Some of the foods we think of as all-American actually have stories that stretch beyond the US borders. Immigrants brought their recipes, traditions, and flavors, and over time, they turned into foods that we love. Here are 10 “American” foods with surprising roots.
10. Donuts
While donuts themselves have Dutch roots, the iconic pink box of donuts has a quite different origin story. The modern donut shop empire in California was mainly built by Cambodian refugees in the 1970s. These resilient immigrants embraced the donut business as their path to the American dream. Today, an estimated 80% of donut shops in Southern California are Cambodian-owned.
9. Ice Cream
This frozen treat was once a welcoming gift for new arrivals in America. In 1921, officials at Ellis Island handed out ice cream to immigrants as part of their first American meal. This created an instant connection between the dessert and the promise of a better life. The ice cream cone itself was invented at the 1904 World’s Fair by Syrian immigrant Ernest Hamwi who rolled up his waffle pastries to help a neighboring vendor.
8. Hamburgers
Here’s something a bit more surprising: the earliest version of hamburger was eaten raw by Genghis Khan’s Mongol horsemen, who placed meat patties under their saddles to tenderize them during long rides. This raw dish made its way to Germany, where it was cooked and became “Hamburg Steak.” German immigrants brought the dish to America in the 19th century, where it transformed into the iconic treat we know today.
7. Apple Pie
This well-loved dessert isn’t American at all. The first apple pies were created in England in 14th century. The early pies were filled with a mix of fruit and meat, baked in pastry “coffins” that served as storage vessels. The sweet, buttery apple pie we now have is a more recent invention, but its origins are linked to English soil. Even the phrase “a la mode” is borrowed from French.
6. Hot Dogs
The hot dog’s origins trace back to German immigrants and their frankfurter sausages. The frankfurter was brought to America in the 19th century by German and Central European immigrants. These newcomers popularized serving sausages in milk rolls with sauerkraut from pushcarts. This German innovation became so American that we now eat billions of hot dogs annually.
5. Fried Chicken
That crispy, juicy fried chicken was born from a collision of cultures. Scottish immigrants brought the method of frying chicken in lard, while enslaved West Africans brought sophisticated seasonings and cooking techniques. The fusion happened in the American South, where fried chicken became an iconic home-cooked specialty. By the 1950s, this Southern comfort food became a fast-food phenomenon.
4. Pizza
The word “pizza” was first documented in 997 CE, but modern pizza was born in Naples in the 18th century. Here’s the shocking part: when Italian immigrants brought pizza to America, they didn’t immediately open pizzerias. They only made pizzas at home, treating them like a closely guarded secret. In 1905 the first US pizzeria, Lombardi’s, opened in New York City, allowing pizza to evolve into an endlessly customizable dish.
3. French Fries
We call them “French” fries, but the rest of the world see them as “American” fries. While fried potatoes originated in France or Belgium, American fast food chains turned them into a global hit. Chains like McDonald’s became so successful at popularizing this snack globally that many countries now associate fries with America rather than Europe.
2. Bagels
The everything bagel, with its savory mix of spices and seeds, is an American innovation that would shock its Polish ancestors. In Poland, bagels were eaten completely plain, without toppings, seasonings, or cream cheese. It was in New York City’s Jewish delis that the bagel has been transformed. Immigrants from Central and Eastern European regions combined their culinary traditions, creating the topped bagels we enjoy today.
1. Spaghetti and Meatballs
Spaghetti and meatballs look and sound Italian but you won’t find it on any menu in Italy. This dish is Italian-American, born in New York City. When Italian immigrants arrived in the late 1800s, they discovered meat was more affordable than back home. They created larger meatballs and paired them with spaghetti and tomato sauce. In Italy, pasta and meat are served as separate courses, but Italian-Americans broke this tradition and made a new classic.