ExploFood · Europe
What to eat in Finland
Five dishes to try in Finland, the most typical first. Three are vegetarian.
Five dishes to try in Finland
Karelian pasty Karjalanpiirakka
Thin rye crust filled with rice porridge, topped with egg butter.
How to have it: Sold at every bakery and café; eat it warm spread with munavoi (egg butter).
Sautéed reindeer Poronkäristys
Thin-sliced reindeer fried in butter, with mashed potato and lingonberries.
How to have it: Lapland's signature plate, but restaurants across Finland serve it.
Lohikeitto
Creamy soup of salmon, potato, leek and dill.
How to have it: A lunch staple; Helsinki's Old Market Hall is a classic place for a bowl.
Ruisleipä
Sour, dense whole-grain rye bread.
How to have it: Served with every meal; look for the flat ring-shaped reikäleipä.
Korvapuusti
Cardamom-spiced cinnamon bun folded into a 'slapped ear' shape.
How to have it: Order one with coffee at any café; Finns drink more coffee per person than almost anyone.
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Questions
What food is Finland famous for?
Karelian pasty (thin rye crust filled with rice porridge, topped with egg butter) comes first on our list, followed by Sautéed reindeer, Lohikeitto, Ruisleipä and Korvapuusti.
What is the national dish of Finland?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for Finland is Karelian pasty: thin rye crust filled with rice porridge, topped with egg butter. Sold at every bakery and café; eat it warm spread with munavoi (egg butter).
Which dishes in Finland are vegetarian?
Three of the five on this page are vegetarian as usually made: Karelian pasty, Ruisleipä and Korvapuusti. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.
How reliable is this list?
The dishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, where you can also tick off the ones you have tried. Recipes vary by region and by family, so take it as a starting point.
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Get ExploDishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, with links to Wikipedia. Recipes and names vary by region.