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

  • Air Fryer Beef Enchiladas
  • Blackstone Chicken Breasts
  • Healthy Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
  • Air Fryer Oreos without Crescent Roll Dough

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

What makes lefse tough? ›

Rubbery lefse is due to too much 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 does lefse mean in Norwegian? ›

Lefse (Norwegian pronunciation: [ˈlɛ́fsə̌]) is a traditional soft Norwegian flatbread. It is made with riced potatoes, can include all purpose (wheat) flour, and includes butter, and milk, cream, or lard. It is cooked on a large, flat griddle.

What do Norwegians eat on lefse? ›

Norwegians would also often eat lefse rolled up with butter, with many also adding cinnamon and sugar. Many people would also add different types of jam, cheese or other ingredients to make their preferred lefse. A lot of people eat lefse with savoury foods like ham, cheese, beef and much more, rolling it up as a wrap.

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.

Should lefse dough be sticky? ›

You want enough flour so that your lefse will not stick, but not so much that your lefse is completely covered in flour. Roll out your lefse on your pastry board until it is 1/8 inch thick. Using your lefse stick transfer the lefse to your griddle. Cook on the griddle until bubbles form and each side has browned.

How to keep lefse moist? ›

Put the cooked lefse down on one half of the cloth, brush off any flour (there shouldn't be much, if any) then fold the other half of the cloth over the top. As each sheet comes off the griddle, open up the cloth and put it on the stack. Always cover the stack immediately. The moisture must be conserved.

What does DD mean in Norwegian? ›

Phrase. dd. (Internet slang, text messaging) Initialism of du då? (“and you?

Does lefse need to be refrigerated? ›

Refrigerate or freeze your lefse as soon as it arrives. If you plan to eat your lefse within the next week it can be refrigerated. If it will be longer than a week, put it in the freezer.

How healthy is lefse? ›

On to the proteins, Lefse offers 4.37g per 100g, essential for building and repairing tissues in the body. It also contains a variety of vitamins and minerals. With 172.0mg of sodium, it supports electrolyte balance and nerve function, while the 271.0mg of potassium can contribute to cardiovascular health.

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.

What do Norwegians typically eat for breakfast? ›

The Norwegian breakfast doesn't look anything like a traditional American breakfast. Breakfast is a light affair often involving Norwegian rye bread cheese, jam and butter. There's also often meat and fish, like salami, ham, smoked salmon or pickled herring. Muesli is also common.

What are the 4 meals in Norway? ›

Typical main meals
  • Breakfast (frokost)
  • Lunch (lunsj)
  • Dinner (middag)
  • Evening meal (kveldsmat)

Can you use a tortilla press for lefse? ›

You can even use a tortilla press instead of a rolling pin if you're somewhat intimidated in the kitchen. I won't judge! Although lefse is a classic Christmastime dish loved throughout Norway, I think you could make it for a variety of occasions.

How long will lefse keep? ›

It will stay fresh in the refrigerator about 3 days. How long does the lefse last in the freezer? Lefse will keep in the freezer for several months.

What is another name for lefse? ›

Here, lefse is also often called lemse. The Norwegian baking traditions also include a great variety of buns – called boller – and bread, our favourite food.

What makes pastry heavy and tough? ›

Richard's solution: Tough pastry is very common, but easily avoidable. It usually occurs when you've been a bit heavy-handed with the water when you're initially bringing the pastry together (by adding water to the flour and butter), or if you have over-worked the dough and developed the gluten in the flour.

What makes dumplings tough? ›

Don't Overwork the Dumpling Dough

Stir everything together until the wet and dry ingredients are combined and you don't see any more dry flour. The dough might look a little lumpy, but that's okay! Overworking the dough is one of the easiest ways to end up with tough dumplings.

What makes homemade bread tough and chewy? ›

The flour you used may have contained too much protein. Protein is one of the ingredients that help yeast bread brown. Use bread flour that is purchased at a grocery store or a national brand of all-purpose flour.

What makes a crust tough? ›

Keep the dough ingredients cool

The key to standard pie crust is having pockets of fat surrounded by flour. But if that fat starts to melt and mixes with the flour, it can start to develop gluten, which can lead to a tough crust. To prevent this, keep everything as cold as possible.

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