Food of Åland Islands

Åland's food comes from the Baltic archipelago: fresh herring, smoked and salted fish, dark rye bread, potatoes, dairy and orchard fruit. The islands are known for their baked pancake served with prune compote, sweet black bread and apple-based treats. Cooking is simple, seasonal and shaped by farm and sea.

National dish

Alandspannkaka

A thick baked semolina pancake spiced with cardamom, served with prune compote and cream.

Staples

  • Baltic herring
  • potatoes
  • rye
  • barley
  • dairy
  • apples
  • salmon

Signature flavors

  • dill
  • allspice
  • cardamom
  • salt
  • butter

Main dishes

Alandspannkaka

A thick baked semolina pancake spiced with cardamom, served with prune compote and cream.

Key ingredients: semolina, milk, eggs, cardamom, prunes
Stekt stromming

Small herring fried in rye flour until crisp, served with mashed potatoes.

Key ingredients: herring, rye flour, butter, potatoes
Raggmunk
Raggmunk

Crisp potato pancakes eaten with fried pork and lingonberries.

Key ingredients: potatoes, flour, milk, pork

Breakfast

Alandsk svartbrod

A sweet, dark bread made with rye, molasses and spices.

Key ingredients: rye flour, molasses, fennel, orange peel
Oatmeal porridge
Oatmeal porridge

Warm oat porridge with milk and berries.

Key ingredients: oats, milk, berries

Street food

Fish and potato

Smoked fish served at harbor kiosks with potatoes and sauce.

Key ingredients: smoked fish, potatoes, dill sauce

Soups

Pea soup
Pea soup

A thick pea soup with ham.

Key ingredients: yellow peas, ham, onion

Desserts and sweets

Apple cake
Apple cake

Moist cake with island apples.

Key ingredients: apples, flour, butter, cinnamon
Prune compote
Prune compote

Stewed prunes served with the pancake.

Key ingredients: prunes, sugar, cinnamon
Pulla
Pulla

Cardamom sweet bread.

Key ingredients: flour, cardamom, sugar

Drinks

Coffee
Coffee

Strong coffee served with a bun.

Key ingredients: coffee
Apple juice
Apple juice

Fresh pressed from island orchards.

Key ingredients: apples
Berry juice
Berry juice

Cordial from local berries.

Key ingredients: berries, sugar

Fruits and produce

Apples
Apples

Island orchards produce many apple varieties.

Key ingredients: cakes, juice, fresh
Plums
Plums

Plums grown in sheltered gardens.

Key ingredients: compote, jam
Blueberries
Blueberries

Wild berries picked in summer.

Key ingredients: porridge, pies
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More cuisines of Northern Europe

About this page

Descriptions written by Intercontinental Chef. Dishes are listed as commonly eaten today; many are shared across neighbouring countries.

Photo credits
  • Raggmunk : Traveler100, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Oatmeal (1): Renee Comet (Photographer), Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Hernekeitto: User:Opalaisen, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Apple juicy cake (2): Roozitaa, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Rosales - Dried Prunus domestica d: Emőke Dénes, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Cardamom bread: Julia, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Latte and dark coffee: Bex Walton, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Apfelsaft im Glas: Verband der deutschen Fruchtsaftindustrie e.V., CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Orange juice 1: Agricultural Research Service, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
  • 95apple: Agricultural Research Service (Research agent of United States Department of Agriculture), Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Plums African Rose - whole, halved and slice: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Blueberries: The original Uploader was Oven Fresh at English Wikipedia, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)