23+ Most Popular Icelandic Foods You Shouldn’t Skip In 2022

Icelandic foods are usually included in the weirdest and most exotic dishes around the world. Some of its meats are even still controversial these days. However, there are also culinary delights that you’ll badly regret not giving a try.

Suppose you’re in love with this Nordic country’s culture and beautiful scenery; why don’t you dive into its cuisine to find out what it’s like to be an Icelander? Let’s keep scrolling to find out the mysterious yet mouth-watering foods.

A Little Something About Icelandic Culinary History

Since most of the settlers in the 9th century came from Scandinavian and Viking regions, the culture of Iceland is comparable with other Nordic countries, as well as cuisine. However, being an isolated island had made some significant differences from foods to the ingredients.

The Little Ice Age was believed to last from the 13th century to the early 20th century in Iceland, which caused great problems for the folks then and there. But they also created new cooking and preservation methods that made their culinary fame nowadays.

Furthermore, Iceland is well known for its purebred cattle and poultry, along with multiple types of cereal bread, as well as the astonishing amount of seafood.

Hence, if you’re in love with the scenery and culture of this Nordic country, don’t hesitate to dive into its beautiful cuisine. Now, let’s skip the chatting and get right into the fabulous foods that you never should miss in Iceland!

Stunning Icelandic Bread You Need To Try

Don’t skip the chance to try as many types of bread as you can once coming to Iceland! 

Like most of the Nordic regions, bread plays a major role in Icelandic daily meals. However, the cold weather and isolated conditions have created their uniqueness.

1. Rugbraud – Dark Rye Bread

The Icelandic settlers have two methods of making Rugbraud: overnight baking in a pot placed above the dying embers or burying it next to a hot spring, and it’ll be steamed – which claimed the name hverabraud – hot spring bread.

Whether the making method is, this bread tends to have a thick texture, with no crust and a slightly sweet taste. Nowadays, it’s commonly served with butter or an Icelandic type of smoked lamp called ‘hangikjot’.

However, many Icelandic desserts also reuse the stale rugbraud to form a porridge called ‘braudsupa’ – bread soup. In the process, slices of rugbraud will be soaked first, then brought to a simmer along with raisins, adding some flavorings, then served hot.

Check out how beautiful dark rye bread has been made by burying.

2. Flatkaka – Rye Flatbread

Flatkaka is a rye pan-fried flatbread, which usually comes with line patterns of the iron cast roasting pan. It was believed to first appear in the ninth century and was baked on hot stones or direct ember heat.

The signatures of flakaka include a thin round shape, soft texture, and made without yeast. Nowadays, this delicious flatbread is made by frying on a cast iron pan and is also usually served in a quarter or half with mutton pate or smoked salmon.

3. Laufabraud – Leaf Bread

Laufabraud is a must-have item for Christmas Icelandic dinner recipes. It is another Icelandic cultural flatbread; several days before Christmas comes, family members will gather to make this beautiful bread.

The making of laufabraud could be pretty simple since the Icelander will only fry them for real quick. However, the leaf-like geometric pattern is what makes it so complicated as well as enjoyable to do.

The Icelander even invented specific utensils to create multiple patterns on leaf bread. Some of this bread has a snowflake pattern; that’s why it’s also known as snowflake bread in many other regions, including the U.S.

See a warmful Icelandic family preparing their laufabraud for Christmas.

4. Snudur – Sweet Bread

Cinnamon is an excellent ingredient for cold weather, isn’t it? Snudur is a soft rolled bread that is filled with cinnamon and glazed with chocolate, vanilla, caramel, or sometimes just simply sprinkled with sugar.

Snudur has become a common bread that you can find in almost any bakery store in Iceland nowadays. However, its origin is still not yet to be found today.

Unlike other Icelandic bread usually used in a meal or feast, snudur is more well-known as a treat for teenagers thanks to its sweetness and a warm touch of cinnamon to fight the cold.

5. Kleinur – The Twisted Doughnut

Another treat that you can easily find in Iceland bakery stores is kleinur – a twisted doughnut variety sometimes called the Angel wings. Like snudur, this type of bread has been used in Denmark before it was introduced in Icelandic cookbooks in the late 18th century.

Cardamom or nutmeg is often kneaded along with the dough to add a warm flavor, making kleinur a Christmas treat. However, it has been added to daily foods nowadays. You’ll need nothing more than a kleinur with a cup of hot coffee for a perfect Icelandic breakfast.

6. Pylsa – The Icelandic Hot Dog

Have you ever asked what the best type of hot dog in the world is? Well, pylsa can be the answer! Not an exception, pylsa is also a type of sandwich that was influenced by the Danish during the 19th century. It’s also called “pulsa” in Denmark.

However, it’s the Icelandic hot dog and sauce that made its fame. Traditionally, the hot dog is made of equal parts of pork and beef or lamb. Combined with pylsa are multiple sauces, but Icelandic sweet mustard sauce is the major addition that makes it stand out.

Furthermore, it’s best to order an “ein med ollu” pylsa so that you can get all the ingredients, including raw onion, crunchy deep-fried onion, Icelandic mustard, and remoulade sauce.

Marvelous Icelandic Meat-Based Meals

Being a self-sufficient island, Iceland has many purebred cattle that create wonderful dishes and mostly stand out from the rest of the world. However, it also met the problems of lacking supplements during the Little Ice Age.

Therefore, the folks here not only know how to preserve foods in long-term storage but also how to utilize every edible part of the animals. However, the foods are not just meant to fight starvation; they’re as delicious to become cultural dishes these days.

7. Kjotsupa – Meat Soup

During the cold months, kjotsupa is always included in the Icelandic lunch recipes of families and restaurants. You can consider it as a meat soup with sheepshank, carrots, potatoes, and Icelandic herbs.

Unlike the bread that is mainly influenced by Danish gastronomy, kjotsupa has been a traditional soup of Iceland ever since the settlement, around 11 centuries ago. Therefore, don’t miss this soup if you want to know Iceland’s “true” cuisine.

8. Hangikjot – Smoked Lamb

The word “hang” in the name means hanging lamb on the smoking birch wood. However, there’s another smoking method of this dish using a mixture of dried sheep dung and hay – called “tadreykt.”

Hangikjot is not only famous for its spectacular flavor but also helps the Icelanders through the Little Ice Age since smoked meats can be stored in long-term periods. Nowadays, it’s often included in lunch meals, served with flatkaka and Icelandic sauces.

9. Svid – Sheep Head

Like most cultural cuisines, Iceland owns some less appealing dishes, and one of the most well-known is svid – boiled or smoked sheep heads. Similarly, this is also a well-known food in Norwegian cuisine, which use a whole head of a sheep to cook.

But in Iceland, Svid is also smoked in the tadreykt method like hangikjot and is usually served in a half-cut. Superstitious legend has it, eating the ears of svid is taboo since the eater can be accused of thief sins if the sheep’s owner marks are removed.

Superstitious legend has it, eating the ears of svid is taboo since the eater can be accused of thief sins if the sheep’s owner marks are removed.

And eaters should break the little bone underneath the tongue; otherwise, the family’s baby who couldn’t speak yet will remain silent for the rest of its life. In contrast, the eyeball and the cheek meats are safe to eat and are the best parts considered by the Icelanders.

Check out how Svid is served in an Icelandic restaurant.

10. Hrutspungar – Pickled Ram Testicles

As mentioned above, the Little Ice Age has pushed the Icelanders to the conditions in which none part of the cattle can be wasted, then and there is where hrutspungar was invented. It’s a bunch of ram testicles that are pressed and preserved in whey.

In Icelandic culture, hrutspungar is served with svid, rugbraud, and other traditional foods in the mid-winter festival, like a buffet. Experiencing hrustpungar is like a roller coaster; the appeal is good until you know what’s in it and then pulled in again by the delicious taste.

How Can You Not Try These Wonderful Icelandic Sea Foods?

Once again, being an island country, Iceland is always in the chart of most fish consumption per capita worldwide. Though the seafood price has been strikingly increased during the 20th century, the Icelanders never excluded fish on their daily menu.

You can find multiple fish types here that serve with many cooking methods, some of them even weirder than you can imagine. However, they’re also highly affordable, so there’s no reason to excuse Icelandic seafood once you get there.

11. Plokkfiskur – Fish Stew

Other Nordic regions or even the U.S have their own fish stew; however, plokkfiskur – Icelandic fish stew is perhaps the best version. The Icelanders learned how to do this appetizing dish from the Norwegian, and it’s mostly a combination of leftovers and whitefish.

Nowadays, plokkfiskur is more likely to be served as a side dish or with a slice of rugbraud to mop up the white sauce. Almost every Icelandic family has its own recipes, sometimes even with bacon, but chopped whitefish and potatoes are must-have ingredients.

12. Humar – Lobster Or Langoustine

What you know as Norwegian lobster is the same thing as ‘humar’ in Iceland. This is a type of small lobster or langoustine and is mostly served by its tail flesh. Baking, grilling, and stewing all work well with humar, but the most famous dish is humarsupa – lobster soup.

You can easily find prepared humar in almost any supermarket all around Iceland. However, the locals believed that Hofn and Reykjavik own the best humar serving restaurants.

13. Hardfiskur – Dried Fish Jerky

The first informative letter about hardfiskur was found around the 14th century; however, the locals believed that their famous dried fish had followed the culture ever since the first settlements.

Due to the lack of supplements, hardfiskur used to be included in Icelandic recipes for the main meals, thanks to the long-term storage. Nowadays, hardfiskur is famous as a seafood snack that is usually made of cod and served chilled butter.

However, hardfiskur might not be the choice for the picky eaters due to its smell. Even some locals can’t stand nearby someone eating it. But indeed, it is worth the try if you want to dive into traditional Icelandic cuisine.

14. Hakarl – Fermented Shark

This isn’t supposed to be delicious food in general, but it’s an essential part of Icelandic cuisine that you should try at least once when you get there. However, be cautious with the smell since even some locals are more worried about it than the taste.

Hakarl is mostly made of Greenland sharks. Though the meat is poisonous, it’s safe to eat after a delicate fermenting process and hung up for 4 to 5 months. Nowadays, hakarl is often served as an alcohol bait that is combined with butter.

Check out how the foreigners reacted to Icelandic hakarl.

15. Hval – Whale Meats

At the bottom of the seafood category, whale meat is a controversial food of Iceland, but still, you can find some restaurants that serve dishes if you want to try them out. The locals’ most favorite one is whale steak.

Whale hunting and commercialization for fuel and food purposes have taken away thousands of whales each year from the 12th to 19th centuries until it was banned in 1989.

The commercial was opened again in 2006 with multiple monitoring rules and only allowed on fin and minke whales. Though it may rely on the humanity of each person, those who tried whale meat claim that it’s the best meat they’ve ever eaten.

Icelandic Culinary Delights For Your Sweet Tooth

At this stage, you probably have seen that Icelandic cuisine is quite ‘exotic’ in the main dishes or snacks. However, picky eaters can put a good expectation on the desserts here

Apparently, the Icelanders love sweets! But that doesn’t mean that they have an easy taste for it. Once you’ve tried these delights, you’ll know that it’s reasonable for their love.

16. Skyr – Icelandic Yogurt

Besides Greek yogurt, ‘skyr’ is also a popular yogurt type from Europe. It is famous enough that you have a high chance to find a can at your local grocery store right now! Nowadays, skyr appears in uncountable flavor and takes part in many Icelandic meals.

However, skyr is actually a typical soft cheese of Iceland. It was believed that Skyr was an origin cheese of Norway that came to and only survived in Iceland. The leftover whey from skyr was usually used for storing meat in the old days.

17. Hrisgrjonagrautur – Rice pudding

This Icelandic dessert is a typical dish made from the utilization of leftovers. Hrisgrjonagrautur often is a combination of leftover rice or bread with sweetened milk. Sometimes the Icelanders also substitute sugar with salt to create a lunch meal.

As with other Nordic regions, Iceland has its own recipes for rice pudding. However, the most famous one is topped with ground sugar and cinnamon, usually served at the very end of the year – also called Yule pudding or ‘jolagrautur’.

18. Brunadar Kartofler – Caramelized Potatoes

Another Icelandic Christmas treat is brunadar kartofler; a sweet side dish often served with fried meat or roasted poultry.

Furthermore, this is also an influence of the Danish during the 19th century; however, most Icelandic families have their own way to make brunadar kartofler. A local tip for this dish is to boil the potatoes first, then peel them before bringing them to the caramelizing process.

This will likely help the potatoes to “absorb” the caramel better in the result. You can either serve brunadar kartofler warm or chilled, but I guess you’ll want to have a warmed dish for Christmas eve.

19. Lakkris – Chocolate Wrapped Licorice

You may be surprised to know how much Icelanders love sweets. Go to any candy store or the candy stalls in the supermarket, and you’ll realize the variation of candy here.

They also especially fall in love with licorice. Licorice is among the most used spices of Iceland; you can easily find this flavor in ice cream, alcohol, or yogurt. However, Icelanders’ favorite one is a salty licorice candy covered in dark chocolate.

20. Ponnukokur – Icelandic Pancake

Though almost every region has its own pancake, ponnukokur is among the best versions worldwide. You will notice that ponnu kokur is larger yet thinner and less dense in comparison with what is abundant in U.S cuisine.

It is often used with skyr for Icelandic breakfast recipes. However, you can have a ponnukokur throughout the day, depending on what you’ve wrapped it with. Stuff with eggs for lunch meals, or fill with jam and whipped cream for desserts; options are endless.

In addition, most Icelandic families usually have a pancake pan with a heavy bottom. The exciting thing is they never wash it, even with water, and hands it down for generations!

21. Bragdarefur – Ice Cream

As mentioned above, Icelanders are heavy sweet lovers. Ice cream is also their favorite dessert and perhaps even among the most loved food. You can easily find an Icelander heading to an ice cream store in the middle of a snowstorm.

Ice cream stores and stalls are also available throughout the region. Their favorite way to serve ice cream is bragdarefur – ice cream glazed with caramel or chocolate and topped with fruits or nuts.

Fantastic Icelandic Alcoholic Beverages

It’s time to explore Iceland’s most iconic drinks. Some may agree that a bit of alcohol is an excellent solution to deal with the cold weather. And the alcoholic drinks are well developed in Iceland indeed. Spirits, liquor, vodka, and wine are so popular here.

However, beer craft wasn’t as abundant until the last few decades. In fact, drinking beer used to be considered unpatriotic since most of the Icelandic import beers came from the Danish – who ruled the Icelanders for such a long time.

22. Opal – Licorice Vodka Shot

As mentioned above, you can find the licorice flavor in multiple sweets and drinks, including vodka. Opal is the most famous and can be considered the representative of Icelandic licorice vodka.

It’s also efficient to fight the cold in Iceland. And there’s a saying among the Icelanders that right after the children pass over the licorice candy habits, they’ll look for Opal like an instinct.

However, many locals also describe its taste as like cough syrup, so it might not be everyone’s favorite drink after all.

23. Reyka – Vodka On The Rock

Reyka is another Icelandic alcohol drink that you can shop now in the supermarket or online market. ‘Reyka’ is actually a brand of Icelandic vodka that was commercialized in 2005, but it now takes a staple place in the folks’ hearts.

Won the Vodka Trophy award of International Wine and Spirit Competition in 2011, ‘Reyka’ is a craft made vodka that uses wheat and barley to distillate, sometimes alternated with European imported potatoes.

What made the fame of this vodka is the combination with lava field water during the distillation process, as well as a filter of volcanic rocks to increase the purity.

24. Brennivin – Spirit Alcohol

Last but not least, Brennivin isn’t a food but definitely should be added to your list – a famous Icelandic distilled alcohol. There’s a long historical story behind this marvelous alcohol, but it was believed to have first developed in the 13th century.

The taste of brennivin included a touch of rye bread flavor and a pleasant fresh aroma of caraway. However, it contains 40% ABV (80 proof), which made its fame as ‘The Black Death of Iceland’

See why many are afraid but curious about the Icelandic “Black Death”.

No More Hesitation About Icelandic Cuisine

I’m positive that you’ve now had your favorite Icelandic dishes. Let’s gather them and make yourself a bucket list for the next time traveling to this beautiful and magical country.

Do you notice any particular dish of Iceland that I’ve missed on the list? What about your experiences and travel tips in Iceland? Let me and other readers know in the comment section.

Also, if you found this article helpful, please share it with your friend who also loves Iceland or is going to have a trip to this beautiful island country, so they’ll have the best culinary options.

Now, what are you waiting for? There’s definitely more mysterious deliciousness hiding in Iceland, waiting for you to come and enjoy.