Beyond Salmon, Discover These 5 Regional Norwegian Food Favorites

Forbes

14-05-2025

'Sodd' is a traditional Norwegian soup with mutton, seasoned meatballs, potatoes and carrots.
Brunost, the caramel-colored 'cheese' with its unmistakable tang, and fresh salmon pulled from icy fjords are two of the most familiar elements of Norwegian cuisine. But across the country, regional specialities offer a deeper and more surprising culinary story.
Norway's rugged climate shaped a long tradition of food preservation. Drying, salting, fermenting, and curing were everyday necessities that gave rise to staples like stockfish from Lofoten and salted lamb, many of which remain important today.
In recent years, Norway has also earned acclaim for its bold new-Nordic cooking. From Michelin-starred restaurants in Oslo to seasonal tasting menus in the Arctic, chefs are reinventing tradition with modern flair.
To truly understand Norwegian food, it's worth stepping away from the fine dining scene. While the country's cuisine doesn't enjoy a glowing international reputation, many of its most beloved dishes are simple, hearty and deeply rooted in local tradition. You'll find them at mountain lodges, roadside cafes, and family kitchens across the country.
Here are five regional favorites that may not make international headlines, but are well worth seeking out.
Known as bidos, this traditional stew is a cornerstone of Sámi cuisine in Northern Norway.
'Bidos' is often cooked and served inside around a fireplace at Sami villages in Norway.
Made with tender cuts of reindeer meat, potatoes, and carrots, bidos is a simple dish that relies on the quality of its ingredients rather than elaborate seasoning.
The result is a rich, gently savory broth that highlights the natural flavor of the reindeer, a meat that's prized for its leanness and gamey depth.
It's both a comforting meal and a cultural expression, closely tied to the Sámi people's reindeer-herding traditions and often prepared over an open fire and eaten in communal settings such as lavvu tents.
While once a home-cooked staple, bidos can now be found on the menu at several restaurants and lodges across Northern Norway, especially those offering Sámi culinary experiences.
If bidos isn't available, other popular reindeer dishes include creamy stews with wild mushrooms and juniper berries, or thinly sliced smoked reindeer served cold as a starter.
You might also come across reindeer hot dogs or cured reindeer meat known as spekemat, usually served with crispbread, sour cream or lingonberry jam.
Crossing a fjord by car ferry in western Norway might seem like a purely practical part of your journey. But for many Norwegians, it comes with a beloved tradition: a warm, fluffy svele.
The best place to sample a Norwegian 'svele' is on a ferry as you cross a fjord.
These thick, slightly sweet griddle cakes are often cooked fresh on board and served folded in half with a generous smear of butter and sugar, or sometimes a slice of tangy brown cheese.
The scent of batter on the hot griddle and the gentle hum of the ferry make for a uniquely Norwegian moment. It's best enjoyed with a strong coffee and a panoramic view of the water.
While sveler can be found in cafés and bakeries across the country, they're most commonly associated with Norway's extensive network of car ferries, especially along the west coast. For locals, it's a nostalgic snack. For visitors, it's an unexpected delight in the middle of a travel day.
Stockfish (tørrfisk) is unsalted cod that has been naturally dried in the cold Arctic air for several months. This ancient method of preservation has been practiced for over a thousand years in the Lofoten Islands, where rows of wooden racks filled with hanging cod remain a striking feature of the landscape.
Once rehydrated and cooked, the fish has a firm, chewy texture and a deep, concentrated flavor that some find challenging. But for many Norwegians, it's a taste of home.
One of the most common ways to enjoy tørrfisk is in bacalao, a hearty stew of dried fish, tomato, onion, and potato with Spanish roots that has become a coastal classic.
Stockfish (tørrfisk) is air dried on wooden racks in the fierce winds of Norway's Lofoten Islands.
You'll also find tørrfisk in a much more portable form: thin, slightly crispy strips sold in supermarkets, especially in the north and along the west coast. These fish snacks, often enjoyed with beer, are coastal Norway's answer to jerky.
Known by different names across the country but most commonly raspeballer, these dense potato dumplings are a beloved comfort food, especially in Western Norway.
Made from grated raw potato mixed with flour and often a bit of boiled potato, the dumplings are typically boiled and served with salted meat, sausages, and a generous helping of melted butter or syrup.
Traditionally, raspeballer are eaten on Thursdays in many local restaurants. In some versions, a piece of meat is even hidden inside each dumpling.
A ceremonial dish with deep roots in the Trøndelag region of Central Norway, sodd is a clear mutton or beef soup served with potatoes and carrots. What sets it apart is the inclusion of finely seasoned meatballs, cooked separately and added just before serving.
With a history dating back hundreds of years, sodd is often reserved today for weddings, confirmations and national holidays.
However, it can be found year-round in certain regional restaurants or in supermarkets across Central Norway ready to heat up and enjoy. Best served piping hot with flatbread.