28 Recipes for Favorite Midwest Foods (2024)

Sample a taste of Midwest foods with these recipes that reflect Heartland tradition and ingredients, from South Dakota peach kuchen to corn chowder.

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North Dakota Juneberry Pie

28 Recipes for Favorite Midwest Foods (1)

Called the Blueberry of the Northern Plains, juneberries (also known as serviceberries) give bakers in North and South Dakota a reason to warm kitchens in summer. Pies featuring the berry bake a deep purply red and bring a nutty almond flavor to every fork full.

Make Your Best Pie Ever

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Knoephla

28 Recipes for Favorite Midwest Foods (2)

German-Russians settling the Dakotas put Red River Valley potatoes to good use in this creamy-rich potato-filled base with noodle dough cooked. It's white-on-white comfort food.

Comfort Food to Keep You Warm All Winter

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South Dakota Peach Kuchen

28 Recipes for Favorite Midwest Foods (3)

German settlers brought the recipe for this tender coffee cake to the northern plains. The industrious pioneers changed up the taste by folding local fruits into the batter: apple, gooseberry, plum and even no-fruit cottage cheese. Here's our biscuitlike version with summery peaches. Serve it warm for breakfast or with ice cream for dessert.

Sweet-and-Juicy Peach Recipes

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Dutch Letters

28 Recipes for Favorite Midwest Foods (4)

Iowa shops such as Pella's Jaarsma Bakery serve delicious almond paste tucked into S-shape pastries. Some say the S stands for Sinterklaas, but sweet works for us.

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Brats and Beer Cheddar Chowder

28 Recipes for Favorite Midwest Foods (5)

Midwest Living created this hearty chowder to salute the Badger State's German beer, bratwurst and cheese heritage. The tang of the beer and smokiness of the brats hold up to the bold cheddar and caraway.

Midwest Soups State by State

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Wisconsin Harvest Pie

28 Recipes for Favorite Midwest Foods (6)

This almond-kissed, fruit-packed pie comes from David Harper, of Richland Center, Wisconsin. He likes to serve it with a wedge of Wisconsin cheese, but it's just as good with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream! The recipe was a finalist in one of our recipe contests.

Prizewinning Reader Recipes

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Kansas Zwiebach

When Mennonites came to Kansas, they brought their German language, Turkey Red wheat and the recipe for this addictive sweet, soft dinner roll with a doughy topknot. The secret to its rich taste and moistness: potato water, sugar, butter and egg. Don't confuse it with the tooth-breaking cracker of the same name.

Our Best Recipes for Breads, Rolls and Biscuits

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Sandbakkels

28 Recipes for Favorite Midwest Foods (8)

Sandbakkels the means "sand tarts" because the cookies (which, flipped over, can double as tiny shells to hold cream and fruit) have such a fine, crisp texture. Find these treats, originally brought by Norwegians to the Midwest, in Shauna Sever's book Midwest Made: Big, Bold Baking from the Heartland.

9 Midwest Heritage Cookies and Treats from Shauna Sever

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Classic Chicken and Wild Rice Hotdish

28 Recipes for Favorite Midwest Foods (9)

Rich cream sauce stands in for canned soup in Minnesota chef Amy Thielen's spin on classic chicken and wild rice hotdish. The recipe comes from Amy's book The New Midwestern Table (clarksonpotter.com).

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Crispy Beer-Battered Fried Walleye with Mango Sauce

28 Recipes for Favorite Midwest Foods (10)

Walleye—the official state fish for both Minnesota and South Dakota—is popular throughout the Midwest, but you can substitute lake trout, tilapia or sole fillets if you prefer. The mango sweet-and-sour sauce perfectly complements the fried fish.

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Missouri Gooey Butter Cake

28 Recipes for Favorite Midwest Foods (11)

This wonderfully rich cake doesn't need frosting. Serve it for dessert with just a sprinkling of powdered sugar.

Ultimate Cake Recipes

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Chicago-Style Deep-Dish Pizza

28 Recipes for Favorite Midwest Foods (12)

True Chicago-style pizza is in some ways a closer cousin to a casserole than traditional regular-crust pizza. One slice is a whole meal!

10 Trendy Chicago Sandwiches You Have to Try Now

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Sauteed Morel Mushrooms

28 Recipes for Favorite Midwest Foods (13)

The thrill of a hunt in the spring woods is our favorite part of this Midwest tradition—until you saute those morel mushrooms in butter and dig in.

Morel Mushroom Recipes

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Corn-Sausage Chowder

Creamy chowders are a staple in many Midwest homes. This soup takes just 30 minutes to prepare, making it perfect for a simple weeknight dinner.

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True Butterscotch Pie

28 Recipes for Favorite Midwest Foods (15)

The trick to the filling in this Iowa State Fair prizewinning recipe? Stirring and stirring while it cooks. The recipe comes from Louise Piper of Garner.

Midwest State Fair Blue-Ribbon Recipes

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Walleye Wild Rice Cakes with Wasabi Dressing

28 Recipes for Favorite Midwest Foods (16)

The walleye—state fish of Minnesota and South Dakota—is sought by both anglers and chefs. This recipe comes from Cindi Rockwell of Berkley, Michigan, who paired hearty fish cakes with a zippy wasabi dressing.

Fish Recipes for Dinner Tonight

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Breakfast Wild Rice

28 Recipes for Favorite Midwest Foods (17)

For a hearty breakfast with Midwest grains, serve steaming wild rice topped with toasted pecans, maple syrup, milk or half-and-half, and a pat of melty butter. The recipe comes from The New Midwestern Table (clarksonpotter.com) by Minnesota chef Amy Thielen.

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Springfield Horseshoe Sandwich

28 Recipes for Favorite Midwest Foods (18)

The horseshoe sandwich, created in Springfield, Illinois, is an open-faced pile of a sandwich with toasted bread, meat, cheese sauce and french fries. Reportedly created in 1928 at the Old Leland Hotel, it's now served by many Springfield restaurants. Hamburger is the typical meat, but you'll also see it with ham, turkey, chicken, pulled pork, or even vegetables.

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Sunflower Pumpkin Muffins

28 Recipes for Favorite Midwest Foods (19)

Seeds from the Sunflower State (along with rolled oats and pumpkin) star in this muffin favorite.

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Buffalo Corn-Potato Chowder

28 Recipes for Favorite Midwest Foods (20)

This hearty soup, an update of a Midwest favorite, draws its inspiration from the flavors of Buffalo chicken wings. The recipe doesn't call for chicken, but you can add it if you like.

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Cincinnati-Style Chili

28 Recipes for Favorite Midwest Foods (21)

Locals spar over whether Skyline or Gold Star makes the better version (and whether the secret ingredients should be cinnamon, cocoa or allspice). Whichever, chili in the Queen City translates as a mild, meaty sauce served over spaghetti noodles and topped with shredded cheese.

Warm-You-Up Chili Recipes

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Apricot and Orange Blossom Kolacky

28 Recipes for Favorite Midwest Foods (22)

This tender pastry cookie, a cousin to Jewish rugelach, has Polish origins. The recipe's apricot filling nods to Hungary. Kolacky (sometimes called kolach) became popular throughout the Midwest as Eastern European immigrants arrived. This recipe is from Shauna Sever's book Midwest Made: Big, Bold Baking from the Heartland.

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War Eagle Mill Buttermilk Biscuits

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"My recipes are like my children. I'd hate to single one out as a favorite," says Zoe Caywood, who worked for many years as a miller at War Eagle Mill just east of Rogers, Arkansas. These biscuits are from one of Zoe's cookbooks. The recipe blends wheat and all-purpose flours for a fuller flavor than traditional biscuits. They're great with butter or homemade jams, jellies and preserves.

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Amish Apple Dumplings

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We often equate Amish food with comfort. Here's our version of a favorite dessert you might find at Amish-based restaurants in the Midwest.

Irresistible Apple Dessert Recipes

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Great Lakes Salmon Chowder

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For the Great Lakes State (four of the five lakes touch it), fish chowder was an easy choice. Freshwater salmon teams up with two more state ingredients (potatoes and asparagus) for an exceptionally satisfying meal in a bowl.

Simmering Soups and Stews

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Badger State Muffins

28 Recipes for Favorite Midwest Foods (26)

This cinnamon- and coriander-spiced muffin highlights Wisconsin-grown produce, including apples and cranberries.

Quick and Easy Muffin Recipes

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Brandy Old-Fashioned

28 Recipes for Favorite Midwest Foods (27)

An evening at a Wisconsin supper club usually starts with a Brandy Old-Fashioned. Cooler than a Rat Pack film, these old-school eateries know sensible steaks and relish trays never go out of style.

Why Wisconsin Supper Clubs Just Keep Getting Better

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Cranberry-Orange Wild Rice Muffins

28 Recipes for Favorite Midwest Foods (28)

This North Woods-inspired recipe from Cheryl Francke of Arden Hills, Minnesota, was a finalist in a Best of the Midwest recipe contest.

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28 Recipes for Favorite Midwest Foods (2024)

FAQs

What are the most popular foods in the Midwest? ›

The Midwest is home to many regional specialties and some of the most iconic foods of the United States. Though most midwestern food is not fancy cuisine, many of these dishes are symbols of Americana: hot dogs, fruit pies, pizza, chili, ice cream, and hotdishes—not fancy, but very, very good-tasting foods.

What foods were introduced by the settlers in the Midwest? ›

Swedes, Norwegians, and Finns began to settle the Midwest in the late 18th century, introducing rich, butter-laden cakes and cookies. In addition to making cheese and butter, German and Swiss dairy farmers raised milk-fed veal and produced a type of white beer called weisse bier.

What foods does Midwestern make? ›

27 Dishes That Are Quintessentially Midwestern
  • Beer brats. Carrie A Hanrahan/Shutterstock. ...
  • Bosco Sticks. Bosco Sticks. ...
  • Buckeyes. Happy_food_photo/Shutterstock. ...
  • Chicago Mix. Brent Hofacker/Shutterstock. ...
  • Chicago-style hot dogs. Elena Veselova/Shutterstock. ...
  • Chili with cinnamon rolls. ...
  • Cincinnati chili. ...
  • Deep dish pizza.
Oct 26, 2023

Who owns Midwest Foods? ›

My Name is Jordon Elwell, toghter Jim Grove and I are. the proud local owners of Midwest Foods, LLC.

What do Midwestern people eat for breakfast? ›

Anything with eggs, bacon, sausage or ham

While you will find plenty of casseroles, kringles and fried mush across the Midwest, you're more likely to find the standards: bacon, eggs and carbs. Like a proper Midwestern meal, the best recipes combine all these together, like in a breakfast skillet.

What foods is Wisconsin famous for? ›

Known as "America's Dairyland", Wisconsin is famous for its cheese as well as other dairy products, such as cheese curds and frozen custard. Other notable foods common to the region include bratwursts, beer and brandy Old Fashioned co*cktails, butter burgers, fish fries and fish boils, cranberries, and booyah stew.

What were 5 of the most common foods of the colonists? ›

They sowed corn, caught fish, hunted wild game and raised farm animals for meat, as well as milk to make their own butter and cheese. They planted vegetables in their kitchen gardens, brewed their own beer and pressed their own cider.

What food is Iowa famous for? ›

Iowa is known for Sour Cream Raisin Pie, Iowa Ham Balls, Scotcheroos, Maid Rite sandwiches, Steak de Burgo, taco pizza, snickers salad, and corn, lots of corn. It's also the leading producer of pork in the U.S.A.

What did the pioneers drink? ›

Many 1800s pioneers traveled in covered wagons. Since there were no stores along the wagon trails, they had to pack all everything they would need for the journey. Water would be carried in canteens, and they would often drink coffee as well.

What is the most Midwestern thing? ›

By this measure, the most Midwestern thing on Earth is the walleye, a drab but delicious freshwater fish whose primeval bulging eyes and snaggled teeth would look at home in one of those Nebraska fossil beds.

What is Midwestern pet food? ›

At Midwestern Pet Foods, we've been feeding pets for generations. We're a family-owned business now in our fourth generation. Over the years, we've learned a lot about family, pet companions and making high-quality pet food & treats. We still have those same Midwestern values that Grandpa Nunn had back in 1926!

What are the 12 Midwestern states? ›

The Midwest, as defined by the federal government, comprises the states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

Who is the CEO of Midwest company? ›

Mr Barima - CEO - Midwest Company Ltd.

What brands does General Foods own? ›

General Foods is a multinational confectionery, food and beverage conglomerate. It markets many brands in more than 170 countries. 12 of its brands annually earned more than $1 billion worldwide: Cadbury, Jacobs, Kraft, LU, Maxwell House, Milka, Nabisco, Oreo, Oscar Mayer, Philadelphia, Trident, and Tang.

Who owns all the major food brands? ›

Only 10 companies control almost every large food and beverage brand in the world. These companies — Nestlé, Pepsico, Coca-Cola, Unilever, Danone, General Mills, Kellogg's, Mars, Associated British Foods, and Mondelez — each employ thousands of employees and make billions of dollars in revenue every year.

What are 4 popular foods in the US? ›

filters
  • 1 Mashed potatoes86%
  • 2 French Fries86%
  • 3 Hamburgers85%
  • 4 Cheeseburger83%
  • 5 Grilled Cheese82%
  • 6 Steak and Baked potato82%
  • 7 Hash browns82%
  • 8 Fried Chicken82%

What's the Midwest known for? ›

Made up of countless small towns that come together to form what some call “America's Heartland,” the Midwest is known for its industry, farming, and residents with friendly, down-to-earth attitudes.

What is the culinary capital of the Midwest? ›

Culinary Capital of the Midwest

Milwaukee, the Cream City, Brew City, the Good Land, the Gathering…

What crop is the Midwest known for? ›

The Midwest is known for its bountiful and diverse agricultural production. Its fertile lands and waters provide ideal conditions for corn, soybeans and wheat crops, as well as 15% of the country's dairy products.

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