<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001258267-04-000014
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20040818
<FILING-DATE>20040820
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>MGP INGREDIENTS INC
<CIK>0000835011
<ASSIGNED-SIC>2040
<IRS-NUMBER>480531200
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>KS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>0630
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1300 MAIN ST
<CITY>ATCHISON
<STATE>KS
<ZIP>66002
<PHONE>9133671480
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1300 MAIN STREET
<CITY>ATCHISON
<STATE>KS
<ZIP>66002
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>MIDWEST GRAIN PRODUCTS INC
<DATE-CHANGED>19920703
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>SCHRICK RANDY M
<CIK>0001258276
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-17196
<FILM-NUMBER>04989826
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1300 MAIN STREET
<STREET2>P.O. BOX 130
<CITY>ATCHISON
<STATE>KS
<ZIP>66002
<PHONE>9133671480
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1300 MAIN STREET
<STREET2>P.O. BOX 130
<CITY>ATCHISON
<STATE>KS
<ZIP>66002
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2004-08-18</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000835011</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>MGP INGREDIENTS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>MGPI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001258276</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SCHRICK RANDY M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1300 MAIN STREET</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>P.O. BOX 130</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ATCHISON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>KS</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>66002</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Vice President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2004-08-18</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>6068</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>83608</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>426</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>by Trust</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1752</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>by Spouse</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>426</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>by Spouse's Trust</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>37214</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F6"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>by Atchison ESOP</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>13192</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F7"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>by Pekin ESOP</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>984</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F8"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>by ESPP</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">4,418 shares sold @ $10.00/share; 250 shares sold @ $10.20/share; 900 shares sold @ $10.07/share; 100 shares sold @ $10.13/share; 400 shares sold @ $10.02/share.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">On July 16, 2004, the common stock of MGP Ingredients, Inc. split 2-for-1, resulting in the reporting person's  acquisition of 44,838 additional share of directly held common stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">On July 16, 2004, the common stock of MGP Ingredients, Inc. split 2-for-1, resulting in the reporting person's  acquisition of 213 additional share of common stock held by his Trust.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">On July 16, 2004, the common stock of MGP Ingredients, Inc. split 2-for-1, resulting in the reporting person's  acquisition of 876 additional share of common stock held by his Spouse.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">On July 16, 2004, the common stock of MGP Ingredients, Inc. split 2-for-1, resulting in the reporting person's  acquisition of 213 additional share of common stock held by his Spouse's trust.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">On July 16, 2004, the common stock of MGP Ingredients, Inc. split 2-for-1, resulting in the reporting person's  acquisition of 18,607 additional share of common stock held by Atchison ESOP.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">On July 16, 2004, the common stock of MGP Ingredients, Inc. split 2-for-1, resulting in the reporting person's  acquisition of 6,596 additional share of common stock held by Pekin ESOP.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F8">On July 16, 2004, the common stock of MGP Ingredients, Inc. split 2-for-1, resulting in the reporting person's  acquisition of 492 additional share of common stock held by ESPP.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Randy M. Schrick</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2004-08-20</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
