There’s a particular kind of hunger that only hits after dark — the kind that no salad will fix. In Sweden, the answer has always been the same: a tunnbrödsrulle. Soft flatbread, creamy mashed potatoes, a grilled hot dog, and a pile of toppings rolled up into something that requires two hands and a small stack of napkins. It’s messy, filling, and completely wonderful.
The name (pronounced roughly TOON-broods-roo-leh) literally means “thin bread roll” — a nod to the soft tunnbröd flatbread that holds the whole thing together. But the bread is almost the least surprising ingredient. What really catches people off guard is the mashed potato. Yes, there are mashed potatoes in there. Thick, buttery, smooth mashed potatoes, right alongside the sausage. Once you’ve tried it, it makes complete sense. Before that, it just sounds wonderfully odd.
The late Anthony Bourdain put it well when he tried one. He called it “the finest and best thing I ever had in my life” — then immediately added “the most disgusting thing ever… and I LOVE it!” That about sums it up.
A Little Background
The tunnbrödsrulle as we know it today picked up momentum in the 1960s, when Stockholm street vendors started serving hot dogs in tunnbröd with instant mashed potatoes and toppings. It was fast, filling, and easy to eat standing up — exactly what a cold night called for. Over time it became a fixture at grill kiosks across the country, the kind of thing you grab after a night out or on a summer road trip when you spot a roadside stand.
Today it’s one of those foods that Swedes feel homesick for. Not because it’s fancy, but because it isn’t.
What Goes Inside
The foundation is always the same trio: soft flatbread, creamy mashed potatoes, and one or two sausages. Classic Swedish varmkorv are thinner than American hot dogs, so doubling up is common. The potatoes are usually made from instant powder (pulvermos) at street kiosks — that ultra-smooth, slightly nostalgic texture is part of the charm.
From there, the toppings vary a little, but a proper tunnbrödsrulle typically includes:
- Ketchup and mustard — Swedish senap leans a little sweeter and milder than American yellow mustard, but your favorite will work fine
- Räksallad — a creamy, mayo-based shrimp salad with dill, the classic Stockholm-style topping
- Bostongurka — a sweet pickle relish, and a popular alternative (or addition) to the shrimp salad
- Rostad lök — golden crispy fried onions that give the whole thing its signature crunch
- Shredded iceberg lettuce — optional, but a little freshness goes a long way here
Roll it all up tightly and you have something roughly the length of your forearm that somehow hits every taste bud at once: soft, creamy, snappy, tangy, sweet, and crunchy.
Making It at Home: Ingredients
You don’t need to be in Stockholm to pull this off. Here’s what you need, plus some notes on sourcing and swaps:
Tunnbröd — Soft, flexible, and lightly sweet. Check IKEA’s Swedish Food Market or Scandinavian specialty stores. If you can’t find it, a large flour tortilla or soft lavash gets you close. Norwegian lompe (potato flatbread) also works beautifully, adding a subtle potato note before you even get to the filling.
Hot dogs — Any good-quality frankfurter works. Pork, beef, or vegetarian all fit. If you’re using thinner sausages, tuck two per wrap. Grill, pan-fry, or boil — just make sure they get some color if you want that snap.
Mashed potatoes — About 2 cups for the full recipe. Russets or Yukon Golds mashed with butter and a splash of milk are ideal. Instant flakes are completely acceptable here — genuinely, they give that smooth street-stand texture. Make the mash thick so it holds its shape inside the wrap.
Räksallad (or Skagenröra)— Ready-made in Sweden, but easy to fake elsewhere. Mix small cooked shrimp with mayo, a squeeze of lemon, fresh dill or chives, salt, and pepper. If shrimp isn’t your thing, Bostongurka (Swedish sweet pickle relish) is the classic swap, and some people use both.
Ketchup and mustard — Use what you like. Zigzag both generously. This is not the place for restraint.
Fried onions — Bagged rostad lök from IKEA or the French’s fried onion crisp from a can both work well. To make your own, slice onions thin and fry slowly in butter or oil until golden and crisp. Let them drain and cool before using so they stay crunchy.
Lettuce — A small handful of shredded iceberg or even thin cucumber slices adds a welcome bit of freshness. Totally optional, never a mistake.
Assembly
Making a tunnbrödsrulle is more about putting things together than cooking. Heat the sausages, make or heat the mash, lay out the flatbread — then build:
- Spread a generous layer of mashed potatoes across the center of the flatbread, leaving a border around the edges
- Lay the sausage(s) lengthwise across the potatoes
- Add ketchup and mustard, then a spoonful of räksallad or bostongurka
- Scatter over the fried onions and lettuce if using
- Roll the whole thing up firmly, like a burrito, and serve immediately
That’s it. Scandinavia on a plate — or rather, in your hands.