Gravlax — Scandinavian Dill-Cured Salmon

Other Fast With Fish Published June 13, 2026

Gravlax is the great trick of the Nordic kitchen: raw salmon buried in salt, sugar, and a forest of dill, left to cure for two days until it firms into something silky, faintly sweet, and intensely savory. No cooking, no smoke — just salt drawing the water out and concentrating the fish into pure protein. Sliced thin over rye bread with a smear of mustard sauce, it is fish-day eating at its most elegant.

This belongs on the days fish is blessed, and because the curing takes 48 hours it rewards planning ahead for a feast like Annunciation or Palm Sunday. The mustard-dill sauce here is built on oil rather than the usual egg yolk, keeping it compliant; on a strict oil day you could serve the same sauce over boiled potatoes without the fish.

FASTING LEVEL: Fast With Fish
SERVINGS: 8 (as an appetizer)
TIME: 20 minutes active, plus 48 hours curing

INGREDIENTS

- 1 side of salmon (about 800g), skin on, pin bones removed
- 1/4 cup (60g) coarse sea salt
- 3 tablespoons (40g) sugar
- 1 tablespoon crushed black peppercorns
- 2 large bunches fresh dill, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons vodka or aquavit (optional)
For the mustard-dill sauce:
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup (80ml) neutral oil
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

METHOD

1. Mix the salt, sugar, and crushed pepper together. Lay a large sheet of plastic wrap in a dish and scatter a third of the dill over it.

2. Place the salmon skin-side down on the dill. Rub the vodka over the flesh, then pack the salt-sugar mix evenly over the top. Cover with the remaining dill.

3. Wrap the salmon tightly in the plastic, set it in a dish, and weigh it down with a smaller dish and a couple of tins. Refrigerate.

4. Cure for 48 hours, turning the package over once a day and pouring off the liquid that accumulates. The flesh should feel firm and look darker and translucent.

5. Make the sauce: whisk the mustards, sugar, and vinegar together, then drizzle in the oil while whisking until thick and emulsified. Stir in the dill.

6. Unwrap the salmon, scrape off the dill and cure, and pat dry. Slice very thinly on the diagonal, away from the skin. Serve with the mustard-dill sauce and rye bread.

NOTES

- Use the freshest salmon you can find, ideally previously frozen for safety, since it is never cooked.
- The cure scales to any size fillet — keep the ratio of roughly 2 parts salt to 1 part sugar by volume.
- Cured gravlax keeps wrapped in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- For a no-fish oil day, the mustard-dill sauce is excellent over warm boiled potatoes or steamed green beans.