The following highlights some of the popular Traditional Swiss Foods. If you manage to be in an Swiss restaurant or you are visiting Switzerland, I recommend the following:
1. Zürcher Geschnetzeltes
This translates as “Zurich-style cut meat”, but if you see it on a menu in Switzerland, the dish is made with strips of veal and sometimes veal liver. The veal is cooked with mushrooms, onions, wine and cream and is usually eaten with rösti (see above), noodles or rice.
2. Tarts and Quiches
They may seem the same at first glance but they are not. Both have dough, cheese and that little crunchy edge that we like so much, but the difference is that in the quiche the main character is that little crunchy edge of dough that surrounds it, and in the tart the main character is the content itself, which is the Swiss cheese, obviously. Cheesecakes come in all sizes, but in general we tend to find them in small sizes and in many food trucks in the take-away style. Quiches, on the other hand, can come with different contents such as meat, vegetables and even sweet ingredients.
3. Rosti
This traditional Swiss recipe is made with grated or boiled potatoes, shaped into patties with salt and pepper, and usually fried in a pan with oil or butter. Ingredients such as cheese, bacon, fresh herbs and onions are also added, and can be served with eggs sunny side up, making rösti a versatile dish.
4. Saffron Risotto
Saffron is grown in the Swiss canton of Valais and is an essential ingredient in this traditional Ticino dish, often accompanied by luganighe, a raw sausage made with pork, spices and red wine. Ticino is the southernmost canton of Switzerland, sharing a border with the Italian regions of Piedmont and Lombardy, and the only canton where Italian is the official language. Saffron risotto is a comforting dish made with risotto rice slowly cooked with onions, broth, saffron threads, wine and cheese.
5. Älplermagronen
If you’re in the mood for a creamy, cheesy meal, trying this classic meal called Älplermagronen in Switzerland is the best choice you can make. Älplermagronen will satisfy your appetite, a good combination of ingredients of small cuts of bacon, onions, potatoes, macaroni, cream and, of course, cheese. The perfect accompaniment to this meal is mainly applesauce or vegetable salad.
6. Malakoff
Malakoff is one of the best foods you can eat in Switzerland. In fact, Swiss cuisine never runs out of cheesy moments. Named after the Battle of Malakoff, it was invented by Swiss mercenaries. This delicious food is made of cheese balls or sticks and is often served as an appetizer.
7. Raclette
Raclette comes from Alpine cow’s milk, which is a semi-hard cheese. It is generally used to melt or to be eaten in a slice. For generations, it has been a favourite of peasants living in the Valais regions. Traditionally, this dish is served on the side over pickled onions, boiled potatoes and sliced cold meats. This delicious dish is simple, very filling, and can melt your heart.
8. Landjager
It is a traditional snack during extreme activities such as hiking. It is a semi-dry sausage made from red wine, sugar, spices, portions of beef and pork that can be served with fresh vegetables and potatoes. Historically, this food is known as air-cured smoked sausage.
9. Fondue
Cheese fondue is a great meal with friends and perhaps one of the most iconic foods that people associate with Switzerland. It is a dish made of melted cheese (gruyère and emmentaler) and other ingredients, such as garlic, white wine, a little cornstarch and often kirsch (cherry brandy), served at the table in a special ceramic pot called a caquelon, with a small burner underneath to keep the fondue at a constant temperature. Small cubes of bread are poked with a metal stick and dipped into the hot cheese (being careful not to lose the bread in the fondue).
10. Polenta
It is a traditional food in the canton of Ticino and used to be one of the traditional peasant foods. One of the characteristics is that apart from the fact that it is usually eaten in a ceramic cup as in many cases, another way of eating it is to let it cool spread out on a wooden board and then cut it up and eat it as a snack. It is usually served with cheese, butter, sauce and occasionally with certain vegetables.
If you found this list useful, here are some more Traditional European Foods to try out on my Pinterest channel.