[1] The history of the hotdish goes back to when "budget-minded farm wives needed to feed their own families, as well as congregations in the basements of the first Minnesota churches.

[3] According to Howard Mohr, author of How to Talk Minnesotan, "A traditional main course, hotdish is cooked and served hot in a single baking dish and commonly appears at family reunions and church suppers.

"[4] The most typical meat for many years has been ground beef, and cream of mushroom remains the favorite canned soup.

[2][7][8] Typical ingredients in hotdish are potatoes or pasta, ground beef, green beans, and corn, with canned soup added as a binder, flavoring, and sauce.

[9] After the 2010 U.S. midterm elections, then Senator Al Franken invited the members of the Minnesota congressional delegation to a friendly hotdish-making competition, to come together in celebration of the state before the beginning of the legislative session.

With 9 of the 10 members of the delegation participating in 2013, the winner was Congressman Walz's "Hermann the German Hotdish", which featured a bottle of August Schell beer, made locally in New Ulm, Minnesota.

Hotdish frequently appeared, along with other stereotypical Minnesotan dishes such as lutefisk, in the radio program A Prairie Home Companion.

[15] "Hot Dish" was the seventh track on Lizzobangers, the debut studio album of singer, rapper, and flautist Lizzo.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz went viral on X after posting his winning "Turkey Trot Tater-Tot Hotdish" recipe.