Swedish blueberry soup (Blåbärssoppa)

Soup for dessert might sound unusual, but this Swedish blueberry soup is exactly that! It's a wonderfully comforting dish that you can enjoy warm or chilled. It's really easy to make, and a lovely (and relatively healthy) treat to enjoy any time of year.

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I first went to Sweden as a young teen and a few experiences naturally stayed with me. Since food has always been in my thoughts, funny enough a few involved food. Among them were having a crayfish party (SO delicious, and worth feeling a bit silly wearing a bib), eating smørrebrød on the ferry to Copenhagen, and enjoying this delicious soup while camping.

It might not be the first thing you think of when you think Swedish food - I imagine Swedish meatballs and cardamom buns are higher on the list. But it's absolutely something you'll find many Swedes enjoying at least semi-regularly.

What is blueberry soup made from?

While you might think the first ingredient should be blueberries, actually its technically traditionally made from bilberries. These are closely related to North American blueberries, and are in effect European wild blueberries, found in Scandinavia and beyond. I grew up in Scotland knowing them as blaeberries, and they made a tasty distraction on hikes.

They're smaller and have a darker flesh, but the flavor is very similar and you can make this soup with both bilberries (if you can get them) or blueberries (just as in Finnish blueberry pie). After that, all you need is water, a little sweetener and potato or corn starch to help thicken it.

Traditionally, this is sweetened with sugar but you could also use maple syrup or honey. You can sweeten it up or down to taste as well - this version is only gently sweet but you can add a little more as suits.

How to serve blåbärssoppa

Since this is sweet, you can enjoy this fruit soup for dessert, but it can also be a breakfast in Nordic countries since it's packed with energy. In fact, it's traditionally served to participants in the Vasaloppet ski marathon as it's so energy-rich.

You can serve this both warm in the winter months, and chilled in summer. Or of course whichever you prefer any time of year. I really like it warm, personally, but really whatever works for you. If you serve it cold, you might find it forms a skin so you can sprinkle over some powdered sugar to help counteract this.

It's great on it's own, but a little swirl of whipped great on top is great as well. If warm, it soon melts in (as you can see!) but adds a lovely extra richness. You might also find it with mini macaroon cookies on top, too.

Can you use frozen berries?

Yes, you absolutely can! This works just as well with fresh or frozen berries, and in fact you don't even need to defrost frozen berries - just place them in the pot with the water and sugar.

You can also freeze leftover soup for another time, too - just do so before adding any cream. 

Tips for making blueberry soup

This is really a very easy dish to make, but a couple things to note:

• Make sure you wash and pick over the berries before you start to get rid of any stems etc.
• Use less water if you prefer the soup thicker, or else cook a little longer after adding the cornstarch. 
• Simmer the soup for a good 15 minutes or more to allow the berries to break down a bit. You can also partly or fully blend the mixture if you prefer it smoother.
• Blend the cornstarch with a little water then add off the heat. Stir well to mix in before then warming again to help thicken. This helps to avoid lumps of cornstarch in the end soup.

Other than these few tips, it's really incredibly easy!

Swedish blueberry soup might sound unusual if you are not familiar with it, but you'll soon learn how wonderfully comforting and tasty it is. Just a few ingredients come together to give you an energy-packed, delicious dessert (or whenever) sweet soup that you'll soon want to enjoy over and over again.

Try these other fruity desserts:

• Strawberry mousse
• French pear cake
• Mango panna cotta
• Plus get more Nordic recipes and dessert recipes in the archives.

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