The Official NEW Foods at the Minnesota State Fair this Summer

Anyone who has spent any time at the Minnesota State Fair knows that food is a big part of the experience! We’re in luck as the new State Fair Food list was just released. With nearly 500 foods to choose from 300 concession locations throughout the fairgrounds, there is certain to be something for everyone. If you love food on a stick, you are in luck! There are EIGHTY food options that come on-a-stick. We all know that eating food on a stick is all part of the state fair experience!

The Minnesota State Fair will kick off on August 25 and will run through September 5. In 2022, there are 38 new foods and 8 new food vendors to check out. Make sure to check out our Guide to the Minnesota State Fair! We’ll be updating that resource as information becomes available.

38 New Foods to Try

1. All Quacked Up!: Fried, farm-fresh duck egg from Graise Farm in Faribault atop shaved smoked ham, aged cheddar cheese, tomato and spinach, served open-face on toasted sourdough bread with paprika aioli.
2. Arepa Bar’s Three Arepas – Pulled Pork, The Queen and Vegan: Baked Venezuelan crispy corn pocket with choice of three fillings (all arepas are gluten-free): The Pulled Pork Arepa is pork shoulder slow-roasted in red wine and vegetables served with shredded cheddar cheese, cabbage, carrots, green onions and parsley; The Queen (Reina Pepiada) is pulled chicken and avocado puree salad topped with mozzarella cheese and fresh arugula; and the Vegan Arepa is house-prepared black beans, fried sweet plantains, cabbage, carrots, green onions and parsley.
3. Baba’s Two Hummus Bowls – Beauty and the Buffalo and Coco-Nuts: Beauty and the Buffalo bowl features ranch hummus, buffalo chicken, crumbled blue cheese, scallions, buffalo sauce and buffalo dust, served with pita puffs. The Coco-Nuts bowl features hazelnut chocolate hummus, chocolate chips, hazelnuts, shredded coconut and bananas, served with powdered sugar pita puffs. This new state fair food is totally coconuts!
4. Birthday Cake Paleta: A Mexican frozen dessert on-a-stick made with chunks of birthday cake, sprinkles and a vanilla extract base, specially created by locally owned La Michoacana Rose to celebrate Hamline Church Dining Hall’s 125th year at the fair. Additional paleta varieties are also available.

   

5. Breakfast Gnocchi: A bed of potato gnocchi topped with scrambled eggs, bacon, pesto cream, shallots and balsamic glaze.
6. Buzz’n … Hot Honey Chicken Sausage Kebob: Hot honey drizzled over chicken sausage skewered with cornmeal biscuit chunks and served on a bed of coleslaw.
7. Celebration Cake On-A-Stick: White cake infused with almond flavoring and decorated with white frosting. This mini version of Mancini’s house cake can be personalized on-site with short text to celebrate a favorite fair fan or special occasion.
8. Chick N Swiss Sausage: Grilled chicken sausage custom-made with chunks of Swiss cheese and asparagus, ground pineapple, bacon and jalapeño, served on a bun.
9. Chicken Tandoori Rolls: Chicken seasoned with tandoori spices, onions and peppers wrapped in paratha flatbread, then grilled and served with a side of avocado cilantro lime sauce.
10. Chilaquiles Breakfast: Fried corn tortilla strips sauteed with guajillo chile salsa and topped with scrambled eggs, pico de gallo, cotija cheese, avocado and crema.
11. Concha Bacon Burger: All-beef patty with raspberry aioli, lettuce, pepper jack cheese, pickled jalapeños and bacon served on a concha, a traditional Mexican sweet bread roll.
12. Cotton Candy Float: Cotton candy soda poured over Kemps vanilla ice cream and topped with cotton candy.
13. Deep-Fried Ice Cream: Handmade ice cream bar covered with a crispy corn flake coating, deep-fried, drizzled with raspberry and blueberry sauces, and topped with sprinkles. Vegetarian.
14. Dej Qab Zib (Sweet Refreshment): A coconut lychee colada made with a blend of coconut milk, lychee syrup, lime and mint, served over ice. Vegan.
15. French Meadow Vegan Entrees – Earth Sliders TM and “Meat” Balls & Marinara: Earth SlidersTM are a marinated, battered and crispy fried “chicken” patty topped with house-made, slightly spicy secret sauce, shredded lettuce and house-made cucumber pickles that have been marinated in turmeric, garlic and sweet onion, served on a grilled bun. “Meat” Balls & Marinara are Italian herb-seasoned “meat” balls browned and sauteed in house-made garlic and oregano red marinara sauce, topped with plant-based Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley, served with a slice of grilled sourdough bread. Both entrees are vegan.
16. Gray Duck Sundae: Bridgeman’s Black Licorice Ice Cream topped with marshmallow cream, crunchy mini marshmallows, whipped cream, and a cherry.
17. The Herbivorous Butcher’s Two Vegan Entrees – Poultrygeist and Steak-xorcist: Poultrygeist is fried chicken topped with sausage gravy and french fried onions on buttery Texas toast, and Steak-xorcist is chicken fried steak topped with sausage gravy and french fried onions on buttery Texas toast. Both entrees are vegan.

    

18. Kulfi: Indian-Style Ice Cream in Three Flavors: Made with condensed milk, nuts and infused spices. Available in three creamy flavors: Almond/Cashew/Pistachio Kulfi; Mango Kulfi; and Saffron/Almond/Pistachio Kulfi. All Kulfi are gluten-free and vegetarian.

    

19. Lemon Cookie Tortilla Chips: Lemon sandwich cookies deconstructed into four large tortilla chips made from a blend of cookies and corn, served with creamy-center-of-the-cookie cream dip topped with lemon curd.
20. Minne Hot Hot: Smoked Rib Tips tossed in Nashville Hot Sauce, served with Comeback Sauce.
21. Minneblueberry Pie: Handmade blueberry pie made with a crisp, flaky crust, filled with blueberries, and served with vanilla ice cream. Vegan if served without ice cream.
22. Molotes: Deep-fried corn masa empanadas with choice of fillings: Chipotle Style is filled with shredded chipotle chicken and topped with chipotle sour cream, cotija cheese and fresh cilantro; and Elote Style is filled with roasted corn and topped with mayo, cotija cheese and Tajin seasoning. Can be prepared vegan. Gluten-free.
23. Mov + Nqaij (Rice + Meat): Purple sticky rice with choice of sauce, including Krunchy Chili Oil (dried Thai chilis, garlic, shallots), Lemongrass Scallion Dressing (lemongrass, ginger, garlic, shallots), and Tiger Bite (Thai chilis, garlic, shallots, cilantro, fish sauce, oyster sauce, lime juice); plus, choice of skewered and grilled meat, including Hmong Sausage (house-made coarse-ground pork sausage link with Krunchy Chili Oil), Hilltribe
    Chicken Thigh (ginger, lemongrass), or Lemongrass Turmeric Tofu (marinated in a lemongrass and turmeric blend). All items are gluten-free; vegan options available.
24. New Mexico Chile Dog Sliders Two Ways: Green chile and red chile – made with roasted-on-site New Mexico Hatch chiles and a hint of chorizo pork, topped with queso-style cheese and red onion, served over all-beef hot dogs on slider buns. Comes with a prickly pear cactus slushie shooter on the side.

    

25. Nordic Waffles – Belly Full Nordic Waffle and Vanilla Dream Nordic Waffle: Two new fresh-made waffle sandwiches: Belly Full is a spring onion-infused Nordic Waffle filled with sous vide seasoned pork belly with coleslaw and locally made jalapeño jam; Vanilla Dream is a Nordic Waffle coated with cinnamon and sugar and filled with Norwegian vanilla custard cream.
26. Pickle Pizza: Hand-tossed homemade pizza dough topped with homemade specialty dill ranch sauce, fresh mozzarella and crunchy dill pickles, and finished with dill weed seasoning.
27. Pink Guava Slushie: Frozen slushie drink made with juice squeezed from fresh pink guavas.
28. Pork Schnitzel Sandwich: Breaded and deep-fried Minnesota pork loin topped with pickled cabbage and served with mustard mayo on a toasted bun.
29. Reuben Rolls: Corned beef, Swiss cheese and sauerkraut hand-rolled in an egg roll wrapper, deep-fried and served with a side of O’Gara’s homemade Thousand Island dressing.
30. Soulsicle: Fried chicken on-a-stick topped with candied yam sauce, cornbread crumble, mac-and-cheese seasoned cheddar cheese, hot sauce and green onions.
31. Sundae Sammie: Grilled sandwich with cinnamon bread, Minnesota strawberry jam, vanilla cream, fresh strawberries, whipped cream, toasted peanuts, confetti sprinkles and flaked sea salt. Gluten-free and vegan options available.
32. Sweet Cheese Blintz: Soft baked crepe filled with sweet vanilla-flavored cream cheese and sprinkled with powdered sugar.
33. Sweet Potato Poutine: Sweet potato waffle fries topped with cheese curds, Beyond chorizo sausage, turmeric gravy, pico de gallo and fresh cilantro. Vegetarian.
34. Tandoor-Fired Jerk Chicken Mini’zza: White chicken meat, bell pepper, onion medley, whole milk mozzarella cheese and West Indies Soul Food’s signature Jamaican Jerk Sauce on a buttermilk naan crust baked in a tandoor oven.
35. Tirokroketes: Mix of spicy feta, cream cheese and mozzarella blended with Dino’s Greek seasoning, then rolled in a gluten-free panko, deep-fried and sprinkled with lemon juice, Parmesan cheese and Dino’s seasoning. Gluten-free, vegetarian.
36. Tot Dog: All-beef hot dog dipped in corn dog batter, rolled in a mixture of minced tater tots, cheddar cheese and onions, then deep-fried.
37. Turmeric Ginger Lemon Surprise: Fresh ginger, turmeric syrup and a dash of bitters mixed with West Indies Soul Food’s Original Caribbean Lemonade. Gluten-free, vegan.
38. Vegan Corn Dog: Plant-based vegan hot dog hand-dipped in plant-based vegan corn dog batter and deep-fried.

New Food Vendors

Arepa Bar

Serving official new foods – arepas in three varieties, including Pulled Pork (pork shoulder, shredded cheddar, cabbage, carrots, green onions, parsley); The Queen (pulled chicken and avocado puree, mozzarella, arugula); and Vegan (black beans, fried sweet plantains, cabbage, carrots, green onions, parsley).

Plus, Papelón con Limón, a cold beverage made with unrefined cane sugar and fresh-squeezed lime juice.

Bridge n’ Barrel Root Beer

From two locations – serving Lift Bridge Root Beer, Lift Bridge Black Cherry Soda, pink lemonade and assorted other sodas.

Herbivorous Butcher

Serving the official new food Two Vegan Entrees – Poultrygeist (fried chicken topped with sausage gravy and french fried onions on buttery Texas toast) and Steak-xorcist (chicken fried steak topped with sausage gravy and french fried onions on buttery Texas toast). Plus, Monster Mash combines Poultrygeist and Steak-xorcist in the same boat.

Nautical Bowls

Will serve four fresh superfood bowls: Anchor Bowl (açaí, granola, banana, coconut flakes, cashew cacao butter); Nauti Bowl (açaí, pitaya, granola, banana, cacao nibs, peanut butter); Paddle Bowl (Blue Majik, mango, coconut, granola, strawberries, coconut flakes, honey); and Sunset Bowl (ube, blood orange, granola, blueberries, coconut flakes, honey). Ingredients are organic, gluten-free, dairy-free, plant-based, and contain zero refined sugars.

Rick’s Pizza

Serving official new food Pickle Pizza (hand-tossed homemade pizza dough topped with homemade specialty dill ranch sauce, fresh mozzarella and crunchy dill pickles, and finished with dill weed seasoning), plus cheese, pepperoni and sausage pizza and assorted beverages.

Soul Bowl

Serving official new food Soulsicle (fried chicken on-a-stick topped with candied yam sauce, cornbread crumble, mac-and-cheese seasoned cheddar cheese, hot sauce and green onions), plus Donut Peach Cobbler (yeast-raised donut topped with peach cobbler filling and cookie crumbles), and Queen B Lemonade (blueberry lavender lemonade).

Union Hmong Kitchen

Serving official new foods Dej Qab Zib (Sweet Refreshment), a coconut lychee colada made with a blend of coconut milk, lychee syrup, lime and mint, served over ice (vegan); and Mov + Nqaij (Rice + Meat) – purple sticky rice with choice of sauce, including Krunchy Chili Oil (dried Thai chilis, garlic, shallots), Lemongrass Scallion Dressing (lemongrass, ginger, garlic, shallots), and Tiger Bite (Thai chilis, garlic, shallots, cilantro, fish sauce, oyster sauce, lime juice); plus choice of skewered and grilled meat, including Hmong Sausage (house-made coarse-ground pork sausage link with Krunchy Chili Oil), Hilltribe Chicken Thigh (ginger, lemongrass), or Lemongrass Turmeric Tofu (marinated in a lemongrass and turmeric blend). All items gluten-free; vegan options available.

Waffle Chix

Serving Brownie Waffle Stick, Chicken in a Waffle On-A-Stick, Breakfast Sausage in a Waffle On-A-Stick and assorted sodas.

There is quite literally something for EVERYONE! Which are you most excited to try this year?