The Nordics
Trend watch: the Nordic porridge goes gourmet (Nobel worthy, even)
Porridge – a humble bowl, a Nordic obsession
Porridge has been called peasant food, breakfast fuel, even ‘woke porridge’. But across the Nordics, it’s undergoing a transformation. Once a humble staple, it’s now appearing on fine-dining menus, reinvented in porridge cafés and making headlines at the Nobel Banquet. We spoke with food stylist and cookbook author Hedvig Billengren Lindenbaum, who has spent years exploring porridge’s evolution. Chefs and home cooks alike are pushing porridge beyond oats and cinnamon. Some stick to tradition. Others experiment with broth, fermented toppings and unexpected textures. Either way, porridge is back.
Top photography courtesy of Lennart Weibull and Natur & Kultur
How long has porridge been a part of Nordic cuisine?
If you, like us, have grown up in the Nordics, chances are high you’ve also grown up with porridge. It was there on cold mornings before school, in steaming pots on the stove at grandparents’ houses, in the thick rib-sticking bowls served at camp or on ski trips. It wasn’t fancy and it certainly wasn’t optional – it was just what people ate.
A dish of survival
For centuries, porridge was a cornerstone of Nordic life. In a region where winters were long and growing seasons were short, grains were among the few reliable staples.
Barley and rye – the hardiest crops in the cold climate – were boiled with water, milk or whey. The result was a thick, sustaining meal eaten at any time of day. Sometimes it was sweetened with dried berries or honey. Other times, it was served alongside fish or meat. Whatever was available went into the pot.
Oats, now the most common porridge grain, weren’t widely used until later. Wheat, which made for softer, milkier porridges, was reserved for those who could afford it. Even today, rye remains a significant part of Nordic grain consumption, reinforcing how deeply rooted these early cereals are in the region’s food culture.
From necessity to routine
As industrialisation spread in the 19th century, porridge began to shift. With greater access to wheat and dairy, softer variations became more common. The dish moved from necessity to routine.
By the 20th century, it was everywhere – in school lunches, on family breakfast tables and in steaming pots on the stove. Familiar, filling, reliable. And for many, unremarkable.
That reputation led to its decline. As modern breakfasts, processed foods and international influences took hold, porridge started to feel like a thing of the past. Something old-fashioned. Something you outgrew.
Yet even as its status changed, it never truly disappeared. In Sweden today, 13 percent of people aged 65–75 still eat oatmeal for breakfast, and nearly as many young adults (12 percent of those aged 16–24) do the same. In Denmark, porridge is particularly popular among younger generations, with people aged 15–34 being the most frequent consumers. The numbers suggest something interesting – not only has porridge endured, but it has also found a foothold with a new generation.
What are the key regional porridge traditions in the Nordics?
Porridge may be a shared Nordic staple, but each country has its own take – shaped by local ingredients, traditions and the occasional superstition. Some are everyday fare, eaten for breakfast or as a quick meal, while others are tied to celebrations, with rituals that have survived for generations.
In Denmark, porridge is known as grød, in Finland as puuro, in Iceland as grautur, in Norway as grøt and in Sweden as gröt. Each country has its own distinct variations, from buttery and indulgent to sharp, tangy and fermented.
Denmark: rye, beer and a Christmas classic
Denmark’s most distinctive porridge is øllebrød (beer bread porridge), a thick, slightly sour dish made by soaking rye bread in beer and then cooking it down to a smooth, spoonable texture. Once a common breakfast, it’s now making a quiet comeback in Danish cafés, often topped with cream or berries.
More widely eaten is risengrød (rice porridge), Denmark’s take on the Nordic Christmas porridge tradition. Served with cinnamon sugar and a generous knob of melting butter, it’s a childhood favourite with deep seasonal ties. Leftovers are often transformed into risalamande, a cold rice pudding dessert served with cherry sauce on Christmas Eve.
Finland: porridge in all its forms
Few countries take porridge as seriously as Finland. Riisipuuro (rice porridge) is the centrepiece of Finnish Christmas mornings, served with sugar, cinnamon and a single hidden almond – a tradition nearly identical to Sweden’s.
But porridge in Finland is much more than a seasonal dish. There’s vispipuuro (whipped semolina porridge), a light, airy porridge made with lingonberries that turns bright pink when whisked. Served cold with milk, it’s a nostalgic childhood favourite that still holds a place in Finnish kitchens today. Everyday oat porridge is common, but rye and barley porridges also remain deeply rooted in Finland’s food culture, often cooked slowly for a richer flavour.
Iceland: simple, sustaining and built for survival
Iceland’s porridge tradition is practical and rooted in resourcefulness. Hafragrautur (oat porridge) is a staple, often served with brown sugar, butter or dried fruit. But older variations reflect Iceland’s reliance on dairy and preservation techniques. Mysa-grautur (whey porridge) was made with fermented whey instead of milk or water, a testament to the island’s deep-rooted dairy traditions.
Porridge wasn’t always made just with grains, either – slátur-grautur (blood porridge) was a historic dish made with grains, blood and offal, a close relative of black pudding. Though less common today, Icelandic porridge remains deeply tied to the country’s practical, no-waste food culture.
Norway: rich, buttery and made for celebrations
Norway’s porridges lean toward the indulgent. Rømmegrøt (sour cream porridge) is a celebration dish, thick and rich, made by whisking sour cream, flour and milk into a smooth, velvety texture. It’s traditionally served at weddings, festivals and special gatherings, always topped with butter, cinnamon and sugar – and always with more butter than seems necessary.
For something lighter, there’s fløyelsgrøt (velvet porridge), a silkier wheat-based version with the same buttery, cinnamon-spiced finish. Oat porridge, like in Sweden, is a breakfast staple, but when Norwegians make porridge for an occasion, they don’t hold back.
Sweden: the everyday bowl and the Christmas tradition
For most Swedes, porridge means one of two things: a simple weekday bowl of havregrynsgröt (oat porridge) or a steaming pot of risgrynsgröt (rice porridge) at Christmas. The latter is a holiday staple, served on Christmas Eve with cinnamon, sugar and a melting pat of butter – and, for a bit of suspense, one hidden almond. Whoever finds it is said to have good luck in the coming year.
Havregrynsgröt, meanwhile, is everyday food. It’s a familiar sight on breakfast tables across Sweden, usually topped with lingonberry jam, sugar or a drizzle of milk. Simple, warm and filling, it was once fuel for farmworkers and remains a reliable, no-fuss way to start the day.
Why is porridge making a comeback in the Nordics?
For years, porridge was an afterthought – something eaten out of habit rather than desire. But in recent years, it has found its way back into Nordic kitchens and restaurant menus, not just as a practical breakfast but as a dish people actively crave.
A shift in perception
“I never really liked porridge,” says Hedvig Billengren Lindenbaum, food stylist and author of Gröt, a cookbook from Swedish publishing house Natur & Kultur dedicated entirely to porridge, with over 50 recipes. “Then, about two years ago, something changed – I became almost obsessed. I went from avoiding it to going to bed early just because I couldn’t wait for my morning bowl.”
That shift – from necessity to something people look forward to – captures why porridge is having a moment. It’s comfort food in its purest form, simple yet endlessly adaptable. “It’s easy and fun to experiment with different grains and toppings,” Billengren Lindenbaum explains. “You can make it sweet or savoury, and there are porridge-like dishes all over the world to take inspiration from.”
A response to uncertain times
Beyond flavour, porridge’s rise also speaks to something deeper. “In uncertain times, people turn to food that feels safe,” she says. For many, porridge is linked to childhood, making it as much about nostalgia as it is about taste. It’s also a dish that aligns with today’s values. “It can be affordable, sustainable and feel healthy all at once,” says Billengren Lindenbaum.
From home kitchens to restaurant menus
What started at home has now made its way into cafés and restaurants. “I’ve noticed that more places are focusing on breakfast than before,” says Billengren Lindenbaum. “And porridge is appearing on more menus.”
It’s no longer just a quick weekday meal – it’s something being plated with care, made with heirloom grains, topped with seasonal ingredients and served with a level of attention that would have been unthinkable a decade ago.
Photography courtesy of Lennart Weibull and Natur & Kultur
How did porridge go from peasant food to fine dining?
For many Northerners – especially Swedes – the menu at the Nobel Banquet is as closely watched as the laureates themselves. In 2024, one dish sparked particular attention: modern kulturgröt – a modern cultural creamed steel-cut barley served with wild and cultivated mushrooms, Jerusalem artichoke and a roasted chicken jus with Pomme de Vie. A refined take on traditional Nordic porridge, it was designed to highlight local grains. Chef Jessie Sommarström, responsible for the dish, deliberately chose barley, a staple grain in Sweden long before rice and oats became common.
“Sommarström wanted to shine a light on locally produced grains, the benefits of eating whole grains and the long tradition of porridge in Sweden,” reflects Billengren Lindenbaum.
From farm staple to fine dining
The resurgence of porridge in Nordic cuisine has been happening for years. Chefs have reintroduced heirloom grains like barley and rye, experimented with slow-cooking techniques and elevated porridge with unexpected flavours – from fermented butter and miso to truffles and smoked broths.
But the Nobel Banquet put it firmly in the fine-dining spotlight. Serving porridge at Sweden’s most prestigious dinner was a declaration that simple, local ingredients could belong in the highest echelons of gastronomy.
The ‘wokegröt’ controversy
Not everyone saw it that way. While some praised the dish as a sustainable and modern expression of Swedish food culture, critics were less impressed, dubbing it ‘wokegröt’ – woke porridge. The term was used by those who saw it as a politically correct gesture rather than a true reflection of fine dining. Some argued that a banquet meant to celebrate scientific achievement should serve something grander, not a dish historically associated with frugality.
Despite the backlash, modern kulturgröt cemented what many chefs had already been working toward – porridge as a serious, versatile dish, capable of holding its own in fine dining. “After hundreds of years of barley and rye porridge as the daily staple, people started eating risgrynsgröt (rice porridge) for special occasions in the 1800s,” says Billengren Lindenbaum. “So porridge has always been both an everyday dish and a celebration dish – and it’s time for it to be that again.”
Photography courtesy of Dan Lepp and Nobel Prize Outreach
What are the best ingredients for making Nordic porridge today?
Porridge in the Nordics has long been a simple, comforting dish – soft grains, a knob of butter, a sprinkle of cinnamon and a splash of milk. But across the region, chefs and home cooks alike are rethinking what porridge can be, moving beyond its traditional place in the morning routine and exploring new ingredients, techniques and flavours.
“In the Nordics, porridge is usually eaten with sweet toppings,” says Billengren Lindenbaum. “But in many food cultures, porridge is a savoury dish.” One of the most well-known examples is congee, the rice porridge eaten in China for thousands of years. “It’s made by cooking rice in a large amount of water or broth and topped with vegetables, meat or fish,” she explains. That same approach – slow-cooked grains, deeply flavoured broths and layered toppings – is now inspiring Nordic chefs to reinterpret porridge beyond its usual forms.
Traditional grains, modern techniques
The most common grains for porridge today remain oats, barley, rye and spelt, but preparation has changed. Steel-cut oats, with their firmer texture and nuttier flavour, are becoming more popular. Barley and rye, once staple grains in Nordic porridge before oats became dominant, are making a comeback, offering chewiness and depth. Slow cooking, fermentation and broth-based preparations have transformed porridge from a simple breakfast into something far more layered and complex.
Classic toppings, reimagined
Traditional Nordic porridge is often topped with lingonberries, butter, cinnamon and milk. These elements remain, but chefs are refining them – smoked butter replaces regular butter, roasted apples take the place of lingonberries and birch syrup adds depth. The foundation is the same – warm grains, rich toppings, a balance of sweetness and acidity – but the details are evolving.
Savoury porridge – a Nordic reinvention
Porridge’s biggest transformation is happening in its savoury variations. Nordic chefs are drawing inspiration from dishes like shrimp and grits, risotto and bibimbap, creating porridges that sit somewhere between breakfast and dinner. “Many of my savoury porridge recipes have been inspired by these dishes,” says Billengren Lindenbaum.
Bone broths, fermented vegetables, miso and aged cheeses are appearing in porridge bowls, adding umami depth. Foraged ingredients – mushrooms, wild herbs and pickled greens – bring a sense of seasonality. Barley cooked in smoked fish broth, topped with trout roe and crème fraîche, is now just as much a part of the Nordic porridge landscape as the classic bowl of oats with cinnamon.
Photography courtesy of Lennart Weibull and Natur & Kultur
Is Nordic porridge actually healthy?
Porridge has sustained the Nordics for centuries, and for good reason. But while traditional porridge remains a nutritional powerhouse, modern versions often stray far from its roots.
Grains that fuel
Nordic porridge has long relied on oats, rye, spelt and barley, each offering distinct benefits. Oats contain beta-glucans, which lower cholesterol. Rye is packed with resistant starch, keeping you full longer. Barley, once the dominant porridge grain, is high in fibre and minerals. When slow-cooked, these grains release energy gradually, avoiding blood sugar spikes.
Fermented porridges and gut health
Fermentation was once common in porridge-making, breaking down grains for easier digestion. Some traditional porridges in Finland and Iceland still retain this tangy, probiotic-rich quality. Today, porridge paired with fermented dairy like filmjölk or skyr continues to offer gut health benefits.
The problem with modern porridge
While traditional porridge is simple and nutritious, instant oats and pre-sweetened varieties are often heavily processed and loaded with sugar. The difference between slow-cooked barley with fermented dairy and a flavoured instant porridge cup is vast.
The key is in the preparation. Minimal processing, whole grains and balanced toppings make porridge one of the healthiest meals you can eat.
Photography courtesy of Lennart Weibull and Natur & Kultur
Where can you find the best modern porridge in the Nordics?
In Stockholm, porridge has taken centre stage at cafés known for their thoughtful approach to breakfast. “There are so many great cafés serving porridge now,” says Billengren Lindenbaum, listing Café Pascal, Pom & Flora and Stora Bageriet as standouts. These spots treat porridge with the same care as their coffee, topping bowls with everything from roasted nuts and seasonal compotes to tahini, citrus zest and fermented dairy.
Meanwhile, in Copenhagen, porridge has been elevated into an all-day affair by Grød, the city’s pioneering porridge chain, which has also expanded to Oslo. At their locations, porridge is no longer just a breakfast option but a main event, with menus featuring everything from classic oat porridge with caramel sauce and roasted almonds to barley-otto with pickled mushrooms and vesterhavsost, a Danish aged cheese. The chain was one of the first to make porridge a modern Nordic food trend, proving that a humble bowl of grains could be both stylish and satisfying.
But the most high-profile reimagining of porridge is found at Stadshuskällaren in Stockholm, where diners can taste past Nobel Banquet menus – including the 2024 dish that made headlines: modern kulturgröt.
Photography courtesy of Lennart Weibull, Natur & Kultur and Pom & Flora
How do Nordic households eat porridge today?
Well, let’s ask the expert … Billengren Lindenbaum starts her mornings with steel-cut oats, cooked creamy but still with a bit of bite. “I like to top it with thick yoghurt, homemade jam and granola.” It’s a mix of old and new – warm grains, familiar textures, but with added crunch, acidity and depth.
This is how porridge is eaten in the Nordics today. Some stick to the classics – oat porridge with cinnamon and butter – while others experiment with new grains, overnight soaking and fresh ways to serve it.
Everyday porridge – fast, hearty, varied
Porridge remains a morning staple, but it has evolved. Oats, barley, rye and spelt are all in rotation, each bringing a different texture and flavour. Many now opt for overnight oats, soaking grains in milk or yoghurt for a quick, portable breakfast.
While savoury porridge is gaining ground in restaurants, at home, porridge is still mostly sweet. But ingredients are shifting. More people are turning to thicker yoghurts, roasted fruit, homemade granola and nut butters, moving away from the simple butter-and-sugar approach of the past.
Festive porridges – a taste of nostalgia
While breakfast porridges are evolving, festive rice porridges remain unchanged. Risgrynsgröt in Sweden, risengrød in Denmark, riisipuuro in Finland – served warm with cinnamon and butter, always with the tradition of hiding an almond in the pot.
Porridge as dessert, however, has seen more reinvention. “I have a rice pudding recipe in my book,” says Billengren Lindenbaum, “with vanilla, topped with whipped cream and wild strawberries – it’s one of my absolute favourites.”
Photography courtesy of Unsplash, Lennart Weibull and Natur & Kultur
What’s the best way to cook Nordic porridge at home?
For something so simple – grains, liquid, heat – porridge can be surprisingly easy to get wrong. A bad experience with gummy oat porridge or stodgy rice pudding can turn people off it for years. But texture is everything, and the secret to a perfect bowl is in the liquid, the grain and the patience to let it cook just right.
“If someone doesn’t like porridge, it’s often because they’ve had a bad version,” says Billengren Lindenbaum. “Maybe a dense, boring oat porridge or rice porridge with that cooked milk taste. If that’s the case, I’d recommend starting with something completely different.”
The key to creamy porridge
A great porridge is about balance. Too little liquid, and it turns dense – too much, and it’s soupy. Billengren Lindenbaum prefers a blend of oat milk and water for breakfast porridges and a rich broth for savoury versions. The result? A porridge that’s creamy but never heavy.
The choice of grain also changes the outcome. Steel-cut oats, whole rye or barley take longer to cook but offer better texture and a deeper flavour. Quick oats are convenient, but they don’t develop the same richness. The trick is to cook low and slow, stirring often, and letting the grains fully hydrate.
“If you think you don’t like porridge, maybe you just haven’t found the right one yet,” says Billengren Lindenbaum. “There are endless ways to make it, and once you get the texture right, it’s hard not to love.”
Photography courtesy of Lennart Weibull and Natur & Kultur
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