15 Popular Icelandic Foods You Should Try

Traditional Icelandic crepe pancakes are a great way to start any morning.

These hearty crepes have eggs for a protein-filled breakfast. They are made with simple ingredients and spread thinly on a griddle to cook quickly.

Ponnukokur is served with sweet jam and skyr, which is traditional Icelandic high-protein yogurt.

Classic Icelandic fish stew uses fresh Icelandic cod or haddock.

This hearty fish stew is full of boiled potatoes, chopped yellow onions, butter, salt, pepper, milk, and fish stock and is thickened with wheat flour.

Plokkfiskur is a thick and delicious stew that features traditional Icelandic flavors in a dish perfect for any cold evening by the fire.

Icelandic rjómabollur, or bun-day buns, are European pastry sandwiches made with choux pastry and a cream filling.

The soft, pillowy dough is made with milk, butter, sugar, flour, and lots of eggs to make this delicious dessert. Heavy cream and strawberry jam make up the traditional Icelandic cream filling.

The pastry is cut in half and the cream filling is piped between the two sides. The buns are topped with milk chocolate and melted butter topping and sprinkled with confectioner’s sugar.

When I think of cookies, I do not think of black pepper. When I first bit into a Pipakokur cookie, I was surprised by the complexity of the flavors.

They remind me of holiday ginger cookies in the United States. They are full of spices like ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, and cloves, and get a punch of flavor from black pepper and paprika. 

Icelanders love their soup. Kjotsupa is a lamb soup that boasts hearty flavors of tender bits of lamb, thick-cut potato chunks, and sliced carrots.

Turnip cubes and white cabbage add extra vegetables to the thyme, bay leaf, and salt-spiced broth.

I love this lamb soup any day of the week because it is delicious and simple to make!

Fish is a staple in Icelandic culture. Fiskisupa is a rich, creamy fish soup with chunks of halibut, potatoes, and leeks.

The halibut can be traded out for other white fish like cod or striped bass.

Celery, onions, leeks, and potatoes join a base of chicken stock, tomato paste, curry powder, and heavy cream for a hearty and delicious dinner on a winter evening.

Drying fish was an important step in Icelandic culture. The fish caught during the heaving fishing season had to be dried and preserved for future meals.

This Harofiskur does not have any extra spices or flavorings but lets the true flavor of the fish shine through.

The traditional way of drying fish in Iceland uses just wind in a well-ventilated area. After a few weeks in the spring or autumn, your fish should be ready to enjoy!

Kleinur is a traditional Icelandic dessert that is spiced with cardamom and deep-fried.

These deep-fried doughnuts are made with a soft dough that is twisted into a traditional shape and deep-fried to a crisp.

They are best enjoyed with a dusting of cinnamon and sugar and served with a cup of hot coffee. 

An Icelandic hot dog is called a pylsur. You can make a pylsur-type dog at home with your favorite local hot dog or buy an authentic pylsur from the store.

The hot dog is braised in a Lager beer and served on a hot dog bun topped with chopped yellow onions, fried onions, ketchup, sweet mustard, and remoulade. 

Rugbrauo is a traditional Icelandic rye bread that is served with cured, smoked, or pickled food.

This rye bread is dense, hearty, and mildly sweet the perfect rye bread for any occasion. It is sliced very thin and used as part of a meal or served simply with a slather of salted butter.

Buttermilk, honey, and molasses give this bread a sweet flavor to the dense and flavorful rye flour.

Skyr is a traditional high-protein yogurt in Icelandic cuisine.

This recipe brings traditional yogurt-making into your home using non-fat milk, animal or vegetable rennet, and non-chlorinated water.

I love to enjoy my skyr topped with fresh berries and maple syrup for a delicious and sour breakfast.

Kakosupa is a traditional chocolate porridge served as dessert or breakfast. Potato starch or cornstarch thickens this sweet and bitter porridge that is sweetened with sugar.

The porridge is spiced with ground cinnamon and a pinch of salt for a delicious and easy chocolate porridge. 

Icelandic brownies are not as dense and chocolatey as American brownies.

The batter uses typical brownie ingredients plus cinnamon, dark chocolate, coffee, and skyr.

The fluffy brownies are topped with cocoa powder and coffee frosting and sprinkled with coconut flakes for the finishing touch.

This beautiful leaf bread is a great way to sop up soup or to eat on its own.

Laufabrauo is not for the faint of heart to make. It is a complicated process of stretching bread dough so thin that it is almost like a sheet.

Leaf designs are cut into the dough with a sharp knife before it is fried until light bubbles appear and the breast has a crisp exterior.

Fish balls are as common in Iceland as meatballs are in Italy.

Fiskibollur uses white fish fillets and combines them with chopped onions, eggs, milk, salt, pepper, flour, and potato flour.

The fish balls are fried until golden in vegetable oil and butter for a delicious protein meal or snack.