Learn how to make this soft and delicious Norwegian-style soft potato flatbread. Lefse is a popular flatbread in Scandinavian countries, especially during the Holidays. All the tips you need to make this successfully in your home kitchen.
I never knew that lefse is such a big deal here in Minnesota. The world’s largest lefse can be found in a town called Starbuck in Minnesota. According to Wikipedia, there is a lefse day celebrated in some cities in Minnesota, which is celebrated on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. That day is dedicated just to cooking lefse. So, living in Minnesota, it’s only natural that at least I learned how to make some lefse. I’m happy to report that the lefse turned out great and the family loved them! Lefse can be eaten sweet or savory.
What does lefse taste like
It’s soft and buttery like a hybrid between a crepe and tortilla if you ask me. They can be eaten sweet with butter, sugar, jams, peanut butter, and spices like cinnamon or eaten savory with cheese, eggs, sausage, marmite, smoked fish, etc.
Ingredients
There are many different varieties of lefse around the world, most lefse made in the U.S, particularly in the Midwest, are made with potatoes, potato lefse. These are what you need:
1. Potatoes
Use potatoes with high starch content such as Russet potatoes
2. All-purpose flour
3. Butter
I used unsalted butter
4. Heavy cream
The heavy cream adds to the softness and flavor of lefse
5. Salt
I use fine sea salt
How to make lefse
1. Peel and cut the potatoes into smaller cubes. Put them in a saucepan with water, enough to cover them. Boil until they are fork-tender. Drain off the water. You can use a potato masher or potato ricer to mash up the potatoes.
2. Add salt, butter, and heavy cream to the warm potatoes and mix until thoroughly combined. Place in an air-tight container and chill in the fridge overnight. Do not skip this. Keeping the potato chilled will make the dough easier to handle later
3. Add flour to the chilled potato mixture and knead for about 2 minutes until all is combined into a dough. 
4. Roll up into a log and divide into 8
5. Roll them up into ball and keep them covered and chilled
6. Dust your work surface with some flour. Work with one dough at a time and keeping the rest chilled in the fridge if necessary. It makes it much easier to work with when the dough is chilled. Flatten the dough slightly into a disc 
7. Roll it out into about 10-12 inch in diameter. It’s better to roll out one dough and then cook it immediately and then proceed with the next dough ball.
8. Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Use a rolling pin to carefully transfer the lefse onto the pan and cook for about 1- 1 1/2 minutes and then flip over and cook until you see some brown spots on the underside. While cooking, you can start rolling the next dough if you want to keep things going and you have kinda gotten used to the process
9. Transfer the cooked lefse to a plate. Cover them with a clean tea towel to keep them warm and soft. Proceed with rolling out the next one and then cook
Did you make this lefse recipe?
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This recipe is adapted from The Bread Kitchen. It’s a great recipe!
Lefse (Norwegian Soft Potato Flatbread)
Ingredients
- 500 gr peeled potatoes
- 150 gr all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
- 60 gr unsalted butter
- 60 ml heavy cream
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
Prepare the potatoes:
- Peel and cut the potatoes into smaller cubes. Put them in a saucepan with water, enough to cover them. Boil until they are fork-tender. Drain off the water. You can use a potato masher or potato ricer to mash up the potatoes.
- Add salt, butter, and heavy cream to the warm potatoes and mix until thoroughly combined. Place in an air-tight container and chill in the fridge overnight. Do not skip this. Keeping the potato chilled will make the dough easier to handle later
Prepare the dough:
- Add flour to the chilled potato mixture and knead for about 2 minutes until all is combined into a dough. Divide into 8 equal pieces and roll them up into balls
Rolling and cooking:
- Dust your work surface with some flour. Work with one dough at a time and keeping the rest chilled in the fridge if necessary. It makes it much easier to work with when the dough is chilled. Flatten the dough slightly into a disc and then roll it out into about 10-12 inch in diameter
- It's better to roll out one dough and then cook it immediately and then proceed with the next dough ball.
- Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Use a rolling pin to carefully transfer the lefse onto the pan and cook for about 1- 1 1/2 minutes and then flip over and cook until you see some brown spots on the underside. While cooking, you can start rolling the next dough if you want to keep things going and you have kinda gotten used to the process
- Transfer the cooked lefse to a plate. Cover them with a clean tea towel to keep them warm and soft. Proceed with rolling out the next one and then cook
How to store:
- Once cooled down, they can be wrapped tightly and keep in a zipper bag and kept in the fridge for 2-3 days
- For a longer storage, I suggest freezing. You want to put a piece of parchment paper in between each lefse to prevent sticking. Wrap them up well after stacking up and put in a freezer bag, push all the air out and seal. Keep frozen for about one month. I won't go any longer than that. Simply thaw at room temperature and warm it up in the microwave for few seconds or until warm
