The Cuisine of North Dakota differs from average Midwestern cuisine in a number of ways.
North Dakota has a strong influence from Norway and as well as other German ethnics from Russia who settled there. This also reflects in their dishes.
Here are some iconic North Dakota meals that visitors love according to onlyinyourstate.
Walleye
Whether grilled or fried or fresh from the lake, walleye is by far the fish of choice in North Dakota. Not only that, but the “walleye capital” of the nation is in Garrison, ND. It’s no wonder why it’s one of the foods North Dakota is known for
Fleischkuekle
This Russian-German meat-filled pastry can probably bring back fond memories for a lot of native North Dakotans – memories of visiting grandparents while growing up and eating these scrumptious treats. There are numerous restaurants in North Dakota that serve these, and people love them.
Knoephla
Knoephla, with numerous other spellings, is a creamy dumpling and potato soup that is one of the most popular foods in North Dakota. It will warm and fill you up on even the coldest of days and people hold their perfect knoephla recipes close to their heart.
Kuchen
“Kuchen” in German is just a general word for cake, but in North Dakota, it is a very specific dessert or comfort food. You can get it in apple, apricot, blueberry, cherry, chocolate chip, peach, rhubarb – too many types to name. It’s the ultimate North Dakota comfort food.
This delicious fruit kuchen was featured on the Germans from Russia Foodways and Traditions Facebook page, which is pretty much the ultimate North Dakota foods page.
Hot Beef Sandwich
This can also be a hot turkey sandwich. This gravy-covered dish always hits the spot. It’s just the perfect combination of bread, hot meat, mashed potatoes, and a generous amount of gravy.
Goulash
Goulash is a more Scandinavian-based meal and a go-to any time! Whoever said macaroni noodles could only be paired with cheese?
Sauerkraut
The topping of all toppings, the side of all sides, the “can be put in or on pretty much anything” food – sauerkraut.
It’s not just good on a hot dog or as a side for sausage – you can even make sauerkraut knoephla. Although fermented cabbage isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, it certainly is one of North Dakota’s favorites.
Lefse
This is one of the holiday foods, even though it looks simple, the Scandinavian food is absolutely delicious. It goes well with both sweet and savory toppings, or simply as-is.
Cheese Buttons (a.k.a. Kase Knephla)
The cheese buttons are that kind of food where you can never have just one. They consist of dough with a cheesy filling, boiled and then fried, creating a yummy cheesy treat.
