This midwestern party snack has the internet asking questions.
Midwestern food exists in its own wonderfully specific universe. It’s a world of lake snacks, family cookbooks, salads that involve whipped topping, and recipes that somehow become traditions after showing up once in a 1978 spiral-bound cookbook from the local Lutheran church.
I’m reminded of this every summer when we visit my in-laws’ house on Lake Minnetonka. There’s always a tub of something creamy in the fridge, a plateful of chocolate scotcheroos and at least one appetizer that feels spiritually connected to church potlucks.
That same deeply lovable midwestern food vibe is probably why the internet has become so fascinated with something called “Minnesota sushi.” Which, despite the name, has absolutely nothing to do with fish.
What is Minnesota sushi?
“Minnesota sushi” is the nickname for pickle roll-ups, a classic midwestern snack made with dill pickles, cream cheese and deli ham rolled together and sliced into rounds. The sushi comparison mostly comes from appearance. Once sliced, the wraps look surprisingly similar to maki rolls, with the pickle at the center and the ham wrapped neatly around the outside.
The snack has long been popular across Minnesota and neighboring Midwestern states, especially at potlucks, holidays, graduation parties or summer barbecues. It belongs to a category of foods that don’t really need formal introductions in the Midwest. They simply appear at functions, usually alongside a vegetable tray and a pan of dessert bars.
There are also plenty of regional and family variations. Some people use salami instead of ham. Others mix ranch seasoning into the cream cheese or swap in flavored cream cheese altogether. But the core idea stays the same: salty, creamy, crunchy and extremely easy to keep eating.
How do you make Minnesota sushi?
Like many great midwestern party foods, Minnesota sushi relies more on assembly than actual cooking.
Our pickle wraps recipe uses just four ingredients: softened cream cheese, spicy ranch seasoning mix, deli ham and whole dill pickles.
Spread the cream cheese mixture onto ham slices, then roll the pickles tightly inside. After chilling in the refrigerator, slice the rolls into bite-sized pieces that genuinely do look a little like sushi. The whole thing takes about 10 minutes to prep, which feels very aligned with the Midwestern tradition of recipes designed to feed a crowd without taking up the whole afternoon.
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