Danish Smørrebrød Brunch Board with Rye, Jammy Eggs & Quick-Pickled Spring Vegetables
A vegetarian smørrebrød board on dense rye with jammy eggs, herbed skyr and crunchy quick-pickled spring vegetables.
Best for High-fiber, high-protein vegetarian brunch with gut-friendly pickles
This is brunch the Danish way: no single plate, but a board you build and graze from. Dark rugbrød does the heavy lifting with real fiber and a sour, malty backbone, while jammy eggs and a thick herbed skyr keep it high in protein and genuinely filling. The quick-pickled radishes, fennel and carrot ribbons bring the fermented tang and spring crunch that cut through everything rich — and because you pickle them fast, the whole board comes together in one morning.
Ingredients
- 8 Danish rye bread , slices, about 320 g total
- 8 large eggs , at room temperature
- 300 g Plain skyr or thick Greek yogurt , well chilled
- 15 g Fresh dill , chopped, plus fronds to finish
- 10 g fresh chives , finely sliced
- 150 g radishes , thinly sliced
- 1 Fennel bulb , about 200 g, shaved very thin
- 1 carrots , about 120 g, peeled into ribbons
- 120 ml Apple cider vinegar
- 120 ml water
- 15 ml honey , or maple syrup for vegan brine
- 5 g Yellow mustard seeds (optional – can be omitted)
- 6 g fine sea salt , plus more for the eggs
- 150 g cucumber , thinly sliced, to serve
- 40 g Watercress or arugula , to serve
- 30 g Pumpkin seeds , toasted
- 15 g Dijon mustard , for spreading (optional – can be omitted)
- 1 g black pepper , freshly ground
Instructions
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1
Make the quick pickles first so they have time to soften. Warm the cider vinegar, water, honey, mustard seeds and 6 g salt in a small saucepan just until the salt and honey dissolve — do not boil. Pack the sliced radishes, shaved fennel and carrot ribbons into a bowl or jar and pour the warm brine over to cover. Press the vegetables down, then set aside at room temperature to pickle while you make the rest.
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2
Cook the jammy eggs. Bring a saucepan of water to a rolling boil, then lower the room-temperature eggs in gently with a spoon. Boil for exactly 7 minutes for a set white and soft, jammy yolk. Immediately transfer to a bowl of iced water and leave for 3 minutes, then peel under a little running water. Halve lengthwise and season the cut faces with a pinch of salt and black pepper.
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3
Whip up the herbed skyr. Stir the skyr with the chopped dill, chives, a pinch of salt and a grind of pepper until thick and spreadable. Taste and adjust salt — it should be tangy and herby enough to stand up to the rye. Toast the pumpkin seeds in a dry pan over medium heat until they pop and smell nutty, about 3 minutes, then tip out to cool.
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4
Build the board. Spread each slice of rye with herbed skyr (add a thin scrape of Dijon underneath if you like it sharp). Drain the pickles from their brine and pile them generously over the skyr, then add cucumber slices and jammy egg halves. Scatter watercress, toasted pumpkin seeds and dill fronds across the board, finish with black pepper, and serve open-faced with extra pickles and skyr alongside so everyone builds their own.