The cuisine of Minnesota refers to the food traditions, cooking techniques, dishes, and ingredients found throughout the state of Minnesota. It is a unique type of Midwestern cuisine, made distinct by its heavy Nordic influence.
Typical Minnesota cuisine is based on 19th-century Norwegian and Swedish cuisine, with influence from German, Czech, Cornish, Italian, and Polish cuisine and minor Native American influences (mainly seen through the use of wild rice). Since the 1960s, food developed, produced, and sold in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area, known as the "Twin Cities", has been influenced by the cuisines of immigrant and refugee groups that have settled in Minnesota; immigrant cuisines common in Minnesota include Thai, Hmong, Vietnamese, and Laotian cuisine. Minnesotan cuisine also has regional variations, such as fusion cuisine and New Nordic cuisine in the Twin Cities, which is home to the inventions of the Jucy Lucy and the Bundt cake. Italian-inspired dishes and Cornish pasties are common in the Iron Range, along with Eastern European and Scandinavian dishes. German influence is more prevalent on the western prairies. Lake fish is most common on the North Shore.
Dishes uniquely associated with Minnesota cuisine include hotdish, fried walleye, Jucy Lucys, wild rice soup, lutefisk, lefse, and desserts such as scotcheroos, dessert salads, kransekake, and baked apples. Minnesota is the namesake of Minnesota sushi, Minnesota goulash, and Minnesota-style pizza. Regionally, porketta, potica, and pasties are well-known dishes of the Iron Range.
Foods typical in Minnesota cuisine are generally affordable, filling, and hearty, befitting 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.
Relation to Scandinavian cuisine
While Minnesotan cuisine and the cuisines of Scandinavian countries are quite similar, with the former being based upon the latter, there are several differences.
The aspects of Minnesotan cuisine that are of Scandinavian origin have remained largely unchanged over the centuries, leading to stark differences between modern Scandinavian cooking and Minnesotan cuisine. Dishes common in 19th-century Scandinavia such as lutefisk and egg coffee have either substantially decreased in popularity or have entirely disappeared from Scandinavia, while remaining common in Minnesota.
Extremely regional dishes in Scandinavia often get associated with the entirety, despite being relatively unknown. This is the case with , Swedish potato sausage, which comes from a specific region of Sweden, but is seen as representative of all of Sweden. Additionally, Some Swedish and Norwegian foodways have, by wide acceptance, become part of the local cuisine to a degree that they have shed most cultural associations with specific immigrant groups.
History
19th century Letters and household accounts of Minnesota residents give details of mid-19th century frontier cuisine. A farmer's wife writes to her cousin about harvest in Rochester, Minnesota "My hand is so tired perhaps you'll excuse penciling", explaining she woke before four to skim milk, churn butter and bake "6 loaves of bread & seven pumpkin pies". In the 1850s, supplies could not keep pace with settlement, though steamboats regularly brought in sugar-cured hams, oysters, herring, sardines, alcohol, salt pork and other supplies. At that time, a full multi-course meal served for special occasions would have started with a typical soup, followed by a choice of local fish and so-called "boiled dishes", like chicken with egg sauce, ham or corned beef. Entrees were followed by assorted roast meats served with cranberry sauce. Early Minnesotans used cranberries in pies, molded desserts and frozen confections.
Dining in 19th century, Minnesota mainly revolved around boiled potatoes and meats. However, there was some variety; the Old Napoleon restaurant in St. Paul served beefsteaks, oysters, tripe, venison, and pigs' feet. Bakeries in Minneapolis such as Eagle Bakery offered fruitcake, pound cake and something called "Fancy cake" for the holidays. Asian cuisine was initially dominated by Chinese Cantonese immigrants that served Americanized offerings. In 1883 Woo Yee Sing and his younger brother, Woo Du Sing, opened the Canton Cafe in Minneapolis, the first Chinese restaurant in Minnesota.
Scandinavian settlers dominated migration in the late 1800s, bringing some of the state's most iconic dishes, lefse and lutefisk. In Norway, lefse has several regional varieties. In Minnesota, only potato lefse is widely consumed. This was caused by successful potato harvests by early Norwegian Minnesotan settlers. Potato lefse dominates so much in Minnesota it is sometimes referred to as Minnesota lefse.
Immigrants from Eastern Europe, arriving in the 19th century, opened delicatessens, bakeries and restaurants, and introduced dishes like varenyky, krakowska, poppy seed roll, kluski, kolaches and stuffed cabbage rolls to Minnesota. German immigrants brought kohlrabi with them. Slovenian and Croatian immigrants brought the honey-nut bread called potica to the Iron Range region, which is also known for Cornish pasties. Porketta, a pork roast seasoned with fennel and garlic and served with either sliced or shredded like a pulled pork sandwich was invented in Minnesota, specifically the Iron Range region by Italian immigrants.
20th century In the 1930s, there were four Jewish bakeries within a few blocks of each other baking bagels and other fresh breads. Jewish families purchased challah loaves for their Sabbath meal at the North Side Bakery. There were two kosher meat markets and four Jewish delicatessens, one of which began distribution for what would become Sara Lee frozen cheesecakes. The delis sold sandwiches like corned beef and salami.
German-Americans are by far the state's largest ethnic group. During early settlement, Minnesota's German-Americans were divided between secular Forty-Eighters and religiously active Germans, who included Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Jews, Mennonites, and Amish. But like their compatriots throughout the United States, Minnesota's German-Americans overwhelmingly chose to assimilate in response to persecution during World War I and, later, horror and shame over Nazi war crimes. This allowed Scandinavian culture and food to dominate in Minnesota.
Authentic Chinese offerings began at the influential Nankin Cafe which opened in 1919, and many new Chinese immigrants soon took this cuisine throughout the Twin Cities and to the suburbs. The cuisine of Japan has been present since the opening of the area's very first Japanese restaurant, Fuji Ya in 1959. Modern dining options include phở noodle shops, bánh mi and Thai curry restaurants. Local ingredients are often integrated into Asian offerings, for example Chinese steamed walleye and Nepalese curried bison.
In the 20th century, wild rice was an expensive ingredient, as such wild rice soup was created in order to use any leftover wild rice. The Jucy Lucy burger, a burger with a core of melted cheese, was invented in the 1950s.
The Great Depression The Great Depression had profound effects on Minnesota food culture. The scarcity of ingredients led to a number of Minnesota's unique dishes to be created. Desserts such as dessert salads were invented around this time, along with jello salad. Most notably, hotdish was invented in the 1930s in Mankato. This dish secured its popularity during the Great Depression, when grocery budgets required creative preparations for cheap foods, and the popularity continued into the rationing during World War II. It was likely preceded by an American dish known as "hot pot."
21st century
The 21st century saw increased diversity of Minnesota's food scene, particularly in the Twin Cities. This was driven by the plethora of immigrant groups that emigrated. American restaurants in the Twin Cities supply a wide spectrum of choices and styles that range from small diners, sports bars and decades-old supper clubs to high-end steakhouses and eateries that serve new American cuisine using locally grown ingredients. Minnesota barbecue was a food movement blending various styles of barbecue from around the United States. The Twin Cities saw a large influx of Southeast Asian immigrants from Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, the largest of these groups was the Hmong people. They brought the tradition of Hmong sausage to Minnesota, along with establishing the Hmongtown Marketplace. Scandinavian dining was revitalized through the New Nordic Cuisine movement. Despite the new culinary influences on Minnesota, its base of Swedish and Norwegian home cooking remains strong.
Dishes
Appetizers and side dishes Mashed potatoes and gravy, asparagus, and green beans are Minnesota staples, often eaten at Thanksgiving or large dinners. Typical sides include pickles, locally grown boiled new potatoes seasoned with fresh herbs or horseradish, baked beans, corn on the cob, sauerkraut, 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, or mashed. Mashed rutabaga is common preparation of rutabaga brought from Scandinavia. European dumplings such as kluski, spätzle, halušky, potato dumplings and pierogis remain somewhat popular. Wild rice is commonly served as a pilaf.
Minnesota-style cheese curds – served battered and deep fried. Gravlax 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-rubbed chicken wings made with tempura-fried basil and numerous spices. Basil wings are a fusion dish originating in the Twin Cities. Salad varieties: Jello salad, potato salad, pasta salad, macaroni salad and wild rice salad
Entrees
Soup varieties: knoephla stew, booyah stew, wild rice soup, Lapskaus, and walleye chowder Pizza varieties: Minnesota-style pizza, Pizza rolls, and pickle pizza Sandwich varieties: the porketta sandwich, hot beef commercial, hot turkey commercial, fried walleye sandwich, hot dago, South American, Scandinavian open-faced sandwiches (), and the Jucy Lucy Lutefisk – dried whitefish, traditionally served with boiled potatoes, mashed green peas, melted butter and small pieces of fried bacon. Madison, Minnesota has dubbed itself the "lutefisk capital of the world". Swedish meatballs – traditionally served with gravy, boiled or mashed potatoes, lingonberry jam, and sometimes pickled cucumber. This dish was brought to Minnesota by Swedish immigrants. 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 – 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. Tater tot hotdish – made with ground beef, topped with tater tots, and flavored with thick condensed cream of mushroom soup sauce; some versions in Minnesota use the official state grain—wild rice—or even macaroni, in place of the potatoes. Tater tot hotdish is considered the "national dish" of Minnesota. 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. Minnesota goulash