Swedish Potato Pancakes with Bacon and Lingonberry
40 min
Classic Swedish husmanskost — crispy potato pancakes with salty pork and tart lingonberry. Dead simple and seriously filling.
porkdinnertraditional
Classic Norwegian beef patties — crispy on the outside, juicy inside. Great for dinner with potatoes or piled onto bread for a proper open-faced sandwich.
Instructions
- 1
Knead the ground beef lightly with salt, pepper, and potato starch. Stir in the water.
- 2
Shape the mixture into evenly sized, flat patties of about 50 g each. Press a crosshatch pattern into the surface using the back of a knife.
- 3
Peel the onions, halve them, and slice thinly. Melt 1 tbsp margarine in a pan and fry the onion over medium heat until golden and caramelized. Season with salt.
- 4
Brown the patties in 2 tbsp margarine over fairly high heat on both sides, then lower the heat and cook for another 2–3 minutes until cooked through.
Per average serving
20
Calories
kcal
0.6
Protein
g
4.7
Carbs
g
0.1
Fat
g
0.9g
Fiber
2.1g
Sugar
244mg
Sodium
Family Portions
2portions
Adults
2
Children
No children added
Ingredients
Per average serving
20
Calories
kcal
0.6
Protein
g
4.7
Carbs
g
0.1
Fat
g
0.9g
Fiber
2.1g
Sugar
244mg
Sodium
Tips from the kitchen
- Don't overwork the meat. Knead it just enough to bring it together with the salt, pepper, and potato starch. Too much handling makes the patties dense and rubbery.
- The crosshatch pattern isn't just for looks. It helps the patties cook more evenly and gives the margarine something to grip onto when they hit the pan.
- Get the pan properly hot before the patties go in. You want a good sear on the first side before you touch them. If they stick, they're not ready to flip.
- The onions take longer than you think. Low and slow is the move here. Give them at least 10-15 minutes to go properly golden. Rushing them gives you soft but pale onion, which is a shame.
- 50 g patties cook through fast once you lower the heat. Two to three minutes is usually enough. Cut one open if you're unsure.
Ways to vary it
- You can swap the margarine for butter if you prefer. It browns a little faster so keep an eye on the heat, but the flavor is good.
- Some people add a small grated onion into the meat mixture itself. It makes the patties a bit softer and adds a mild sweetness. Totally optional, the base recipe stands on its own.
- For an open-faced sandwich, serve the patties on thick white bread with the fried onion piled on top. A little mustard on the bread works well.
Storage & leftovers
Cooked patties keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. They freeze well too, either before or after frying. Reheat in a pan over medium-low heat with a small knob of margarine so they don't dry out.
What to serve with it
Boiled potatoes and a spoonful of the pan juices is the classic Norwegian way. Pickled cucumber or a simple cucumber salad on the side cuts through the richness nicely.
UC
By Untrained ChefPublished 3 July 2026
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