The world just learned what Swedish people put on their tacos, and it just ain't right
The toppings are diabolical.
A man recoils in feat after seeing a Swedish taco.
Tacos are such a big part of the American diet that we act like we invented the delicious, easy-to-hold, spicy bundles of joy. Of course, they are originally from Mexico, but intermingling our American and Mexican culture, especially in the Southwest, has made Americans proud stewards of the culinary tradition.
In a bizarre mix of culture and commerce, the people of Sweden have fallen in love with tacos over the past 35 years, and they’ve become a staple of the Swedish diet. It all began in 1990, when the country was rebounding from a financial crisis and the government deregulated TV, allowing ads to be shown for the first time. More ads on TV may seem like a bad thing to some, but a popular campaign by OLW exposed Swedes to the magic of the taco, popularizing them as the official meal of the country’s Cozy Fridays tradition.
What’s in a Swedish taco?
@notjimmymaio Taco Friday #greenscreen #swedish #taco #cozyfriday #fredagsmys
“Commercials were very important in showing how you could put together tacos because before that, we didn’t have anything where you could put it together in front of the TV like that,” Richard Tellström, a food historian and professor at Stockholm University, told Atlas Obscura in 2020. “I remember being a teenager when you would start having dinners for school functions at restaurants, and the restaurant would make a taco buffet. That was, like, the best thing ever,” Swedish food columnist Daniella Illerbrand wrote.
Just as the Swedes were exposed to the taco in 1990, in 2025, the world is beginning to learn about the unique cultural spin the Swedes put on the food. Although they have the basics right, there are some modifications people find disturbing and downright unnatural.
This video of TikToker @ArlaMat making a traditional Swedish taco starts well, with him combining ground beef, taco seasoning, salsa, and cheese. However, things go off the rails with the introduction of cucumber, pineapple, multiple types of nuts, cheese doodles, feta cheese, pickles, mangos, and, finally, the most disturbing addition of all: bananas.
@arlamat Swedish taco Ingredienser: 500 g nötfärs 2 msk Arla köket Smör- & rapsolja 1 påse taco kryddmix 1 dl vatten Till servering: 150 g isbergssallad 1 tärnad gurka 1 hackad rödlök 150 g tomater 2 dl majs 1 tortillabröd Arla Köket® Riven ost Texmex jalapeno/chili Tacosalsa Arla Ko® Gräddfil Gör så här: 1. Stek färsen i smör- & rapsolja tills den är genomstekt.Tillsätt tacokryddmix och vatten. Sjud tills vattnet kokat in. Ta från värmen. 2. Servera med alla tillbehör tillsammans med köttfärsen i ett tortillabröd. Tips! Stek gärna majsen i lite smör- & rapsolja till fin färg. Wrap it all ihop och ät. Klart! Fler recept hittar du på arla.se/recept #recept #arla #tacos #swedishtacos #tacofredag
Again, it seems the Swedes get the basics right, and then they clear out everything in their pantry and refrigerator and throw it on top. This is what people used to refer to as a "mad dog’s lunch."
The Swedes' liberties with the tacos broke this Mexican man’s heart. All he could do was look at them with quiet disdain.
@guillermomontema9 #dúo con @Gustaf Westman #mexico🇲🇽 #swedishtaco #banana #platano
Guillermo’s post inspired a lot of passionate responses. "Bruh, it was acceptable till I saw a banana," one wrote. "Everyone complaining about the banana and not the fact they said guac and added some flavor packet to avocado when they have everything to make actual guac," another pointed out. "The bananas are diabolical," quipped another.
One can judge the Swedes all they like for their maximalist approach to tacos but, haters be damned, they look like a really fun meal for families to enjoy on a Cozy Friday while watching a movie and snuggling up on the couch. As much as people try to gatekeep culinary culture, nothing is sacred when it comes to food, and people are free to reimagine recipes in any way they like. When it’s done right, we call it fusion. When it’s done wrong, well, we all wince on TikTok.
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