Fast food and mass-produced meals might first spring to mind when you think of food in the USA. But there's so much more to discover in a country as vast as this. As a multicultural nation primarily made up of immigrants, the US of A is home to some truly diverse, delicious dishes (most of which we know and love across the world). Read on for a culinary journey as we tuck into our favourite traditional food in the USA…
1. The hamburger
2. Key lime pie
3. Rueben sandwich
4. Biscuits and gravy
5. Clam chowder
6. Hot dog
The hamburger
While the name itself hails from the German city of Hamburg, the delectable beef/bun combo is so synonymous with America that everyone has claimed its invention, from chef Louis Lassen in Connecticut to chef Fletcher Davis in Athens, Texas, over one hundred years ago. Whatever its true origins, one thing is certain: the humble hamburger has taken the world by storm. With juicy, melt-in-your-mouth meat, a squidgy burger bun and a salad crunch, what’s not to love? From the classic American cheeseburger to today’s tasty veggie and vegan iterations, there’s a burger for every occasion.
Key lime pie
A quintessential Florida dessert, key lime pie is one of the best traditional foods in the USA thanks to a winning combination of creamy, sweet and tart flavours. Florida’s Key West has claimed the famed dessert, which is thought to have been conceived in the late 19th century. However, its origins have been hotly contested. Condensed milk manufacturers Borden claimed to have first featured the recipe (using lemons), while a mysterious figure in Key West, ‘Aunt Sally,’ is also rumoured to have created the pie while working for Bahamian immigrant William Curry, Florida’s first self-made millionaire.
Rueben sandwich
The USA’s rich history of immigration is nowhere more apparent than in the origins of the Rueben sandwich. This American classic combines ingredients from all over the world, namely corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and Russian dressing, in between slices of rye bread. Like so many other origin stories, the Rueben sandwich is fraught with controversy. Whether created by Lithuanian-born grocer Rueben Kulakofsky in Nebraska or the invention of the German-Jewish owner of Rueben’s Delicatessen in New York City, it remains an ever-popular on-the-go lunch choice. Head to the famous Katz’s Delicatessen in the Big Apple for an authentic bite of a real Rueben.
Biscuits and gravy
While the USA can’t be credited with creating biscuits, or ‘scones’ as we know them in the UK, they pioneered this classic Southern combo during the American Revolutionary War. Consisting of soft dough biscuits and a thick gravy made from pork drippings and milk, this might not be the most appetising dish on our list of traditional food in the USA, but it’s thought to be one of the oldest (and remains a staple in the South). Affordable, hearty and easy to make, it’s no surprise that biscuits and gravy have stuck around for so long.
Clam chowder
Clam chowder is an emblematic New England dish believed to have been introduced by French, British or Nova Scotian settlers during the 1700s. The beloved dish commonly uses clams, onions, diced potatoes and salt pork, but you can expect variation depending on your location. Head to New England to tuck into a cream or milk-based chowder, New York to try the Manhattan-style tomato-based offering or the clear, brothy Rhode Island version. Mollusc mania is most prevalent in the east coast states of Maine and Massachusetts.
Hot dog
Last but by no means least on our list of traditional foods in the USA is one of the most recognisable: the hot dog. Not the only cultural import on our roundup, the hot dog was first brought to the States by German immigrants in the 19th century and quickly became a popular working-class staple. But where did the name ‘hot dog’ originate from? Well, it’s long been contested, but Coney Island baker Charles Feldman is often credited as being the first to sell a frankfurter in between two buns. Whether smothered in mustard, ketchup or relish, it’s undeniable that this sausage and bun combo is a winner.
Header image is by Chloe Simon
