Kartoffelmad (also known as Potato Smørrebrød) is a type of Danish potato open-faced sandwich. Get the recipe below.
Smørrebrød is a traditional Danish open-faced sandwich typically served on rye bread and topped with a variety of ingredients.
They often include meat or fish but Kartoffelmad is an example of one that is traditionally vegetarian. With just a few tweaks we can make this traditional dish suitable for anyone following a plant-based diet!
I use potatoes, vegan crème fraîche, crispy fried onions and chives for a delicious dish that is perfect for a light lunch or supper.
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Ingredients
To make these potato open-faced sandwiches you will need the following ingredients:
- Rye bread
- Vegan butter
- New potatoes
- Vegan crème fraîche
- Fried onions
- Chives
The rye bread is perhaps the most important of all of these ingredients.
The traditional type of rye bread to use is danish rugbrød. It's a dense bread but still moist. Made with whole rye grains or cracked rye, and rye flour, its traditionall leavened with a sourdough starter. This means it has a slightly sour, tangy taste. Many versions also include sunflower seeds, linseeds, or whole cracked grains for texture.
It's important to use the right bread as it can support the heavy toppings without falling apart and balances rich ingredients.
Step-by-step instructions
Other than cooking the potatoes, this recipe is really just an assembly job meaning you can whip up these simple smørrebrød in minutes.
- Step 1: Boil the potatoes in water for 15 - 20 minutes or until just tender. Remove from the pan and leave to cool completely.
- Step 2: Slice then butter the bread.
- Step 3: Thinly slice the potatoes and place in a layer over the bread..
- Step 4: Assemble the rest of the sandwich in the following layers: vegan creme fraiche, crispy onions then chives. Serve immediately.
Substitutions
Don't have the right ingredients? That's OK. Try some of these substitutions:
- Potatoes - although this recipe calls for new potatoes you can use any variety, it just might not look as pretty if you use a large potato.
- Vegan mayo - if you don't have vegan butter, vegan mayonnaise is the perfect substitions.
- Vegan Greek yogurt - instead of vegan crème fraîche, try vegan Greek yogurt instead.
- Spring onion greens - the green ends of a spring onion, thinly sliced, are a great alternative to chives.
Variations
Make this dish your own by playing around with some of these variations:
- Add lettuce - add another layer to the Kartoffelmad with lettuce. I like to use something like little gem or butter lettuce.
- Add radish - for a peppery flavour add thin slices of radish on top of the sliced new potatoes.
- Add garlic - for an additional, punchy flavour, use vegan garlic aïoli instead of vegan crème fraîche.
Equipment
You will need a very sharp bread knife to cut thin slices of the rye bread. You'll also need a regular knife to cut the potatoes.
To cook the potatoes you'll need a saucepan.
Storage
Unfortunately this is not a recipe you can make ahead and store. These Kartoffelmad are best cooked, assembled and served fresh.
Top tip
Make sure your potatoes are fully cooled before slicing. They will be much easier to slice this way.
Frequently asked questions
Use waxy potatoes (for example Yukon Gold, Charlotte or new potatoes). They have the best texture for slicing and a buttery flavour.
Serve the potatoes cold. Cooling them makes them easier to slice and warm potatoes risks making the bread break up or the toppings to slide off as the butter and crème fraîche melts.
The recipe
Kartoffelmad
Equipment
- 1 sauce pan
- 1 knife
- 1 chopping board
Ingredients
- 8 new potatoes
- 4 slices rye bread
- 2 tablespoon vegan butter
- 4 tablespoon vegan creme fraiche
- 2 tablespoon crispy fried onions
- 2 tablespoon chives thinly sliced
Instructions
- Bring the potatoes to a boil in a pan of salted water and cook for 15 - 20 minutes or until tender.
- Leave the potatoes to cool completely before assembling the sandwich.
- Butter each slice of rye bread.
- Thinly slice the potatoes and arrange in a layer on top of the bread.
- Assemble the rest of the sandwich with dollops of vegan creme fraiche, crispy fried onions and chopped chives.
Nutrition
Sandwich recipes
Kartoffelmad is perfect for a light lunch. Why not check out some of these other delicious sandwich recipes.
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