• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Cooking The Globe
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Map Room
  • About
  • Contact Me
  • Privacy Policy
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Map Room
  • About
  • Contact Me
  • Privacy Policy
×

Janssons Frestelse (Jansson's Temptation) - Swedish Potato Casserole

Published: Dec 11, 2016 · Modified: Jan 20, 2017 by Igor · This post may contain affiliate links · 13 Comments

Janssons Frestelse or Jansson's Temptation is a classic Swedish dish. This creamy potato and sprat casserole is a part of the Swedish Christmas table but is perfect any time of the year. Filling enough to be served as a main dish, it's also great with roasted meats.

Janssons Frestelse or Jansson's Temptation is a classic Swedish potato and sprat casserole traditionally served on Christmas but great any time of the year. Creamy, hearty, filling! | cookingtheglobe.com

Christmas is only two weeks away and I continue exploring traditional holiday foods of various countries all around the globe. This time we are going to Sweden to taste not-your-ordinary Christmas table dish called Janssons Frestelse in Swedish or Jansson's Temptation in English. The name, despite the fact that it's really interesting (more about it later), doesn't say anything about the actual dish at all! It's a creamy potato and pickled sprat (so-called Swedish anchovy) casserole topped with crispy breadcrumbs. Yes, that's what Swedes have for Christmas and they freaking love it.

Janssons Frestelse or Jansson's Temptation is a classic Swedish potato and sprat casserole traditionally served on Christmas but great any time of the year. Creamy, hearty, filling! | cookingtheglobe.com

The secret to a well-made Janssons Frestelse is thinly sliced potatoes. They have to be cut into ¼ inch (½ cm) strips and let me tell you, it can take some time. On the other hand, cutting potatoes and slicing an onion are the only things you have to do when preparing this dish. It's really easy and quick to make! By the way, you can use a mandoline slicer to make life easier.

Janssons Frestelse or Jansson's Temptation is a classic Swedish potato and sprat casserole traditionally served on Christmas but great any time of the year. Creamy, hearty, filling! | cookingtheglobe.com

Alright, the name. The origins of the name Janssons Frestelse are uncertain, or should I say confusing. I found 3(!) different stories behind it. The first one says that the dish was named after a religious fanatic Eric Jansson who followed an austere life but couldn't resist a potato and onion gratin packed with sprats when he was served with it in 1846. Another version states that the name of the dish originated with the twentieth-century opera singer and gourmand Pelle Janzon. The third story tells us that Jansson's Temptation was named after a movie with the same name Janssons frestelse, shot in 1928. I don't know where the truth is and I am not sure if it matters so much. The only thing that matters is a taste of the dish and it's amazing!

Janssons Frestelse or Jansson's Temptation is a classic Swedish potato and sprat casserole traditionally served on Christmas but great any time of the year. Creamy, hearty, filling! | cookingtheglobe.com

Now let me tell you a few words about the cornerstone of Janssons Frestelse - pickled sprats. I am pretty sure that for some of you, it's an unknown territory and you haven't ever tried them in your whole life. For me, sprats can be considered as a staple. No, I don't eat them every single day but it's something I grew up with. These little pickled fish were popular in the Soviet Union and after its collapse, their popularity didn't go anywhere.

Janssons Frestelse or Jansson's Temptation is a classic Swedish potato and sprat casserole traditionally served on Christmas but great any time of the year. Creamy, hearty, filling! | cookingtheglobe.com

Sometimes, sprats are referred as Swedish anchovies because that's how they are named in the language of this Scandinavian country - ansjovis. Sounds similar, right? That's why many people make a fat, big, dish-ruining mistake here. They buy a bunch of well-known-to-us salted anchovies and throw them in Jansson's Temptation. We need 9 oz. (250g) sprats for this recipe. Can you imagine the taste of the dish after adding so many anchovies? A yearly intake of salt in one meal! Sprats are way milder, I mean WAY milder than their counterparts so be careful when choosing fish for this recipe. If you have a hard time finding sprats, try checking out Ikea. I am pretty sure they have them. Or you can use matjes herring instead.

Janssons Frestelse or Jansson's Temptation is a classic Swedish potato and sprat casserole traditionally served on Christmas but great any time of the year. Creamy, hearty, filling! | cookingtheglobe.com

Janssons Frestelse is filling enough to be served as a main meal but it also works great as a side dish with roasted meats. Oh, and of course it doesn't necessary have to be served for Christmas. Feel free to enjoy it any time of the year! Janssons Frestelse or Jansson's Temptation is a classic Swedish potato and sprat casserole traditionally served on Christmas but great any time of the year. Creamy, hearty, filling! | cookingtheglobe.com

Janssons Frestelse or Jansson's Temptation is a classic Swedish potato and sprat casserole traditionally served on Christmas but great any time of the year. Creamy, hearty, filling! | cookingtheglobe.com

Janssons Frestelse (Jansson's Temptation) - Swedish Potato Casserole

CookingTheGlobe
This classic potato casserole, coming from Sweden, is not your ordinary casserole. It features Swedish anchovies (sprats)!
4.20 from 5 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 40 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr
Cuisine Swedish
Servings 6 people
Calories 428 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 ¼ lb (1 kg) potatoes , peeled, cut into ¼-inch (½-cm) thick strips
  • 1 medium yellow onion , sliced
  • 9 oz (250g) sprats (Swedish anchovies), or matjes herring
  • 1 ¼ cups (300ml) heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons (30g) unsalted butter , cut into pieces
  • 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs or panko

Instructions
 

  • Preheat an oven to 450 °F (225°C).
  • Remove the sprats from the tin, reserving the liquid. Mix this liquid with the heavy cream.
  • Grease a large baking dish. Place a layer of the onions on the bottom. Follow with a layer of the sprats. Finish with a layer of the potatoes. Pour the cream and sprat liquid mixture over the top. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs or panko. Finally, arrange the butter pieces on top.
  • Bake for 40 minutes. Enjoy!

Notes

Adapted from The Swedish Christmas Table by Jens Linder and Johanna Westman

Nutrition

Calories: 428kcal
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

 

« Olivier Salad (Russian Potato Salad)
Mexican Shrimp Soup - Albóndigas de Camarón »
2615 shares
  • Facebook

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Anya K.

    January 28, 2022 at 1:15 am

    5 stars
    Hi, Igor, I'm a Russian in the USA and a good substitute for sprats here are smoked sardines. They are still in a can with oil and flavors and they are definitely very-very similar. This may help some people because anchovies are definitely not what you want for this recipe.

    Reply
« Older Comments
4.20 from 5 votes (2 ratings without comment)

Join the Discussion Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Social Profiles

Categories

Latest Recipes:

Featured Img of Cheesy Egg Roll- Easy Breakfast Idea
Featured Img of Paneer Paratha
Featured Img of Aloo Bhindi
Featured Img of Bread Omelet Easy Indian Style Breakfast
Featured Img of Sooji Halwa Easy Semolina Pudding
Featured Img of Tuscan Style Fresh Panzanella Recipe

Affiliate disclosure

Cookingtheglobe.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2025 · Cooking the Globe WordPress · Log in

2.6K shares
  • 247

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.