Danish home cooking

Brændende kærlighed

Brændende kærlighed – “burning love” – is one of the best-loved traditional Danish comfort dishes: creamy mashed potatoes topped with crispy bacon and caramelised onions. Rustic, smoky and slightly sweet.

Mashed potatoes with crispy bacon cubes, fried onions and chives, next to slices of pickled beetroot
Photo: Theen90 / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Preparation
15 min
Cooking/baking time
25 min
Servings
4 people
Difficulty
Easy

Ingredients

Mashed potatoes

Topping

Method

  1. Peel the potatoes, cut them into pieces and boil in lightly salted water for about 20 minutes until tender.
  2. Meanwhile, fry the bacon slowly over medium heat until crisp. Remove it and leave the fat in the pan.
  3. Cut the onions into half rings and fry them in the bacon fat with a little butter over medium heat for 12–15 minutes until golden, adding a little sugar if you like.
  4. Drain the potatoes, let them steam dry briefly and press them through a potato ricer. Stir in the butter and warm milk until the mash is creamy, and season with salt and nutmeg.
  5. Spread the mash on warmed plates and press a hollow into the middle.
  6. Pile the bacon and onions generously on top, sprinkle with chopped parsley and black pepper and serve with pickled beetroot – and gherkins, if you like.

The story behind the dish

Brændende kærlighed is a Danish dish of mashed potatoes, fried bacon cubes and onions fried in the bacon fat.

It is traditionally served with pickled beetroot and sprinkled with chives or parsley.

Enjoy it at Dansk Cottage

For a cosy Danish evening, brændende kærlighed is our first choice: a wonderfully simple dish that suits the traditional island cooking on Ærø perfectly.

The cottage kitchen · Discover Søby · Experience Ærø

More recipes

All recipes

Make this summer feel different.

Escape the heat. Find your island. Dansk Cottage welcomes its first guests from 1 May 2027 – booked by the week, Saturday to Saturday.

Check Availability Enquire About Your Stay
Questions about the cottage? Message us 💬