Karl Anthony Towns-Inspired Minnesota Fridge Meals: Easy Scandinavian-American Comfort Food You Can Make Tonight

# Karl Anthony Towns-Inspired Minnesota Fridge Meals: Easy Scandinavian-American Comfort Food You Can Make Tonight

If you've ever watched Karl Anthony Towns dominate the paint and wondered what kind of fuel powers a seven-footer through a Minnesota winter, you're not alone. KAT — born in New Jersey to a Dominican father and an American mother, raised in part by the culture of his adopted home state — has spoken openly about how much he loves Minnesota. And Minnesota, as anyone who has lived there knows, runs on comfort food. Specifically, the kind of Scandinavian-American cooking that came over with Swedish, Norwegian, and Finnish settlers and quietly became the backbone of Midwest home kitchens.

Think creamy potato soups. Thick, herb-forward stews. Dishes that stretch whatever's in the fridge on a Tuesday night into something that makes the whole house smell like somebody actually tried. Minnesota's Scandinavian-American food tradition isn't flashy — it's humble, filling, and deeply satisfying in the way only cold-weather cooking can be. It's the food of people who needed to stay warm, stay fed, and stay together.

This post is a love letter to that tradition, channeled through the spirit of one of the NBA's most charismatic big men. We're making a creamy Minnesota-style dill and potato chowder — a dish that lives squarely in the Scandinavian-American lane, uses stuff you almost certainly already have in your fridge, and comes together in under 45 minutes. It's the kind of meal KAT might come home to after a long practice, and the kind you'll make again the following week without looking at the recipe.

Ingredients

This recipe serves 4 generously as a main, or 6 as a starter. Quantities are flexible — this is fridge-meal cooking, after all.

For the chowder base:

• 4 medium russet or Yukon Gold potatoes (about 2 lbs), peeled and diced into ½-inch cubes — Yukons give a creamier, buttery result; russets break down more and thicken the broth naturally
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 stalks celery, sliced thin
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1½ cups whole milk (sub: oat milk or 2% works fine; avoid skim — you need the fat)
• ½ cup heavy cream (sub: sour cream stirred in at the end for a tangier, slightly thicker result)
• Salt and black pepper to taste

• 1 teaspoon dried dill (or 2 tablespoons fresh, added at the very end)
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper (optional but very Scandinavian)
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (brightens the whole pot)
• 4 strips thick-cut bacon, chopped and cooked crispy — for topping (sub: smoked turkey, or skip entirely for vegetarian)
• ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar, for serving
• Crusty rye bread or sourdough, for dunking

• 1 cup frozen or fresh corn kernels
• ½ cup diced ham or smoked sausage
• A handful of kale or spinach, stirred in at the end

Instructions

1. Render the bacon first. In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook your chopped bacon until the fat has rendered and the pieces are deeply golden and crispy, about 6–8 minutes. The sound should go from a sizzle to a steady crackle. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside on a paper towel, but leave 1 tablespoon of the fat in the pot. This is flavor you don't want to lose.

1. Build your aromatics. Add the butter to the bacon fat in the pot and let it melt over medium heat until foamy. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and just starting to go golden at the edges — about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 60 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly so it doesn't burn.

1. Add potatoes and broth. Tumble in your diced potatoes, pour over the broth, and stir in the smoked paprika, white pepper, and dried dill. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook uncovered for 15 to 18 minutes, until the potatoes are completely tender — a fork should slide through with zero resistance. Some will start to break apart at the edges, and that's exactly what you want.

1. Mash and cream. Use a potato masher or the back of a large spoon to roughly mash about a third of the potatoes right in the pot. This thickens the chowder without making it gluey or uniform. Pour in the milk and heavy cream, stir well, and return to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes. Do not boil at this stage or the dairy may split. Season generously with salt and black pepper.

1. Finish and brighten. Stir in the apple cider vinegar and, if using fresh dill, add it now. Taste the soup — it should be savory, creamy, and just slightly tangy. Adjust salt as needed. If you're adding spinach, kale, or corn, stir them in at this stage and cook for just 2 minutes more.

1. Serve it right. Ladle into deep bowls, top with the reserved crispy bacon and a scatter of sharp cheddar, and serve immediately with thick slices of toasted rye bread on the side. The bread is non-negotiable.

Tips & Variations

1. Go vegetarian without losing depth. Skip the bacon and use vegetable broth. To keep that smoky depth, add ½ teaspoon of smoked paprika and a splash of soy sauce or liquid aminos when you build the aromatics. A drizzle of good olive oil at serving adds richness.

2. Make it a full Scandinavian spread. Serve alongside open-faced rye sandwiches (smørrebrød-style) topped with cream cheese, cucumber, and a pinch of dill. KAT-sized portions very much encouraged.

3. Use up your leftover mashed potatoes. If you have leftover mashed potatoes in the fridge, stir them in at the end instead of doing the mashing step. It shortens the cook time significantly and gives an even silkier result.

4. Spice it Midwest-style. Add a small can of diced green chiles and a tablespoon of hot sauce for a Minnesota-meets-Caribbean twist — a nod to KAT's Dominican roots blending with his adopted home state.

5. Add protein for a bigger meal. Stir in diced cooked chicken, flaked smoked salmon (deeply Scandinavian), or cubed ham at the end. Smoked salmon in particular takes this soup somewhere special — a little Scandinavian deli, a little Minnesota supper club.

Storage & Reheating

This chowder keeps beautifully. Let it cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. It will last in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The flavor actually improves overnight as the dill and smoky notes deepen.

For reheating, warm gently on the stovetop over low-medium heat, stirring frequently. The soup will thicken considerably in the fridge — just add a splash of broth or milk to loosen it back to your preferred consistency. Avoid boiling during reheat.

Freezing: This chowder can be frozen, but dairy-based soups can sometimes separate on thawing. If you plan to freeze it, hold back the cream and milk, freeze the potato-broth base, and add the dairy fresh when reheating. It will last up to 2 months in the freezer.

Nutrition Notes

This is comfort food, and it earns that label honestly. The potato base provides complex carbohydrates and potassium, making it genuinely sustaining — the kind of meal that keeps you full through a long practice or a cold Minnesota evening. Dill is surprisingly rich in antioxidants and has long been used in Scandinavian cooking for its digestive properties. The dairy provides calcium and fat-soluble nutrients, and if you load up on the vegetable add-ins like kale or corn, you're getting meaningful fiber and vitamins alongside the creaminess. For a lighter version, swapping cream for Greek yogurt stirred in at the end adds protein and cuts saturated fat without sacrificing tang.

FAQ

Q: Can I make this in a slow cooker? Absolutely. Sauté the onion, celery, and garlic in a skillet first for the best flavor, then transfer everything except the dairy to your slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 6–7 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours. Mash partially, then stir in the milk and cream in the last 30 minutes with the lid slightly ajar. This is a great set-it-and-forget-it option for busy weeknights.

Q: What makes this Scandinavian-American specifically? Isn't it just potato soup? Great question! Classic Scandinavian cooking leans heavily on root vegetables, dairy, dill, and preserved or smoked meats — all of which show up here. The use of dill as a primary herb rather than a garnish, the smoked element, and the rye bread accompaniment are all distinctly Nordic. Scandinavian-American cooking is this tradition filtered through the Midwest pantry, which is exactly how Minnesota home cooks have always made it.

Q: My soup is too thin. How do I fix it? Mash more of the potatoes — that's your easiest thickener. Alternatively, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water and stir it into the simmering soup. Give it 3–4 minutes and it will thicken noticeably. You can also simply simmer uncovered for longer to reduce the liquid.

Q: What if I don't have fresh dill or dried dill? Use fresh or dried parsley as the closest substitute — it won't have that slightly anise-forward brightness of dill, but it's still herby and clean-tasting. Chives work beautifully too, especially as a finishing garnish. In a true pinch, a small sprig of thyme added during simmering (and removed before serving) gives an earthy depth that works well with the potato and dairy base.

Photo: Andy Li (CC0), via Wikimedia Commons