9 Canadian Foods That The UK Just Doesn’t Get

Move over black pudding, full English breakfasts, and bangers and mash because today we’re diving deep into Canadian foods that are lost on the UK. We’ll explore gravy and cheese curd-covered fries, a flavour of chips unique to the nation, various desserts, and more! By the end, we bet you’ll be craving some of these goodies because that’s how delicious they are! Savoury, sweet, and with unique textures, it just doesn’t get any better than these Canadian foods. Make sure to stay until the end to take note of all the Canadian foods to try!

1. Poutine

Poutine is a traditional Canadian food that isn’t eaten enough in the rest of the world. French fries are covered in cheese curds and brown gravy to make a savoury and satisfying dish. It emerged in Quebec in the late 1950s and has evolved into an iconic symbol of Canadian and Quebecois culture. Poutine is available at many fine restaurants as well as fast food places. Some Canadian cities even host annual poutine celebrations with prizes for the best one! Many people get very creative with their poutine and make other variations like pulled pork poutine, butter chicken poutine, vegetarian and bacon poutine! 

2. Montreal-Style Bagels

Montreal-style bagels are hugely popular across Canada, and for good reason too. They’re a distinctively different type of bagel for its appearance and taste. They’re handmade, smaller, thinner, denser, and sweeter than a traditional bagel. Montreal-style bagels have a larger hole and are always baked in a wood-fired oven, giving a unique smokey flavour. They’re subtly sweet thanks to the addition of honey and an inviting, glossy crisp thanks to the honey-water bath the bagels are dipped in before they’re baked in the wood-fired oven.

3. Ketchup Chips

Ketchup chips are a unique flavour of chip that is wildly popular in Canada and often misunderstood elsewhere. It was invented in the early 1970s and became extremely popular in the 1980s. Now, ketchup chips are available at nearly every grocery store and by multiple different brands. Ketchup chips don’t quite taste like traditional ketchup but rather an explosion of tomato and sugar. They have a tangy sweetness that makes them absolutely irresistible.

4. Butter Tarts

Butter tarts are a small pastry with a pie-like crust and a delicious filling. The filling is traditionally made of butter, sugar, syrup, and egg. The texture of butter tarts can vary depending on each baker’s preference, but it’s often slightly crispy at the top and then smooth and velvety underneath. Butter tarts have a rich, indulgent flavour with a sweet and buttery taste. They have a perfectly balanced texture and are completely customisable, with many people adding in walnuts, pecans, raisins, and/or chocolate chips. Butter tarts are often a part of childhood memories, evoking a sense of nostalgia for many.

5. Nanaimo Bars

Nanaimo bars are named after a Canadian city in the beautiful province of British Columbia. They’re made up of three layers and are a classic, no-bake, delightful treat. The three layers that make up a Nanaimo bar are wafer, nut and coconut crumb, and custard icing in the middle. The Canadian dessert offers sweet and balanced flavours and is incredibly versatile. Change up the flavours easily, add more nuts, you name it! The Nanaimo bar is perfect for all occasions and celebrations.

6. Beaver Tails

Beaver Tails are a popular Canadian dessert that originated in Ottawa, resembling a fried dough pastry shaped like a beaver’s tail. They are often topped with a variety of delicious ingredients, such as cinnamon sugar, chocolate, fruit, or even savoury toppings like cheese. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, Beaver Tails are typically served warm, making them a perfect comfort food, especially during cold Canadian winters. This iconic treat has become a symbol of Canadian culinary culture, enjoyed at fairs, festivals, and outdoor events across the country, offering a taste of Canada’s love for indulgent, shareable desserts.

7. Saskatoon Berry Pie

Saskatoon berry pie is a popular dessert across Canada. It is made with a fruit native to the Canadian prairies called Saskatoon berries. The pie is often served with whipped cream or ice cream and pairs well with the buttery and flaky pie crust that encloses it. With a flavour similar to a cross between cherries and blueberries with a slightly nutty undertone, it’s pretty easy to see why Saskatoon berry pie is so wildly popular in Canada!

8. Hawaiian Pizza

Hawaiian pizza, often debated for its combination of sweet and savoury flavours, is actually a Canadian invention, created by Greek immigrant Sam Panopoulos in 1962 at his restaurant in Ontario. The pizza, topped with ham and pineapple, quickly became a favourite for many due to its unique blend of salty, savoury, and sweet ingredients. People love Hawaiian pizza for its bold flavour combination, offering a delicious contrast to the more traditional toppings like pepperoni or mushrooms. Despite the ongoing debates over whether pineapple belongs on pizza, it remains a popular choice in Canada, loved for its fun, unconventional twist on a classic dish.

9. Split Pea Soup

Split pea soup is a greyish-greenish soup that is ultra thick and creamy. It’s been an integral part of Canadian cuisine for more than 400 years and continues to be popular. Split pea soup’s main ingredients are split peas, pork, and vegetables. It’s made with wholesome ingredients, creating a soup packed with vitamins and nutrition. The soup is filling, satisfying, smooth, and irresistible.

The Takeaway

These nine culinary dishes are ones that aren’t talked about enough in other parts of the world and remain insanely popular in Canada. Poutine, Montreal-style bagels, ketchup chips, butter tarts, Nanaimo bars, beaver tails, Saskatoon berry pie, Hawaiian pizza, and split pea soup are all iconic Canadian dishes that burst with flavour, have beautiful textures, and are ultimately satisfying.