Norwegian Lefse Recipe

This is the real deal. It is important to make sure the potatoes are cold before adding the flour and other ingredients and be sure to keep the uncooked lefsa cold before rolling out. I also use bread flour - the lefse turns out much more tender. Lefse can also be frozen too.

After reading several reviews, I was somewhat nervous about trying the recipe without adding additional flour. I decided to attempt it as written, given the reviews by people who profess Norwegian heritage, and I was successful. Following are some thoughts based on my experience that I hope will be helpful to others. First, this recipe takes MUCH LONGER than one hour to prepare. I cut the recipe in half (in case it didn't turn out), and even using only 5 lbs of potatoes, it took me a total of about 5 hours from start to finish (including peeling the potatoes, boiling, ricing, waiting for them to cool and rolling and cooking them by myself). If you are making them for a particular occasion, plan your time accordingly. Second, listen to the experience of the Norwegians. Use a lefse rolling pin. It is a ribbed pin, and the dough does not stick as much as it does on a smooth pin. You can order them on-line or find them in cooking boutiques, and they aren't very expensive. Also, use a ricer to mash the potatoes. It is worth the small investment. You really CAN make this recipe as written, and they turn out. Like some have posted, you WILL end up using about twice as much flour by sprinkling it on the table and the dough before rolling it out. Finally, roll out the dough on a pastry cloth. The dough is VERY delicate, and tears easily if you try to pick it up and move it. This way, you can pick up the cloth and turn the dough in your hand to flip it on the skillet.

Such a great recipe! Glad I read the reviews first so I knew to use 5lbs of potatoes instead of 10. Didn't have a potato ricer, but mashing them through a colander did the trick.

We usually use vegetable shortening or lard instead of butter, and milk instead of cream. That's how my Norwegian Nana always did it. We also use a 30" square, ±, of well washed cotton canvas and a grooved, flat topped rolling pin. BTW, store the canvas rolled rather than folded, you'll be glad you did next time you make flat bread or lefse. Generously flour the canvas, put your ball of dough down, and flatten it with your hand. Generously flour the top then roll out quite thin, turning as needed, and closer to 1/16" is better. When cooking them, keep brushing the flour off the griddle to stay away from burnt flour taste. Roll up your lutefisk or meatballs, mashed potatoes, and creamed peas, or maybe a hot dog, mustard, and catsup and enjoy authentic Norwegian fare.

I grew up in a Norwegian family where we ate lefse 3 times a day for the whole Christmas season! My mom & I make lefse every year. We're always frustrated with our recipe not rolling out properly. This is the best recipe we have used to date! Here are some tips we've learned through the years...hope this helps other's trying to make this yummy treat!!! - The flour amount is perfect!! But use LOTS of flour in a sifter to sprinkle on your pastry board, rolling pin and dough to prevent sticking. That extra flour used for rolling probably doubles the flour amount used. Too much flour makes the lefse rubbery. - Divide dough up into several logs rolled in wax paper and keep the extra's in the fridge. Cold dough is easier to work with. - Use a kitchen scale and weigh each hunk of dough before rolling. - Use a cloth cover over your pastry board and rolling pin to prevent dough from sticking.(can be purchased or make your own with unbleached cotton) Keep extra's on hand to swap if they get too moist (hand wash them...or use mild detergent & no fabric softener) - Have lots of patience, a friend to work with and cushy slippers to stand on! This full recipe with 2 people will take about 6 hrs & yield about 80-100 8" pieces if rolled 1/16" thin. (1/8" is too thick) - Practice! Your first few may not turn out so well. - BTW...A pizza stone makes a great lefse rolling board! - If you want to make lefse often...invest in a good corrogated rolling pin - it does make a difference! - Enjoy!

This is a great recipe, just like my great grandma made it. We haven't had lefse since she passed away but this year I m bringing it for Easter. I cant wait to remember Easters past with my family over some hand made lefse. For the recipe, I made just 5 pounds of potatoes and adjusted the other ingredients accordingly. I also left some of the flour out as I floured the counter and the outside of each lefse ball before rolling it out. This made it a lot easier to prepare. I used a comal to cook it, which is a flat cast iron pan used to make tortillas. I also placed the balls in the fridge for about an hour before rolling them. They turned out great and everyone loved them.

This is an authentic recipe for lefse, very similar to my Norwegen Mother in Law's. The flour amount is correct, it is scant because it takes into account that quite a bit of extra flour is needed for rolling out the lefsa. My MIL's tip was not to add the flour all at once. Divide the potato mixture into enough for 10 lefsa per batch and add the proportionate flour to mix in just before you roll the dough. You won't have to add as much flour to the rolling surface and will have more tender lefse. Also..if your potatos are very moist, either dry them in the oven or cut back on the amount of cream you add to the dough. You don't want to develop too much of the gluten in the flour which makes the lefsa rubbery or tough. Lefsa it easiest to bake with two people; one to roll out the lefsa and one to mind the griddle!

Grew up with my grandma making lefse from South Dakota. This is her exact recipe. A few things to note if you're having issues with watery dough. We always boil the potatoes WHOLE, and then peel the skins after, follow with the ricer. Mix the dough cold after the potatoes sit and cool. And don't ever let the dough sit, not even for an hour. You need to roll it as soon as you mix it.

This is the real deal, just like grandma used to make. Any recipe without real potatoes or butter won't taste like the Norwegian pioneers used to make! Here are a few tricks I've learned to make it easier. Use a griddle-style pizza oven for cooking it (no need to flip). Also, a food processor can be used instead of a ricer, as long as you puree all the clumps out. Cake flour (Silk brand) helps give it a smooth texture too.

In comparing this recipe to others, I think there is a typo. It probably should only be "1 pound" of potatoes not "10". This recipe is unreasonably wet and ended up needing cups and cups of flour and made way too much quantity.

Tastes just like my Great Aunt Vera used to make. MUST add at least 2 more cups of flour. I only used half of the potato mixture and froze the other half. I added more cream also. Make sure you refridgerate the "dough" before rolling. It won't work warm. So worth all the work!!

Love it!!!

I honestly didn’t think it could taste this good.

Made it with minimal effort — max results.

Way to wet and sticky to be able to roll or even make into balls. Looking at other recipes the cream, butter, and flour is 2-4 times as much as it is in this recipe.

Even my dad admitted it was really good.

I did not make this recipe specifically but many here have had troubles with the "dough" being wet. try letting it cool overnight it will draw out some of the excess moisture make sure to cover in a loose towel this will fix most people's issue with moisture. Make sure to flour the pin and the work surface well

Recipe is perfect. If it’s too wet, you’re probably overcooking the potatoes (they need to be slightly firm, but still able to go through the ricer). Don’t skimp on the flour when rolling it out, or they stick to the pin and surface.

Simple and authentic recipe. There are a lot of comments on the “wetness”…but lefse is not meant to be a “dough”, otherwise it will be chewy and tough. The limited flour is meant to give it only enough cohesiveness so it stays together somewhat while rolling. That’s why there are so lefse-specific rolling pins and pastry boards, because they’re necessary due to the consistency. Its always fine to add more flour, but it’s not the recipe’s fault….

The dough was so wet I couldn't work with it. Had to add cornstarch to dry it out...strongly suggest doubling the flour in the recipe.