Swedish Christmas Julbord Foods- Handy Dandy Translation Guide

Christmastime in Sweden means julbord. It is a traditional Christmas dinner. The julbord is a smörgåsbord, a collection of dishes from cold to hot served on a table, like a buffet.

Families have a julbord on Christmas Eve but companies also have a julbord at a Christmas party. If you will be celebrating julbord with your company or family, I created a Swedish to English guide to all foods served at the dinner.

You can download two different versions: a three page guide in pretty larger font or a two page guide (perfect for front and back printing) in small font.
Pretty three page julbord guide
Easy to print two page julbord guide

Feel free to share and print the guide as much as you want with friends but please give credit and share the link love.

And here’s the guide below to enjoy. There are over 130 delicious foods! {Okay… lutefisk is not so tasty} Just remember to pace yourself, or your stomach will blow up, literally. :-)

The Swedish Julbord is traditionally had in “plates” versus courses. Each plate has a different theme: herring, fish, cold meat, vegetables, etc. Today it is not strictly observed and you can condense/mix plates.

First Plate
SILL & STRÖMMING

1. Inlagd sill – Pickled herring (not surströmming!)
2. Rökt matjessill – Smoked herring with spices
3. Matjessill – Herring with spices
4. Senapssill – Mustard herring
5. Löksill – Onion herring
6. Ansjovis – Anchovies
7. Currysill – Curry flavored herring
8. Havtornsill – Sea-bucktorn herring
9. Sherrysill – Sherry flavored herring
10. Tegnérsill – Herring w/ crème frâiche and chili
11. Chilisill – Chili flavored herring
12. Apelsin- och rosmarinsill – Orange- rosemary herring
13. Kräftströmming – Baked herring with dill and tomato puree.
14. Ansjovisströmming – Baked herring with anchovies, cream, onion, and dill.
15. Kaviarströmming – Baked herring with caviar
16. Ört- och vitlöksgravad strömming – Baked herring with herbs and garlic.
17. Löjromsströmming – Fine Swedish caviar with herring. Mixed with sour cream, mayonnaise and spices, served cold.
18. Stekt inlagd strömming – Fried pickled herring
19. Matjessilltårta – Herring pie made w/ eggs
20. Löjromsägg – Hard boiled eggs topped with Swedish caviar
21. Skagenägg – Hard boiled eggs topped w/ shrimp
22. Laxägg – Hard boiled eggs topped with salmon
23. Sillsallad – Herring salad

Second Plate
LAX & FISK – SALMON & FISH

24. Gravad lax – Cured salmon
25. Kallrökt lax – Cold-smoked salmon
26. Varmrökt lax – Smoked salmon
27. Portvinslax – Salmon infused with port wine
28. Inkokt lax – poached salmon
29. Laxtartar – Raw salmon (similar to steak tartar)
30. Laxpaté – Salmon pate
31. Gubbröra – “old dude’s salad” – hard boiled eggs with anchovies, red onions, dill and sour cream.
32. Rökta räkor – Smoked shrimp
33. Kräftskagen – Crayfish sandwiches – made with dill, sour cream, caviar.
34. Skaldjursterrin – Shellfish soup
35. Confiterad röding – Char confit
36. Skaldjurssallad – Shrimp and mussel salad
37. Pastramilax – Sauteed lax with four peppers and honey/citrus
38. Hovmästarsås – also called gravlaxsås – Mustard sauce with dill
39. Honungssenapscrème – Honey mustard cream
40. Pepparrotsdressing Citron – Horseradish citrus dressing
41. Chilicrème – Chili cream
42. Örtagårdssås – Garden herb sauce
43. Saffrans- och apelsinaioli – Saffron- orange aioli

Third Plate
KALLSKURET – COLD MEATS

44. Julskinka – Christmas ham
45. Rullsylta – Rolled thin flanks (pork, veal) boiled
46. Kalvsylta – jellied veal
47. Leverpastej – Liver pate
48. Lantpaté – Chicken liver with spices
49. Fasanterrin – Pheasant terrine (slow cooked soup)
50. Rökt lammstek – Smoked lamb
51. Lammterrin – Lamb terrine (slow cooked soup)
52. Pomeransjulanka- Christmas duck w bitter orange
53. Kycklingleverparfait – Chicken liver parfait
54. Kycklinggalantine – Chicken galantine w veal/pork
55. Renkorv – Reindeer sausage
56. Älgkorv – Elk sausage
57. Tjälknöl – Norrlands elk. Baked in the oven on low heat for several hours
58. Fårfiol – cured, salted leg of mutton (sheep)
59. Kroppkaka – Potato, meat dumplings

Tillbehör – side dishes

60. Våra senapsfavoriter – Selection of mustards
61. Cumberlandsås – Cucumber salad
62. Cornichons – French pickles
63. Äppelmos – Apple sauce
64. Syltlök – Onion relish
65. Pepparrot – Horseradish
66. Picklade grönsaker – Pickled vegetables
67. Apelsin- och aprikoschutney – Orange, apricot chutney
68. Västeråsgurka – large, famous, salty pickle
69. Pressgurka– sliced pickle w pepper, vinegar sugar
70. Rödbetssallad – Beet salad
71. Syltad svamp- Mushroom preserve

Fourth Plate
SMÅVARMT – LITTLE HOT FOODS

72. Köttbullar – Swedish meatballs
73. Isterband – Pork potato sausages
74. Kåldolmar – Cabbage rolls filled with rice
75. Revbensspjäll – Roasted pork ribs
76. Julgryta – Christmas stew with figs, cinnamon and tenderized cow shoulder pieces
77. Prinskorv – Prince sausage
78. Janssons frestelse – Jansson’s Temptation – Casserole of potatoes, cream, onions, anchovies.
79. Dopp i grytan – Sauce made from leftover bits of christmas ham. Bread is typically dipped into this
80. Wallenbergare – Ground veal, cream and onions
81. Lutfisk – lye fish – salted/cured white fish; gelatinous in texture, has a pungent odor.
82. BBQ-rökt oxkarré – BBQ smoked meat
83. Vedugnsgrillad pomeranskyckling – Wood fired roasted chicken with bitter orange.

Tillbehör – side dishes

84. Rödkål – red cabbage
85. Brunkål – Boiled and fried white cabbage cooked with vinegar, salt, and syrup
86. Långkål {grönkäl} – Kale
87. Lutfisksås och kryddor – Lutefish sauce with spices
88. Gröna ärtor – green peas
89. Stekta champinjoner – sautéed mushrooms
90. Kokt potatis – Boiled potatoes
91. Kokta rotfrukter – Boiled root vegetables
92. Brysselkål – Brussels sprouts
93. Rårörda lingon – Mashed lingonberries

Fifth Plate
GRÖNT – GREENS

94. A variety of salads are served. Ginger (ingefära), rödkål (red cabbage), romaine (romaine), morot (carrot), betor (beets), fänkål (fennel), granatäpple (pomegranate), nötter (nuts) are popular ingredients.
    Greens are not a big part of the julbord though.

Sixth Plate
OSTAR & BRÖD – CHEESE & BREAD

95. A variety of local Swedish cheeses (Västerbottenost, Boxholm, Smålandsost, etc) and international favorites are served.
96. Vikabröd
97. Mjukt tunnbröd – Soft flatbread
98. Hårt tunnbröd – Hard/crispy flatbread
99. Surdegsbröd – Sourdough
100. Vörtlimpa – Christmas bread – dark bread with christmas spices
101. Kavring – Dense, dark rye bread
102. Husåknäcke – Huså’s (a company) crispy bread
103. Valnötsbröd – walnut bread
104. Fikonbröd – fig bread
105. Veteknäcke – Wheat crispy flat bread

Seventh Plate
DESSERT

106. Ris à la Malta med mandel – Cold rice pudding whipped with whipped cream and almonds
107. Grynkaka – cold rice pudding with saffron
108. Fruktsallad – fruit salad
109. Mandelmusslor med hjortron – Almond cookies with cloudberry jam
110. Småländsk ostkaka – Småland’s cheesecake
111. Chokladmousse – Chocolate mousse
112. Kryddbavaroise – Spiced bavarian cream
113. Päron- och mandelkaka – Pear-almond cake
114. Crème caramel – Flan
115. Äppelterrine med kanel och hasselnötter – Apple terrine with cinnamon and hazelnuts (usually has no flour)
116. Mandarinmousse – Mandarin orange mousse
117. Saffranspannkaka – {Gotland} Saffron pancakes
118. Frukter – an assortment of winter fruits like dadlar (dates), fikon (figs) and satsuma oranges

Tillbehör

119. Vispgrädde – Whipped cream
120. Rårörda bär – Berry sauce
121. Saftsås – Saft sauce

Eight Plate
KAKOR & GODIS – CAKES & TREATS

122. Klenäter – Swedish small fried pastry dough – similar to donuts, possibly originated in Germany
123. Struvor – Rosette-styled deep fried pastry (donut)
124. Chokladtryffel – chocolate truffle
125. Ischoklad – mini chocolate cup candies
126. Knäck – Crack – hard coffee
127. Pepparkakor – Gingerbread cookies
128. Marsipan – Marzipan
129. Blandade nötter – Mixed nuts
130. Marmelad – Marmalade
131. Saffransskorpor – Saffron biscotti
132. Nötskorpor – Nut biscotti
133. Hallongrottor – Thick cookies with raspberry jam
134. Kladdkaka- Gooey chocolate cake

And make the julbord food yourself with Real Ordinary Swedish Meal Time

Wait, there's more to read!

1. A Photo Guide to a Swedish Christmas
2. Swedish Christmas Food & Dishes
3. Q&A on American and Swedish Christmas Traditions
4. It’s Christmastime! Swedish Christmas Decorations to Put Up
5. Swedish Christmas Holidaying
6. The A to Z Guide on Dating Swedish Men
7. Merry Christmas & God Jul!
8. Swedish Christmas Travels