A Midsummer Night’s Feast: Celebrate the Solstice With Your Own Nordic-Inspired Spread

Midsummer is a celebration of the sun, the harvest, and good food—like this creamy shrimp salad, a Swedish staple for the holiday. (Jennifer McGruther)

The summer solstice marks the longest day of the year. It reminds us that winter’s cold and spring’s rain have passed. It’s a time to celebrate sunlight and nature, and no one does it better than Nordic countries. Their long, near-arctic winters allow for only a few short hours of daylight. When June arrives, the days stretch from the early morning until nearly midnight. After such a long, dark winter, all that light is worth celebrating.

Midsummer celebrations are rooted in pre-Christian folk traditions. Historically, it was a time to honor the sun, the source of all life, and to ensure good harvests for the coming year. Bonfires, maypoles, and flowers are integral to the festivities, symbolizing the warmth and beauty of summer. As Nordic peoples adopted Christianity, midsummer became associated with John the Baptist. In some areas, it’s also called St. John’s Day.

Beyond maypoles and bonfires, food plays a central role in celebrating the solstice. Most meals throughout the region include early-summer produce such as cucumbers, new potatoes, and strawberries. Dairy is also central to these traditions. Most meals feature some form of butter, cheese, or whipped or sour cream. You'll also find cured, smoked, and fresh fish on many tables.

Midsommar in Sweden

In Sweden, a typical midsummer feast includes a smorgasbord, or a buffet-style meal. Herring, prepared in a variety of ways, often takes center stage. Pickled herring served with onions and dill or mustard sauce is popular. For the particularly strong-stomached, there might even be surstromming—a sort of salted, fermented herring that’s widely regarded as one of the world’s stinkiest foods.

Other seafood include creamy shrimp salads dotted with fresh herbs and salmon served smoked, cured, or with mustard sauce. Alongside the seafood, new potatoes might be served boiled, with butter or sour cream and plenty of herbs such as dill and chives as garnish.

To finish, there’s always fresh strawberries—a true herald of summer. Swedes serve them in abundance, often with whipped cream or in cake. To wash it all down, there’s aquavit—a potent spirit flavored with caraway and dill seed. Drinking songs, known as snapsvisor, are sung as revelers toast to health and happiness.

Juhannus in Finland

The Finnish midsummer celebration, Juhannus, is similar to that in Sweden. People flock to the countryside to picnic among the wildflowers and celebrate around a bonfire.

Finnish midsummer cuisine showcases the simplicity and purity of Nordic flavors. You’ll find plenty of meat and fish, with salmon being a standout, often cooked over an open fire or in a smoker. Boiled potatoes, pickles, and cucumber salads make delicious side dishes.

For dessert, you might find cardamom-flavored pastries and an abundance of sweet red berries served with cream. After feasting, many Finns enjoy a relaxing sauna session, often followed by a refreshing dip in a nearby lake.

A Finnish cucumber salad, shaken with dill, is a refreshing side dish. (Jennifer McGruther)

Sankt Hans Aften in Denmark and Norway

In Denmark and Norway, midsummer is celebrated as Sankt Hans Aften or St. John’s Day. The two countries share many midsummer food traditions with other Nordic countries. These celebratory meals share a strong emphasis on community, heritage, and local ingredients. Grilled meats, particularly pork and lamb, are favorites. Fresh seafood, including shrimp and mackerel, highlights the coastal heritage of these nations.

Danish Midsummer spreads often include rye bread, cold cuts, and cheeses. In Norway, they like open-faced sandwiches called smorbrod. These sandwiches often have many toppings. They can be shrimp, smoked salmon, or caviar. They can also include boiled eggs and fresh or pickled vegetables.

Strawberries, raspberries, currants, and other summer fruits feature prominently in desserts across both countries. You might find them enjoyed fresh with cream, in tarts, or in cakes. An old-fashioned Danish tradition is to prepare rodgrod, a sort of berry pudding that’s similar to a loose jam. It’s a vibrant red dish that, when served with fresh cream, calls to mind the colors of the Danish flag.

This vibrant berry pudding tastes a little like jam, though much less sweet. (Jennifer McGruther)

Forging Your Own Midsummer Traditions

If you’re inspired by these old Nordic traditions, you can easily prepare your own midsummer dinner. Pick an evening in late June and prepare a picnic or even your very own smorgasbord. Focus on the seasonal, fresh flavors of early summer: berries, cucumbers, new potatoes, delicate greens, and herbs. Fish and seafood are great choices, too.

Simple salads are a delicious choice, so you might pack shrimp or egg salad. Cured fish, such as lox or smoked salmon, is an easy option that you can find at nearly every grocery store. Quick-pickled cucumbers and boiled potatoes or a herby potato salad make nice side dishes, while a loaf of rye bread can round out the meal.

To finish, opt for fresh berries. You can serve them plain or with whipped cream. But if you have the time and are feeling a little adventurous, you might make that Danish berry pudding or bake a cake to celebrate.

RECIPE: Swedish Shrimp Salad (Skagenrora)

RECIPE: Finnish Shaken Cucumbers With Dill (Holskykurkut)

RECIPE: Danish Red Fruit Pudding With Cream (Rodgrod med Flode)