Donuts, burgers, apple pie…all of these are American, right? Not really. Some of our favorite foods traveled far before landing on American plates. Here are 12 foods born elsewhere, but somehow became staples in the US.
12. Bagel
When you think of bagels, it’s common to picture New York as their place of origin. But bagels actually trace back to Poland, where 17-century bakers created these boiled-then-baked rings as a kosher bread option. Polish Jews brought the food to America in the late 1800s, and it evolved into the New York bagel style when bakers adapted to local water conditions and American ovens.
11. Pretzel
This ballpark snack isn’t as American as you think. Pretzels originated in medieval monasteries around 610 AD, likely in Northern Italy or France, before becoming a staple in Germany. The twisted shape represents arms crossed in prayers, created by monks as rewards for kids who learned their prayers. The link to American sports came much later, as vendors in the US noticed pretzels are perfect stadium food: easy to hold and profitable to make.
10. Potato Salad
Potato salad feels like a classic American barbecue side. In reality, though, it originated in southern Germany and Austria. It was traditionally served warm with vinegar-based dressing, not mayonnaise. German immigrants brought the potato salad to America in the mid-1800s, and it was adapted to local tastes and the practical needs of outdoor dining. Hence, the addition of mayonnaise and the need to serve it cold.
9. Caesar Salad
Caesar salad was invented in Mexico in 1924 by Italian immigrant Caesar Cardini. At his restaurant, he created the salad when he ran low on kitchen ingredients during a busy Fourth of July. Caesar salad became popular with Hollywood stars and wealthy Americans who crossed the border, and by the 1940s, upscale American restaurants embraced the recipe.
8. Sauerkraut
Many Americans tend to think of sauerkraut as just another side dish, but it has ancient origins in China. Workers there who built the Great Wall ate it for vitamin C. The technique traveled to Germany by the 1600s, and sailors used sauerkraut to prevent scurvy. It was the Germans who brought it to America, making it a popular dish with frankfurters at backyard barbecues.
7. Chicken and Waffles
Chicken and waffles is a fusion born from multiple cultures. Dutch settlers introduced waffle-making to New York in the 1600s, while Welsh and Scottish immigrants brought fried chicken techniques. The iconic pairing appeared in 1930s Harlem jazz clubs, where African American musicians needed hearty late-night meals. That pairing became the template for today’s popular brunch option.
6. Hamburger
No, the hamburger isn’t exactly the ultimate American fast food invention. While modern burger is distinctly American, the concept originated in Hamburg, Germany, where locals enjoyed “Hamburg steak.” It was raw seasoned beef, and when Germans brought it to America, the innovation of cooking the meat and serving it on bread happened.
5. Hot Dogs
Hot dogs’ roots reach back to Germany. Frankfurt claims the “frankfurter” was invented in 1484, while Vienna insists that the “wiener” came first. Both cities perfected seasoned sausages in natural casings, but it was Germans who brought the tradition to the US. America’s real innovation wasn’t the sausage, but how it was served: in a roll for easy eating.
4. French Fries
French fries actually originated in Belgium in the 1600s, where villagers along the Meuse River fried small fish as a local delicacy. During winter, when the river froze, they would cut potatoes into fish-like strips and fry them instead. The confusion happened during World War I, when American soldiers stationed in French-speaking Belgium tasted the potato strips. They called them French fries because the language spoken was French.
3. Donuts
These ring-shaped pastries originated with Dutch settlers who brought “olykoeks” (oil cakes) to New Amsterdam in the 1600s. These early fried dough balls were often stuffed with nuts or fruit. The problem? The outside cooked faster than the inside. In the 1800s, American sea captain Hanson Gregory punched hole in the center, creating the modern donut shape we know today.
2. Apple Pie
Nothing screams American like apple pie. But here’s the twist: the first recorded recipe appeared in England, using figs, pears, raisins, saffron, and apples. Early pies used “coffin pastry,” an inedible crust that served as a cooking vessel. America perfected the edible crust and refined the spice mix.
1. Fortune Cookies
The biggest surprise of all: fortune cookies aren’t Chinese or purely American. Most Americans assume they come from Chinese traditions, but they’re actually a Japanese-American invention. The cookies were inspired by Japanese senbei crackers brought to California. The Japanese initially supplied them, but Chinese restaurants took over production while Japanese-Americans were interned. This cemented the cookies’ “Chinese” reputation.