How to make Norwegian Lefse - Recipe Diaries (2024)

Published: · Modified: by Jenna · This post may contain affiliate links · 14 Comments

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Lefse is a traditional Norwegian flatbread that is typically made from potatoes, flour, butter, and milk. It is a staple food in Norway, and it is usually eaten during the holiday season. There are many ways to eat lefse, and it can be served plain or with a variety of toppings.

This post makes me kind of sad looking at the pictures of my Grandma since she is no longer living. I miss her, especially around this time of year when she would always make this. 🙁

Do you love recipes from the Midwest region? Try my Knoephla Soup Recipe or Pan Seared Lemon Pepper Walleye recipe.

Jump to:
  • What is Lefse?
  • Best Potatoes for Lefse
  • How to make Lefse (Step by Step)
  • Tools needed to make Lefse
  • Recipe FAQs
  • Other Recipes To Try
  • How to make Lefse

What is Lefse?

Lefse is a traditional Norwegian flatbread made from cooked potatoes. Up in the Midwest, we like to serve the lefse with softened butter. If you want to get really fancy spread the butter on top of the lefse and sprinkle it with cinnamon and sugar. It's so delicious and makes a good dessert after eating all the turkey on Thanksgiving day.

Best Potatoes for Lefse

Russet potatoes are the best type of potatoes to use for making lefse. Do not overcook them.

How to make Lefse (Step by Step)

We all took turns rolling out the dough and then it gets cooked on a big lefse skillet. Lefse is a traditional Norwegian flatbread made with cooked potatoes and it gets cooked on a large flat griddle. If you don't have a special lefse making griddle any griddle will work just as well.

This is the part where you have the dough combined and it's ready to be cooked on the griddle. Making lefse is very similar to the process of making pancakes or any other type of flatbread.

How to make Norwegian Lefse - Recipe Diaries (2)

You need a rolling pin with a fancy cloth attached to it. See link above. This cloth gives the lefse that famous texture. A circular rolling board to roll out the flour, lots of flour, and a lefse griddle.

How to make Norwegian Lefse - Recipe Diaries (3)

Form into ball shape with your hands

How to make Norwegian Lefse - Recipe Diaries (5)

Pick the lefse dough out with these fancy sticks. Sometimes the dough will stick to the board to transfer it to the griddle, that is why a lot of flour is required.

How to make Norwegian Lefse - Recipe Diaries (6)

This is my grandma below and Uncle Mark above with his awesome ninja skills. Lefse is just like making a pancake. The edges start to bubble when it is ready to flip on a flat griddle. You also use those fancy sticks to flip the lefse on the grill.

This is the final product. Transfer it to some parchment paper and let it cool off. Usually, we like lefse with lots of butter and sugar. Some people like to stuff leftovers from Thanksgiving inside and fold it up like a burrito. Those people are weird. J/k. 🙂

Amazon has all the tools you need to make lefse. If you click on the link below and purchase a product from one of the links, I may earn a small commission from them. There's even a lefse making kit that comes complete with all the tools you need. If you try to make lefse without any of these tools it will be a disaster the first time. 🙂

Recipe FAQs

Can I freeze lefse?

Tofreezethelefse, lay out flat on top of parchment or wax paper in layers. Store in freezer bags large enough to store the lefse. The lefse lasts up to 3 months in the freezer. Wrapping the bags in foilcanalso help prevent freezer burn flavor. When you are ready to use thefrozen lefse, thaw in fridge.

How is Lefse Eaten?

Lefse is just like a pancake or flatbread. You can do whatever you like or add whatever you like to it. Lefse also makes a good wrap or burrito for any Thanksgiving leftovers.

What else can I use if don't have a potato ricer?

If you don't have a potato ricer try one of these handy kitchen tools.
Food Mill. This is best for light and fluffy mashed potatoes. ...
Food Processor
Fork
Hand Masher.
Hand Mixer
Stand Mixer

What is traditionally put on lefse?

Some traditional toppings for lefse include butter, cinnamon, sugar, and lingonberry jam. Many people also enjoy lefse with savory toppings such as meats, cheeses, and vegetables. Ultimately, the choice of toppings for lefse is up to personal preference, and there are many delicious ways to enjoy this traditional Norwegian treat.

Other Recipes To Try

  • Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
  • 5 Easy Blackstone Breakfast Recipes
  • 3 Ingredient Banana Bread with Cake Mix
  • Air Fryer Filet O Fish (Mcdonald's Copycat)

If you tried this How to Make Lefse any other recipe on my website, please please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you go in the 📝 comments below. I love hearing from you! Follow along on Tiktok @jennarecipediaries

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How to make Norwegian Lefse - Recipe Diaries (13)

How to make Lefse

  • Author: Jenna
  • Prep Time: 5 min
  • Cook Time: 5 - 10 min
  • Total Time: 36 minute
  • Yield: 42 flatbreads 1x
Print Recipe

Description

Lefse is a traditional Norwegian flatbread made from cooked potatoes. Up in the Midwest, we like to serve the lefse with softened butter.

Scale

Ingredients

  • 7 cups of potatoes, peeled
  • ¼ cup cream
  • ½ cup melted butter
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 cups of flour

Instructions

  1. Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes; drain.
  2. Run hot potatoes through a potato ricer into a large bowl. Beat butter, cream, salt, and sugar into riced potatoes. Let cool to room temperature.
  3. Stir flour into potato mixture to form a soft dough. Pull off pieces of dough and form into walnut-sized balls. Lightly flour a clean cloth and roll out lefse balls to ⅛-inch thick.
  4. Heat a griddle over high heat.
  5. Cook lefse on the hot griddle until brown blisters form, about 1 minute per side. Place cooked lefse on a damp towel to cool slightly. Repeat with remaining dough, stacking them on top of each other as they're cooked; cover until ready to serve
  • Category: Medium
  • Method: Combine
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: how to make lefse

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jenna says

    Thank you! It's my Grandma's recipe. 🙂

  2. Judy says

    Made lefse using your recipe, but no special equipment. They turned out great.

  3. Jenna says

    yes

  4. Ellen says

    Is it 7 cups of the riced potatoes?

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How to make Norwegian Lefse - Recipe Diaries (2024)

FAQs

Is lefse Norwegian or Scandinavian? ›

Lefse is a Norwegian treat that is especially popular around the Christmas holidays. Many Scandinavian-Americans eat lefse primarily around Thanksgiving and Christmas.

How was lefse traditionally made? ›

Lefse is a soft Norwegian flatbread, made using traditional recipes and baking methods. Lefse is usually made with potatoes, flour, butter, and milk, cream, or lard. Traditionally, lefse is cooked on a flat griddle, with particular wooden utensils used in the process. Lefse has its roots in Viking food traditions.

What do Norwegians eat with lefse? ›

Lefse is a type of Norwegian flatbread that is often (but not always) made with potatoes, flour, butter, and milk. It has a similar texture to a thin pancake and is often eaten with butter, sugar, cinnamon or brown cheese on.

Do you eat lefse warm or cold? ›

Serve lefse warm or at room temperature, spread with softened butter and rolled into a cylinder or folded into quarters. Add sugar or cinnamon sugar for a sweet treat.

What does lefse mean in English? ›

ˈlefsə plural lefsen. -sən. or lefses. : a large thin potato pancake served buttered and folded.

Did Vikings eat lefse? ›

Lefse has its roots in Viking food traditions. Norwegian flatbread was the precursor to lefse, and Vikings commonly ate a version of this flatbread. They called it brauðiskr, which means “bread plate”.

What is klenning in Norway? ›

Klenning – The Trøndelag region's version of sweet lefse with butter, cinnamon and sugar. Kling – The name for sweet lefse in Buskerud, Eastern Norway.

Do you put lefse in the fridge? ›

Lefse should be refrigerated or frozen. Our lefse is made with no preservatives, so it can take a week or so in the fridge. In the refrigerator, it needs to stay in its sealed package or it will dry out. If you don't plan on eating it right away, toss it in the freezer.

What is the most Norwegian dish? ›

In autumn, you should try the Fårikål lamb stew, Norway´s national dish! Another thing to try is the fenalår, thin slices traditional Norwegian cured meat made from salted and dried leg of lamb. Like Serrano and Parma ham, 'Fenalår from Norway' is also a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI).

How many times a day do Norwegians eat? ›

Did you know that in Norway many people eat 4 meals a day? They have breakfast, lunch, dinner, and … KVELDSMAT! Can you say that?

What is Norway's national dish? ›

Mutton and cabbage stew, or “fårikål” in Norwegian, has repeatedly been named Norway's national dish. It even has its own festive day on the last Thursday in September. Throughout the autumn months, people all around the country arrange lamb stew parties.

What can you put on lefse for dinner? ›

Spread a layer of mayonnaise or softened cream cheese on a lefse. Layer spinach leaves over mayonnaise or cream cheese. Sprinkle with desired amount of sliced red onion. Layer sliced ham and cheese on top of spinach and onion.

Why is my lefse chewy? ›

If you roll it too thin, it may tear. If you tear the lefse and have to re-roll it, it will be chewy, instead of soft and tender.

Why is my lefse tough? ›

flour and overworked dough. If you find that your lefse dough is a bit sticky try placing it in the fridge to cool before you decide to add more flour. And be careful not to overwork your lefse dough, this will break down the gluten and make your lefse very tough.

What is Scandinavian bread called? ›

Bread is a very important part of the Scandinavian diet, primarily rugbrød, which is sourdough rye bread. It is a dark, heavy bread which is often bought sliced, in varieties from light-coloured rye to very dark, and from refined to whole-grain.

Are potatoes native to Scandinavia? ›

The potato originated in the Andes in Latin America. They had been growing potatoes for 10,000 years when the first Europeans arrived. These early explorers brought the potato to Europe.

Is lutefisk Swedish or Norwegian? ›

Its genesis is credited to the Norwegians, but it's a dish that's served across the Nordic countries and parts of North America where those immigrants typically settled. It is called lutefisk (in Norwegian) or lutfisk (in Swedish), ludefisk (in Danish), and lipeäkala (in Finnish).

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