How to Make Lefse with 2 Different Recipes (Traditional & Instant) (2024)

FAQs

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.

The typical way of eating lefse is with a spread of butter, sugar and sometimes cinnamon. But did you know that during Christmas, some Norwegians eat their lefse with meat in it? This tradition is especially strong in the eastern parts of Norway, in the region today called Viken.

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

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.

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.

Lefse is a Norwegian original. Colorful stories carry it back to the time of the Vikings, but history shows potatoes first appearing in Norway some 250 years ago.

The tradition dates back to the Vikings and their brauðiskr (bread plate), and flatbrød consists of water, whole-wheat flour and a pinch of salt. Lefse is a soft version of flatbrød, often made with a few more ingredients, like milk and butter. We use it to wrap all the goodies together – just like a tortilla.

Add sugar or cinnamon sugar for a sweet treat. While in my family lefse was always a cinnamon-sugar thing, in Norway lefse is often served with savory fillings, like smoked salmon and cream cheese, diced onion and sour cream, or cured meat and mustard.

Origin of lefse¹. First recorded in 1980–85; from Norwegian, a derivative of leiv “slice of bread, flatbread, pancake,” from Old Norse hleifr “bread, loaf,” from Germanic hlaibaz; loaf ¹( def )

What is this? In parts of western Norway and northern Norway, a lefse usually refers to a slightly thicker, sweet pastry-like item served with coffee. They are typically filled with a sweet, cinnamon butter. These tend to have different names in other parts of Norway. For example, here is Norway, it is klenning.

Is lefse healthy? ›

Lefse is healthy. Our lefse is cholesterol free, with low sodium and low fat. Canola oil shortening helps make Mrs. Olson's lefse a tasty, soft treat.

There's always a potato or two hanging around the kitchen. You will love the simplicity and versatility of this recipe. Whether you are serving these lefse warm or cooled, I guarantee they will be eaten in a flash. For another Norwegian treat, try my rosette cookies.

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.

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. Our lefse freezes beautifully and you can freeze it for up to six months, even if it has already been frozen once before.

If your dough is falling apart, it's likely an indication that the dough has too much flour in it. If the dough falls apart during baking, it may be a sign that you're turning the lefse too early and it's not cooked enough to hold together.

Lefse, also known as "lefsebrød" in Norwegian, is a traditional soft flatbread that has been a culinary cornerstone in Norway for generations. Crafted from a delectable combination of potatoes, flour, butter, and cream, lefse showcases the simplicity and elegance of Norwegian cooking.

The most obvious difference is the shape; lefse are normally rectangular and folded, while potetkake are small and round (like small crepes). In potetkake the main ingredient is potatoes, with just a little flour. While lefse is mainly flour, sometimes with potatoes like I mentioned.

Lomper (also known as potetkaker) are considered to be a small variety of potato-based lefse. Today, lomper are widely served with savory or sweet fillings. In particular, you'll find pølse i lompe or “a hot dog wrapped in a lompe” all throughout the country.