Swedish Dill Potatoes will surely become one of your favorite side dishes! Tender potatoes coated with velvety, creamy sauce and fresh dill. They’re perfect with fish or grilled meat, so remember to prepare some extra!
Known locally as färskpotatis med dill, this classic Swedish dish traditionally uses new potatoes that are in season during early summer or late spring — they symbolize the arrival of summer.
Don’t worry; you can use regular potatoes, and you will still get the same excellent result. Minimal prep but maximum deliciousness — creamy, light, and fresh in every bite!
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Why this recipe for Swedish potatoes is a keeper!
- Quick and easy to prepare. Swedish dill potatoes require minimal effort. You just need to boil the potatoes, make the sauce, combine, and add the chopped fresh dill, and you’re done. It’s a perfect example of how simple techniques can yield outstanding results.
- Crowd-pleaser. Its mild, buttery flavor appeals to adults and children alike. Even those who don’t usually love dill often find it subtle and refreshing in this dish.
- Adaptable and easy to adjust. Although traditionally made with new potatoes, you can replace it with any potatoes, and it will still turn out great. Plus, with minimal ingredients, you can easily double (or triple) the recipe.
Ingredients
(See the recipe card below for measurements.)
- Potatoes – I suggest using the waxy type of potatoes as an alternative to new potatoes. They stay firmer, compared to the starchy ones, even after returning to the heat to remove extra moisture.
- Dill – roughly chopped fresh dill.
- Butter – salted or unsalted; it does not make a difference when preparing this dill cream sauce recipe.
- Flour – all-purpose flour is all you need.
- Cream – I typically use heavy (double) cream for making potatoes with dill sauce.
- Milk – whole cream milk, if possible.
- Salt & pepper – just use your favorite brand to season the dill potatoes.
How to make Swedish dill potatoes
Start by boiling your potatoes.
Once they soften, drain them and put them back into the pan.
Place the pan back into the heat for two to three minutes to absorb extra moisture, then set them aside to cool.
To start with the dill cream sauce, place a small or medium-sized saucepan over medium-low heat and add butter.
Once the butter has completely melted, add flour.
Keep stirring until you get a darker color and closer to a paste texture.
Add cream.
Use a whisk to mix and incorporate the cream with the floury paste.
Pour milk slowly while continuing to whisk.
Adjust the heat to low and let the creamy sauce simmer for about four to five minutes.
Season with salt and pepper.
Mix to make sure that there are no lumps in the creamy sauce.
Take the pan off the heat and pour it into the cooked potatoes.
Mix to coat the potatoes with the sauce.
Add the chopped dill to the cream sauce and mix evenly.
Your Swedish potatoes with dill are now ready for serving — enjoy!
Helpful tips
- Regardless of the kind of potatoes you use, ensure they are not TOO soft when you boil them. Remember that you must still put them back in the heat to remove more moisture.
- Chop the potatoes into (almost) identical sizes. It helps to cook them simultaneously – and you don’t end up with mushier ones (the smaller bits).
- If you are not too keen on the flavor of dill, use less than what I’ve indicated in the recipe. The sauce per se is already great with the potatoes; the dill just kicks it up a notch.
Recipe variation
- Nutmeg. You can add ground nutmeg with salt and pepper in your creamy dill sauce, if preferred.
- Other creams. While I typically use heavy cream (double cream) when I make these Swedish dill potatoes, I have seen some people using light cream, sour cream, crème fraiche, or even yogurt.
- Other kinds of potatoes. Yes, you can use any type of potato. I only use new (or baby) potatoes when they’re in season. But I use regular, waxy potatoes for the rest of the year.
Serving suggestions
Swedish potatoes with dill (färskpotatis med dill) is an all-around side dish that pairs wonderfully with various Swedish recipes. Here are some serving suggestions using other classic Swedish dishes in the blog:
Kalops (Swedish beef stew). Although traditionally served with plain, boiled potatoes, the creamy texture of dill potatoes balances the complex, spiced kalops stew, giving you a satisfying meal.
Korvstroganoff (Swedish sausage stroganoff). Pairing dill potatoes with korvstroganoff offers a delightful contrast between the creamy mustard sauce and the herby potatoes. This combination is both comforting and packed with flavors.
Swedish cheese pie (Västerbottenostpaj). Serve dill potatoes alongside Swedish cheese pie for a classic Midsummer feast. The nutty flavor of västerbotten cheese in the pie pairs well with the refreshing, fresh dill in the potatoes.
These pairings not only celebrate the versatility of Swedish dill potatoes but also highlight Swedish cuisine‘s rich, simple traditions.
So how about it? Try these Swedish boiled potatoes with creamy dill sauce this week, and let me know what you think!
More authentic Swedish recipes
Swedish boiled potatoes with dill cream sauce are an excellent example of Swedish cuisine because they reflect the country’s deep connection to seasonal ingredients and simple preparations, just like the this traditional Swedish cake:
Swedish Midsummer cake. The centerpiece of every Midsummer celebration, one of Sweden’s most important cultural holidays. It’s a layered sponge cake with the best season fruit, strawberries, as filling and decoration.
GET MORE IDEAS FROM THIS LIST OF INTERNATIONAL SIDE DISHES!
📖 Recipe
Swedish Dill Potatoes Recipe (+ Creamy Dill Sauce)
Equipment
- Medium-Sized Saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 & 1/2 pounds potatoes (750 grams)
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp flour, heaping
- 1/3 cup cream
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 bunch fresh dill
- salt and pepper, for seasoning
Instructions
- To make these dill potatoes, start with using a medium or a large pan to boil your preferred potatoes. Cook until they're soft.
- Drain the water from the potatoes and place them back on the heat for 2 to 3 minutes to remove additional moisture — set aside to cool.
- To prepare the creamy dill sauce, place a small or medium-sized saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Add and melt butter.
- Add flour and mix until it turns into a soft paste.
- Add cream and whisk to avoid getting clumps.
- Slowly add milk and continue whisking; then lower the heat and simmer for around 4 to 5 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper — and nutmeg, if desired.
- The creamy sauce would be slightly thicker now. Mix with a spatula or wooden spoon, scraping the sides of the pan and making sure that there are no lumps in the cream.
- Pour sauce into cooked potatoes and mix.
- Add chopped dill, then mix again to combine evenly.
- Serve your creamy dill potatoes, and enjoy!
Notes
- Cook’s Tip: Ensure that the potatoes are not TOO soft when you boil them. Remember that you still have to put them back in the heat to remove more moisture.
- Refer to the post for more tips and suggestions.
Sarah Treas
Made these for dinner tonight and my husband and I LOVED them! I’m unaware of “double cream” but used “heavy cream” which I think might be the state-side equivalent. I’ve never been good at making a smooth traditional roux, so I whisked my flour into my cream before adding it to the melted butter. I cheated a little and whisked in a half log of goat cheese in after adding the milk. 😉 Plan on making again for Thanksgiving!
Neriz
I’m glad you and your husband like it Sarah!
Yep, heavy cream is the same as double cream, and half & half is the same as light cream. Great idea on the goat cheese, I will definitely try that next time. 🙂