Cuisine of Minnesota

The cuisine of Minnesota is a type of Midwestern cuisine found throughout the state of Minnesota.
Typical Minnesota cuisine is based on Norwegian, Swedish, and German cuisine, with heavy Native American (particularly Ojibwe and Dakota) influences. Other European cuisines that influenced Minnesota cuisine include Czech, Cornish, Italian, and Polish cuisine. Since the 1960s, Minnesota's cuisine has also been influenced by the cuisines of the various immigrant and refugee groups who have settled in Minnesota; immigrant cuisines popular in Minnesota include Somali, Hmong, Mexican, Indian, Vietnamese, Korean, Ethiopian, Burmese, Laotian, and Liberian cuisine. Minnesotan cuisine also has regional variations. In rural Minnesota, Scandinavian dishes and foods like hotdishes are common. Fusion cuisine is popular in the Twin Cities, home to the inventions of the jucy lucy and the bundt cake. In the Iron Range, Italian inspired dishes are eaten, like pizza rolls and porchetta sandwiches. Pasties are also eaten in Northern Minnesota.
Foods typical in Minnesota cuisine are generally affordable, filling, and hearty, reflecting Minnesota's long, cold winters. The majority of dishes are comfort foods. Minnesotan foods are also rarely spicy. Though not typical Minnesota cuisine, archetypal fair foods are offered at the Minnesota State Fair including dozens of foods offered "on a stick", such as Pronto Pups and deep-fried candy bars.
Mashed potatoes and gravy, asparagus, and green beans are Minnesota staples, often eaten at Thanksgiving or large dinners. French fries are often enjoyed with jucy lucys and corn dogs, along with other foods.Typical sides include pickles, locally grown boiled new potatoes seasoned with fresh herbs or horseradish, baked beans, and vegetables such as buttered peas, and carrots. Preferred to rice or pasta, potatoes are often served alongside buttered rolls and homemade strawberry jam. Potatoes are also served as tater tots, home fries, and mashed. Mashed rutabaga is another common side dish.
Wild rice is eaten plain or as a side with other dishes.
Many dumplings of Eastern European origin were brought to Minnesota and remain popular today.
The term salad is used somewhat loosely in Minnesota, with several dishes being referred to salads but bearing no resemblance to a traditional salad. Salads in Minnesotan cuisine often have mayonnaise mixed in.
Minnesotan soups include knoephla and booyah. Knoephla stew is popular in Western Minnesota, it is typically made with spätzle, chicken, and potatoes. Booyah stew is a thick stew usually requiring up to two days and multiple cooks to prepare; it is cooked in specially designed "booyah kettles" and traditionally was meant to serve hundreds to thousands of people, but in contemporary Minnesotan usage, booyah has found itself typically served at small gatherings. In cooking booyah, one makes a base or broth derived from meat bones, to which vegetables are added. Beef, chicken, and pork are popular varieties of meat for booyah (with all three often in the same kettle), with vegetables such as carrots, peas, onion, and potatoes also in the mix. A wide variety of seasonings are used.
Cream soups such as cream of mushroom, cream of chicken, and cream of celery are very popular and are often used to make hotdish. Cream of mushroom is so popular it was even proposed as the official state soup. Wild rice soup is considered a staple of the cuisine. It typically includes chicken, much like chicken noodle soup.
Ke'Ke, a Somali-inspired stew made with strips of chapati, was invented in Minnesota.
Walleye chowder is a milk-based chowder, that includes walleye; found in the Arrowhead region.
Casseroles are a cornerstone of Minnesotan cuisine. There are numerous popular varieties, which are common at potlucks, and large gatherings.
Sandwiches in Minnesota are typically served hot or cold, and were popular among the working class of Minnesota in the Twin Cities, or in the iron mines of Northern Minnesota. Most Minnesotan sandwiches are influenced by Italian Cuisine.
Craft root beer is popular in Minnesota and there are many brands in Minnesota such as Killebrew, 1919, Lift Bridge, and Northern Craft Root beer. Milk is very important for making cheeses. It is also the state beverage of Minnesota. Swedish egg coffee is a drink made with coffee grounds mixed with and egg in boiling water. It is popular consumed at meal gatherings at churches and at the state fair.
The Bootlegger cocktail was invented in Minnesota and remains popular today. Akvavit was brought from Scandinavia by immigrants and is produced in numerous distilleries, it is used in some cocktail recipes. The Minnesota Slammer, a popular cocktail in Minnesota, is made with cherry brandy, sweet and sour mix, peach and sour apple schnapps, and lemon-lime soda. A Minnesota martini is a glass of light beer with olives.
Minnesota is also home to several breweries, including Hamm's, Summit Brewing Company, Surly Brewing Company, and August Schell Brewing Company, which also produces Grain Belt.
Minnesota also produces Minnesota wines. The Minnesota Grape Growers Association (MGGA) is a statewide organization that promotes grape growing and winemaking in the state and also in cold-hardy climates. Minnesota is home to the International Cold Climate Wine Competition (ICCWC) hosted annually in partnership between MGGA and University of Minnesota. This is the only wine competition solely dedicated to the promotion of quality wines made mainly from cold-hardy grape varieties.
Ice wine is also produced in Minnesota at several wineries.
Dessert salads are generally made with jello, jellies, whipped toppings, fruits, vegetables, mayonnaise, and various other ingredients. They are typically served at potlucks, and other large gatherings but can be found in grocery stores in Minnesota as well. The majority of dessert salads were invented in Minnesota.
Dessert bars a popular cookie that was likely invented in Minnesota or the elsewhere in the Midwest. They are popular at potlucks and as a dessert. Many other cookies were brought to Minnesota by Scandinavian and German settlers.
Many pastries were brought to Minnesota by immigrants, including:
Other desserts invented in Minnesota or the Midwest or brought by immigrants include:
Minnesota barbecue utilizes meats such as short ribs, chicken, pulled pork, and fish such as smoked salmon. Brisket is occasionally used in some establishments. Horseradish is used opposed to chiles as a seasoning to suit the Minnesotan palette. Often, Minnesotan barbecue emphasizes locally sourced livestock, meat, and produce. The style is mainly influenced by other barbecue styles from the United States, along with Hmong, and Scandinavian cuisines. This contrast leads to significant differences between restaurants, in some places such as Hmongtown Marketplace one can find pulled pork, served in a traditional Asian hot sauce and accompanied by sticky rice. Whereas, in a Nordic-style restaurant one may find short ribs with lingonberry barbecue sauce and a side of lefse. Additionally, in Duluth one will find gravlax that has been smoked over barbecue.
Historically, barbecue in Minnesota has simply been grilling brats or burgers with barbecue sauce.
Sides of Minnesotan barbecue include traditional coleslaw, fries, and baked macaroni and cheese, but more unique accompaniments are also included: such as lefse, sticky rice, pickles, and broccoli salad.
Meats in this style are often put on sandwiches. The smoked juicy Lucy is one such example. Short ribs with the bones included are often covered in barbecue sauce and put on a bun. In Duluth, smoked pastrami sandwiches have been served.
Minnesota also uses unique sauces: such as lingonberry-infused barbecue sauce, ranch, and traditional Asian hot sauces.
Minnesota barbecue originated in the Twin Cities, but the tradition of smoked fish barbecue started in Duluth.
In northern Minnesota, along the North Shore of Lake Superior, commercial fishing has been practiced for generations. Settlers were used to the cold, rugged work as many of these immigrants came directly from the coastal fishing villages of Norway. Ciscoes (also known as lake herring), lake trout, lake whitefish, and rainbow smelt are still commercially fished today. Smoked or sugar-cured trout is prepared from local fish in areas along the North Shore like Duluth. Barbecue in Duluth typically consists of smoked lake fish, such as salmon. Grains such as corn, wild rice, and wheat are used. Canned fruits and vegetables are used in hotdishes and dessert salads. Minnesotan cuisine is notable for the common use of wild and foraged foods, including wild rice, blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, chokecherry, morels, hazelnuts, and pecan truffles.
Minnesotan cuisine is notable for its use of kohlrabi and rutabaga. Minnesotan food is also rarely seasoned with hot peppers, instead spices, mustard, and horseradish are used.
While not invented in Minnesota, ranch is a very popular condiment. Lingonberry jam is also quite popular as a dipping sauce for lefse and lutefisk. Lingonberry-infused barbecue sauce is used in some Nordic barbecue restaurants. Cream sauce, a white sauce similar to bechamel but made with cream and seasoned with black pepper, allspice, and nutmeg, is served with lutefisk. White gravy and brown gravy are served with meatballs.
The Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station's Horticultural Research Center at the University of Minnesota has developed three new apple varieties, the Haralson, Honeycrisp, and the Sweetango. These fare well in the harsh Minnesota climate and are popular fruit. Morel mushrooms are the state mushroom, and very popular among Minnesotan chefs. Wild rice is a popular appetizer in Minnesota. It can be eaten in several "ways" such as in a soup or hotdish. Lingonberries are used to accompany lefse and lutefisk. The berry can also be eaten plain as a snack. Lingonberries are also used to make jam. The Minnesota midget melon is a small muskmelon cultivar invented by the University of Minnesota.
Minnesota is known for its dairy industry. Cheeses in Minnesota are made with cow, sheep, or goat milk. Caves of Faribault and Shepherd's Way Farms are among the Minnesota businesses that produce artisan cheese. Caves of Faribault has produced cave-aged cheeses in Faribault since 2001. Shepherd's Way, which began producing cheese in 1998. Minnesota produces numerous cheeses such as: cheddar, brie, Swiss, and gouda.
Due to Minnesota's ethnic diversity in its various regions and differing landscape, Minnesota has attained numerous regional cuisines. Every region has slight differences in its respective cuisine.
Iron Range cuisine encompasses the cooking traditions and dishes of the Arrowhead region and Iron Range of Minnesota. Iron Range cuisine is based on Italian, Cornish, Scandinavian, and Slovenian cuisine. It was heavily influenced by Native American cuisine, seen in the use of wild rice. Many of the dishes were brought by immigrants. Other dishes were invented by the iron mine workers because they needed nourishing foods that they could bring on the go.
More recent immigration trends have introduced Vietnamese, Hmong, Lao, and Thai culinary influences.
Twin Cities cuisine differs greatly from the rest of Minnesota due to its ethnically diverse population. Fusion cuisine is quite prevalent in the Twin Cities. Major influences include German, Somali, Hmong, American indigenous, Mexican, Indian, Vietnamese, Korean, Ethiopian, Burmese, Laotian, and Liberian cuisine.
Twin Cities cuisine includes more high-end elements than its rural counterparts, such as the Hautedish, a gourmet version of the hotdish and cheese curds made with brie. Of Minnesota's 16 winners of a James Beard Award for restaurant or chef, 14 are in the Twin Cities. Most recently, Christina Nguyen of Vietnamese restaurant Hai Hai won Best Chef Midwest in 2025 and Owamni, a new indigenous restaurant, won Best New Restaurant in 2022.
In Western Minnesota, Buffalo burgers and bison steaks are common due to the bison ranching industry there. On the North Shore, pickled herring and smoked fish are common foods.
Minnesota is known for its church potlucks, where hotdish is often served. Hotdish is any of a variety of casseroles, which are popular throughout the United States, although the term "hotdish" is used mainly in Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Hotdishes are filling comfort foods that are convenient and easy to make. Tater tot hotdish is popular, as is wild rice hotdish; Minnesota is one of the leading producers of wild rice. Dessert bars are also common at Minnesota potlucks. Other dishes include glorified rice, German baked apples and cookie salad.
The Friday night fish fry, often battered and fried perch or walleye, is traditional throughout Minnesota. It usually also includes french fries, coleslaw, macaroni salad, lemon slices, tartar sauce, hot sauce, malt vinegar and dessert. Some Native American versions are cooked by coating fish with semolina and egg yolk. Fish is often served on Friday nights during Lent, the Christian season of repentance, as a restaurant special or through church fundraisers.
A booyah is a large gathering in which booyah stew is served, typically outdoors. The annual booyah cook off is held in St. Paul.
Smorgasbord is a buffet-style meal of Swedish origin. It is served with various hot and cold dishes. In Minnesota it is served with kolaches, potica, halušky and pierogis.
Lutefisk dinners are large gatherings, typically around Christmas, but also from October to February were lutefisk and other dishes are served. They are often held by churches. The lutefisk is often accompanied with lefse, mashed potatoes, mashed peas, lingonberry jam, cream sauce, and Swedish meatballs.