Eight Must-Try Foods That Scream ‘South Dakota’!

We have so much delicious food in our great state, but not everyone has tried all the delicacies I will mention in this article. And some South Dakota residents are not fans of all of these. Nevertheless, if you live in our state you should at least try this amazing variety of goodies.

Chislic

You can't talk about South Dakota foods without starting with the official state "nosh" -- Chislic. Meaty chunks of lamb, beef, or even venison, deep-fat fried or grilled and served with a side of fries and maybe some ranch dressing- -de-licious!

Indian Tacos

Yes, it is all of your favorite taco fillings, but no, you can't eat it with your hands. Well, okay, you could try but why risk losing any of the deliciousness that is this South Dakota specialty? Taco meat, cheese, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, and salsa piled high on a fluffy pillow of fry bread. Great ones are to die for!

Kolaches

Our family lived in Tabor, South Dakota for about two years. Tabor is the home of Czech Days, a celebration of all things Czech heritage, including these mouthwatering pastries. They come with a variety of fillings like, apple, poppyseed, prune, blueberry, peach, and more.

Kuchen

It is our South Dakota state dessert and it is wonderful. You'll find a lot of kuchen at Schmeckfest in Freeman every year. Otherwise, if you're lucky you'll find it occasionally at area grocery stores. It is a cakey, custardy, fruity creation that usually lands in a pie plate or cake pan before it is baked to perfection.

Chokecherry goodies

We were first introduced to the fruit of the chokecherry bush when we were kids and to this day chokecherry jam and jelly are two of my favorite things. But chokecherries are also turned into other edibles and drinkables, like syrup and yes, wine.

Fleisch Kuchele

These savory little deep-fried meat pies are yet another South Dakota delicacy that can be very hard to find unless, again, you can make it to our famous Schmeckfest when it is going on in Freeman. Stuffed with seasoned beef and onions and then deep-fried and served with a pickle and perhaps a side of ketchup. Your mouth may be watering just thinking about it.

Indian Fry Bread

Designated as the South Dakota state bread and still a staple of Native American culture, this delicious, fluffy, deep-fried delicacy can be found at fairs across the state and wherever you can find its companion Indian Tacos.

Lefse

Even though our family has primarily Italian and Irish roots, my brother-in-law Jon has some Norwegian in him. That means that every Christmas we have to get some lefse for him. Some people prefer just butter on it, others like sugar and butter, or cinnamon-sugar and butter. But no matter how you eat it, this potato flatbread is a huge South Dakota favorite!