New Zealand Cuisine

24 dishes · Community built

New Zealand Dishes

#1

Hangi

New Zealand's most ancient cooking method — a Maori earth oven in which meat and vegetables are slow-cooked over heated ...

#2

Pavlova

The great trans-Tasman dispute — both Australia and New Zealand claim to have invented this dessert of crispy meringue s...

#3

Hokey Pokey Ice Cream

New Zealand's most beloved ice cream flavour — vanilla ice cream studded with small, irregular lumps of golden honeycomb...

#4

Whitebait Fritter

New Zealand's most seasonal delicacy — tiny transparent juvenile fish (the young of several native galaxiid species) mix...

#5

Rewena Bread

Traditional Maori potato bread — a sourdough made with a fermented potato starter (the rewena) that gives it a distincti...

#6

Kumara Fries

Fries made from kumara, the New Zealand sweet potato, roasted or fried until crisp.

#7

Bacon and Egg Pie

A savory pie filled with bacon and whole eggs baked in a flaky pastry crust.

#8

Louise Cake

A layered slice with a shortbread base, raspberry jam, and a coconut meringue topping.

#9

Paua Fritters

Fritters made from minced paua (a type of abalone) mixed into a savory batter and fried.

#10

L&P Cake

A moist lemon cake flavored with New Zealand's iconic L&P lemon and paeroa soft drink.

#11

Afghan Biscuits

A crisp chocolate cornflake biscuit topped with chocolate icing and a walnut half.

#12

NZ Cheese Rolls

Grated cheese and onion soup mix rolled inside soft white bread, grilled until crispy and molten.

#13

Boil Up

A one-pot dish of pork bones or meat simmered with potatoes, kumara, and leafy greens like watercress.

#14

Toheroa Soup

A rich, creamy soup made from a rare native New Zealand shellfish.

#15

Lolly Cake

A no-bake refrigerator log cake studded with colorful fruit-flavored candies and wrapped in coconut.

#16

Mince and Cheese Pie

A hand-held pie of rich beef mince gravy topped with melted cheese under flaky pastry — New Zealand's favourite bakery p...

#17

Steak and Cheese Pie

A flaky, hand-held meat pie filled with tender steak chunks in gravy and melted cheese.

#18

Kiwi Onion Dip

A creamy dip of reduced cream, onion soup mix and lemon juice, eaten with ready-salted chips.

#19

Green-Lipped Mussels

Large native New Zealand mussels, steamed and often served with a garlic butter or chili sauce.

#20

Feijoa Crumble

A baked dessert of stewed feijoa fruit topped with a buttery oat crumble.

#21

Pikelets

Small, thick, fluffy pancakes, similar to Scotch pancakes, served with jam and cream.

#22

Kumara and Bacon Soup

A smooth, sweet soup of New Zealand kumara (sweet potato) with smoky bacon and onion.

#23

Ika Mata

Raw fish 'cooked' in citrus and finished with coconut cream, cucumber, tomato and spring onion.

#24

Kina

Fresh sea urchin roe, eaten raw straight from the shell, a prized New Zealand delicacy.

Help build New Zealand cuisine on What To Eat

What To Eat is community-built. If you know New Zealand food — dishes we've missed, better descriptions or authentic recipes — we want your knowledge.