Growing up in Newfoundland and being raised on traditional Newfoundland recipes was both a blessing and a privilege. The food was simple and rustic, and it was hearty and delicious too. In this collection, I am narrowing down my favourites to showcase 30 of the tastiest home has to offer!
Please note that this is a collection of my personal favourites. All of these recipes have been prepared by me and all of the images and instructions are mine. Traditions vary across the island when it comes to food and food preparation and everyone seems to have their own substitutions, add-ins, and techniques. My list of 30 Traditional Newfoundland Recipes is traditional to me, my family, and my home.
I’m probably going to get some hate mail coming my way for this, but unlike some recipes that call Newfoundland home, my recipes do not include salt beef. It is used quite a bit in Newfoundland, and it was used in my mom’s kitchen weekly. But, I never did acquire a taste for it. In fact, I remember picking it out of things like my mom’s homemade soup. I ate around it and never complained about it being in a recipe. You can read more about salt beef here.
When I caught the cooking bug, I developed my own traditional Newfoundland-style recipes without salt beef. There are two reasons for that. The first, I already mentioned. The second reason is that John.e is a vegetarian. So, even though I’m willing to eat around it, he doesn’t have that option. But, trust me, Dear Reader, these recipes are quite delicious without it, and if you must have salt beef in your version, there’s absolutely no law that says you can’t! Go for it!
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DESSERTS AND BAKED GOODS
I can’t think of a better place to start! Newfoundlanders love things like freshly baked bread, cinnamon rolls, and no-bake cheesecake. And when it comes to dates, there are certainly more Newfoundlanders that love them rather than those who do not! Here are 5 of my favourites!
Mom’s No-Bake Cheesecake
Mom’s No-Bake Cheesecake is perfect for any occasion! Try making this dessert in the summertime when the last thing you want to do is turn on your oven! Once you have prepared the crumb base and the cream cheese filling, top it with your favourite store-bought or homemade jam!
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Date Walnut Loaf
Best served with tea as an afternoon snack, Date Walnut Loaf is very moist with bursts of sweet chopped dates and crunchy walnuts. Makes for a great gift idea, and can be easily frozen for later too!
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Newfoundland Style Cinnamon Rolls
Made without yeast, Newfoundland Style Cinnamon Rolls are less like bread and more like a biscuit. This is the recipe every Newfoundlander is most familiar with. Often eaten with a cup of tea after a big meal, or as an afternoon treat. Oh, and no icing needed here; perfection doesn’t need to be dressed up!
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Newfoundland Molasses Sweet Bread
Every culture has traditional foods, and I can’t think of one food that I associate with Newfoundland more than homemade bread. Newfoundland Molasses Sweet Bread is both a Newfie tradition and a treat!
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Newfoundland Date Squares
Newfoundland Date Squares are a traditional Newfoundland treat! Slightly sweet, with a crumbly topping, and a soft, chewy center, perfect for an afternoon snack with a cup of hot tea! These are a regular treat on the island; no special occasion needed!
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SIDES
Everyone loves a good side dish, but growing up in my family home, the side dish was 100% secondary. When I cook, I like to think about possible sides even before I’m completely settled on the main. That was not the case for my mother. She opened the freezer, picked up a package of frozen meat or fish, and decided on a side later!
Traditional Newfoundland Savoury Dressing
Loved throughout Newfoundland, this traditional baked dressing uses pure savoury to transform a bread stuffing into something extraordinarily tasty! The same preparation method is applied whether you bake or pan-fry the dressing, and even if you stuff it into your turkey!
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Mashed Turnip and Carrots with Herb Butter
Nothing compares to the rustic simplicity ofMashed Turnip and Carrots with Herb Butter. Comforting and wholesome, it will add a pop of colour and flavour to any autumn dinner. Serve this side at Thanksgiving – it’s delicious with gravy too!
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CONDIMENTS
In most cases, a condiment is considered a sauce, but not in Newfoundland, and this list of 30 Traditional Newfoundland Recipes would not be complete without a few of them. What some consider a side dish, we consider a condiment. For example, you might want to pour gravy onto your mashed potatoes, which is a great option, but what about topping them with mustard pickles or pickled beets?
Dad’s Canned Pickled Beets
Preserving a fall harvest is an experience like no other, and every home chef should try canning at least once. Dad’s Canned Pickled Beets is the perfect place to start, because their very easy to can. No fancy equipment needed for this one! They’re sweet, vinegary, and fork-tender; these beets will keep you smiling all winter long!
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Preserved Mustard Pickles
Preserved Mustard Pickles are a sweet and tart condiment or side dish made from cauliflower, zucchini, red bell pepper, onion, and carrot. A condiment so delicious, I often eat it as a side dish!
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Newfoundland Donair Sauce
A sweet, tangy, garlicky dipping sauce that’s fit for a king! With three very simple ingredients, Newfoundland Donair Sauce is able to transform your favourite dippers into a glorious, tantalizing, taste adventure!
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MAINS THAT ARE MEATLESS
I have not lived in Newfoundland for many years, so things may have changed, but when I was growing up there, a meatless main was almost unheard of! In this section, you will find some traditional Newfoundland recipes that I have updated from meat-based to meat-less!
Vegetarian Split Pea Soup
Vegetarian Split Pea Soup is every bit as delicious, wholesome, and nostalgic as the soup your mom made. This is a pantry staple recipe with a few fresh root vegetables. Not looking for a vegetarian soup? Add bacon or ham to your soup or serve them both on the side!
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Braised White Bean Stew
Canned white beans and a good vegetable broth, along with some pantry staples, come together to create this hearty and rustic Braised White Bean Stew.
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Traditional Newfoundland Stewed Beans
A soup that’s worthy of the name stew; meatless and delicious, Traditional Newfoundland Stewed Beans transforms rustic, homey ingredients into a hearty and wholesome meal!
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COOKING WITH MEAT
If memory serves me correctly, the first vegetarian I ever encountered was in my mid-twenties. There are no vegetarians in my hometown – not one! I can guarantee it! There may be a few now, but I would assume they are few and far between. When I met John.e and started to experiment with vegetarian cooking, I remember my mom screwing up her nose at it. To her, a meal without meat wasn’t a meal at all! These meat-based recipes are some of my all-time favourites!
Pineapple Glazed Ham
This boneless glazed ham is super easy to prepare and everyone loves it! The ham is tender and moist; it is salty, sweet and a little tart too, which makes it the perfect Easter main! Serve this retro-inspired dish the easy way – no need for carving and fancy presentation. Pineapple Glazed Ham has all the flavour without all the fuss!
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Slow Braised Barbequed Beef Bites
Slow Braised Barbequed Beef Bites are tender and moist with just the right amount of heat and sweet. This recipe is the perfect way to enjoy deep barbeque flavours without grilling.
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Traditional Newfoundland Cold Plates
A hearty meal for a hard-working people, Cold Plates are a very traditional Newfoundland Sunday night supper. It also happens to be my personal favourite!
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Homemade Newfoundland Pizza
Probably unlike any delivery pizza you’ve ever tasted, but completely addictive and delicious in its own right! Try eating just one slice!!
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Loose Meat Sandwiches
Move over Landford Lunch Box! Anyone can make this easy and inexpensive, blast from the past, beef burger alternative. Loose Meat Sandwiches are the perfect no-fuss weeknight dinner solution!
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Pancake Batter Fried Fish
Unlike most fish batters that are made with beer, this one is made with a well seasoned buttermilk pancake batter from a box! It sounds a little strange, but it’s absolutely delicious! Fried until crispy, the fish is perfectly cooked and surrounded by slightly sweet, light and airy batter – yum!
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Fried Squid Rings
Sometimes, a simple recipe, one that leaves the main ingredient in a near-pure form, is the best! Fried Squid Rings is such a recipe; with the help of a few seasonings and condiments, these are quickly fried so that they are super tender and most certainly super flavourful!
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Leftover Turkey Soup
A hearty and wholesome soup prepared with fresh root vegetables, rice, and leftover turkey breast meat. Put leftover holiday turkey to good use with this Leftover Turkey Soup recipe!
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Shipwreck Casserole Dinner
A blast from the past recipe that will fill your belly and comfort all of your food cravings; Shipwreck Casserole Dinner is not only super delicious, but also very easy to prepare, and as an added bonus, it’s loaded with veggies too!
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Easy Old Fashioned Goulash
Hearty ground beef and pasta are the main ingredients in this Easy Old Fashioned Goulash; loaded with peppers and tomatoes, this is a complete and nutritious meal!
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Sweet and Smoky Baked Beans
Instant Pot or traditional oven, Sweet and Smoky Baked Beans are delicious and so easy to prepare. Never buy canned beans from the grocer again! Make them vegetarian or serve them with fried crumbled bacon or ham on the side!
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SALADS
We had salads all the time, but very rarely did one of those salads have lettuce or tomatoes! Whenever a “green salad” was present, it was always called a tossed salad. It was prepared with iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and ham. Even the salad had meat! Salads in our home were mostly potato or pasta-based. And, to this day, they are the types of salad I crave the most!
Pickled Beet Potato Salad
Pickled Beet Potato Salad is a sweet and creamy side dish paired perfectly with chicken or roast beef; a perfect summer potluck take-along side dish! Vibrantly pink and quite frankly, a bit odd, but super delicious and a conversation starter too! What more could you ask for in a potato salad?
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Mom’s Classic Macaroni Salad
Creamy and flavourful, with red and green bell peppers, green relish, green onions, and cheddar cheese; Mom’s Classic Macaroni Salad is a dish served best any time you like! Because, when something tastes this good, it’s good any time and all the time!
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Mustard Potato Salad
Mustard Potato Salad is very similar to regular potato salad, but with tang and zing from yellow mustard. Adding a vegetable medley consisting of peas, beans, corn, and carrots gives the salad more texture and flavour. Update your regular salad with a new flavour profile!
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Home Style Creamy Coleslaw
A great tasting Home Style Creamy Coleslaw consists of simple ingredients, no fuss, and lots of crispy, crunchy vegetables.
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Vegetable Potato Salad
Made with chopped hard-boiled eggs, mashed potatoes, and green onions, Vegetable Potato Salad is creamy, comforting, and oh so delicious! The addition of eggs and green onions might not be the makings of a traditional Newfoundland potato salad in your home, but it surely is in mine! You’ve got to try this version!
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Apple and Corn Salad
With just a few ingredients, Apple and Corn Salad is one of those great tasting recipes that gives you lots of bang for your buck! This was oftentimes served with potato salads and chicken for Sunday night supper!
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THE PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING, SO TO SPEAK!
That’s how the old saying goes, right? In this particular case though, the proof is in the recipes! Since I’m the one promoting these 30 Traditional Newfoundland Recipes, it’s safe to say that I love them all. Over the years, I have made each one over and over again in my kitchen. But, as I said in the beginning, what is traditional to me might not be traditional to you.
If you plan to make any of these recipes, feel free to make them your own. For example, I know that my Aunt Louise will add finely chopped raw onion to her potato salads. And, my ex-mother-in-law will add chopped apple to hers. I won’t add either of those things to mine. They are not traditional to me, but onion and apple are traditional to them.
I hope you enjoy these recipes. And, if for even just a moment, I hope I have encouraged you to embrace Newfoundland cuisine.
