Quick Summary: A creamy Swedish potato casserole of tender potatoes, soft onions, cream, and anchovies, finished with a little cheese. The anchovies melt into the cream and give it a savory depth, not a fishy taste. A Swedish Christmas classic that works just as well as a Thanksgiving side. Prep: 15 min | Cook: 30 min | Serves: 6
Jump to: RECIPE | What is Jansson’s Temptation? | Ingredients & Variations | Illustrated Step by Step | FAQ
This simple potato side dish is a mainstay on the Swedish smorgasbord at Christmastime, (the Christmas table in Sweden is called the julbord), where it is referred to as Jansson’s Temptation or Janssons frestelse.
It is a rich and creamy comfort food made with potatoes, onions, cream and the secret ingredient of anchovies. Perfect for the holiday table, no matter which country you celebrate in!
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What is Jansson’s Temptation?
This Swedish side dish (also served in Finland as janssoninkiusaus) is typically made as a baked casserole of potatoes, onion, cream and anchovies. It is frequently topped with bread crumbs giving it the feel of a potato au gratin.
In Sweden the recipe calls for “spice-cured sprats” which are tinned fish similar to anchovies but not as salty as tinned anchovies from the US. The recipe below uses readily available tinned anchovies, but rinses them to remove some of the salt.
Now, potatoes are certainly not low carb, but if you are leading a low carb lifestyle and want a “potato-like” dish for your holiday table, try this Faux Mashed Potato recipe. Our family actually prefers it over regular mashed potatoes.
Ingredients & Variations
The classic recipe uses just five ingredients: potatoes, onion, cream, anchovies, and butter. Here are the main variations:
- Use a combination of milk and heavy cream for the dairy.
- Add some warm spices to offset the briny anchovies.
- Leave off the bread crumbs (or panko) to emphasize the creaminess without the crunch.
- Top the casserole with cheese to enhance its richness.
A Quick Method:
The classic method for making Jansson’s Temptation is to layer the ingredients in a baking dish and bake as a casserole for 45 minutes to an hour.
I have simplified the recipe a bit by gently boiling the potatoes ahead of time (for about 15 minutes) and then baking all the ingredients in the skillet the onions were cooked in. This method is a bit faster as the skillet of ingredients only bakes for about 15-20 minutes after the potatoes have been added.
I have also added cheese to the recipe and excluded the breadcrumbs. The cheese adds to the richness and creaminess and foregoes the crunch of the breadcrumbs. Truly a comfort food!
You can also double or triple the recipe to enjoy for a second meal! My family loves it the morning after Thanksgiving or Christmas to pair with Swiss Chard and sausage breakfast strata.
The recipe is simple using only 5-6 ingredients. Here are the 5 key ingredients:
Tip: Like I mentioned earlier, Jansson’s Temptation is often served in or with smorgasbords in Sweden or Finland. If you want to customize your own food board, check out this category for 6 food board ideas. And of course, you need a large enough serving platter to showcase your creation!
Illustrated Step by Step
The recipe card below gives the details, but here is a visual summary of the directions:
FAQ
You won’t taste “fish.” The anchovies melt into the cream during baking and become a rich, savory depth. If you’ve ever used Worcestershire sauce or fish sauce, it’s the same principle. People who say they don’t like anchovies love this dish.
Yes. Assemble everything in the baking dish, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Add a few extra minutes of bake time since it will be cold. It also reheats well the next day.
No, potatoes are high in carbs. For a low carb holiday side, try my faux mashed potato recipe, which our family actually prefers over regular mashed potatoes. Here’s my slow carb food list.
The anchovies. A French potato gratin uses cream and cheese but no fish. The briny, savory flavor from the anchovies is what makes Jansson’s Temptation distinctive. Both are creamy, baked, and perfect for holiday tables.
Jansson’s Temptation is the Christmas favorite. Sweden also gave us Hasselback potatoes, named for a Stockholm restaurant, along with boiled new potatoes with dill at Midsummer and raggmunk, crispy potato pancakes served with lingonberries.
You can, but then it’s essentially Swedish-style scalloped potatoes. A savory alternative to the anchovies would be a teaspoon of fish sauce added to the cream, or a spoonful of chopped capers.
Swedish “ansjovis” are sprats cured in a sweet, spiced brine, milder and less salty than the anchovies sold in the US. If you can find a tin at a Scandinavian or specialty store, use them unrinsed and add a spoonful of the brine to the cream.
Planning the whole menu? Browse my Thanksgiving recipes.
Swedish Potato Bake with Anchovies (Jansson’s Temptation)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 large potatoes russets if possible
- 1 large onion sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 ½ ounces tinned anchovies
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup cheese gruyere or parmesan
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F.Peel potatoes and slice into 1/2-inch strips. Place into saucepan and cover with water. Simmer over medium heat 10-15 minutes. until ”al dente” (fork will penetrate them easily but they are not mushy).4 large potatoes
- While potatoes are cooking, slice onion and cook in butter over medium heat for 5-7 minutes or until softened.1 large onion, 2 tablespoons butter
- Rinse the anchovies and mash up 4-5 with the garlic (muddling them together with a mortar and pestle works well here). Add the anchovy garlic mixture to cream in a bowl, along with the cayenne and white pepper and salt.3 cloves garlic, 1 1/2 ounces tinned anchovies, 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, 1/4 teaspoon white pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Drain the potatoes and add them to the onions in the skillet. Pour the cream mixture over the potato/onion mixture and top with 4-5 anchovies. Then sprinkle cheese over the entire mixture in the skillet.Place skillet in the oven (at 350 F) and bake about 15 minutes or until everything is heated through and anchovies are somewhat melted.Remove from oven, sprinkle with nutmeg and cover with aluminum foil until ready to serve.Arrange remaining anchovies on top of the bake as garnish (this is optional)1/2 cup cheese, 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg