Buttery Scandinavian Rye Crispbread Salad with Toasted Hazelnuts

Name: Buttery Scandinavian Rye Crispbread Salad with Toasted Hazelnuts
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 8 slices rye crispbread; 80 g unsalted butter, softened; 200 g pickled beets, sliced thin; 100 g baby spinach leaves, washed; 50 g hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped; 1 small shallot, very thinly sliced; 15 ml apple cider vinegar; 1 tsp whole grain mustard; 1 tsp honey; 15 ml olive oil; Salt to taste; Freshly ground black pepper to taste; 10 g fresh dill, roughly chopped

This fresh no-cook salad layers crunchy rye crispbread with creamy butter, smoky pickled beets, and nutty toasted hazelnuts for a warm-weather Scandinavian plate.

Prep20 minCook0 minTotal20 minServes4Difficultyeasy

Method

How to make it

01
Toast hazelnuts in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking often, until fragrant and skins blister (~5 minutes). Remove from heat and rub skins off with a clean towel. Roughly chop and set aside.
02
In a small bowl, whisk together apple cider vinegar, mustard, honey, olive oil, salt (about 1/4 tsp), and pepper to make a dressing.
03
Spread softened butter evenly on each rye crispbread slice, letting it soften further at room temperature while you prepare the rest.
04
Arrange baby spinach leaves on a large serving plate. Distribute pickled beet slices over the spinach.
05
Scatter sliced shallots and toasted hazelnuts over the beets and spinach.
06
Drizzle the dressing over the assembled salad and sprinkle with fresh dill.
07
Place the buttered rye crispbread around or on top of the salad just before serving to keep crispness intact.

From the editor

Cooking tips

If you can’t find rye crispbread, use dense rye crackers or make your own by toasting rye bread thinly until crisp.
Softened butter should be at room temperature, not melted, to spread easily without soaking the crispbread.
Pickled beets can be substituted with quick-pickled raw beets to control acidity and sweetness.
Assemble this salad just before serving to maintain the crispbread’s crunch and prevent sogginess.

Published June 24, 2026