13 Classic Dishes Few People Realize Were Invented In The US

Some of us think of just hamburgers, hot dogs, and regional barbeque styles when we think of American food, but our nation's food is vast and unique on the world culinary stage. It combines elements from food traditions that span the entire globe, with each region staking its claim in distinct dishes. Some meals — like Minnesota's hotdish and Vermont's cheddar and apple pie combo — are clearly American through and through. However, some seemingly international dishes were also born and bred in the U.S., but you'd never know it.

In this list, we'll explore a few iconic dishes that were invented in the U.S. but seem to have non-native roots. Most of these meals were heavily inspired by culinary practices from around the world and, over the years, found their way into America's permanent culinary lexicon. They give international cuisine the American treatment, infusing global cooking techniques with ingredients native to North America — or vice versa — creating a diverse culinary landscape that perfectly encapsulates this country's melting-pot status. Though these dishes might seem like the pinnacle of worldly cuisine to some of us, each has an unexpected backstory rooted firmly on American soil.

You might be surprised to learn that the most popular Chinese takeout dish of all time hasn't been around all that long. It wasn't until the 1950s that General Tso's chicken origin story began, when chef Peng Chang-kuei — a famous chef from Hunan — created the dish for his Hunanese restaurant in Taiwan. However, General Tso's chicken as we know it today was invented here in the U.S. When chef Chang-Kuei first served the dish, it was much more savory and spicy and far less oily than the sweet, fried meal that Americans know and love.

In the 1970s, New York City-based chef Tsung Ting Wang traveled to Taiwan to take inspiration for his new restaurant. There, he discovered Chef Peng's dish named for a famous Hunanese general. He gave the dish an American spin (much to the dismay of Chef Peng) by frying the meat and adding plenty of sugar to the sauce, and it became an instant national sensation. This modern version typically consists of fried chicken doused in a hearty dose of thick, spicy-sweet sauce with garlic, chili peppers, and sometimes orange zest and ginger. In Chinese-American restaurants, it's usually served with rice and broccoli.

Americans are known for taking a food that isn't normally fried and tossing it into the deep fryer, and that's exactly how the humble chimichanga was born. A chimichanga takes a regular burrito wrapped in a soft flour tortilla and gives it a crispy upgrade by frying it, either in butter or oil in a pan or by submerging it in a deep fryer. The meat, cheese, rice, and beans inside stay the same, but the tortilla becomes golden brown and perfectly greasy and crunchy. At Mexican-American restaurants, they usually come smothered in sauces and sour cream, adding some fiery flavor and creaminess to the crunch of the fried burrito.

The origins of the chimichanga are complicated, to say the least. More often than not, the chimichanga stakes its claim as a Tucson, Arizona, creation, invented at the El Charro Café. Legend has it that owner Monica Flin accidentally dropped a bean burrito in the deep fry, and thus, an icon was born. However, there's some contention with this story. Macayo's Mexican Food of the Phoenix area also claims to have invented the chimichanga, when founder Woody Johnson accidentally dropped a burrito in the fryer. So, no matter where you believe the chimichanga was invented, it's safe to say that it was an accident — a happy, delicious, U.S.-born accident.

Some of you might have wondered how a cake made with pecans (a nut native to North America) and coconut (a famously tropical fruit) could possibly have European origins. Well, the answer is simple: It doesn't. German chocolate cake is actually a U.S. invention, and its name is somewhat of a misnomer. Rather than being named after the country of Germany, German chocolate cake is named for Samuel German, who created a sweet baking chocolate in the 1850s.

German's Chocolate Cake (its original name, before it naturally shortened to just "German") wasn't invented until 1957 in Dallas, Texas. A recipe for the cake was published in a citywide paper, and it quickly spread around the nation like a sweet, chocolatey wildfire. Everyone believed that the cake had German origins — even Lyndon B. Johnson, who attempted to woo the German chancellor with one during a luncheon. How embarrassing.

A traditional recipe for the cake includes German's sweet baking chocolate and buttermilk, but since these aren't as ubiquitous as they once were, it's often made with regular milk and cocoa powder. Chocolate frosting mixed with shredded, sweetened coconut and chopped pecans surrounds the cake and holds the layers together, giving the cake its ionic appearance and distinctly nutty, tropical flavor.

Crab rangoon is another Chinese-American favorite, specifically as an appetizer. It consists of a simple mix of imitation crab meat and cream cheese, which is sometimes sweetened. The pollock-pretending-to-be-crab and cream cheese mixture is then wrapped in a wonton and deep fried, and that's crab rangoon. Like plenty of other Chinese-American dishes, it comes with a side of sweet — we're talking dessert-level sweet — sauce that's sticky and neon-colored.

Unlike General Tso's chicken, crab rangoon actually has limited Chinese influence in its creation. It's said to have been invented by Victor Bergeron, the creator of Trader Vic's — a chain of tiki bars that spawned in California nearly a century ago. In the 1930s, a caricature of Polynesian island culture was starting to pick up in popularity all over the U.S. Alongside the fruity drinks garnished with tiny umbrellas in Easter Island head cups came some American foods that were meant to imitate what folks thought the foods of Polynesia might be like — a little offensive, by today's standards. Crab rangoon was one of these dishes, which eventually made its way to Chinese takeout menus. It was too delicious to wither away into obscurity once the obsession with island aesthetics died down.

Although they're neither English nor a muffin, English muffins are a beloved breakfast staple in the U.S. They're often served instead of toast with a side of eggs and breakfast meat, or they're used as an integral part of eggs Benedict — which just so happens to be another American dish with seemingly-English origins. English muffins are thin, soft bread rounds with an iconic porous surface, making them perfect for holding onto butter and jam. In the U.S., some folks even like to use them instead of burger buns, or to make grilled cheese sandwiches with them.

Although they're technically of American origin, English muffins are still English in a roundabout way. They were invented in the U.S. by a British ex-pat named Samuel Bath Thomas, who came to the U.S. in 1874. He worked at a New York bakery, where he put his own spin on the classic British crumpet, making it a bit softer, thinner, and pre-sliced in order to fit snugly into a toaster. They were originally dubbed "toaster crumpets," but eventually took on the term English muffins in 1894. It wasn't until the 1990s that English muffins as we know them in America were imported to the U.K. However, in the U.K. they're known as — you guessed it — American muffins.

Yet another seemingly Mexican favorite to be unmasked as American is the beloved tortilla chip. These chips are an absolute necessity at any get-together and, let's be honest, they're the best part of a meal at a Mexican-American restaurant. The complimentary warm restaurant tortilla chips are always so much better than the grocery store stuff, and dipped into homemade salsa — forget it. Every American knows the struggle of trying not to fill up on chips before the meal arrives. It's a losing battle.

The tortilla chip is believed to have originated in the 1940s with Rebecca Webb Carranza, owner of the El Zarape Tortilla Factory out of Los Angeles. Carranza held onto the misshapen tortillas from the factory to experiment with them at home by frying them in oil. When they proved to be a success, she started selling them for 10 cents a bag. Fast forward to the 1960s, and Carranza's creation is the main source of revenue for her factory. Nowadays, tortilla chips (originally called "tort chips") are enjoyed in over 100 countries around the globe, but it's safe to say that Americans hold them dearest to their hearts.

It may not be authentically Italian, but that doesn't make it any less delicious. Spaghetti and meatballs are thought to have originated with Italian immigrants who flocked to the U.S. during the Italian diaspora. They brought their Italian recipes with them, including recipes for meatballs, but adopted dishes to suit what was available or convenient in America. Instead of enjoying meatballs only as a standalone dish, they made meals extra hearty with pasta and sauce made of canned tomatoes, which were a staple at the time. And just like that, a comfort food classic was born.

The classic spaghetti and meatballs dish is as iconic as it is simple. We've all enjoyed our fair share of this staple meal over the course of our lives, but it's safe to say that it's often associated with childhood and evokes a strong sense of nostalgia. The name says it all: It consists of just long, tender spaghetti noodles, multiple meatballs (which are usually about the size of golf balls, but sometimes a bit bigger), and marinara sauce. If you're from a household with Italian ancestry, you're probably making the marinara sauce from scratch, but a jar of sauce will always do in a pinch — just don't tell Nonna.

Steak de Burgo was, without a doubt, born in Des Moines, Iowa, and it is one of the city's greatest sources of food-related pride. However, exactly who first unleashed one of America's most iconic steak dishes onto the world is debated (we're sensing a pattern here). Some claim Vic Talerico of Vic's Tally Ho invented the sauce that acts as the shining star of this dish, while others insist that Johnny Campiano of Johnny and Kay's was inspired by the cuisine of New Orleans when he created the dish.

Nevertheless, Steak de Burgo was created in the mid-20th century, and its name is a bit misleading. Despite not originating in Spain, its name is inspired by the city of Burgos, Spain, the official home of the Nationalists who dominated during the Spanish Civil War. It's thought that the European immigrants of Des Moines influenced the dish's name in an act of homage to the Nationalists who won the war.

Steak de Burgo is defined by a tenderloin drenched in a garlicky, herbaceous sauce. The sauce is usually made from butter, aromatics, and Italian herbs like oregano, rosemary, and basil. Some variations are creamier than others, but no matter which Steak de Burgo recipe you choose, you're in for a steak dish that packs a wallop of flavor.

Surprise, surprise: French dressing isn't actually French at all. Once you learn what it really is, this probably won't surprise you. It's made from distinctly American ingredients, constructed in a way that makes it the salad dressing equivalent of mixing all the sodas at the fast food soda fountain together.

French dressing started off as a classic oil-and-vinegar salad dressing, which has roots dating back to ancient Babylonia. In America, folks started adding things like spices, ketchup, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce to classic salad dressing, creating the foundations for what we know today as misleadingly named French dressing.

The French dressing of today, popularized by major brands like Kraft, typically consists of tomato, vinegar, sugar, oil, and spices — but that all may change in the coming years. Based on a citizen petition from the Association for Dressings and Sauces (yes, that's a real organization), in 2022 the FDA revoked the standard for identity for French dressing. This means that a dressing doesn't need to contain certain ingredients to be dubbed "French dressing" on its packaging. So, maybe we'll start seeing some new, funky variations of this very American salad mix-in start to pop up.

Believe it or not, this fruity dish has nothing to do with a German-based education system. Shocking, we know. Waldorf salad was actually named for the Waldorf Hotel (which later became the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel) in New York City, where it was created. Oscar Tschirky, the hotel's maître d' — who wasn't even a chef — is credited with the dish's invention. In 1893, he served the meal at a lavish banquet for 1,500 people from other East Coast cities. Whether or not they were impressed remains a mystery.

As published in Tschirky's own cookbook, the original recipe for the Waldorf salad consisted of just diced apples and celery dressed with "a good mayonnaise." That's it. If this sounds incredibly unappealing to you, you're not alone. Folks transformed Waldorf salad over the years to include grapes as a necessary component, and later, walnuts were added for some much-needed crunch. Today, we tend to modernize Waldorf salad even further by combining grapes, apples, celery, and walnuts with chicken salad, or eschewing the mayo and tossing the ingredients with some greens for a fresher take on the classic.

Chili con carne — often shortened to just "chili" — is the epitome of rustic Tex-Mex cuisine, but its full Spanish name implies that it stemmed from Mexico. Many food historians believe that the dish originated in San Antonio, Texas. It's said that the immigrants from the Canary Islands who acted as the first organized settlers of the city created the dish, infusing it with Moroccan-inspired ingredients and cooking styles — which would make the dish far from Mexican, at its roots. This theory is largely backed up by the heavy presence of cumin in chili, which was notoriously used in vast quantities by Canarian cooks.

However, there's plenty of debate to be had regarding the world's first official chili with meat. Others claim that cowboys or prison inmates invented the dish. One wild myth tells the story of a Spanish nun who discovered the dish when she transformed into a ghostly entity and teleported to the Americas to convert the Native population. In a twisted turn of events, she ended up with a recipe for spicy, meaty stew. Not a bad trade.

Chili con carne — which stands as the national dish of Texas (sorry, brisket) — was traditionally made up of sweet and hot peppers, like costeño, árbol, guajillo, chipotle, or choricero. The peppers were stewed with dried beef and a plethora of spices, but no beans. Nowadays, there are plenty of variations of chili, many of which require beans and simple jalapeños for heat, but in Texas, it's still considered not a proper "bowl of red," as they call it, if it contains beans.

Despite its overtly European name, the French dip was actually born in Los Angeles, but by who is a matter of heated controversy. Two eateries stake their claim to the sandwich's creation: Philippe's and Cole's, both in downtown L.A. Philippe's story alleges that, in the early 20th century, a roast beef sandwich was accidentally dropped in a tray full of meat drippings, but the customer insisted that the sandwich was A-OK. The trend caught on, and thus, the French dip was born. The name is said to come from owner Philippe Mathieu's French roots, but some claim that the style of bread influenced the name. The sandwich is made with roast beef on a baguette served with either a side of beefy au jus or pre-drenched in the thin, flavorful liquid before serving.

Cole's French dip tale, which is typically regarded as a tall tale, is one of kindness and ingenuity — so much so that it sounds suspiciously fake to most Californians. It claims that the head chef at the time, Jack Garlinghouse, used a beefy sauce to make the sandwich bread softer for a customer with delicate gums. But we want to know who would be tearing into roast beef with sore gums — seems a bit fishy.

Next to spaghetti and meatballs, chicken parmesan may be the most widely-recognized Italian-American meal of all time. Plenty of Americans grew up eating this dish, both at home and at upscale or ultra-casual restaurants. Chicken parmesan (or shortened to just "chicken parm") is typically made up of breaded chicken cutlets coated in marinara sauce with a thick layer of mozzarella cheese baked on top. It's then dusted with parmesan cheese and served with a side of pasta, or the chicken pieces are stuffed into sandwich bread to make a hearty chicken parm hero.

Although this dish is credited to Americans, it still has strong ties to Italian cuisine. In Italy, a similar dish is made with eggplant, known as mellanzane alla parmigiana. When Italian immigrants came to America during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, they found that meat was more plentiful in the U.S. than it was in their homeland, so they started to incorporate more meat into their diets. And so, the eggplant saw a chicken swap. Eggplant parmesan is also a wildly popular dish in the U.S., but it doesn't hold a candle to the cheesy, saucy chicken version.