Lefse (Norwegian Potato Flatbread)

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This traditional Norwegian Lefse recipe creates those irresistibly soft, tender and flavorful potato flatbreads that are so delicious served with both sweet or savory fillings! Enjoy them hot off the griddle or freeze them for up to 6 months.

Norwegian Potato Flatbread

I love flatbreads in all their varieties and today I’m sharing a personal favorite with you that is also a nod to my Norwegian heritage on my dad’s side: Potato lefse!

What is Lefse?

Lefse, also called lefsa, is a traditional Norwegian flatbread that resembles a thick crepe and is made with riced potatoes in addition flour, butter and cream for a rich flavor and texture. It’s also found in some regions of Sweden where it is known as läfsa or löfsa. Some variations omit the butter and/or cream, some include aniseed, some are made extra thick and served like cake. There are likewise variations that don’t use potato (which weren’t introduced until the 18th century), including hardangerlefse which is dried so that it keeps for months. The recipe I’m sharing with you is for potato lefse, called potetlefse, and is probably the most popular variation, particularly among Nordic descendants in the United States.

Lefse are served in a number of ways, the most popular of which is to spread them with butter, sprinkle them with cinnamon sugar, and roll them them. Other popular fillings include cheese (e.g. gjetost), jam, scrambled eggs, smoked fish and gravlax. And just as Americans love eating hot dogs on buns, Norwegians enjoy their own variation called pølse med lompe (“hot dog with lefse”) where the flatbread is made a little smaller and the sausage is rolled up inside with the usual toppings of ketchup and mustard and other popular toppings like fried onions, potato salad or shrimp salad. A popular version from the Buskerud region, where my Norwegian line came from, is kling and is served spread with a sweetened brown cheese called brunost. Lefse is enjoyed all year round in Norway but is especially popular at Christmastime. Many Nordic descendants in the U.S. also enjoy them at Thanksgiving and are often the bread of choice for dinner throughout the year.

Among Norwegian descendants in the United States, potato lefse has become an integral part of celebrating their culture. In preparation for their long journey via ship, early Norwegian-American immigrants brought folded lefse to eat on board. Later during World War I when U.S. troops were encouraged to eat potatoes as a show of patriotism, lefse were served as a staple on the front lines. The tradition of making lefse is still very much alive in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest with groups like the Sons of Norway passing the tradition on to younger generations. Several U.S. cities have annual “lefse fests” and cookoffs.

Throughout Norway and in regions of the U.S. populated with Nordic descendants, packaged lefse can be found in grocery stores. But as with everything, store-bought doesn’t even begin to compare to homemade.

Tips for Making Lefse

Lefse is not hard to make but as with many things it takes a little practice to master and to learn how the dough should feel to achieve the right consistency. Here are a few additional tips to help you achieve the perfect lefse:

• There are varying opinions about which variety of potatoes to use. In my experiments with high starch versus moderate starch potatoes I have not found a significant difference, though some people have reported that moderate starch potatoes, such as red or Yukon, store slightly longer in the fridge without becoming dry due to their higher moisture content. I tend to prefer high starch potatoes like Russet because of their lighter, fluffier texture and lower moisture content, which I feel gives me a little more control over the final consistency of the dough. I encourage you to try both and see which you prefer. Whichever you use, know that different potato varieties have a different moisture content and so you will need to adjust the flour and liquid accordingly to get the right consistency, and this can only come with practice.
• For the best, lightest and smoothest consistency you will need to run the cooked potatoes through a potato ricer (money saving tip: these are commonly found at your local Goodwill or thrift stores!). Mashing the potatoes will give you much denser results. If you are mashing them, keep in mind that riced potatoes take up more volume so you will need to use less in mashed form; use weight measurements rather than cups.
• For an extra smooth consistency I recommend ricing the potatoes twice.
• Chill the potato, butter and cream mixture overnight. This will make it easier to roll out the dough.
• To avoid the dough from ripping when you’re rolling it out, keep a sharp knife on hand to scrape off any tiny bits of sticky pastry on the board or rolling pin left from the previous lefse.
• Alternatively, and strongly recommended, instead of rolling the dough out onto a pastry board, roll it out onto a pastry cloth sprinkled with flour. This helps avoid any tearing and it also makes it easy to lift up the lefse to transfer it to the griddle. You can use a designated pastry cloth with a rolling pin cover or just use a clean, smooth cotton dishtowel. Be sure to also sprinkle the rolling pin with flour after each lefse.
• I use a long icing spatula to easily lift up and transfer the lefse to the griddle. I find this tool indispensable for this purpose!
• Use a non-stick cooking surface, either well-seasoned cast iron (my preference to avoid any coatings) or a non-stick pan or griddle. I use and LOVE my commercial cast iron crepe maker – it’s huge and gives me a large cooking surface. It’s expensive but as my workhorse has been worth every penny. Alternatively you can use a large griddle or large non-stick frying pan.
• Allow the lefse to cool completely before folding and/or stacking them. Folding them in half or in quarters will enable you to easily fit them into ziplock storage bags or containers. They can be frozen like this for up to 6 months.

Lefse Recipe

Let’s get started!

Boil the potatoes until tender all the way through, then thoroughly drain them. While they’re still warm, rice the potatoes into a large bowl. For the fluffiest, smoothest results rice them a second time.

Add the butter and combine it evenly into the potatoes to make a smooth mixture.

Add the heavy cream, sugar and salt and stir to thoroughly combine.

Cover and chill the potato mixture overnight.

The next day, add the flour to the dough and knead to combine. This can be done by hand but for convenience I use my stand mixer with a paddle attachment.

The consistency of the dough should be very soft and pliable but not sticky. Add more flour or liquid as needed.

Place the dough on a floured work surface and divide it into 10 equal pieces. Keep the remaining dough covered while you’re rolling out the individual lefse.

Generously flour a pastry cloth or clean, smooth cotton dish towel.

Roll each piece of dough into a ball and lay it on the floured pastry cloth. Press the ball into a flat disk and sprinkle some flour over it. Flour the rolling pin.

Roll the dough into as thin of a sheet as you can, about 1/16th inch, sprinkling over a little more flour as needed to prevent stick and ripping.

Very carefully lift up the lefse and transfer it to the griddle or pan. To do this I use a long icing spatula to easily lift up and transfer the lefse. This tool is indispensable!

Heat the griddle or pan over high heat (around 475-500 F). Lightly spray with oil.

Place the lefse onto the griddle or into the skillet. Cook on one side for about one minute until it’s speckled with brown spots. If it’s cooking too fast, reduce the temperature. If it’s taking too long, increase the temperature.

Carefully flip the lefse over and cook on the other side for another minute or two until likewise speckled.

Transfer the cooked lefse to a large plate/platter or lined baking sheet. Repeat the process for the remaining lefse, fanning them out onto the plate or baking sheet so that they can cool without sticking together.

How to Eat Lefse

Lefse can be served warm or at room temperature in a number of ways, both sweet and savory. Here are few ways you can serve your delicious homemade lefse:

• Spread with butter, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and roll them up (this is one of the most popular ways to serve them in Norway and abroad).
• Spread with jam (see my homemade Strawberry Rhubarb Jam, Plum Jam, Blackberry Jam, Black Currant Jam, Plum Butter, Huckleberry Jam, Gooseberry Jam, Red Currant Jelly, and Blueberry Lemon Apricot Jam)
• Spread with Nutella.
• Spread with traditional Norwegian brunost cheese or gjetost, folded in quarters or cut into squares.
• Fill with scrambled eggs and ham, smoked fish or cured salmon (see my homemade Gravlax).
• Fill with roast pork/chicken and lingonberry preserves.
• Make ham/turkey and cheese/cream cheese roll-ups.
• A popular way to serve them in Norway is called pølse med lompe (“hot dog with lefse”): make the lefse a little smaller and roll the hot dog up in the lefse along with the usual toppings of ketchup and mustard or Norwegian favorites like fried onions, potato salad or shrimp salad.

Storage and Freezing

Allow the lefse to fully cool and then wrap them well in plastic wrap. Store them at room temperature where they will keep for several days (inspect them for any signs of mold). Storing them in the fridge tends to dry them out. If you’d like to store them longer or make a large batch for convenience, they can be frozen. Folding them in half or in quarters, place them in a freezer bag or container and freeze them for up to 6 months.

For more flatbread recipes from around the world try my:

• Lavash
• Focaccia
• Injera
• Socca
• Gluten Free Crepes
• Sourdough Naan
• Naan Bread
• Dosa

A Nod to My Norwegian Heritage

My great-great-great grandparents, Ole and and Ingebor Nielsen immigrated to the U.S. from Buskerud Norway, sailing on the SS Antarctica in 1863. Ole died while on board the ship, leaving Ingebor alone with 5 children. The oldest, 13 years old at the time, was my great great grandfather, Niels Nielsen. Ingebor died just 3 years later, leaving Niels at the age of 16 to care for his 4 younger siblings.

The photo below left is of Niels and my great great grandmother, Naomi, and on the right is Niels at the age of 75 with my grandfather Leonard (my dad’s father) as a toddler. I knew my grandpa Leonard well and to think that here he is holding the hand of my great great grandfather who was born in 1850 is an incredible thought. I treasure these photos and appreciate the sacrifices that all of my ancestors made to lay the path before me. This traditional lefse is dedicated to my Norwegian grandparents and heritage. No doubt lefse would have been part of their tradition, which makes this delicious flatbread all the more special to me.