Danish classic

Frikadeller

Frikadeller are among Denmark's best-known everyday dishes. We like them made from a mix of pork and veal, shaped into small ovals with a spoon and fried in butter. They are served with potatoes and brown gravy – or with warm red cabbage, potato salad and cucumber salad.

Frikadeller with potatoes, brown gravy and a colourful salad on a plate
Photo: cyclonebill / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0
Preparation
20 min
Cooking/baking time
20 minplus 30 min resting time
Servings
4 people
Difficulty
Easy

Ingredients

For the frikadeller

To serve

Method

  1. Knead the mince well with the salt, then mix in the onion, egg, flour and pepper.
  2. Gradually stir in the milk until the mixture is soft but still holds its shape.
  3. Cover and leave the mixture to rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
  4. Heat butter in a frying pan until it foams. Shape oval frikadeller with a tablespoon – dipping the spoon into the hot fat now and then – and place them in the pan.
  5. Fry over medium heat for about 5 minutes per side until browned and cooked through.
  6. Serve with potatoes and your choice of accompaniment.

The story behind the dish

Frikadeller are among Denmark's most popular dishes, and the variations are endless: with pork, veal or beef, with flour, breadcrumbs or oats, with milk or water. The word itself was borrowed via German from the Italian “frittatella”.

Enjoy it at Dansk Cottage

For us, frikadeller are the dish for the first evening: uncomplicated, honest and just right after arriving. Leftovers go onto rye bread the next day and come along on the day trip.

The cottage kitchen · Discover Søby · Experience Ærø

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In the mood for Denmark?

Dansk Cottage in Søby can be booked from spring 2027 – with a spacious kitchen for exactly this kind of dish.

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