høytidsretter

Høytidsretter is a Norwegian term for traditional festive dishes prepared for major holidays and celebrations, most often Christmas, but also including occasions such as Easter and New Year. The concept emphasizes richer, feast-oriented foods that are often passed down through generations. Repertoire is regional and seasonal, with ingredients such as pork, lamb, fish, potatoes and root vegetables playing central roles. Many høytidsretter involve special cooking techniques—curing, drying, brining, smoking or long simmering—that historically helped preserve food through winter.

Common features and examples

During Christmas Eve in Norway, dishes such as ribbe (roast pork belly) and pinnekjøtt (salted and dried lamb ribs) or lutefisk (dried whitefish rehydrated in lye) are typical in many households. Side dishes often include surkål (sauerkraut), rødkål (red cabbage), boiled potatoes and mashed rutabaga. Desserts frequently feature riskrem (rice cream) with berry sauce or multekrem (cloudberry cream), and a variety of traditional Christmas cookies and cakes, such as krumkake and pepperkaker, are commonly served as well.

Other holidays contribute to the genre

For Easter and New Year, høytidsretter can include lamb or other festive meats, various fish preparations, and complementary sides and sauces. The exact dishes vary by region, household tradition, and family history, but the aim remains to mark special occasions with deliberate, celebratory meals.

Cultural role

Høytidsretter function as a way to bring family and friends together, preserve culinary heritage, and reflect regional foodways. In contemporary Norway they exist both in home cooking and in broader culinary culture, blending longstanding tradition with modern adaptations.