Food of Switzerland
Swiss cooking is Alpine and rustic, built around cheese, potatoes, bread, cured meats and excellent chocolate. German-, French- and Italian-speaking regions each add their own touch, from Zurich's creamed veal to Ticino's polenta and risotto. Fondue and raclette are social meals around a pot or grill, and a bakery treat often ends the day.
Cheese fondue
Melted Alpine cheeses eaten with bread cubes.
- Main dishes (9)
- Breakfast (2)
- Street food (3)
- Soups (2)
- Salads (2)
- Breads (1)
- Desserts and sweets (4)
- Drinks (4)
- Fruits and produce (4)
Staples
- cheese
- potatoes
- bread
- veal
- milk
- cream
- chocolate
Signature flavors
- nutmeg
- caraway
- garlic
- paprika
- parsley
- bay leaf
Main dishes
Melted Alpine cheeses eaten with bread cubes.
Key ingredients: Gruyere, Emmental, garlic, bread, grape juice
Melted cheese scraped over potatoes and pickles.
Key ingredients: raclette cheese, potatoes, picklesFull guide →Sliced veal in a creamy mushroom sauce, served with rosti.
Key ingredients: veal, mushrooms, cream, onionCrisp pan-fried grated potato cake.
Key ingredients: potatoes, butter, onionFull guide →
Dumplings wrapped in chard from Graubunden.
Key ingredients: flour, eggs, chard, cheese
Creamy cornmeal with braised meat.
Key ingredients: cornmeal, butter, cheeseGraubunden buckwheat dumplings with cheese.
Key ingredients: flour, eggs, cheese, onionsPasta baked with potatoes, cheese and apple sauce.
Key ingredients: pasta, potatoes, cheese, onions, applesauce
The national sausage, grilled on an open fire.
Key ingredients: sausage, bread, mustardBreakfast
Bircher muesli with oats, apple and nuts.
Key ingredients: oats, apple, yogurt, nutsFull guide →
Braided buttery bread eaten on weekends.
Key ingredients: flour, butter, milk, yeastStreet food
A white veal sausage served with bread.
Key ingredients: veal sausage, bread, mustardBread topped with melted cheese.
Key ingredients: bread, cheese, garlicTart of melted cheese and cream.
Key ingredients: pastry, cheese, eggs, creamSoups
Barley soup from Graubunden with vegetables.
Key ingredients: barley, carrots, ham, creamToasted flour soup from Basel.
Key ingredients: flour, butter, onion, brothSalads
Cervelat sausage salad with onion and gherkin.
Key ingredients: cervelat, onion, gherkins, vinegarLamb's lettuce with an egg and bacon dressing.
Key ingredients: lamb's lettuce, egg, baconBreads
Pear bread filled with dried fruit.
Key ingredients: dried pears, figs, nuts, doughDesserts and sweets
Smooth milk and dark chocolate, known worldwide.
Key ingredients: cocoa, milk, sugar
Light meringue with thick Gruyere cream.
Key ingredients: egg whites, sugar, creamHoney-spice biscuits from Basel.
Key ingredients: honey, almonds, candied peelWalnut-caramel pastry from Engadin.
Key ingredients: walnuts, caramel, pastryDrinks
Malted chocolate milk drink, hot or cold.
Key ingredients: malt, milkWhey-based soft drink.
Key ingredients: whey, herbs
Rich chocolate in milk.
Key ingredients: chocolate, milk
Sweet, cloudy apple juice.
Key ingredients: applesFruits and produce
Orchards in Thurgau produce crisp apples.
Key ingredients: juice, apple strudel
Local pears baked in Birnbrot.
Key ingredients: bread, compote
Zug cherries for cakes.
Key ingredients: cake, jam
Valais apricots are famous.
Key ingredients: fresh, jam, tartsDish guides from Switzerland
Explore Switzerland on Geographical EffectMaps, capital and cities, population, climate, landscapes and landmarks.More cuisines of Western Europe
Descriptions written by Intercontinental Chef. Dishes are listed as commonly eaten today; many are shared across neighbouring countries.
- Fondue dish: Juliano Mendes, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Raclette 20040817 140816: Ka23 13, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Capuns Trun: Adrian Michael, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Cotechino-Servito-Polenta-Lenticchie: J.P.Lon, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Cervelas 2: Popo le Chien, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Dorset Cereals muesli: Mx. Granger, CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Oster-Zopf Allerheiligenstriezel: Manfred Scheibelauer, CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Bratwürste SG Pbs: Schofför, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Wurstsalat-1: Rainer Z ..., CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Bündner Birnbrot: Adrian Michael, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Läderach: bigbirdz, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Meringues 9027: Mike Lehmann, Mike Switzerland 12:44, 27 January 2007 (UTC), CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Ovomaltine Cup: Leon Brocard, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Chocolate cup Chantilly porcelain 18th century: World Imaging, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Apfelsaft im Glas: Verband der deutschen Fruchtsaftindustrie e.V., CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- 95apple: Agricultural Research Service (Research agent of United States Department of Agriculture), Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
- Pears: Keith Weller, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
- Cherry season (48216568227): spurekar, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Apricot jam: Rita, CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
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