Sardine Open Rye with Cream Cheese, Kimchi and Parsley

A Nordic open sandwich with a fermented kick. Rich, tangy, and ready in ten minutes.

⌛ 10 minutes ✧ 🍽️ 1-2

🐟 Sardines in olive oil

Sardine Open Rye with Cream Cheese, Kimchi and Parsley

This is smørrebrød at its most quietly brilliant. Dense seeded rye bread spread with cream cheese, layered with thin red onion, and topped with whole sardine fillets — then finished with a generous spoonful of kimchi or sauerkraut and a handful of fresh parsley. The combination sounds bold but eats beautifully: the richness of the fish and cream cheese cut through by the sharp, funky ferment and the brightness of the herbs. The kind of lunch that surprises you every time.

Ingredienser

2 slices of dark seeded rye bread
1 tin of sardines in olive oil (approx. 120g)
3–4 tbsp cream cheese
½ red onion, thinly sliced
4–5 tbsp kimchi or sauerkraut, drained slightly
A small handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Black pepper

Instruktioner

Lay the rye bread slices on a plate. Spread cream cheese generously over each one.
Scatter the red onion over the cream cheese.
Open the sardines and lay the fillets on top, whole.
Spoon the kimchi or sauerkraut over the sardines.
Scatter fresh parsley generously over the top. Finish with a grind of black pepper and serve immediately.

Serveringsförslag

Use good, dense rye bread, the kind with seeds and real weight to it. It holds everything together and adds a nutty depth that lighter bread can't match. Kimchi gives a spicier, more complex ferment; sauerkraut is milder and cleaner, both work beautifully, so use what you have or what you love. A cold beer or a small glass of aquavit alongside feels exactly right.