Vegan skagenröra-Swedish "shrimp" salad

Skagenröra is a popular Swedish seafood salad. This vegan version of Skagen is a great spread on toast, filling on oven potatoes, or in a sandwich cake.

Ingredients for a vegan version

Ingredients you need to make Skagenröra:

• Mayonnaise. You can also replace mayonnaise with a plant-based mild yogurt or creme fraiche, but I find that some brands give a bit strange taste. Also a plant-based cream cheese works.
• Tofu. Use very firm tofu for this. If you find smoked tofu, it is the best for this recipe. There can also be found vegan shrimp; you can also use those.
• Red onion. You can use chives instead, they give a much more mild onion taste.
• Caviart. Caviart is seaweed caviar. You can find seaweed pearls in red, yellow, and black. Walmart sells kelp caviar. Some Ikeas sell it too, and on Amazon, you can find it with the brand caviart.
• Fresh Dill. If you don't have fresh, then use dried dill.
• Salt&Pepper. Lemon pepper goes well also with this.

How is a traditional Skagenröra made?

Skagen seafood salad has as the main ingredient shrimps. It is made of mayonnaise, shrimps, onion, dill, and caviar.

Many people are familiar with Toast Skagen. Toast Skagen has the same ingredients but is differently assembled on a toast. Mayonnaise, a heap of shrimps, some cut onion topped with caviar, fresh dill, and a lemon slice.

Nowadays people do variations of this. Some put 50/50 of mayo and creme fraiche to get a little lighter version. Instead of shrimps, some use crab sticks, surimi. Especially in store-bought cheap packages, not much real shrimp is used, but it is replaced with shrimp aroma and pollock and seaweed caviar.

Origin of skagenröra

Skagen is a place in Denmark, but the Skagenröra is not a Danish treat. It was a Swedish chef, Tore Wretman that invented this dish in the '50s. He was sailing on the coast of Skagen when he made his first Toast topped with shrimps and mayo for the hungry crew of ingredients he could find in the fridge, so he named it Toast Skagen.

Skagenröra is nowadays found in all grocery shops in Sweden. If you visit Sweden, you definitely have to try it. Some stores also sell a vegan version, but the best vegan version is self-made.

How you make vegan shrimp salad

• Start by cutting the onion into really small pieces. Use a knife or an onion cutter. Cut the tofu into tiny cubes.
• Cut the fresh dill into small pieces with a knife or scissors. Leave the thick stems unused and use the green soft parts.
• A tip; you can use the stems in potato boiling water to add flavor, this is how new potatoes are boiled in Sweden.
• As last mix all ingredients together in a bowl.

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What to serve skagenröra with?

On Sandwich. Use this as a spread. This is traditionally served with Scandinavian sweet rye bread. Great on wheat toast also.

Blini pancakes( Russian buckwheat pancakes) This Skagen goes perfect with savory Blinis.

With savory waffles or crepes. Try this as a filling in crepes or waffles. You will love it!

Oven potato filling

Sandwich cake filling. Make a carrot lox sandwich cake with Skagen filling. Great for parties.

Avocados topped with Skagen. Great appetizer or cocktail snack.

Storing

The Skagenröra lasts 3-4 days in the fridge. Mayonnaise can alter its color if not stored airtight. I do not recommend freezing.