Food of Norway

Norwegian food draws on the sea, the mountains and the forest: salmon, cod, herring, lamb, dairy, berries and rye. Meals are plain and hearty, with fish soups, meatballs, flatbread and sweet brown cheese on the daily table. Open sandwiches, waffles with jam and sour cream, and cinnamon buns round out the cozy coffee-break culture.

Farikal
National dish

Farikal

Mutton or lamb and cabbage layered with whole peppercorns and simmered gently, often called the national dish.

Staples

  • salmon
  • cod
  • lamb
  • potatoes
  • cabbage
  • brown cheese
  • flatbread

Signature flavors

  • dill
  • caraway
  • allspice
  • cardamom
  • juniper
  • black pepper

Main dishes

Farikal
Farikal

Mutton or lamb and cabbage layered with whole peppercorns and simmered gently, often called the national dish.

Key ingredients: lamb, cabbage, whole peppercorns, flour, salt
Kjottkaker

Tender Norwegian meatballs served in brown gravy with boiled potatoes and lingonberry jam.

Key ingredients: ground beef, onion, potato starch, milk, nutmeg
Raspeballer
Raspeballer

Large potato dumplings, boiled and served with butter, sausage or bacon.

Key ingredients: grated potatoes, barley flour, salt pork, butter
Fiskekaker

Pan-fried fish cakes of white fish blended with milk and a little potato flour.

Key ingredients: white fish, milk, potato flour, onion, nutmeg
Gravlaks
Gravlaks

Salmon cured with salt, sugar and plenty of dill, then sliced thin.

Key ingredients: salmon, dill, sugar, saltFull guide →
Stekt torsk

Fresh cod fillets fried in butter and served with boiled potatoes and carrots.

Key ingredients: cod, butter, potatoes, carrots
Kjottsuppe

A warming meat and root-vegetable soup, a staple of family dinners.

Key ingredients: beef, carrots, celeriac, potatoes, leeks
Komle

Dense potato dumplings cooked in broth and served with meat or sausage.

Key ingredients: potatoes, barley flour, salt pork
Svele
Svele

Thick, small pancakes cooked on a griddle and served with butter and brown cheese.

Key ingredients: flour, buttermilk, baking soda, sugar
Laks med poteter
Laks med poteter

Poached or baked salmon with new potatoes and a cucumber salad.

Key ingredients: salmon, new potatoes, dill, cucumber

Breakfast

Brunost on bread
Brunost on bread

Thin curls of sweet caramel-flavored brown cheese on buttered bread.

Key ingredients: brown cheese, bread, butter
Havregrot
Havregrot

Warm oatmeal porridge topped with cinnamon and sugar or butter.

Key ingredients: oats, milk, cinnamon, sugar
Frokost
Frokost

Open-faced bread with cold cuts, egg, cheese and cucumber.

Key ingredients: rye bread, egg, cheese, cucumber

Street food

Polse i lompe

A hot dog wrapped in soft potato flatbread with mustard and onion.

Key ingredients: sausage, lompe, mustard, fried onion
Vafler
Vafler

Heart-shaped waffles served with jam, brown cheese or sour cream.

Key ingredients: flour, eggs, milk, cardamom
Skolebolle
Skolebolle

A soft sweet bun filled with vanilla custard and sprinkled with coconut.

Key ingredients: yeast dough, custard, coconut

Soups

Fiskesuppe

A creamy fish soup with salmon, cod, carrots and leeks.

Key ingredients: cod, salmon, cream, carrots, leeks
Ertesuppe

A thick yellow pea soup cooked with ham or pork.

Key ingredients: yellow peas, ham, carrots, onion

Salads

Gulrotsalat
Gulrotsalat

Grated carrot and apple dressed with lemon and a little cream.

Key ingredients: carrots, apple, lemon, cream
Agurksalat

Thinly sliced cucumber in a sweet vinegar dressing, a classic side.

Key ingredients: cucumber, vinegar, sugar, parsley

Breads

Lefse
Lefse

Soft potato flatbread, rolled with butter and sugar.

Key ingredients: potatoes, flour, butter, sugar
Flatbrod
Flatbrod

Thin, crisp flatbread made from barley and wheat.

Key ingredients: barley flour, wheat flour, water, salt
Knekkebrod

Crispbread with seeds for breakfast or lunch.

Key ingredients: rye flour, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds

Desserts and sweets

Krumkake
Krumkake

Delicate rolled cookies baked in a patterned iron, often filled with cream.

Key ingredients: eggs, butter, sugar, flour, cardamom
Multekrem
Multekrem

Cloudberries folded into whipped cream and sugar.

Key ingredients: cloudberries, cream, sugar
Kvaefjordkake
Kvaefjordkake

The World's Best cake with sponge, meringue, custard and almonds.

Key ingredients: sponge, meringue, custard, almonds
Risengrynsgrot

Creamy sweet rice porridge with cinnamon and butter.

Key ingredients: rice, milk, cinnamon, butter

Drinks

Kaffe
Kaffe

Filter coffee, the most consumed drink in the country.

Key ingredients: coffee, milk
Solo

An orange soda that is a Norwegian favorite.

Key ingredients: orange, carbonated water
Saft

Berry cordial diluted with water.

Key ingredients: berries, sugar
Varm kakao
Varm kakao

Cocoa with whipped cream after a day in the snow.

Key ingredients: cocoa, milk, cream

Fruits and produce

Cloudberries
Cloudberries

Golden Arctic berries prized for jam and desserts.

Key ingredients: jam, multekrem, waffles
Lingonberries
Lingonberries

Tart red berries served with meatballs and game.

Key ingredients: jam, sauce, juice
Blueberries
Blueberries

Wild forest berries picked in late summer.

Key ingredients: pie, porridge, pancakes
Strawberries
Strawberries

Sweet summer strawberries grown in long daylight.

Key ingredients: cream, cake, jam
Hardanger apples
Hardanger apples

Orchards beside the fjords produce crisp apples.

Key ingredients: juice, pastries, eaten fresh

Dish guides from Norway

Gravlax
GravlaxSnacks and dips
Explore Norway on Geographical EffectMaps, capital and cities, population, climate, landscapes and landmarks.

More cuisines of Northern Europe

About this page

Descriptions written by Intercontinental Chef. Dishes are listed as commonly eaten today; many are shared across neighbouring countries.

Photo credits
  • Får i kål: Jarvin, CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Komlemiddag: Jarvin, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Laxrätter: Esquilo, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Svele Aug 2014: Kjetil Ree, CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Salmo salar: Knepp, Timothy, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Brunost: Unknown, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Oatmeal (1): Renee Comet (Photographer), Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Ida Davidsen udsnit af glasmontren: User:Nillerdk, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Waffles with Strawberries: Parkerman & Christie from San Diego, USA, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Skolebroed: BodyTag (ul by TBjornstad 19:22, 3 February 2008 (UTC)), Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Nest of Carrot Salad, by LadyofProcrastination: Melinda, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Lefse on a griddle: Lance Fisher, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Brødkorg: Knut, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Krumkake: Jonathunder, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Moltekrem: "color line" on Flickr, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Kvæfjordkake: Kjetil Ree, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Latte and dark coffee: Bex Walton, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Chocolate cup Chantilly porcelain 18th century: World Imaging, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Rubus chamaemorus, from Tromsø, August 2020: Moravice, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Vaccinium vitis-idaea 20060824 003: Jonas Bergsten, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Blueberries: The original Uploader was Oven Fresh at English Wikipedia, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
  • Garden strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) single2: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
  • 95apple: Agricultural Research Service (Research agent of United States Department of Agriculture), Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)