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.

Creamed Corn 
(American corn kernels simmered with cream)
Small bowl with a serving of creamed corn

Creamed Corn 
(American corn kernels simmered with cream)

Peach Cobbler 
(American peaches baked with pastry)
Freshly baked peach cobbler

Peach Cobbler 
(American peaches baked with pastry)

Memphis Barbecue Ribs 
(American Southern-Soul slow-cooked pork ribs)
Memphis barbecue ribs on a sheet pan

Memphis Barbecue Ribs 
(American Southern-Soul slow-cooked pork ribs)

Maine Lobster Rolls 
(American, New England lobster salad sandwiches)
Lobster roll sandwich

Maine Lobster Rolls 
(American, New England lobster salad sandwiches)

Cajun and Creole Seasoning 
(American Louisiana herb and spice blend)
Jar of Cajun-Creole seasoning

Cajun and Creole Seasoning 
(American Louisiana herb and spice blend)

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

Coca-Cola Cake 
(American cocoa-cola cake)

Wisconsin Beer Cheese Soup 
(American Midwestern hearty cheese soup)
Bowl of beer cheese soup

Wisconsin Beer Cheese Soup 
(American Midwestern hearty cheese soup)

Scalloped Potatoes 
(American, Australian potatoes baked with cream)
Serving dish of nicely browned scalloped potatoes

Scalloped Potatoes 
(American, Australian potatoes baked with cream)

Cranberry Sauce 
(American cranberry compote)
Glass bowl with cranberry sauce

Cranberry Sauce 
(American cranberry compote)

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)

Roast Turkey with Pan Gravy 
(American holiday turkey)
Beautifully roasted holiday turkey

Roast Turkey with Pan Gravy 
(American holiday turkey)

Snickerdoodles 
(American cinnamon-scented sugar cookies)
Plate of snickerdoodles

Snickerdoodles 
(American cinnamon-scented sugar cookies)

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

Buffalo Wings 
(American chicken wings in spicy sauce)

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)

Pancakes 
(American skillet cakes)
Stack of pancakes

Pancakes 
(American skillet cakes)

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

Baking Powder Biscuits 
(American breakfast quickbread)

Smothered Pork Chops 
(American Southern-Soul pork chops with onion gravy)
Plate with smothered pork chops

Smothered Pork Chops 
(American Southern-Soul pork chops with onion gravy)

Macaroni Salad 
(Hawaiian-American pasta salad side dish)
Macaroni salad with forks for eating

Macaroni Salad 
(Hawaiian-American pasta salad side dish)

Oyster Stew 
(American shellfish stew)
Bowl of oyster stew

Oyster Stew 
(American shellfish stew)

Southern Greens 
(American Southern-Soul simmered leafy greens)
Pot of simmering greens

Southern Greens 
(American Southern-Soul simmered leafy greens)

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

Spaghetti and Meatballs 
(American pasta with meatballs)

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)

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

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

Oysters Rockefeller 
(American oysters with green sauce appetizer)
Plate of oysters Rockefeller

Oysters Rockefeller 
(American oysters with green sauce appetizer)

Okra Pickles 
(American, Southern-Soul garden refrigerator pickle)
Fresh okra

Okra Pickles 
(American, Southern-Soul garden refrigerator pickle)

Cornbread 
(American cornmeal bread)
Two cornbreads in cast-iron skillets

Cornbread 
(American cornmeal bread)

Sloppy Joes 
(American Midwest seasoned ground beef sandwiches)
Two sloppy Joe sandwiches

Sloppy Joes 
(American Midwest seasoned ground beef sandwiches)

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

Sweet Coleslaw 
((American cabbage salad)

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

Tuna Noodle Casserole 
(American baked tuna and pasta dish)

Mint Julep 
(American, Southern bourbon cocktail)
Ingredients for making mint juleps

Mint Julep 
(American, Southern bourbon cocktail)

Macaroni and Cheese 
(American pasta with cheese)
Casserole dish of macaroni and cheese

Macaroni and Cheese 
(American pasta with cheese)

Cowboy Beans 
(American Tex-Mex beans with ground beef)
Small bowl of cowboy beans

Cowboy Beans 
(American Tex-Mex beans with ground beef)

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

Sweet Tea 
(American Southern summer tea drink)

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

Sausage Gravy 
(American white sauce with sausage)

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)

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

Caramel Apples 
(American caramel-covered apples)

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)

Shrimp Etouffee 
(American Cajun-Creole smothered shrimp)
Bowl of shrimp etouffee

Shrimp Etouffee 
(American Cajun-Creole smothered shrimp)

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

New England Clam Chowder 
(American clam and potato stew)

Hawaiian Kalbi Ribs 
(Hawaiian-American barbecued beef short ribs)
Platter of Hawaiian kalbi beef ribs

Hawaiian Kalbi Ribs 
(Hawaiian-American barbecued beef short ribs)

Popcorn Balls 
(American caramel-coated popcorn treat)
Popcorn balls

Popcorn Balls 
(American caramel-coated popcorn treat)

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)

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)

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)

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