Muikku in Finland: pan-fried vendace and a simple recipe

In this blog

A small fish in Finnish cooking

Muikku, or vendace (Coregonus albula), is a small freshwater fish in the salmon family. It lives in many lakes in northern Europe and has long been part of Finnish cooking. You may encounter it fried, smoked or baked in kalakukko, a traditional rye-crust fish loaf.

Pan-fried vendace: paistetut muikut

1. Clean and gut the small fish; remove the heads if preferred.
2. Coat in rye flour and season lightly with salt and pepper.
3. Fry in butter or oil until golden and cooked through.
4. Serve with mashed potatoes, dark bread or a little lemon.

Small fried vendace are often eaten with their fine bones and tails. Remove any parts you do not want to eat, and take particular care when serving fish to children.

For an oven variation, layer the fish with onion rings, add white wine and cook at 160 °C for around an hour, checking that the fish is cooked through. The original article also links to a recipe from Kalaneuvos.

What do they cost?

The original article, published in August 2025, gives approximate examples: €20 per kilogram for smoked vendace at markets and €5–10 for a portion of fried fish with a side dish. These are historical guide prices, not current offers. Prices vary by place, portion and event.

At a market or in the cottage kitchen

Try them straight from a market stall, smoked beside a lake or prepared in the holiday house. A short ingredient list and straightforward cooking make muikku an accessible introduction to Finnish food.