American cuisine is a melting pot of flavors, drawing inspiration from all corners of the globe. Whether you’re a fan of the classics or craving something a little more adventurous, there are American favorites to suit every taste. They’re sure to tantalize your taste buds and transport you through many cultures, from the East Coast to the West Coast.
12 Typical American Dishes
So, please don’t wait any longer, grab a plate, and join us as we explore the 12 best typical American dishes.
1. The iconic burger
Like most American dishes, the burger has its roots across the Atlantic, in Germany, to be precise. In 1900, Louis Lassen of the Louis’ Lunch restaurant in New Haven sold a steak between two slices of bread to a customer. Legend has it that it was the first burger sold in the history of the United States. The recipe continued to spread across the country, but it was especially with the advent of fast food in the 1940s that the dish became popular.
And if the burger was once a popular dish, whose success was accelerated by the rapid pace of industrialization, we can say that things have changed a lot today. Indeed, this typical American dish has since been revisited by starred chefs who do not hesitate to replace its steak with truffle, portobello mushrooms, or even foie gras.
2. Apple pie as a country emblem
Don Mclean’s hit song in the 70s proclaimed it “Bye-bye, Miss American Pie.”. However, apple trees are native to Europe. And it was only after their importation and, above all, their cultivation by John Chapman at the end of the 18th century, that apples were “born” in the USA.
It was the Civil War in 1861 and the World War in 1918 that finally transformed apple pie into an iconic American dish. It was both a patriotic symbol and a perfect example of the dish that soldiers dream of far from home. Today, 180 million pies are sold each year in the United States. The “healthy” wave does not seem to have slowed down its success.
3. The welcoming sweetness of cornbread
Cornbread, inspired by the traditional recipe invented by the Indians, is today a typical American food, particularly widespread in the south of the country. There is a geographical reason for this, corn grows much better in a warm and humid climate than wheat.
Rather rudimentary in basis, the composition of the bread has gradually been enriched with honey, after cooking, because corn is already a sweetening ingredient and fat. An essential ally of “soul food”, you will often find it as an accompaniment to sweet potatoes, corn, or fried chicken.
4. Mac’n’cheese or one of the best typical American dishes
Let’s continue our list of the 12 best traditional American dishes with mac’n’cheese. This creamy American pasta dish is a favorite among children and adults alike. Everyone remembers the famous dinner scene from “Home Alone.” However, the first person to import the recipe was Thomas Jefferson, upon his return from Versailles in the late 18th century.
Mac’n’cheese is made with macaroni, cheese, and other ingredients, such as butter, milk, and mustard. Almost every American restaurant in the country will serve it.
5. The Spanish Origins of Jambalaya
Jambalaya is one of the most original American dishes. Coming straight from Louisiana, legend has it that it was invented when someone gathered everything they had left in their kitchen after a big meal.
A more plausible origin links it to the Spanish in the New World. The latter, not finding saffron, replaced it with tomato to cook their paella. The ingredients of Jambalaya vary from one recipe to another, but it consists of rice, meat, a variety of Cajun spices and herbs.
6. Eat a hot dog on the go
The hot dog, an American dish with Germanic roots, is just as popular around the world. This small sandwich, a classic street food, consists of steamed pork and beef frankfurter. This is then placed in a bun
Creamy eggs on toast are one of the typical American dishes born during the Great Depression. Its origins also explain its simple and affordable aspect. Indeed, it is nothing more and nothing less than boiled eggs, cut into slices and mixed with a white sauce. Once dressed on toast, your “creamed eggs” are ready.
On top of that, you’ll usually find them topped with parsley and paprika. A dish in its own right, it’s also not uncommon to offer them as an accompaniment to a more elaborate recipe. To enjoy them, we recommend going either to the south or the northeastern United States.
Best Restaurants in Luxembourg: A Culinary Guide
7. Muffins are synonymous with America
With a conception date dating back to the 10th/11th century in England, the muffin has metamorphosed to find a place in American cuisine. In the UK, it has more of a “bready” texture that makes it perfect for buttering at tea time.
To understand the reason for the more “puffy” transition of muffins in the United States, we have to go back to the 1850s with the rise of leavening agents. But what made muffins so iconic was the addition of a filling, usually consisting of fruits or various chocolates. These days, you will have no trouble finding them in most American coffee shops.
8. A creamy egg dish
Creamy eggs on toast are one of the typical American dishes born during the Great Depression. Its origins also explain its simple and affordable aspect. Indeed, it is nothing more and nothing less than boiled eggs, cut into slices and mixed with a white sauce. Once dressed on toast, your “creamed eggs” are ready.
On top of that, you’ll usually find them topped with parsley and paprika. A dish in their own right, it’s also not uncommon to offer them as an accompaniment to a more elaborate recipe. To enjoy them, we recommend going either to the south or the northeastern United States.
9. The caramelized crunch of a good pecan pie
Pecan pie is one of the few traditional American dishes that is 100% original. And what a dish! With its mixture of pecans caramelized in corn syrup, on a generous crust, it really is the ideal dessert.
Native Americans were the first to cultivate pecans, in Illinois and Iowa. Today, Georgia is the leading producer in the United States. Its identity as a southern pie, therefore, remains well established. It was in this part of the country that the first recipe emerged, in the late 19th century, in St. Louis.
10. The bagel or the Rolls Royce of the sandwich
Bagels are an iconic New York City staple: hand-baked, round sesame buns with a hole in the middle. They were originally brought to the United States by Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe.
One theory is that bagels were popular in the Jewish community because the dough must rest for twelve hours before being baked. A perfect sandwich, in short, for the Sabbath when work is forbidden. New Yorkers claim that their bagels are the best because the water in them is soft, which keeps the dough from getting hard.
11. The sweetness of a Piña Colada in all seasons
The Piña Colada is a sweet and creamy tropical cocktail that has been celebrated as the national drink of Puerto Rico since 1978. It is a blend of rum, pineapple juice, milk, and coconut cream. After being shaken and garnished with a little ice, it is then topped with a pineapple wedge or cherry.
The inventor of the cocktail was a bartender named Ramón “Monchito” Marrero Pérez, who invented this cocktail in 1954, at the Caribe Hilton Hotel in San Juan. Even today, this city is considered the birthplace of the Piña Colada.
12. The daring Hawaiian pizza
We end our culinary journey with a controversial dish that has many Italians tearing their hair out. This mix of sweet and salty flavors, with a hint of acidity, does not leave you indifferent… You either love it or hate it! Despite its name, Hawaiian pizza is a Canadian invention, an American-style pizza topped with cheese, ham and pineapple chunks. It also comes in a meatless version.
Its origins date back to the 1960s. It was at that time that Sam Panopoulos in Chatham, Ontario, decided to add pineapple to the dish and began serving it to customers at his restaurant. It was such a success that it quickly spread to the United States.
As we’ve seen in this article, American cuisine is one of the most diverse and eclectic in the world. It draws inspiration from its many immigrants, as well as its own indigenous cultures, to create dishes that are both unique and recognizable.
From the classic hamburger to the quintessential Thanksgiving feast, the United States offers a wide variety of popular dishes that delight visitors from around the world.