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Janssons Temptation, also known as Janssons Frestelse, is a creamy Swedish potato casserole that's so flavorful, you won't believe how simple it is! Like a potato gratin recipe, this delicious casserole is perfect for special occasions such as the holidays or a simple and cozy comfort food any night of the week.
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Swedish Potato Casserole
One bite of Janssons Frestelse will tell you where it gets its name. These easy Swedish scalloped potatoes are everything I've ever wanted from a potato casserole recipe: they're creamy, rich, tender, and perfectly balanced with sweet and salty flavors. Topped off with crunchy breadcrumbs, it's a meal I can't help but crave!
Scalloped potatoes recipes are some of my favorites to make, from gluten-free au gratin potatoes to cheesy scalloped potatoes and even scalloped potatoes in the Instant Pot. Jannsons Temptation is one version of scalloped potatoes I can't get enough of, and I know you'll love it too!
Why You'll Love Swedish Potato Casserole
It's so simple and easy!
Everything about this easy potato gratin recipe is as simple as possible. It's so simple, it's almost unbelievable how incredible it tastes! No long list of seasonings or mountains of cheese required; all this recipe takes is the simple perfection of sweet onions, flavor-packed pickled fish, and creamy potatoes!
It's perfect for make-ahead!
Just like cheesy scalloped potatoes, Swedish scalloped potatoes with fish are the perfect make-ahead meal. Just bake it up, then let it cool and freeze it in the casserole dish. It heats up beautifully for an easy side for any meal. Plus, it's the perfect potluck recipe!
You'll fall in love with something new!
Personally, I absolutely love trying new foods, and I love introducing my friends and family to new flavors they never would have tried before! If you've got family used to classic scalloped potatoes, or who have never tried anchovies or sprats, then this recipe is the perfect place to start.
What is Janssons Frestelse?
This dish is a Swedish potato and fish gratin also known as Jansson's Temptation (and it's so delicious, it easily earns that name!).
In Sweden, it is typically served for the holidays, especially Christmas and Easter, and is popular in Finland, too. Traditionally, Janssons Frestelse consists of potatoes, onions, bread crumbs, cream, and small pickled fish called sprats.
The anchovies you would typically use for this dish in Sweden are referred to as sprats and are pickled in sweet spiced vinegar. They're amazing if you can find them, but if you can't, anchovies are much easier to get in the US and are very often used instead.
Swedish Potato Gratin Ingredients
- Onion: I tend to use yellow, white, or sweet onion for this recipe. Anything will work aside from red onion, which is too spicy and zesty.
- Butter: I recommend unsalted butter so you can control the salt content.
- Potatoes: Russet potatoes or Yukon gold work best. Slice them into big flat slices that are about ¼" thick or thinner.
- Anchovies in oil: Drain the oil into a separate cup, don't discard it! You'll be using that ultra-flavorful oil to grease the baking dish. If you can, use sprats instead. Just make sure to cut off the heads if any of the fish have heads still on.
- Salt and Pepper: Salt and black pepper are the only seasonings you'll need! Seriously, the anchovies are so flavorful, they'll do all the rest of the work for you.
- Bread crumbs: You can use regular breadcrumbs, homemade crumbs, crushed crackers, or panko. Just make sure it's not seasoned!
- Optional: Fresh herbs such as thyme, rosemary, parsley, or oregano
In my Swedish potato casserole recipe, we use anchovies, which are easy to come by and give the dish a deliciously salty flavor. This dish is irresistible, paired with sweet onions, plenty of butter and cream, and a crunchy bread crumb topping.
Janssons Frestelse Recipe
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Peel and thinly slice onions, then saute in a pan or skillet with the butter just until they soften.
Alternatively, you can slow-cooked the onions until caramelized. This is much more time consuming, but incredibly delicious!
- Drain your anchovies and grease the bottom and sides of a baking dish, cast iron skillet, or ramekins with the oil you drain.
- Peel potatoes and cut into strips. This is easy to do with a mandoline. Line your baking dish(es) with ⅓ of the sliced potatoes. Then, add half of the sauteed onions and half of the drained anchovies.
- Finally, top with another ⅓ of sliced potatoes and the remaining onions and anchovies.
- Finish with the remaining potatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then top with cream, slices of butter, and bread crumbs.
- Bake for 45 minutes for smaller dishes and about 1 hour for a larger dish, or until the potatoes are tender. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Swedish Potato Casserole Tips
- I recommend baking with a baking sheet or foil underneath the dishes just in case it bubbles over.
- Cover with foil if they are browning too quickly, but the potatoes aren't done yet.
- You can sometimes find swedish ansjovis, or Sprats, in the international isle of your local grocery store. Alternatively, they can be ordered online! I highly recommend trying them instead of anchovies; they have a uniquely spiced, sweet flavor.
- I highly recommend making many small ramekins, then freezing half of them! Stack them up in the freezer for a delicious, comforting treat that can be reheated right from frozen. Check out my freezing and reheating instructions below!
Can I make Swedish Potato Casserole ahead?
Yes, easily! The best way to make this dish ahead of time is to assemble it, then cover and refrigerate it until the day you plan to serve it. You can bake it at that point.
- Assemble the dish as directed, but let your onions cool first and leave out the cream, butter, and bread crumbs.
- Wrap tightly with foil and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before serving the dish.
- When ready to bake, add the heavy cream, butter, and bread crumbs, then bake as directed.
Alternatively, bake the entire dish beforehand, then cool and cover with foil for up to 3 days before serving.
Reheat in the oven at the original baking temperature for about 15-20 minutes or until heated.
Can I freeze Janssons Frestelse?
- Bake as instructed. Allow to cool, then cover tightly with foil. Label with the freezing date. Gratin potatoes such as this hold well in the freezer for about a month.
- Reheat straight out of the freezer at baking temperature for about 50 minutes, covered in foil, and uncovered for ten more minutes.
While both are small, tinned fish, sprats and anchovies differ in flavor profile and what they're packed in. Anchovies are very salty and packed in oil. Sprats are pickled in sweet vinegar with lots of spices, with less of a hit of salt and more of a sweet and spicy flavor.
No! Because of how small fish like anchovies are tinned, the bones, fins, and other parts of the fish are all completely edible. In fact, they become so tender and soft, you won't be able to tell the difference between fin, bone, and flesh.
My favorite part about this Swedish Potato Casserole is that the ingredients are so simple. If you have pantry staples like onions, potatoes, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper, you're already most of the way there! Top it off with heavy cream and the secret ingredient of anchovies or sprats and you've got a side worth coming back for. I know you're going to love it, so let me know what you think in the comments below and with a rating!
Janssons Frestelse
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion - thinly sliced
- 2 Tbsp. butter - plus extra for topping
- 2 lbs. potatoes - Russet or Yukon gold work well
- 1 can anchovies in oil - drained
- 1 ¾ cups heavy whipping cream
- salt and pepper - to taste
- ¾ cup bread crumbs
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Peel and thinly slice onions. Sauté them gently in a pan with butter just until they are soft.
- Drain your anchovies and grease the bottom and sides of a baking dish (or dishes) with the oil you drain.Peel potatoes and cut into strips. This is easy to do with a mandoline.
- Line your baking dish(es) with ⅓ of the sliced potatoes. Then, add half of the sauteed onions and half of the drained anchovies.
- Finally, top with another ⅓ of sliced potatoes and the remaining onions and anchovies.
- Finish with the remaining potatoes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then top with cream, slices of butter, and bread crumbs.
- Bake for 45 minutes for smaller dishes and about 1 hour for a larger dish, or until the potatoes are tender. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- We recommend baking with a baking sheet or foil underneath the dishes just in case any bubble over.
- Cover with foil if they are browning too quickly but the potatoes aren’t done yet.
cheri says
Potatoes are one of my favorites too, so sweet to make this dish thinking of your mom.
yummysmells says
One of my mom's favourites is scalloped potatoes, these would be a hit
Mika Palikko says
Fantastic my mon was swedish my dad was finnish I was .born in helsinki. Thank you. Delicious
Em Beitel says
That's awesome Mika! We are so glad you enjoyed it!