Pickled Beet & Egg Open-Face Sandwich

Smørrebrød, Denmark’s beloved open-faced sandwich tradition, turns simple rye into a colorful breakfast plate. Here, creamy hard-cooked eggs meet tangy pickled beets on buttered dark bread, finished with dill, capers, and a cool dab of crème fraîche.

Serves 2 · 15 min prep · 12 min cook

Estimate for one serving

• 395 cal
• 16g protein
• 32g carbs
• 23g fat
• 5g fiber

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Ingredients

• 2 thick slices dense dark rye bread
• 1 tbsp salted butter
• 1/2 cup sliced pickled beets
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp fronds fresh dill
• 1 tbsp capers
• 2 tbsp thinly sliced red onion
• 3 tbsp crème fraîche
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Instructions

1. 1Place the eggs in a small saucepan, cover with cold water by one inch, and bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
2. 2Once boiling, cover the pan, remove from heat, and let the eggs sit for exactly 9 minutes for firm yet creamy yolks.
3. 3Transfer the eggs to an ice bath and chill 3 minutes, then peel under cool running water and pat dry.
4. 4Slice the peeled eggs into neat rounds about 1/4-inch thick and season lightly with sea salt and black pepper.
5. 5Toast the rye bread slices until the surfaces are crisp and the edges deepen in color, then spread each slice generously with salted butter while still warm.
6. 6In a small bowl stir the crème fraîche with the Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and salt until smooth and spoonable.
7. 7Spread a thin layer of the mustard crème fraîche over each buttered rye slice, covering edge to edge.
8. 8Arrange overlapping slices of pickled beet across the crème fraîche, then lay the egg rounds in a single attractive layer on top.
9. 9Scatter the thinly sliced red onion and capers evenly over the eggs, then tuck fresh dill fronds across the surface.
10. 10Add a final grind of black pepper and an extra tiny dollop of crème fraîche if desired.
11. 11Serve at once on a wooden board with knife and fork so the bright pickled beet juice and creamy egg can be enjoyed together in true Midsummer smørrebrød style.