Finnish cuisine is known for being fresh, clean, and simple with an emphasis on local, seasonal ingredients. It’s probably just to keep warm, but Finns are also known for drinking heavily. Here are the most popular foods and drinks in Finland.
Breakfast Foods
Reikäleipä – Rye Bread
One of the staples of Finnish cuisine is reikäleipä, a Finnish rye bread available in many varieties. A typical Finnish breakfast is rye bread with butter, cheese and a slice of cold cut meat such as ham.
Riisipuuro – Porridge
Another popular food in Finland is riisipuuro– rice porridge cooked in full fat milk with butter and sugar to sweeten it. A popular addition to riisipuuro is cinnamon, especially around Christmas.
Soups
Hernekeitto Ja Pannukakku – Pea Soup with Pancake
The Finnish take on hearty pea soup is simmered with onions, bay leaf, salt and pepper and pork shanks for a smoky flavor. Hernekeitto is typically served with a savory Finnish pancake for dipping, called pannukakku.
Lohikeitto – Salmon Soup
This fish soup is a popular dish in Finland. Lohikeitto is cooked with salmon, potatoes, carrots and onions, cream, and seasoned with dill and allspice.
Main Dishes
Lihapullat – Finnish Meatballs
Similar to Swedish meatballs, lihapullat is made with minced beef formed into meatballs served in a brown sauce with mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam, called puolukkahillo.
Kaalikääryleet – Stuffed Cabbage
Stuffed cabbage, or kaalikääryleet, is a popular dinner food in Finland. Kaalikääryleet is made by combining minced meat with cooked rice and placing the mixture in blanched cabbage leaves. The cabbage is then rolled and baked until fully cooked. Kaalikääryleet is typically served with perunamuusi (mashed potatoes) and finished with the Scandinavian specialty, lingonberry jam.
Street Foods
Paistettu
Muikku – Fried Whitefish
A popular street food in Finland is paistettu muikku: fried whitefish called vendace
that is dredged in rye and wheat flour and fried to a satisfying crisp. It is typically served with lemon and aioli.
Lasimestarin Silli – Marinated Herring
Baltic herring is the most common fish in Finland and is served fried, grilled and pickled. Lasimestarin silli is marinated herring that has been pickled in vinegar, sugar and spices to preserve for the long Finnish winters. Lasimestarin silli is a traditional Christmas food in Finland.
Sweets
Pulla – Cardamom Bread
Pulla is a popular bread in Finland. Pulla is a sweet bread flavored with cardamom spice, typically served with coffee.
Korvapuustit – Cinnamon Rolls
This popular Finnish dessert is made from pulla bread which is then rolled with cinnamon and sugar for a sweet treat.
Popular Drinks in Finland
Lakka is a popular Finnish liqueur made from soaking wild cloudberries in alcohol.
Mesimarja is similar to lakka, only made with the Arctic brambleberry infused in alcohol.
Sima is a popular beverage in Finland, typically enjoyed during the warmer Spring weather. Sima is a mead fermented with sugar, lemon and raisins and tastes like a spiked lemonade.
Finlandia vodka is one of the most popular alcohol drinks in Finland. Finlandia vodka is distilled from barley and has a dry flavor profile, as well as a high 80% alcohol content.
Another popular drink in Finland, akvavit is a grain alcohol flavored with herbs and spices such as fennel, dill, caraway seeds, coriander, and anise.
Ready to try some of these dishes first hand? Browse our Finland travel packages.
