What makes a dish Icelandic comfort food
Iceland’s traditional cooking grew out of a cold climate with few crops. Lamb, fish, dairy and hardy root vegetables carry most of the cuisine, and the dishes people describe as comforting tend to be warm, plain and filling: a pot of soup, a mash of fish and potatoes, a hot dog from a roadside stand.
Many travel guides lead with fermented shark and sheep’s head. Those are part of the food culture, but they are not what most people cook on a cold weeknight. This guide focuses on the dishes that feel like home cooking.
The classics
Kjötsúpa (lamb soup)
Kjötsúpa is often called a national favourite. It is a clear, mild broth made with bone-in lamb, potatoes, carrots and rutabaga (called rófa in Icelandic), usually thickened a little with rice or oats. It is simple, filling and easy to scale up for a crowd.
Plokkfiskur (fish stew)
Despite the name, plokkfiskur is closer to a creamy fish and potato mash than a brothy stew. Boiled white fish such as cod or haddock is mixed with potatoes, onion, butter and milk, often with a white sauce. It is a good way to use leftover cooked fish and is usually served with buttered rye bread.
Humarsúpa (langoustine soup)
Humarsúpa is a rich, creamy soup made from langoustines, which are often called “Icelandic lobster” on menus. It is typically served with bread. It is more of a restaurant dish than an everyday one, but it appears on many lists of Icelandic comfort food.
Pylsa (the Icelandic hot dog)
Pylsur are the classic Icelandic snack. They are usually made with a mix of lamb with pork and/or beef, and are commonly ordered “with everything”: raw and crispy fried onions, ketchup, a sweet brown mustard (pylsusinnep) and remoulade. If you are looking for a must-try snack, this is the one most guides point to.
Bread, skyr and sweets
Dense, sweet rye bread (rúgbrauð), traditionally baked slowly in the ground near hot springs in some places, is a staple with butter or smoked fish. Skyr is a thick, strained dairy product eaten with berries or as a dessert. Thin crêpe-style pancakes (pönnukökur) and fried twisted doughnuts (kleinur) round out the coffee-time table. See our Icelandic breakfast recipes for how some of these show up in the morning.
Kjötsúpa recipe
Serves 4 to 6. Active time about 30 minutes, simmering about 1 hour.
Ingredients:
- 1 kg bone-in lamb (shoulder, neck or similar), cut into large pieces
- 2.5 litres cold water
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 tablespoons rice or rolled oats
- 300 g rutabaga (swede), peeled and cubed
- 300 g potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 3 carrots, sliced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme, or a mixed dried soup herb blend
- Salt, to taste
Method:
- Put the lamb in a large pot with the cold water. Bring slowly to a gentle boil and skim off any foam that rises.
- Add the onion, rice or oats, and herbs. Simmer gently for about 30 minutes.
- Add the rutabaga and carrots, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook until all the vegetables are tender and the lamb is easily pulled from the bone.
- Season with salt. Remove the bones, shred the meat back into the pot and serve hot.
Tip: the soup tastes better the next day, once the flavours have settled.
Plokkfiskur recipe
Serves 4. About 40 minutes.
Ingredients:
- 500 g skinless, boneless cod or haddock
- 500 g potatoes
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 40 g butter, plus extra for serving
- 40 g plain flour
- 400 ml milk
- Salt and white or black pepper
- Chives, to finish (optional)
- Buttered rye bread, to serve
Method:
- Boil the potatoes until just tender, then peel and cut into chunks.
- Gently poach the fish in lightly salted water for a few minutes until it flakes, then drain and flake it.
- Melt the butter in a pan and cook the onion until soft but not browned. Stir in the flour, then gradually add the milk, stirring, until you have a thick white sauce.
- Fold in the fish and potatoes, mashing lightly so some pieces stay intact. Season and heat through.
- Serve with chives and buttered rye bread.
Variations exist everywhere: some cooks add a little curry powder or cheese, and some add more potato for a heartier mash. Portugal’s bacalhau a bras, which combines cod, potato and egg, is a distant cousin; see our Portuguese food and wine guide. Cod and haddock are the usual fish. If you can find it, Arctic char is another Icelandic fish worth cooking, though it suits fillets better than a mash.
Foods that are more novelty than comfort
Some well-known Icelandic foods are better described as traditions than everyday meals. Hákarl (fermented shark), svið (singed sheep’s head) and the strong spirit brennivín are often offered to visitors as a challenge. Harðfiskur, dried fish eaten with butter, is closer to a snack than a dinner. You can enjoy Icelandic food without trying any of these.
Comfort food through the year
Seasonal food matters in Iceland. The midwinter table is built around smoked lamb and ham, covered in Icelandic Christmas food recipes. Meat-free eaters can find ideas in our guide to Icelandic vegetarian food.
FAQ
What is Iceland’s most famous food? It depends on who you ask. Lamb dishes, skyr, fish and the hot dog all come up often. Fermented shark is the best-known novelty.
What is a must-try snack? The pylsa is the usual answer, with harðfiskur and kleinur as other popular options.
Why are Icelandic people often described as healthy? Fish, dairy and root vegetables are common in the traditional diet, but health outcomes depend on many factors beyond food, so this guide does not make health claims.