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A vibrant photo of vegan Skagen salad on knäckebröd, made with cannellini beans, dill, and chives. The plate, which also holds new potatoes, sits on a rustic table outdoors with a Midsommar maypole and strawberry cake in the soft-focused background.
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Swedish Summer Skagen Salad with Dill Potatoes

Meet your new Midsommar favorite: a completely plant-based take on the iconic Swedish Skagen salad. This creamy, dill-infused dish delivers all the classic flavor in a fresh, sustainable way, perfect for any summer celebration.
Course Main Course, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine Swedish
Diet Vegan
Keyword Midsommar, Skagenröra
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 3
Calories 641kcal
Author Google Gemini 2.5 Pro

Equipment

  • Pot (large)
  • cutting board
  • Knife
  • Colander
  • Bowl (large)
  • measuring cups and spoons
  • Blender (hand or regular)
  • spatula

Ingredients

For the Potatoes:

  • 600 g new potatoes scrubbed
  • A large handful of fresh dill sprigs
  • 1 tsp salt

For the Summer Skagen Salad:

  • 1 can cannellini beans approx. 400g, 240g drained and rinsed
  • 1 large carrot peeled and very finely diced
  • ½ red onion very finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp fresh dill finely chopped
  • 1.5 tbsp fresh chives finely chopped
  • 1.5 tbsp capers rinsed and roughly chopped

For the Sunflower Cream Dressing:

  • 75 g raw sunflower seeds soaked in hot water for at least 30 minutes
  • 60 ml water plus more if needed
  • 1.5 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1.5 tsp Dijon mustard
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper

For Serving:

  • 6 slices of Swedish crispbread knäckebröd
  • 75 g mixed greens

Vinaigrette:

  • 3 tbsp rapeseed oil
  • 1.5 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  • Cook the Potatoes: Place the scrubbed new potatoes and dill sprigs in a large pot. Cover with cold, salted water. Bring to a boil and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a knife. Drain and let them cool slightly.
  • Prepare the Salad Base: While the potatoes are cooking, place the rinsed cannellini beans in a large bowl and roughly mash them with a fork, leaving some texture. Add the finely diced carrot, red onion, chopped dill, chives, and capers to the bowl.
  • Make the Sunflower Cream: Drain the soaked sunflower seeds and place them in a blender. Add 60 ml of fresh water, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Blend until completely smooth and creamy. If the cream is too thick, add a little more water, one teaspoon at a time.
  • Combine the Skagen Salad: Pour the sunflower cream over the bean and vegetable mixture in the bowl. Gently fold everything together until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
  • Prepare the Side Salad: In a small bowl, whisk together the rapeseed oil, white wine vinegar, salt, and pepper for the vinaigrette. Just before serving, toss the mixed greens with the vinaigrette.

Notes

Serving suggestions:
Arrange the warm, dill-scented potatoes on each plate alongside a portion of the side salad. Serve the Summer Skagen Salad in a bowl for sharing, or generously spread it onto slices of Swedish crispbread. This meal is best enjoyed outdoors, in true Midsommar spirit!
To complement this fresh, herby Swedish meal, a crisp, light drink is the ideal choice. For an alcoholic pairing, a dry, unoaked white wine is perfect, as its clean acidity will cut through the creamy salad. The quintessential non-alcoholic choice for Midsommar is elderflower cordial (flädersaft) mixed with sparkling water; the syrup for this Swedish summer staple is readily available from IKEA's Swedish Food Market.
 
Allergens:
  • Mustard: This allergen is present in the Dijon mustard used in the sunflower cream dressing.
  • Cereals containing gluten: Swedish crispbread (knäckebröd) is typically made from grains such as rye, wheat, or barley, all of which contain gluten.
  • Sulphur dioxide and sulphites: White wine vinegar may contain sulphites, which are often added as a preservative. If their concentration exceeds 10 mg/L, they must be declared on the label.
 
Emission Hotspots:
  • Transportation from shop to home, especially if using a combustion car.
  • Canned goods, like cannellini beans, have a higher environmental impact due to processing, metal packaging, and shipping heavier, water-filled cans compared to raw alternatives.
  • Sunflower seeds have the highest carbon intensity, and their significant quantity in the dressing notably contributes to the overall footprint.
 
Sustainability tips:
  • The recipe correctly calls for scrubbing new potatoes rather than peeling them. This not only saves you time and reduces food waste but also retains the valuable nutrients found in the skin.
  • If you have any leftover Skagen salad, it makes a fantastic sandwich filling for the next day's lunch. Extra dill potatoes can be sliced and pan-fried to create a delicious breakfast hash.
  • When boiling the potatoes, use just enough water to cover them and always place a lid on the pot. This traps heat, shortens the cooking time, and reduces energy consumption.
  • Walk or bike to the supermarket and farmer's market to cut transportation emissions
  • Opt for loose vegetables instead of those pre-packaged in plastic. If available, buying ingredients like sunflower seeds from bulk bins is another excellent way to cut down on packaging waste.
  • Whenever possible, choose locally grown new potatoes, carrots, and herbs. Sourcing ingredients locally significantly reduces transport emissions.
  • Fair warning: no matter how much dill you buy or grow in your garden, your guinea pigs 🐹 will devour it all in seconds. They will also enjoy carrot greens and any leftover carrot pieces.
  • Consider growing herbs at home—even a small windowsill herb garden reduces packaging and transportation while providing fresh flavors year-round