Nordic gravlax (cured salmon)
June 29, 2026 · 1 min read
Gravlax is one of the signatures of the Nordic table, and the surprise is how little it asks of you: salmon cured with salt, sugar, dill, and time, no cooking and no special equipment. After a couple of days in the fridge the fish turns silky and savory, ready to slice thin for smørrebrød, salads, or eggs at breakfast.
The only real requirement is a good piece of fresh salmon and patience. The cure does the work while you wait.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb skin-on salmon fillet, center cut, pin bones removed
- 1/4 cup coarse salt
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon coarsely ground white or black pepper
- 2 large bunches fresh dill, roughly chopped
- Optional: 1 tablespoon aquavit or vodka
- For the mustard-dill sauce: 2 tablespoons Dijon, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 3 tablespoons oil, chopped dill
Steps
- Mix the salt, sugar, and pepper. Pat the salmon dry and rub the cure over both sides, pressing it in.
- Lay half the dill in a dish, set the salmon on top skin-side down, sprinkle with the aquavit if using, and pack the rest of the dill over the flesh.
- Cover with plastic wrap, set a small weight on top (a can or two), and refrigerate. Cure 36–48 hours, turning the fish once a day and spooning over the liquid that collects.
- Scrape off the dill and cure and pat the salmon dry. Whisk the mustard-dill sauce ingredients together.
- Slice the gravlax very thin on an angle, off the skin, and serve with the sauce, rye bread, and lemon.
Notes and swaps
Use the freshest center-cut salmon you can get, and freeze it first if you're unsure of its origin — curing is not cooking. The salt-to-sugar ratio sets the balance: a touch more sugar gives a rounder, milder cure. Aquavit or vodka is traditional but optional. Cured gravlax keeps about five days in the fridge and slices best when very cold. The mustard-dill sauce (hovmästarsås) is the classic partner.
Tell Nordic Diet Companion "gravlax on rye with mustard sauce" and it reflects how the meal fits your Nordic pattern — fish a few times a week is one of its core habits.