Food trends come and go, but your go-to recipes are likely to be the ones that fill you up and make you feel warm all over. Enter Hygge — the hot new Scandi trend that’s burning up everyone’s Pinterest and Instagram feeds. The Danish word (pronounced hoo-gah) describes the pleasure you take in ordinary, everyday things, like comfort foods. Well, the trend couldn’t come along at a better time. As winter days darken and grow colder, everyone loves to huddle indoors. Here are 21 ways to get some hygge in your belly all day long.
1. Norwegian Boller: To a Norwegian, there’s nothing better than fresh baked bread. Butter up one of these hot Norsk bollers straight out of the oven and bring on the warm fuzzies. (via Apple of My Eye)
2. Deliciously Vegan Swedish Cinnamon Rolls: Coffee and kanellbular are one of the absolute pleasures of Sweden and a great way to start your day. Ask a friend to join you and it turns into a fika — a coffee break and social celebration that springs up any time a friend drops by. (via Vagabond Baker)
3. Peaches and Cream Ebleskivers: Start the morning off right with some light and fluffy ebelskiver — a cross between a pancake and a popover. Apples would be more traditional than peaches, but you can use whatever fruit you have on hand and they’ll taste absolutely divine with a plop of whipped cream. (via Barbara Bakes)
4. Øllebrød (Danish Rye Bread Porridge): Move over, oatmeal; this isn’t your average breakfast porridge — unless it’s your habit to have Guinness in your cereal. Made of soaked day-old rye bread that’s sweetened with honey and citrus peel along with raisins and spices, it tastes SO yummy that it may quickly become your brekkie go-to. (via Foodie Underground)
Lunch
5. Smorrebrod With Egg, Avocado and Radish: Long before the avocado trend hit Instagram, there was smørrebrød, loosely translated as “things on toast.” Top yours with salmon, cucumber, dill or whatever tidbits of food you have on hand, and it will be absolutely spot on. (via Rhubarbarians)
6. Pumpkin Soup With Orange and Parmigiano-Reggiano: Scandinavian cooking is full of hearty, creamy soups that are perfect for lunch but could also stand in for supper. This wintry soup, made of sweet, caramelized roasted pumpkin, is sure to raise your spirits as it warms your belly. (via Saveur)
7. Danish Split Pea Soup With Dill: If you thought you knew pea soup, prepare to be blown away by this tasty vegan version. The added brightness of dill and richness of crispy onions will make it your go-to soup this winter. (via Rhubarbarians)
8. Nordic Roasted Cauliflower Soup: Soup is always cozy, warming your whole body as it goes down. Just the pleasure of holding a spoon to your lips and blowing off rising swirls of steam slows your pace and creates a moment of restful pleasure. This version has a subtle hint of cardamom that you will utterly savor. (via Outside Oslo)
9. Rømmegrøt (Milk and Flour Porridge): This porridge calls for an ocean of melted butter and cinnamon-sugar on top. It’s often eaten for breakfast Christmas morning, but it makes an awesome belly warmer after a cold afternoon spent playing in the snow. (via Buttered Side Up)
Dinner
10. Danish Roasted Pork: Flæskesteg is one of Denmark’s hallmark dishes and is often served at Christmas dinner. Be sure to nab a slice with lots of fatty crackling, so you can savor its sheer crispy pork perfection. (via Little Scandinavian)
11. Sliced Baked Potato (Hasselback) With Rosemary and Gruyere: These Hasselback potatoes are sliced super thin and brushed with butter, then tiny slices of aged Gruyere cheese are slipped into every crevice. Oh, em, gee — it’s like comfort food on steroids. (via Pickled Plum)
12. Norwegian Potato Dumplings (Potato Klub): These dumplings are hiding a tasty little nugget of pork, herbs and onion. Eat yours in one bite to taste ALL the flavors at once and you’ll be in hygge heaven. (via Cheap Recipe Blog)
13. Seriously Amazing Swedish Meatballs in Brown Gravy: These little meatballs are just like IKEA’s, only homemade. They’re simmered in a creamy brown gravy that’s SOOOOO good you’ll wanna slurp it through a straw. (via Little Spice Jar)
14. Scandinavian Seafood Stew: The smell of this seafood stew as it simmers on the stove will bring back every outing you’ve ever had to the sea. Tear into the rustic bread, dip a piece in the creamy white wine sauce and let the juice dribble down your chin. (via XO Amys)
15. Gluten Free Lefse: This one’s for the GF peeps in the house! Potato flatbread is a Norwegian holiday treat that’s usually topped with butter and sugar, but this one tastes just as delicious slathered in ghee and honey. (via Do You Even Paleo)
16. Mulled Red Wine Jelly: This mulled red wine jelly is full of holiday spices like cinnamon, bay leaves and orange peel. It tastes great on bread, but is equally good as a conserve on grilled cheese sandwiches, burgers, baked chicken or even vanilla ice cream. (via The Tomato Tart)
Dessert
17. Risalamande – Danish Rice Dessert for Christmas: Risalamande is traditionally served for dessert after Christmas dinner, but it’s delicious any time of year. It’s naturally gluten-free, so invite your GF peeps to share and you’ll be their BFF. (via Nordic Food Living)
18. Rosette Cookies: These delicate rosette cookies called struva are a Christmas tradition in Norway and Sweden, and boy are they GOOOOD! You’d better make a double batch, because cookies this light, crisp and buttery are sure to go fast. (via Lorajean’s Magazine)
19. Norwegian Apple Cake: Apple cake is to Norway as apple pie is to America. Bake yours on a chilly morning while you loaf around in woolen socks with a flannel blanket over your shoulders and a huge cup of hot tea in your hands. It will be a hygge glut on all your senses. (via Thank Heavens)
Drinks
20. Blackberry Glögg: Mulled wine is a Nordic tradition and is almost mandatory in December, lending its warm comfort to shoppers in outdoor Christmas markets everywhere. It tastes just like an intensely spiced warm lemonade spiked with wine and rum. Wine lushes FTW. (via A Tasty Love Story)
21. Aquavit & Rosemary Cocktail: Every aquavit cocktail is a nod to Norwegian tradition. This one, sweetened with homemade rosemary syrup and garnished with a sprig of herb and twist of orange peel, looks so festive and it goes down REAAAAL easy. (via My Name Is Yeh)
