what to eat in norway

Sweet and sour flavouring is used extensively, and seasonal berries and fruit perfectly balance game meat and delicate fish dishes.

If you’re wondering what to eat in here, we’ve covered some of the most popular foods from Norway.

Many of Norway’s specialties are still fished, hunted, or home-grown. With extensive coastlines, vast fields, and plentiful forests, the country is prospering with raw materials.

For any visitor to the country, you’ll have an abundance of wholesome, fresh, and seasonal foods to try. It doesn’t get any better than that!

OK, let’s get to it.

12 Most Popular Foods from Norway

1) Brunost (brown cheese)

What to eat in Norway - 12 amazing dishes to try brunost

We know it doesn’t sound so tasty, but looks can be deceiving. Brunost is a common Norwegian name for mysost, a family of cheese-related foods made with milk, whey, and/or cream.

The whey of goat’s milk is boiled down, which caramelizes the sugars.

The resulting product is left to cool, with a tan-coloured ‘whey cheese’ and a distinctive caramel flavour.

Brunost can be eaten at any time of the day. The most popular way is to slice pieces of brown cheese and place it on rye toast at breakfast time. 

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2) Lapskaus

Very popular in the cold Winter season, Lapskaus is a Norwegian stew that can be made by using fresh or leftover meats. Beef or lamb is used in this dish and the biggest pot in the kitchen is required.

A variety of root vegetables are added to this stew, such as onions, potatoes, carrots, swede, celeriac as well as various spices and herbs. 

Ask any Norwegian, they’ll tell you that Lapskaus is classic foods from Norway.

3) Klippfisk (dried or salted codfish)

Klippfisk is fish preserved through salting and drying. It must be desalted by soaking it overnight before it can be eaten. A popular and inexpensive recipe using klippfisk is a hearty Scandinavian fish soup.

I’ve enjoyed klippfisk folded through some buttery mashed potato too. Yum.

4) Pickled Herring

What to eat in Norway - 12 amazing dishes to try - pickled herring

Norwegians love their fish. You’ll see it in every form possible, including smoked, poached, dried, pickled, grilled, and fried. Pickled herring is a local delicacy in Norway. And it is a must eat food in Norway.

The most common herrings come in a vinegar base, yet other flavourings are garlic and onion, mustard, and lingonberries. Typically it is served atop dark rye or crispbread or with potatoes and sour cream.

5) Lefse (Potato bread)

A type of Norwegian flatbread made using potatoes, flour, butter, and milk or cream. There are numerous types of lefse, and you can roll different types of food in them.

Most Norwegians eat lefse with butter and sugar. Other popular ways to eat lefse are nutella, cinnamon, homemade jam, or lingonberries. 

Nowadays, it can also be used to create a savoury wrap with fillings or with eggs and bacon for breakfast

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6) Pølse (Norwegian hot-dog)

What to eat in Norway - 12 amazing dishes to try - polse
Fast Foods from Norway

Norway has fast-food specialties, too. The most common food on the go is pølse, a popular sausage similar to a frankfurter or a hot dog. It’s one of the cheapest meals you can buy in Norway and easy to find in convenience stores.

If you ask ‘what to eat in Norway?’, locals will recommend this food.

The Norwegian style of eating the pølse is with lompe. A flatbread made from flour and water, grilled and then wrapped around the sausage.

Norwegians nowadays enjoy this delicacy with a variety of condiments. The hot dogs are made mostly from beef and pork. They can be wrapped in bacon and served with cheese, onion, ketchup, and mustard. 

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7) Fiskeboller med hvit saus (Fish balls)

With fresh fish in abundance in Norway, it seems right that many popular dishes use it. A classic dish in Norway is fiskboller med hvit saus (fish balls in white sauce).

It’s an easy meal to prepare and is usually served with potatoes, broccoli, and carrots. 

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8) Salmon

Foods from Norway - salmon

Salmon seems abundant in Norway, whether it’s served smoked, grilled, poached or cured. This fatty, delicious fish seems to fit the moody weather in Norway, yet it’s some of the best salmon in the entire world. Trust me.

Norway is well known for its first quality seafood around the world.

Norway is the second largest seafood exporter in the world, and the equivalent of 37 million meals caught in Norwegian waters are consumed worldwide each day.

If you had to choose any quintessential foods from Norway to indulge in while you’re here, seafood would be it.

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9) Norwegian breakfast

What to eat in Norway - 12 amazing dishes to try - breakfast

What to eat in Norway for breakfast? A typical Norwegian breakfast usually consists of rye bread with various spreads, cold cuts, smoked salmon, cheese or jam. Most Norwegians drink coffee in the morning, along with juice & milk.

You’ll also find many Norwegians eating oatmeal, cereals, yoghurt, eggs, and crispbread for breakfast.

10) Bergensk fiskesuppe (Bergen fish soup)

This refined fish soup from Bergen is simply lovely. The base of this dish is light fish stock, and then double cream is added to the rich stock. This delicate soup is served with small fish balls made using a mixture of finely minced fresh fish.

In short, it’s like a warm hug you need during the cold winter days.

After the soup is removed from the heat, sour cream, egg yolk, and a touch of vinegar are added. The result is a delightful soup with a lovely depth of flavour.

11) Reindeer meat

Foods from Norway - reindeer

Reindeer meat regularly appears on restaurant menus in Norway. It is cooked in various forms, including meatballs, sausages, stews, and more.

Reindeer meat is relatively lean and high in nutrients and not found in many other regions worldwide.

If you ask the locals, they would say reindeer meat is food you must eat in Norway.

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12) Skolebrød

What to eat in Norway - 12 amazing dishes to try - skolebrod

If you like custard and donuts, you’ll love this breakfast food. It’s a sweet donut treat with icing and coconut. However, the most delicious part is the custard filling in the middle.

If you enjoy sweets, choose this or look for cinnamon rolls. Both pastries are ideal for eating alongside your coffee or tea.

Click here to learn more about Norwegian Cuisine and travel to Norway.

Popular Food Experiences in Norway

And that’s it. These 12 popular foods from Norway are a great place to start to taste this delicious cuisine. You might also like some of our blog posts below.