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Savory waffles topped with smoked salmon, soft-boiled egg, dill and red onion on a green plate

Savory Waffles with Smoked Salmon

Soft, whole grain savory waffles made with yeast — topped with smoked salmon, soft-boiled egg, dill and red onion.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Resting 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 7 waffles
Course: Breakfast, brunch, Lunch
Cuisine: Norwegian, Scandinavian
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Waffles
  • 150 g all-purpose flour 1¼ cups
  • 120 g whole wheat flour 1 cup, stone-ground / coarse if you can find it
  • 5 g fine salt 1 tsp
  • 5 g granulated sugar 1 tsp — just enough to feed the yeast
  • 50 g butter 3½ tbsp — browned, see Notes
  • 200 ml whole milk ¾ cup + 1½ tbsp
  • 100 ml lager or pilsner ⅓ cup + 1½ tbsp — or alcohol-free beer or sparkling water
  • 15 g fresh yeast or 5 g (1½ tsp) instant yeast
  • 2 large eggs
  • butter for the iron
To serve
  • 700 g cold-smoked salmon 1 lb 9 oz, a generous 3½ oz (100 g) per waffle
  • 7 eggs for soft-boiling, 6½ minutes — one per waffle
  • 1 red onion finely sliced
  • 1 lemon cut into wedges
  • 2 bunches fresh dill

Equipment

  • Heart-shaped waffle iron The Nordic shape these waffles are made for — five hearts that pull apart, thin enough to stay soft under a topping.
  • Digital kitchen scale This batter is built on weights, not cups.
  • Balloon whisk The batter goes together by hand in two minutes — no mixer needed.
  • Small saucepan For browning the butter and warming the milk and beer to 98°F (37°C).
  • Pastry brush For buttering the iron between waffles.
  • Wire cooling rack Let the waffles breathe for a minute so the steam escapes and they don't go soggy.

Method
 

  1. Dry ingredients. Whisk both flours, the salt and sugar together in a large bowl. If you're using instant yeast, whisk it in here.
  2. Brown the butter, warm the liquid. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and let it brown until it smells nutty, then pour in the milk and beer. When the liquid reaches 98°F (37°C), take the pan off the heat and stir in the fresh yeast until dissolved. Whisk in the eggs.
  3. Mix. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients in a steady stream, whisking the whole time, until you have a smooth batter.
  4. Rest. Let the batter rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature. It only gets better with time — you can make it the night before and keep it covered in the fridge.
  5. Bake. Heat the waffle iron properly and brush it with butter. Cook each waffle until golden and set at the edges, about 3–4 minutes. These have almost no sugar, so they brown more slowly than sweet waffles — go by the edges and the steam, not by color alone.
  6. Rest, then stack. Rest the waffles on a wire rack for a minute so the steam escapes, then stack them to keep them soft.
  7. Top and serve. Soft-boil the eggs for 6½ minutes, cool them in cold water and peel. Top each waffle with smoked salmon, a halved egg, sliced red onion, plenty of dill and a wedge of lemon. Serve right away.

Notes

Chef's tip: brown the butter before you add the milk and beer. It takes two extra minutes and gives the whole batter a nutty, toasted depth that carries the salmon — this is the single change that turns a good savory waffle into one people ask about.
  • Make it the night before. Overnight in the fridge gives you a better batter and turns brunch into a ten-minute job.
  • Batch note: this makes seven waffles, and the topping amounts cover all seven — a generous 3½ oz (100 g) of salmon and one soft-boiled egg on each. That's brunch for three or four, and a proper plate rather than a canapé. The batter doubles without any trouble.