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.[9][10] 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.
Minnesota sushi- an appetizer that contains a pickle, covered in cream cheese and wrapped in ham, and cut into slices like sushi.
Basil wings - dry rub chicken wings made with tempura fried basil, and numerous spices. Basil wings are a fusion dish originating in the Twin Cities.[12]
Walleye fingers - pieces of cut-up walleye that are deep-fried; popular in Minnesota because they are the state fish. It can also be served as a sandwich in Minnesota's pubs. Deep-fried walleye on a stick is a Minnesota State Fair food.
Hotdish- is a casserole dish that typically contains a starch, a meat, and a canned or frozen vegetable mixed with canned soup that must be served hot or warm. the most popular varieties in Minnesota are tater tot, tuna, chicken, hamburger, and wild rice hotdish.[22][25]
Sarma hotdish- a fusion hotdish made with layers of filling, sauerkraut, and cabbage leaves. The filling is usually a mix of tomato soup, ground beef, and rice. This dish is based on sarma and is eaten in Northern Minnesota.[26]
Egg bake- a baked dish similar to a strata. This dish consists of eggs, and other breakfast ingredients, but also can include bread.[29][30] It can also be called a breakfast hotdish.[31]
Pasty - Pasties are made by placing an uncooked filling, typically meat and vegetables, in the middle of a flat shortcrust pastry circle.[33] A popular in the iron range of Minnesota, especially as a lunch for iron miners.[34]
Lefse is a Norwegian flatbread made with riced potatoes, can include all purpose (wheat) flour, and includes butter, and milk, cream, or lard. It is cooked on a large, flat griddle. In Minnesota it is typically made with potatoes, due to early success with potato crops.[41] It is comparable to a tortilla. Lefse is a traditional accompaniment to lutefisk, and the fish is often rolled up in the lefse. It is eaten plain or filled. Lefse is a significant cultural food in Minnesota and a source of pride for locals.[42]
Within Minnesota lefse is eaten in a number of ways: including with jelly, or lingonberries as a breakfast meal, or with ham and eggs. Lefse as a dessert is often consumed with butter and white sugar, brown sugar, or corn syrup, and optionally cinnamon, peanut butter can also be included. Savory options can include cold cuts, mustard, smoked fish, and hotdogs.[43][44]
Lefse is common in several dishes in Minnesota. Lefse buss is a dish consisting of meatballs wrapped in a lefse, sometimes with gravy drizzled on top. This dish can be served with mashed potatoes or french fries. Lefse wraps are simply wraps using lefse instead of a tortilla. Lefse melts are a lefse filled with meat and melting cheese that is folded, and toasted until the cheese melts, which is similar to a melt sandwich.[45]
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.[46]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.[47][48]
Cocktails
The Bootlegger cocktail was invented in Minnesota and remains popular today. The cocktail is made with bootleg mix (a mix of water, sugar, and lime juice), vodka, club soda, and mint leaves and lime wedges for garnish. Akvavit was brought from Scandinavia by immigrants and is produced in numerous distilleries, it is used in some cocktail recipes.[2] The Minnesota Slammer, a popular cocktail in Minnesota, is made with cherry brandy, bitters, peach and sour apple schnapps, and lemon-lime soda.[49] A Minnesota martini is a glass of light beer with olives.[50] As with the rest of the Upper Midwest, a Bloody Mary is often served with a sidecar of beer.[51]
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.
Meat Specialties
Porketta
A pre-prepared porketta for sale in Duluth
Porketta is a unique version of porchetta, an Italian roast made with pork belly. Porketta was invented by Italian immigrants in the Iron Range of Minnesota as a cheaper alternative. This dish is made with pork shoulder or pork butt, and seasoned with garlic and fennel. It is produced in the Iron Range, with producers such as Fraboni Sausage.[54][55][56]
Smoked lake fish
On the North Shore of Lake Superior, the tradition of smoking and curing lake fish is common. This tradition originated with Scandinavian immigrants around the 18th century. This tradition can be found along coastal towns throughout the Upper Midwest. Commonly smoked fish include rainbow smelt, lake trout, salmon, and lake herring.[57][22]
Minnesota barbecue is a relatively new development in the Minnesota, due to the lack of migration of African American migrants from the South during the Great Migration. As with the rest of the Upper Midwest and Northeast, barbecue in Minnesota has consisted of grilling bratwurst or hamburgers.[59][60][61] This trend is now changing, because pitmasters are moving to Minnesota, particularly the Twin Cities and bringing barbecue traditions from Kansas City, Texas, and the Carolinas. This is a relatively new development as the first barbecue joints began appearing in the 1980s, because of this Minnesota-style barbecue doesn't differ greatly from its Southern counterparts, leading some pitmasters to dispute its status as a unique barbecue style; it does have some differences however. One such difference is the use of sugar maple instead of pecan or hickory at some establishments. The meats used are pretty standard: short ribs, chicken, pulled pork, and brisket, however some unique meats are used such as wild game sausage and fish such as salmon.[59] Another unique factor is the influence of Scandinavian cuisines on this style; horseradish is used, as opposed to chiles, as a seasoning to suit the Minnesotan palate, additionally jams are used in the barbecue sauces such as lingonberry-infused barbecue sauce, and lefse is served as an accompanying side. Often, Minnesotan barbecue emphasizes locally sourced livestock, meat, and produce[60][61][62][63]
Side dishes served with Minnesotan barbecue include traditional coleslaw, fries, and baked macaroni and cheese, but other accompaniments idiosyncratic to the state include lefse, pickles, ranch, and broccoli salad.[59]
Minnesota-style barbecue was started by OMC Smokehouse in Duluth, Erik the Red and Minnesota BBQ co. in the Twin Cities, and Neighbor's BBQ in Biwabik.[59][61][63]
Minnesota also has Hmong-style barbecue particularly in the Hmongtown marketplace, this style uses hmong sausage, pork, chicken, along with sticky rice and spicy dipping sauces.[61]
Ingredients
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.[64]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.
Pickling
Pickling is an important tradition in Minnesota, especially since it is an excellent way to preserve produce in winter. Pickles can be found as snacks around the state and are served on-a-stick at the state fair. Several dishes in Minnesota cuisine also used pickles, such as Minnesota sushi and fried pickles.[65] Fruits and vegetables are often pickled such as cucumbers and beets, along with fish such as pickled lake herring and Northern pike.[66]
The Pickle-off is an annual pickling competition hosted in Minneapolis.[67]
Sauces
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.[59] 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.[68][69]
Produce
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.[70]
Cheese
Minnesota is known for its dairy industry. Cheeses in Minnesota are made with cow, sheep, or goat milk.[71]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.
Meats, specifically from livestock and poultry, are similar to what is found throughout the United States. Typical meats include: turkey,chicken, beef, particularity ground beef, bison, and pork. Minnesota is home to a large pork and turkey industry, ranked 2nd nationally for pork , and 1st for turkey. Minnesota also has a bison ranching Industry in Western and Central Minnesota. Spam is salty processed canned pork and ham. It is made and was invented in Austin, Minnesota. It can be eaten in many ways, but also plain as a snack.[74]
Fish
Minnesota is home to over eleven thousand lakes, which provides its citizens with numerous pan fish to angle, including: lake herring, whitefish, walleye, salmon, trout, perch, and bluegill. These are often eaten in a "shore lunch". Walleye is considered a delicacy in Minnesota and is the most prized by far. Fish are often eaten fried and breaded in Minnesota. While not caught in Minnesota, cod is a common fish used in Friday fish frys.
Sausage making is an important aspect of Minnesotan immigrant culture, with many European varieties becoming popular, along with Hmong sausage.[22][12]
Polish sausage - is very popular served cold as cold cuts on a platter, usually for an appetizer. It is also a common snack served with beer or plain vodka.
wild rice sausage - a sausage stuffed with wild rice
Regional cuisine
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.
Porketta – Porchetta variation made with pork shoulder or pork butt, and seasoned with garlic and fennel, produced in the Iron Range.[54]
Pizza rolls– Frozen pizza snack, invented in Duluth
Porketta sandwich – Sandwich consisting of slow roasted, seasoned pork, served on a sandwich with greens (rapini or spinach) and provolone cheese. Porketta remains a popular local dish in towns such as Hibbing, Minnesota with distributors such as Fraboni Sausage.[33]
South American sandwich – Bar snack invented in the Iron Range, made with several kinds of minced meat, onions, tomatoes, peppers, celery and other leftovers between two slices of bread.
Pasties – Savory pastries made by placing an uncooked filling, typically meat and vegetables, in the middle of a flat shortcrust pastry circle, bringing the edges together in the middle, and crimping over the top to form a seal before baking. They are popular in the iron range of Minnesota, especially as a lunch for iron miners.[34][33]
Potica – Rolled pastries made of leavened paper-thin dough and a filling, but most often with walnut filling.[8]
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.[25] Of Minnesota's 16 winners of a James Beard Award for restaurant or chef, 14 are in the Twin Cities.[78] Most recently, Christina Nguyen of Vietnamese restaurant Hai Hai won Best Chef Midwest in 2025[79] and Owamni, a new indigenous restaurant, won Best New Restaurant in 2022.[80]
While Minnesota isn't known for bison, Buffalo burgers and bison steaks becoming increasing common due to the bison ranching industry in Western and Central Minnesota. So common in fact, that bison meat can be found in supermarkets and on restaurant menus around the state. Western Minnesota is also known for commercial sandwiches, such as the hot beef commercial.[85]Khoephla soup is also a popular dish from the region.
North Shore
On the North Shore, fish is consumed more commonly due to the proximity to Lake Superior, which has a commercial fishing industry. One common food is pickled lake herring. The tradition of smoking and curing fish can be found in Duluth and along the coast. Commonly consumed fish include trout, lake whitefish, salmon, smelt, and lake herring.[86][87]
During Lent, Christians forgo eating all meat except for fish on Fridays. This led to the tradition of the fish fry, in which churches and restaurants serve fried fish on Fridays.[88]
Minnesota has several unique traditions for Christmas as well. Most notably the consumption of lutefisk, which is often served with meatballs, potatoes, lefse, and other accompaniments. Some churches offer lutefisk dinners around Christmas time.[89] Bakeries will also offer special items around Christmas such as rosettes, sandbakelse, lebkuchen, German Christmas bread, gingerbread, and potica. Rømmegrøt is also occasionally eaten during the holidays.[90][91]
While not a holiday, restaurants around Minnesota celebrate the state fair by offering specials on-a-stick, and foods commonly found at the state fair such as fried cheese curds.[94]
Minnesota is known for its church potlucks, which is a social event where each participant brings food to share. hotdish is often served at potlucks. 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.
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 rutabaga, rice pudding, mashed peas, lingonberry jam, cream sauce, and Swedish meatballs.[89][97]
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