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Authentic Frikadeller Recipe Denmark, Europe
JUMP TO RECIPEWe strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though
Introduction & history
Arguably the most popular dish in Denmark, frikadeller is a type of meatball that is also common in Germany. It is made with pork, (or a mixture of pork and veal), onions, eggs, milk, flour (or breadcrumbs or oatmeal), seasoned only with salt and pepper. They are traditionally fried in lard or tallow, but frying them in butter or oil is a more common practice these days. When served as a main dish, they are typically paired with boiled potatoes, brown sauce, pickled beetroot, and cooked red cabbage. However, they are also used to make open-faced sandwiches called smørrebrød — a meatball, along with sliced pickles and red cabbage, is placed atop a buttered piece of rye bread.
Cooking tips
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shaping frikadeller
Frikadeller are usually shaped with the help of a tablespoon; hence they are not patties but have an oval shape. To help prevent the meat from sticking to the tablespoon, dunk the tablespoon into hot fat or cold water every time before you grab the meat mixture with the spoon. Also, you can make them neater and smoother by transferring them from one tablespoon to another. -
frying
Traditionally, frikadeller are fried in lard or tallow, but these days butter reigns supreme because it's more available and gives the meatballs a nice browned crust. However, because butter burns easily, it's often combined with oil. Place each finished meatball on paper lined tray to drain. Also, you can keep the finished meatballs in the oven to keep them warm while the rest are cooking. Place ... Read more -
seasonings
Frikadeller are not very spiced; only pepper and salt are used. However, you will find recipes that also call for allspice, nutmeg, thyme, and cumin. -
variations
There are many ways to make frikadeller. When talking about the choice of meat, traditionally, it's pork or a mix of pork and beef. But frikadeller can be made with other types of meat as well. Some recipes call for flour, while others for breadcrumbs, oats, or both. Some recipes even state that you roll the frikadeller in flour or breadcrumbs before frying. As far as the liquid is concerned, some ... Read more -
serving suggestions
There are many ways you can serve frikadeller. The traditional route is to serve them with boiled potatoes, brown sauce, pickled beetroot, and cooked red cabbage. Pairing them with a creamy potato salad, creamed stewed cabbage, or mashed potatoes is also a good idea. If looking for something simpler, use them to make a sandwich or pair them with buttered rye bread and pickled vegetables.
Recipe variations
Frikadeller
PREP 20min
COOK 25min
RESTING 3h
READY IN 3h 45min
This is the go-to recipe for the most traditional Danish frikadeller meatballs. It calls for pork, onion, eggs, milk, and flour, a seasoning of only salt and pepper, and instructs to fry them in lard.
Ingredients
500g (1.1 lbs) ground pork or a 50:50 mix of pork and veal
1 medium onion
1 egg
3 tbsp flour
100-150 ml (3.5 - 5.3 oz) milk
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
lard, or oil, for frying
Preparation
Step 1/6
Finely grate the onion.
Step 2/6
Add all the ingredients to a large bowl, then mix them until you get a compact, smooth mass.
Step 3/6
Cover the bowl with cling film and refrigerate for a few hours.
Step 4/6
Heat lard in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
Step 5/6
Shape the meatballs with the help of two tablespoons. Before shaping each meatball, you can dip the tablespoons into the hot fat or water.
Step 6/6
Drop each shaped meatball gently into the skillet. Fry for about 6 minutes on each side.
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