You Think You Know Minnesota Salads? Guess Again.


Kicking off our Minnesota Salad Series is a dish that’s as controversial as it is tasty: the Grape Salad. Yes, the New York Times picked it as Minnesota’s culinary emblem, and we’re still scratching our heads over here in MN.

I mean, if you grew up here you've probably had it but to say it best represents MN is a very, very big stretch. That said, it IS tasty.

Maybe....why they chose it?

  • Unexpected Choice: While delicious, many of us Minnesotans wouldn’t crown it the king of our culinary traditions. It’s more like the duke—a bit distant from the throne but still in the royal family.
  • Simple Yet Sophisticated: With ingredients like grapes, Greek yogurt, and a sprinkle of toasted pecans, it’s a modern twist on traditional flavors.
  • Sweet Meets Crunchy: The creamy base paired with the crunch of pecans and a hint of brown sugar? It’s a texture party that is really tasty. We get that part.

Teaser Ingredients:

  • Grapes (lots of them)
  • Cream cheese and Greek yogurt for a creamy twist
  • A sprinkle of pecans sweetened with brown sugar for that perfect crunch

Curious to see why this dish got all the fame? I have the original recipe from what is believed to be the original starting point of this recipe in MN. That, I'm sure, will be strongly challenged by the grape salad die-hards (really, though, are there really any of those?)

Here’s to starting conversations and salads with a bit of controversy,

Nellie

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