Lefse might be the most iconic food we have in Norway (in addition to brunost, brown cheese), and is enjoyed by Norwegians from the south to the north. However, how lefse is made and how it is consumed differs from one region to another.

Also read: Norwegian Christmas Food: Lefse with meat

What is Lefse?

Lefse is a traditional Norwegian soft bread. Similar to a tortilla, but there is no corn flour in lefse. Often it is made with milk or buttermilk, wheat flour, baking soda and butter, but there are many varieties to be found. Some types of lefse are also made with potatoes, and especially in the Norwegian diaspora in North America, this seems to be the most common ingredient.

How is Lefse made?

To make lefse you’ll need a large flat griddle to cook it on, a long wooden turning stick and a rolling pin. A rolling pin with deep grooves makes it easier to roll the lefse out.

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Photo: Lance Fisher (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/)

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Photo: Lance Fisher (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/)

In the old times every farm would spend days making lefse. Resulting in large stacks that would be stored dry and eaten throughout the winter. The baking would take place during the fall, after the harvest, and a ready made lefse could be 1 meter (3 feet) in diameter.

It took a lot of skills to make fine and thin lefser, and the person who really knew how to do this would be called for a “bakstekjerring” (a woman that bakes) ,and they were women who were good at using the rolling pin. Sometimes they would go from farm to farm and offer their service as a baker of lefse and other baked goods. Be aware that “bakstekjerring” is an old word, and not much used today. You don’t want to call your wife or girlfriend for a bakstekjerring as it refers to the old days when women’s place was in the kitchen…

Now, to be honest, most Norwegians these days don’t make their own lefse anymore, and instead buy them pre made at the supermarket. However, the last years have seen an increased interest in making them at home. Here are some products that can get you started:

Heart Waffle Maker – Non-Stick

Non stick and adjustable waffle iron for making those heart shaped Norwegian waffles

Read More →

Nidar Smash Chocolate Covered Corn Snacks

Smash is one of Norway’s most favorite snack.

Read More →

Freia Firkløver Milk Chocolate with Hazelnut

Freia Firkløver Milk Chocolate with pieces of roasted hazelnut

Read More →

–> Buy lefse on Etsy

 Different kinds of Lefse

Left: Lompe – Right: Thin lefse

Thick lefse

A general distinction of different kinds of lefse:

• Tynnlefse (thin lefse)

  • Often rolled up with sugar, cinnamon and butter inside. Before Christmas its popular with different kinds of meat or fish. This one is especially popular in the central parts of Norway.

• Potetlefse (potato lefse)

  • This is basically the same as the thin lefse, but made with 100% potatoes or a mix of wheat flour and potatoes. Norwegians tend to eat this one with salty meat (or other kinds of meat), but all in all it’s a versatile lefse that can be served with butter and sugar. Buy on Etsy.

• Tykklefse (thick lefse)

  • This one is often served with coffee as a cake. Sometimes they are served with brown cheese on them, and quite often some sweet mix of sugar and butter is smeared on. Especially in Vestlandet (the west of Norway) you can find many varieties of this one. They are also popular up north.

Some traditional lefse varieties in Norway:

Gnikkalefse – This lefse is fried with a “topcoat” called gnikk. Gnikk is made is made using skimmed milk, potato flour, wheat flour and salt of hartshorn.

Klenning – Sweet lefse with butter, cinnamon and sugar. Typical for the Trøndelag region.

Kling – A sweet lefse from Buskerud in Eastern Norway.

Krinalefse – Originates from Helgeland in Northern Norway. It’s a lefse with a nice pattern, and is served with butter, sugar and cinnamon. In the old days it was served with gomme, which is almost like a sweet cheese with cinnamon.

Lemse – A traditional lefse from the mining town of Røros.

Lomper – Similar to potetlefse but usually smaller, and often served with hot dogs.

Møsbrømlefse – From Salten in Northern Norway. This lefse is served with a brown cheese spread.

Pjalt – A round flat pastry from Røros in Trøndelag.

Potetlefse – Lefse made with potatoes.

Tykklefse – A thicker version of the sweet lefse with butter, cinnamon and sugar.

Vestlandslefse – From Fjord Norway. A sweet lefse with butter, sugar and cinnamon. (as seen on the photo above). Buy on Etsy

When do Norwegians eat Lefse?

Since Lefse is readily available in the supermarkets in Norway, it’s something we eat all year around. However, that goes mostly for the kind of lefse that has some kind of sweet filling or topping, such as the tykklefse (thick lefse) or potato lefse with sugar and butter.

Before and during Christmas many like to have some potetlefse with meat. For instance putting sylte (head cheese), julepølse (Christmas sausage) or medisterkake (pork patties) inside, often with some strong mustard. Fish also goes well on the lefse, and a popular choice is smoked salmon or trout together with a cream cheese.

Check out the article: Norwegian Christmas Food: Lefse with meat

Ask Norwegians about Lefse and you’ll be sure to get many different answers. Lefse has been around for probably a couple of hundred years, and many different recipes and traditions have evolved since then. Personally I like eating the potetlefse during Christmas with some meat or fish. And the rest of the year I eat lefse as a snack with butter and sugar… But that’s just me 🙂

Make sure to try out some next time you travel to Norway!

Thanks for reading, and I’m grateful if you share this article with someone who like lefse, or who is curious about this Norwegian specialty.

You might also like: Rice Cream – A Norwegian Christmas Dessert