Swiss food: discover traditional cuisine

ZOPF BREAD – a plaited white bread made from wheat flour, milk, butter, and yeast, commonly eaten with butter or jam during breakfast, it has been part of Swiss culture since the 16th century.

HEFEKRANZ – a braided sweet bread made with enriched yeast dough, similar to zopf but sweeter. It’s traditionally served during holidays and special occasions.

BIRCHERMÜESLI – created by Swiss physician Maximilian Bircher-Benner around 1900, combines rolled oats with fruits, nuts, and milk or yogurt. While we think of it as a modern breakfast food, it was originally developed as a health food using whole grains.

ÄLPLERMAGRONEN – Alpine macaroni is a gratin dish that combines pasta (wheat-based macaroni) with potatoes, cheese, cream, and onions. While pasta is the main grain component now, earlier versions used more local grains like spelt.

CHOLERA – a pie originating from the Valais region, traditionally filled with potatoes, leeks, apples, and cheese, showcasing a blend of vegetables and fruits.

SAFFRON RISOTTO – is particularly traditional in Ticino, the Italian-speaking region. It’s made with local saffron from Valais, giving it a distinctive golden color and rich aroma. The rice is cooked slowly with white wine and broth, finished with butter and Parmesan.

GERSTENSUPPE – Swiss barley soup, a hearty mountain soup made with barley, vegetables, and often dried meat. It’s particularly associated with the Graubünden canton and was traditionally made to provide warmth and sustenance during cold winter months.

RÖSTI – dish made from grated potatoes, but it was originally made with leftover cooked grains, particularly barley. Farmers in the canton of Bern created it as a hearty breakfast dish in the 19th century.

MALUNS – a dish from the Graubünden region, made with grated boiled potatoes mixed with flour and cooked until crispy, often served with apple sauce or cheese.

CAPUNS – come from Graubünden and feature Swiss chard leaves wrapped around a filling of spätzli dough and dried meat. The chard is the star, with the wraps typically served in a creamy sauce.

RAMSON PESTO – a springtime specialty made from wild garlic (ramsons) that grows abundantly in Swiss forests. It’s used similar to traditional basil pesto.

SWISS CHARD GRATIN – a baked dish combining Swiss chard with cream and cheese, often served as a side or a vegetarian main.

ZÜRCHER GESCHNETZELTES – a signature dish from Zürich made with thinly sliced veal in a cream and mushroom sauce. Historically, it was created as a way to use the more tender cuts of veal in the 19th century.

CORDON BLEU – breaded veal or pork cutlets stuffed with ham and cheese, fried until golden. A popular Swiss interpretation of a European classic.

BERNER PLATTE – a massive feast dish from Bern featuring multiple types of meat: smoked pork, beef tongue, bacon, pork ribs, sausages (including bradwurst), and ham. Legend says it originated in celebration of the Bernese victory over the French in 1798.

CERVELAT – considered the national sausage of Switzerland. It’s a lightly spiced sausage made from beef, bacon, and pork rind that can be grilled, boiled, or eaten cold. It’s so culturally significant that there was a national crisis in 2008 when there was a shortage of Brazilian cow intestines used for the casing.

BUNDNERFLEISCH – is air-dried beef from Graubünden canton, made by curing beef in herbs and spices before air-drying it for several weeks at high altitude. This preservation method dates back to medieval times.

KALBSBRATWURST – a distinctive veal sausage from St. Gallen that must contain at least 50% veal by law. It’s traditionally served with rösti and onion sauce.

SAUCISSON VAUDOIS – a smoked pork sausage from the Vaud region, typically served with leek and potato dishes or in stews.

LAMMGIGOT – a roasted leg of lamb, often prepared with herbs and garlic, reflecting Swiss appreciation for alpine lamb.

LANDJÄGER – dried, smoked sausage that’s popular in neighboring Alpine regions. It has a distinctive rectangular, flattened shape and a dark reddish-brown exterior. Made primarily from beef and pork, seasoned with spices like pepper, garlic, and juniper berries.

EGLIFILETS IM BIERTEIG – features perch fillets in beer batter, a specialty found around many Swiss lakes, particularly popular in lakeside restaurants in the German-speaking regions.

GERÄUCHERTE FORELLE (smoked trout) – traditional in mountain regions where trout are found in alpine streams. The smoking process was historically used to preserve the fish.

FISCH IM SALZTEIG – fish in salt crust, a traditional preparation method particularly used for whole pike or trout from Swiss lakes. The fish is encased in a salt dough and baked, keeping it moist while cooking.

FONDUE – perhaps Switzerland’s most famous dish. Traditional cheese fondue uses a mix of gruyère and emmental cheese melted with white wine, garlic, and kirsch. It’s served in a special pot called a caquelon and eaten by dipping bread using long-stemmed forks.

RACLETTE – originated in Valais canton. Traditionally, half a wheel of raclette cheese is heated until bubbling, then the melted portion is scraped onto a plate of boiled potatoes, pickled onions, and cornichons. Modern versions use individual slices melted in small pans.

SWISS MERINGUE – distinctly different from other meringues – it’s made by heating egg whites and sugar together before whipping, creating a more stable, glossy meringue. It’s often used in desserts like Vacherin.

SWISS CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES – small chocolate confections made with dark chocolate, cream, and butter, often flavored with kirsch and dusted with cocoa powder.

SWISS CHOCOLATE FONDUE – melted Swiss chocolate served with fruits, marshmallows, or biscuits for dipping—a decadent treat.

WÄHE – a Swiss tart that can be sweet or savory. The base is a thin pastry crust filled with seasonal ingredients. Sweet versions might use apples or plums, while savory ones often feature onions or cheese.

CARAC – a distinctive pastry with a dark chocolate ganache filling on a shortcrust base, covered with bright green fondant icing. The striking color and rich chocolate filling make it instantly recognizable.

BIRNBROT – a dense fruit bread from Graubünden, filled with dried pears, nuts, and spices. The bread isn’t actually bread in the traditional sense – it’s more like a pastry filled with a spiced fruit mixture.

TOBLERONE CHOCOLATE – while technically a brand, Toblerone represents Swiss chocolate excellence and is often used in desserts like mousses or cakes.

BASLER LÄCKERLI – ard spice biscuit originating from Basel, Switzerland. It is made of honey, hazelnuts, almonds, candied peel, and Kirsch. After baking in a thin layer, the still-hot dough is topped with a sugar glaze and cut into rectangular pieces.

APFELKÜCHLEIN – pastry consisting of sliced apples dipped in batter and fried to a golden-brown color.