Skip to content

Icelandic Food – what the heck is this Skyr stuff?

Is it yogurt?  Is it cream cheese?  It is a dip?  Just what is this Skyr stuff you see all over the dairy case in Iceland?

Believe it or not Skyr is a whey product that is similar to yogurt but thicker and has a lot of protein.  The Vikings knew how to make it but the recipe died out in the Scandinavia countries, but in Iceland it lived on and is now branching out with flavored varieties and being exported around the world.  You might see it showing up in the yogurt isles in U.S. supermarkets.

Skyr is delish but be prepared for a more filling version of yogurt.  It’s thick and packs a punch of protein.  Icelander’s traditionally add some milk to it to thin it and add sugar to the plain variety.

Skyr (Icelandic pronunciation: ​[ˈscɪːr̥], English: /ˈskɪər/SKEER) is an Icelandic cultured dairy product. It has the consistency of strained yogurt but a much milder flavor. It has been a part of Icelandic cuisine for over a thousand years.  It is traditionally served cold with milk and a topping of sugar.

Skyr makes for a great start to a busy day of hiking on glaciers, fjords and driving over mountain passes without guard rails and sheep obstacles.