If you have seen surströmming videos online, you already know about the smell. The gagging, the running away, the dramatic reactions. But almost none of those videos answer the question that most people actually want to know: what does it taste like?
The answer might surprise you. The taste and the smell are two very different experiences.
The Smell vs. The Taste
Let us address the elephant in the room first. Yes, surströmming smells extremely strong. The aroma is often described as a combination of rotten eggs, strong cheese, and fish that has been left in the sun. It hits your nostrils with an intensity that very few other foods can match. Some scientific analyses have rated surströmming as one of the world's most pungent foods, right up there with certain aged cheeses and durian.
But here is what the viral videos do not show: the taste is dramatically milder than the smell suggests. While the aroma is aggressive and all-encompassing, the flavour on your tongue is salty, savoury, slightly sour, and distinctly fishy but not in an overwhelming way. Think of a very strong anchovy with a tangy, almost cheese-like undertone.
The disconnect between smell and taste is one of the most fascinating things about surströmming. Your nose tells you to run, but your palate finds something much more manageable, even interesting.
Breaking Down the Flavour Profile
Saltiness: Surströmming is preserved in brine, so salt is the first thing you taste. It is not overwhelmingly salty, but it is present and noticeable.
Sourness: The lactic acid fermentation gives surströmming a tangy, sour quality similar to sauerkraut or kimchi. This acidic edge is what distinguishes it from simply salted fish.
Umami: There is a deep savouriness to surströmming that is characteristic of fermented foods. It shares this quality with miso, aged parmesan, and fish sauce. This umami quality is why the traditional accompaniments (potatoes, cream, bread) work so well. They balance and complement the intensity.
Fishiness: It is fish, so yes, there is a definitive fish flavour. But it is more comparable to cured anchovies or sardines than to fresh fish. The fermentation transforms the flavour into something more complex.
The Texture
Surströmming fillets are soft and slightly mushy. The fermentation breaks down the fish's protein structure, resulting in a texture that is tender to the point of almost falling apart. Some people find the texture more challenging than the flavour itself. The fish can feel a bit paste-like if it has fermented extensively.
When eaten on tunnbröd with potatoes and cream, the texture blends into the other elements and becomes much less noticeable. Eating surströmming straight from the tin with nothing else is a significantly more intense experience.
How It Compares to Other Fermented Foods
If you enjoy any of these foods, you already have a tolerance for strong flavours that will serve you well:
- Kimchi and sauerkraut: Share the lactic acid sourness
- Blue cheese or aged camembert: Similar pungency and intensity
- Fish sauce or shrimp paste: Comparable umami and fermented fish character
- Miso: Shares the deep, salty savouriness
- Natto: The Japanese fermented soybean has a similar "love it or hate it" reputation
If you already enjoy some of these, you are far more likely to appreciate surströmming than someone who avoids strong flavours entirely.
First-Timer Reactions: The Honest Truth
Having served surströmming to hundreds of first-timers, here is what we typically see:
About 30% are pleasantly surprised. They expected something horrific based on the smell and find the actual taste much more bearable than anticipated. Some of these people genuinely enjoy it and want more.
About 50% find it challenging but manageable. They can eat it, especially with accompaniments, but would not choose to eat it regularly. They appreciate the experience and are glad they tried it.
About 20% struggle significantly. For these tasters, the combination of smell, taste, and texture is too much. And that is perfectly fine. Surströmming is not for everyone, and there is no shame in finding it too intense.
The ratio shifts dramatically based on preparation. People who eat surströmming straight from the can (as most challenge videos show) have a much harder time than those who eat it the traditional way with flatbread, potatoes, and cream.
Why Swedes Actually Love It
For the millions of Swedes (particularly in northern Sweden) who eat surströmming regularly, it is a comfort food loaded with nostalgia and tradition. They grew up with it. They associate it with late-summer gatherings, family, and the specific rituals of the surströmming meal.
They also eat it properly. A well-prepared surströmming meal is a carefully balanced dish where the strong fish is just one component among several. The sweetness of the potatoes, the coolness of the sour cream, the crunch of the onion, and the softness of the bread all work together to create something that is genuinely delicious to those who have acquired the taste.
The phrase "acquired taste" gets overused, but it genuinely applies here. Many surströmming enthusiasts did not love it the first time either. The taste grows on you with repeated exposure, as your palate adjusts and you learn how to eat it in a way that highlights its best qualities.
The Verdict
Surströmming tastes significantly better than it smells. The flavour is strong, salty, sour, and deeply savoury, but it is not the nightmare that the internet might have you believe. Eaten properly with traditional accompaniments, it becomes an interesting and enjoyable culinary experience for many people.
The only way to truly know if you like it is to try it yourself. Just remember to open it outside.