United States: Recipes and Cuisine

Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, United States
Image by Pixabay

The cooking and cuisine of the United States defies easy categorization. While well known for the mass production and global uniformity of fast food outlets, America is actually home to wide-ranging regional cuisine and the influence of immigrant groups past and present. From New England clam chowder to Texas barbecue to cioppino in the City by the Bay, the cuisine of the United States has thrills around every corner.

Typical American Dishes

A list of typical American dishes and foods. Use it to help you plan an American-style meal, party or festival.

Appetizers

  • Buffalo Wings (Spicy-vinegary chicken wings)
  • Crab Cakes (Fried crabmeat patties)
  • Nachos (Tortilla chips with toppings)
  • Onion Rings (Breaded, fried onions)
  • Potato Chips (Fried thin-sliced potatoes)
  • Roasted Pumpkin Seeds (American Halloween snack)
  • Rocky Mountain Oysters (Sautéed pig testicles)

Soups and Stews

  • Chicken-Noodle Soup
  • Chili con Carne (Tex-Mex spicy beef stew)
  • Gumbo (Thick okra stew)
  • Oyster Stew (Shellfish stew)
  • Vermont Cheddar Soup

Salads

  • Cobb Salad (Salad with a variety of toppings)
  • Potato Salad
  • Spinach Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing
  • Sweet Coleslaw (Sweet cabbage salad)

Noodles and Pasta

  • Lasagna (Layered pasta with fillings)
  • Macaroni and Cheese (Pasta with cheese)
  • Spaghetti and Meatballs
  • Tuna-Noodle Casserole

Sandwiches

  • BBQ Pork Sandwich
  • BLT (Bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich)
  • Club Sandwich (Sandwich with chicken, tomato and bacon)
  • Dagwood (Oversized, double-decker sandwich)
  • Egg Salad Sandwich
  • French Dip au Jus (Roast beef sandwich with jus dipping sauce)
  • Grilled Cheese Sandwich
  • Hamburger
  • Hot Dogs (Beef or pork sausages on a bun with condiments)
  • Muffaletta (Meat and olive spread sandwich)
  • PBJ (Peanut butter and jelly sandwich)
  • Pork Tenderloin Sandwich
  • Reuben (Ham, Swiss and sauerkraut on rye)
  • Sloppy Joes (Seasoned ground beef sandwich)
  • Tuna Salad Sandwich

Poultry

  • Chicken and Dumplings (Chicken stew with baking powder dumplings)
  • Chicken Pot Pie (United States savory chicken pie)
  • Fried Chicken
  • Roast Turkey with Gravy (American holiday turkey)

Meats

  • BBQ Spare Ribs
  • Beer-braised Bratwurst
  • Chicken-Fried Steak (Breaded steak cutlet)
  • Corn Dogs (Cornbread and hot dog on a stick)
  • Kalua Pork (Roast pork)
  • Meatloaf (Baked ground beef loaf)
  • North Carolina BBQ Pork
  • Smothered Pork Chops (Pork chops with onion gravy)

Fish and Seafood

  • BBQ Oysters
  • Fried Catfish
  • Pan-fried Walleye

Vegetables and Beans

  • Boston Baked Beans (White beans baked with molasses)
  • Corn on the Cob
  • Creamed Corn (Corn simmered in cream)
  • Mashed Potatoes (Potato puree)
  • Sausage-stuffed Acorn Squash
  • Southern Greens
  • Stewed Tomatoes

Breads and Grains

  • Baking Powder Biscuits
  • Boston Brown Bread (Molasses bread)
  • Southern Cornbread
  • Cornbread Dressing (Southern dressing)
  • Dinner Rolls
  • French Fries (Deep-fried potato sticks)
  • Hot Cross Buns
  • Hoppin’ John (Rice and black-eyed peas)
  • Wheat Bread
  • Wild Rice Pilaf (Wild grain)
  • White Bread

Sauces and Condiments

  • À la King (Leftovers in a white sauce)
  • Cranberry Sauce (Cranberry condiment)
  • Guacamole (Avocado sauce)
  • Sausage Gravy

Desserts

  • Apple Cake
  • Caramel Apples (Caramel-covered apples)
  • Coca-Cola Cake
  • Cranberry Pudding (Steamed Christmas pudding)
  • Lemon Bars
  • Peach Cobbler (Peaches baked with pastry)
  • Pumpkin Pie (Pumpkin dessert)
  • Gelatin Dessert
  • Poundcake
  • Snickerdoodles (Cinnamon-scented sugar cookies)
  • Strawberry Shortcake (Strawberries with a sweet biscuit)

Beverages

  • Birch Beer
  • Cocktails (Various alcoholic beverages)
  • Eggnog (Egg and cream Christmas beverage)
  • Gingerale (Ginger-flavored soft drink)
  • Lemonade
  • Limeade
  • Root Beer (Sarsaparilla-flavored soft drink)

Breakfast

  • Hangtown Fry (Oyster and bacon omelet)
  • Hash Browns (Sautéed grated potatoes)
  • Pancakes (Sweet skillet flatbread)

Preserves

  • Pepper Jelly

American Recipes

Try these recipes from the United States.

Spaghetti and Meatballs 
(American pasta with meatballs)
Plate of spaghetti and meatballs

Spaghetti and Meatballs 
(American pasta with meatballs)

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds 
(American Halloween snack)
Roasted pumpkin seeds

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds 
(American Halloween snack)

Sweet Potato Pie 
(American, Southern-Soul sweet potato open-faced tart)
Freshly baked sweet potato pie

Sweet Potato Pie 
(American, Southern-Soul sweet potato open-faced tart)

Cornbread Dressing 
(American cornmeal bread dressing)
Large pan of cornbread dressing

Cornbread Dressing 
(American cornmeal bread dressing)

South Carolina Barbecue Sauce 
(American Southern mustard-based grilling sauce)
South Carolina BBQ shack

South Carolina Barbecue Sauce 
(American Southern mustard-based grilling sauce)

Caramel Apples 
(American caramel-covered apples)
Tray of caramel apples with sprinkles

Caramel Apples 
(American caramel-covered apples)

Glazed Pumpkin Spice Cookies 
(American cinnamon-scented baked treat)
Plate of glazed pumpkin cookies

Glazed Pumpkin Spice Cookies 
(American cinnamon-scented baked treat)

Peach Ice Cream 
(American Southern frozen fruit and dairy dessert)
A big scoop of peach ice cream

Peach Ice Cream 
(American Southern frozen fruit and dairy dessert)

Baking Powder Biscuits 
(American breakfast quickbread)
A flaky baking powder biscuit

Baking Powder Biscuits 
(American breakfast quickbread)

Coca-Cola Cake 
(American cocoa-cola cake)
Closeup of a slice of coca-cola cake

Coca-Cola Cake 
(American cocoa-cola cake)

Potato Salad 
(American potatoes with mayonnaise)
Potato salad on a plate

Potato Salad 
(American potatoes with mayonnaise)

Texas-Style Barbecue Sauce 
(American Tex-Mex mopping and grilling sauce)
The Salt Lick barbecue in Driftwood, Texas

Texas-Style Barbecue Sauce 
(American Tex-Mex mopping and grilling sauce)

Lemonade 
(American lemon beverage)
Pitcher of lemonade with fresh lemons

Lemonade 
(American lemon beverage)

Clambake 
(American, New England seafood and vegetable beach barbecue)
Large pot with clambake ingredients

Clambake 
(American, New England seafood and vegetable beach barbecue)

Corn Maque Choux 
(Cajun-Creole corn and peppers simmered in cream)
Corn maque choux

Corn Maque Choux 
(Cajun-Creole corn and peppers simmered in cream)

Hoppin’ John 
(American rice and black-eyed peas)
Skillet with hoppin' John

Hoppin’ John 
(American rice and black-eyed peas)

Corned Beef and Cabbage 
(Irish-American braised brisket with vegetables)
Slided corned beef and cabbage on a platter

Corned Beef and Cabbage 
(Irish-American braised brisket with vegetables)

Baked Country Ham 
(American Southern roasted ham)
Freshly roasted country ham

Baked Country Ham 
(American Southern roasted ham)

Eggnog 
(American egg and cream Christmas beverage)
Eggnog Recipe (American egg and cream Christmas beverage)

Eggnog 
(American egg and cream Christmas beverage)

Southwestern Dry Rub 
(American Southwest meat, poultry and seafood grill seasoning)
A mixture for Southwestern-style dry spice rub

Southwestern Dry Rub 
(American Southwest meat, poultry and seafood grill seasoning)

Creole Barbecue Shrimp 
(American Southern spicy sauteed shrimp)
Platter with Creole barbecue shrimp

Creole Barbecue Shrimp 
(American Southern spicy sauteed shrimp)

New England Boiled Dinner 
(American braised brisket with vegetables)
Plate of New England boiled dinner

New England Boiled Dinner 
(American braised brisket with vegetables)

Buffalo Wings 
(American chicken wings in spicy sauce)
Bowl of Buffalo wings

Buffalo Wings 
(American chicken wings in spicy sauce)

Cranberry Pudding 
(American steamed Christmas pudding)
Flaming Christmas cranberry pudding

Cranberry Pudding 
(American steamed Christmas pudding)

Tuna Noodle Casserole 
(American baked tuna and pasta dish)
Casserole of baked tuna noodle casserole

Tuna Noodle Casserole 
(American baked tuna and pasta dish)

Oyster Stew 
(American shellfish stew)
Bowl of oyster stew

Oyster Stew 
(American shellfish stew)

Chicken Pot Pie 
(American savory chicken stew in pastry)
Skillet of chicken pot pie with biscuit crust

Chicken Pot Pie 
(American savory chicken stew in pastry)

Boston Baked Beans 
(American white beans baked with molasses)
Boston baked beans in a bean pot

Boston Baked Beans 
(American white beans baked with molasses)

Sausage Gravy 
(American white sauce with sausage)
Sausage gravy on a biscuit

Sausage Gravy 
(American white sauce with sausage)

Sonoran Hot Dogs 
(Mexican, American Southwestern beef frankfurter sandwich)
Two Sonoran hot dogs

Sonoran Hot Dogs 
(Mexican, American Southwestern beef frankfurter sandwich)

Cedar Plank Salmon 
(Canadian salmon grill-roasted on aromatic wood)
Salmon on cedar planks cooking on a grill

Cedar Plank Salmon 
(Canadian salmon grill-roasted on aromatic wood)

Sweet Coleslaw 
((American cabbage salad)
Bowl of sweet coleslaw

Sweet Coleslaw 
((American cabbage salad)

Wild Rice Pilaf 
(Canadian-American wild grain pilaf)
Mix of wild and regular rice

Wild Rice Pilaf 
(Canadian-American wild grain pilaf)

Kansas City-Style Barbecue Sauce 
(American Midwest tomato-based grilling sauce)
Storefront of Arthur Bryant's Barbeque restaurant in Kansas City

Kansas City-Style Barbecue Sauce 
(American Midwest tomato-based grilling sauce)

New England Clam Chowder 
(American clam and potato stew)
Bowl of New England clam chowder

New England Clam Chowder 
(American clam and potato stew)

Sweet Tea 
(American Southern summer tea drink)
Southern sweet tea in a Ball jar

Sweet Tea 
(American Southern summer tea drink)

Hamburgers 
(American grilled beef patty sandwiches)
Cheeseburger with tomatoes, lettuce and onion wrapped in paper

Hamburgers 
(American grilled beef patty sandwiches)

Shrimp and Grits 
(American, Southern-Soul shrimp and gravy over grits)
Big bowl of shrimp and grits

Shrimp and Grits 
(American, Southern-Soul shrimp and gravy over grits)

Cioppino 
(American West Coast fish and seafood stew)
Bowl of cioppino

Cioppino 
(American West Coast fish and seafood stew)

Southern Fried Chicken 
(American fried chicken with a crispy crust)
A plate of Southern fried chicken

Southern Fried Chicken 
(American fried chicken with a crispy crust)

Gumbo 
(American Cajun-Creole meat and shellfish stew)
Bowl of gumbo over rice

Gumbo 
(American Cajun-Creole meat and shellfish stew)

Haupia 
(American-Hawaiian coconut pudding)
Plate with haupia

Haupia 
(American-Hawaiian coconut pudding)

Pua’a Kālua – Kalua Pork 
(American Hawaiian roast pork)
Hawaiian kalua roast pork

Pua’a Kālua – Kalua Pork 
(American Hawaiian roast pork)

Texas Barbecue Beef Brisket 
(American Tex-Mex smoked, slow-roasted beef)
Carving up a finished smoked beef brisket

Texas Barbecue Beef Brisket 
(American Tex-Mex smoked, slow-roasted beef)

Boston Brown Bread 
(American steamed whole-grain molasses bread)
Slices of Boston brown bread with cream cheese

Boston Brown Bread 
(American steamed whole-grain molasses bread)

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