps the rye from getting soggy under the toppings.
Assemble right before eating — open sandwiches don't hold well once piled with wet toppings.
Add a spoonful of fish roe on top for a more festive presentation.
Swap rye bread for a soft white roll for a milder, less assertive base.
Add thin avocado slices for a modern twist popular in Swedish cafes today.
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.
Räksmörgås grew out of Sweden's long-standing open sandwich (smörgås) tradition and became especially popular in the 20th century as small cold-water shrimp became widely available in coastal Sweden, remaining a cafe lunch staple today.
A dense, dark Scandinavian rye (like Sweden's franskbröd or a limpa-style rye) is classic, though any good sourdough rye works.
Boil and slice the eggs and prep the shrimp mixture a few hours ahead, but assemble the sandwich just before serving.
Chopped larger cooked shrimp will work in a pinch, though the texture will be less delicate.
Per serving (220g / 7.8 oz) · 4 servings total
Ask our AI cooking assistant anything about this recipe — substitutions, techniques, scaling.
Chat with AI Chef →Join the conversation
Sign in to leave a comment and save your favourite recipes
Have feedback or need help?
We read every email and reply within 1–2 business days.
© 2026 MyCookingCalendar. All rights reserved.
