The Midwest is home to some truly unique culinary creations that might raise eyebrows elsewhere in America. Regional specialties reflect the area’s farming heritage and immigrant influences.
Get ready for a mouthwatering (and occasionally head-scratching) tour of foods that make the Midwest wonderfully weird!
1. Puppy Chow (Or Muddy Buddies)
Nothing to do with dog food! This addictive snack mix combines Chex cereal coated in chocolate, peanut butter, and powdered sugar.
The name comes from its resemblance to kibble, but the taste is pure sweet-salty perfection. Midwesterners make this by the gallon for parties and holiday gatherings.
2. Cincinnati Chili
Forget Texas-style chili – this Ohio specialty features thin, spiced meat sauce with cinnamon and chocolate, served over spaghetti. Locals order it by numbers: two-way (pasta and chili), three-way (adds cheese), four-way (adds onions), or five-way (adds beans).
Skyline Chili restaurants are the famous purveyors.
3. Pickle Roll-Ups (Minnesota Sushi)
Dill pickles slathered with cream cheese, wrapped in thin slices of ham, then cut into bite-sized pinwheels. These tangy-creamy-salty appetizers appear at every Minnesota gathering.
Grandmas make them for confirmations, graduations, and funerals alike. The nickname “Minnesota sushi” pokes fun at their landlocked version of coastal cuisine.
4. Hot Dish
The iconic Minnesota casserole that combines cream of mushroom soup, ground beef, vegetables, and topped with crispy tater tots. Church basements across the upper Midwest serve this comfort food at community gatherings.
Politicians even compete in hot dish contests to prove their Midwestern credentials!
5. Brain Sandwich
A St. Louis and Indiana specialty that’s exactly what it sounds like – breaded, fried cow or pig brains on a bun. Originally made with beef brains, most places now use pork due to mad cow concerns.
The texture is surprisingly creamy, almost like scrambled eggs. Old-timers claim it’s best with mustard and onions.
6. Runza (Bierock)
Nebraska’s beloved stuffed bread pocket filled with ground beef, cabbage, onions, and spices. German-Russian immigrants brought this hearty handheld meal to the Plains states.
The Runza fast food chain specializes in these, but homemade versions remain popular. During harvest season, farm families deliver them by the dozens to workers in the fields.
7. Goetta
Cincinnati’s breakfast meat that stretches a little pork and beef with lots of steel-cut oats. German immigrants created this thrifty dish, now sliced and fried until crispy.
The annual Goettafest celebrates this humble food with creative dishes like goetta pizza and goetta egg rolls.
8. Cheese Curds
Fresh cheese by-products that literally squeak when you bite them! Wisconsin’s dairy pride and joy are best eaten hours after production, before they lose their signature sound.
Deep-fried cheese curds are a state fair staple. Gas stations throughout Wisconsin sell fresh bags daily.
9. Loose Meat Sandwich (Maid-Rite)
Iowa’s answer to the sloppy joe – minus the sauce. Seasoned ground beef that’s steamed rather than fried, served on a bun with pickles, onions, and mustard.
The meat isn’t formed into a patty, hence “loose.” Made famous by the Maid-Rite restaurant chain.
10. Toasted Ravioli
St. Louis transformed ordinary ravioli by breading and deep-frying it to crispy perfection. These beef-filled pasta pockets are served as appetizers with marinara dipping sauce and a dusting of parmesan.
Legend claims they were invented when a chef accidentally dropped regular ravioli into hot oil.
11. Juneberry Pie
North Dakota’s wild purple berries create pies that look like blueberry but taste uniquely almond-cherry. Also called serviceberries or saskatoons.
These native fruits are harvested from prairie bushes each summer. Grandmothers guard secret pie recipes featuring these berries.
12. Chicago Corn Roll Tamale
Not authentic Mexican, but a Chicago invention. Cornmeal dough is extruded into tube shape, filled with chili, steamed, then topped with more chili.
Often sold from hot dog stands alongside Chicago dogs. The machine-extruded shape distinguishes it from hand-wrapped traditional tamales.
13. Knoephla Soup
North Dakota’s German-Russian dumpling soup combines small flour dumplings with potatoes in a creamy chicken broth. The ultimate comfort food during harsh prairie winters.
Knoephla (pronounced nip-fla) means “little knob” or “button” in German. Farm families simmer huge pots during potato harvesting season to feed hungry workers.
14. Dutch Letters (S-Cookies)
Flaky S-shaped pastries filled with almond paste and dusted with sugar, brought to Iowa by Dutch immigrants. The S supposedly stands for Sinterklaas (Dutch Santa Claus).
Pella, Iowa’s Dutch-founded town, sells thousands during their annual Tulip Festival.
15. Sugar Cream Pie (Hoosier Pie)
Indiana’s official state pie consists of a simple custardy filling of cream, sugar, flour, and vanilla. No eggs required!
Created by Amish and Quaker settlers who made do with ingredients available year-round. The top is often dusted with nutmeg and caramelized slightly.
16. Burgoo
Kentucky-Illinois border region’s community stew made with whatever meats and vegetables are available. Traditionally cooked outdoors in massive kettles during gatherings and fundraisers.
Old recipes called for squirrel or game meats. Modern versions use more conventional proteins. The key is long, slow cooking.
17. Provel Cheese
St. Louis’ controversial processed cheese blend of cheddar, Swiss, and provolone that melts into a gooey, almost liquid texture. The defining topping on St. Louis-style pizza with its cracker-thin crust.
Locals adore its distinctive smoky flavor and stretchy quality. Outsiders compare it to cheese whiz or Velveeta.