Chef Kar Delight

Seasonal Salad Around the World 2025

4.7.7 Europe: Finland, Sweden, Norway

In Search Of World's Hidden Tastes
4.6.7 Around Europe, Explore Seasonal Salads

European cuisine is a broad term encompassing the diverse culinary traditions of the continent's many countries. It is characterized by a variety of dishes, ingredients, and cooking styles that have evolved over centuries. Key aspects include the prominence of meat, dairy products, and wheat-flour bread, as well as regional specialties like pasta, pastries, and various types of cheese.

Finnish cuisine is known for its use of fresh, simple ingredients, blending traditional country fare with modern Nordic styles. It often features fish, meat (like reindeer and pork), and root vegetables, with notable dishes including creamy salmon soup (lohikeitto), sautéed reindeer (poronkäristys), and Karelian pies (karjalanpiirakka). Staple items like dark rye bread (ruisleipä) and sweet treats like cinnamon rolls (korvapuusti) are also central to the diet.

Swedish cuisine features simple, hearty dishes made with staple ingredients like dairy, breads, berries, and meat and fish, often accompanied by potatoes. Iconic dishes include Swedish meatballs (köttbullar) with lingonberry jam, pickled herring (sill), and cured salmon (gravlax). The culture also strongly emphasizes coffee breaks (fika) paired with pastries like the cinnamon bun (kanelbulle).

Norwegian cuisine is characterized by its focus on seafood, game meat, and hearty, rustic dishes influenced by the country's geography and long winters. Key staples include fish like salmon and cod, game such as reindeer and elk, and root vegetables. Popular dishes range from fårikål (mutton and cabbage stew) to pinnekjøtt (cured lamb ribs) and lutefisk (jelly-like cod), alongside iconic products like the sweet brown cheese, brunost.

One should choose food to eat according to the seasons. Food is seasonal whereas salad is also seasonal.

Now we depart for Finland, Sweden and Norway, explore their seasonal salads sharing with everyone.

▲ Seasonal Salad 57：

Rosolli

Finnish Beetroot salad

In Finnish cuisine, rosolli is a salad eaten mostly as a cold side dish, in particular as part of the traditional Finnish Christmas meal.

Rosolli is made of cooked, diced root vegetables, especially beetroot, carrot and potato, often combined with one or more of pickled cucumber (of either the vinegar or brine type), raw onion and apple. Variations may also include additional ingredients such as pickled herring or boiled egg, in which case the salad is more likely served as a starter (appetizer) rather than a side dish to a main course.

Rosolli is often served with a dressing made of whipped cream or a soured cream product available in Finland called kermaviili (being a type of viili made with sour cream), laced with vinegar or the pickling liquid of beetroot, which also colours the cream pink.

Ingredients

Salad:
. 4 beetroots boiled and cut into cubes, or equivalent amount of pickled beetroot
. 2 potatoes, boiled and cut into cubes
. 2 carrots, boiled and cut into cubes
. 1 red onion, cut into small pieces
. 1 apple, cut into small pieces
. 2-3 pickled cucumbers, cut into small cubes

Sauce:
. 1 dl. / 6 tbsp. + 2 tsp. heavy cream (kuohukerma in Finnish)
. 1/2 tsp apple cider
. 1/4 tsp. sugar
. 1/4 tsp. salt

. 1/4 tsp. pepper

Instructions
1. Peel and dice beetroot, potato and carrot.
2. Add about 2-3 cups of water in a saucepan. Add the diced potato.
3. Cook till done. Keep an eye that they do not get over cooked and mushy.
4. Drain out the potatoes in a colander or sieve. Save the water..
5. Return the water to the saucepan. Add the carrots and boil till done.
6. Drain out in a colander. Save the water.
7. Transfer the water to the saucepan. Add diced beetroot and cook till done.
8. Drain into a colander. You can save the water for soups, stews, sauces. etc.
9. While the vegetables are cooling whisk the cream. Add salt and pepper and whisk till it becomes a bit thick.
10. Add beetroot, potato, carrot, onion and apple in a mixing bowl.
11. Add pickled cucumbers, capers or any pickled vegetable of your choice.

12. Add the vinegar and pickle liquid. Add also sugar if using any.
13. Mix well.
14. Add the cream and mix the salad.
15. Allow the salad to chill for 1-2 hours before serving.

▲ Seasonal Salad 58：

Rödbetssallad

Swedish Beet Salad

This Swedish Beet Salad (Rödbetssallad) is delightfully simple and incredibly delicious. Pickled beets are cubed and tossed with crisp apples in a creamy blend of mayonnaise, sour cream, and horseradish. A sprinkle of fresh parsley adds brightness, and just like that, you have a vibrant, flavorful salad that is as easy to make as it is beautiful.

With its stunning pink hue, this salad adds a pop of color to any table, whether served as part of a traditional Swedish smörgåsbord, alongside meat dishes, or simply enjoyed on its own. It takes just a few minutes to whip together!

In Sweden, rödbetssallad is a staple during the Christmas season, often served as part of a Julbord (traditional Swedish Christmas buffet) alongside dishes like Swedish Meatballs, ham, and pickled herring. It’s also a common topping for Swedish open-faced sandwiches (smörgåsar). While it’s especially popular in winter, many Swedes enjoy it year-round as a fresh, tangy side dish for everyday meals.

Ingredients
· 12-15 ounces pickled beets homemade, drained and diced into ½ inch cubes (reserve the pickling juices)
· Half of a Granny Smith apple peeled, cored and diced into ½ inch cubes

. 1 red onion, cut into small pieces
· ⅓ cup prepared mayonnaise
· ⅓ cup creme fraiche or sour cream
· 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish optional
· 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Instructions
1. Whisk the mayonnaise, creme fraiche and horseradish (if using) together in a medium bowl. Gently fold in beets, apple, onion and parsley. Add 1-3 tablespoons of the beet pickling juice until the salad has a lovely pink hue. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

▲ Seasonal Salad 59：

Blomkålssalat

Norwegian Cauliflower salad

Blomkålsalat med reddik is a traditional salad originating from Norway. The salad is usually made with a combination of cauliflower, onions, radishes, and parsley. The cauliflower florets are mixed with sliced onions, parsley, and thinly sliced radishes.

The salad is dressed with a mixture of vinegar, mustard, oil, salt, and white pepper. It is left to sit at room temperature for a few hours before serving, so that the flavors blend well. Before serving, the salad is often garnished with chives and sprinkled with more salt.

Ingredients
· 12 radishes about 1 small bunch, trimmed, chopped
· 1/2 of a medium head cauliflower chopped (fairly small pieces)

. 1 red onion, cut into small pieces
· 1 packed cup flat leaf parsley leaves chopped
· 1 tablespoon olive oil
· 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
· 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
· 1 teaspoon dried dill
· 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
· 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions
1. In a large bowl, combine the cauliflower, radishes, onion and parsley.
2. In a small bowl or cup, whisk together the oil, vinegar, mustard, dill, salt & pepper.
3. Add dressing to vegetables, tossing to coat.
4. The salad can be eaten immediately, but it is best if it is refrigerated for at least 1 hour before serving. Add more salt & pepper, to taste, as desired.