Americas · Traditional

American cuisine

Burgers, BBQ, and a melting pot of international influences.

Explore recipes Build a American menu Wine pairings

Food history

Why American cuisine is worth exploring

American food tells the story of geography, trade, agriculture and family cooking. The cuisine has been shaped by the ingredients people could grow, preserve, carry and share, as well as by markets, festivals, migration and regional identity.

Why it is famous

American cuisine is famous for dishes that feel strongly connected to place: everyday family recipes, celebration food, regional specialities and ingredients that give the cooking its recognisable character.

Regional food story

American cuisine is not one single style. Treat the country page as a gateway into regional dishes, local ingredients, family recipes and occasion-led cooking.

How to cook it

Flavours, ingredients and menu ideas

Signature ingredients

Look for the ingredients that define American cooking: staple grains or breads, seasonal vegetables, local herbs and spices, regional cheeses or dairy where relevant, preserved foods, seafood or meat traditions, and sweets linked to festivals or family gatherings.

Cooking style

The cooking style ranges from simple home dishes to more elaborate food for celebrations. Good American recipes usually balance staple ingredients with texture, seasoning and a clear sense of occasion.

Build a menu

Build a American menu by choosing a light starter, a signature main and a dessert that shows the country’s baking or sweet traditions. Add wine or drink pairings where the dish has enough richness, spice, acidity or sweetness to make the match useful.

Starters Mains Desserts

Cook by course

American recipes

Start with a starter, choose a main, then finish with a dessert to build a complete country-inspired menu.

Starters

American starters

Pimento Cheese with Benne Crackers

Sharp cheddar folded with pimentos, mayonnaise and spice, served with sesame-rich benne crackers.

Starter 20 mins

Hush Puppies

Deep-fried cornmeal fritters with onion, crisp edges and a soft savoury middle.

Starter 30 mins

Southern Fried Green Tomatoes

Firm green tomatoes crumbed in cornmeal and fried until crisp outside and tangy inside.

Starter 35 mins

Maryland Crab Cakes

Maryland crab cakes bound lightly with egg, mustard and cracker crumbs so the crab stays centre stage.

Starter 37 mins

Oysters Rockefeller

Oysters baked with a rich green herb, spinach and breadcrumb topping.

Starter 37 mins

Fry Bread with Wojapi

Hot fry bread served with wojapi, a thick berry sauce associated with Plains Indigenous foodways.

Starter 45 mins

Buffalo Wings

Crisp chicken wings tossed in Buffalo hot sauce and butter, served with celery and blue cheese dip.

Starter 1 hr

New England Clam Chowder

Creamy New England clam chowder with salt pork, potatoes, onion and briny clams.

Starter 1 hr

Main courses

American main courses

Maine Lobster Roll

Chilled lobster meat lightly dressed and tucked into toasted split-top buns.

Main 25 mins

Green Chile Cheeseburger

A juicy beef burger topped with roasted New Mexico green chiles and melted cheese.

Main 32 mins

Philly Cheesesteak

Thin-sliced beef piled into rolls with onions and melted provolone or cheese sauce.

Main 32 mins

Southern Catfish Fry

Catfish fillets soaked in buttermilk, coated in cornmeal and fried crisp.

Main 35 mins

Sonoran Carne Asada Tacos

Grilled marinated steak served in warm flour tortillas with salsa, lime and onions.

Main 40 mins

Lowcountry Frogmore Stew

A coastal boil of prawns, corn, potatoes and sausage spread out for sharing.

Main 45 mins

Alaska Salmon with Wild Rice

Roasted salmon glazed with maple and mustard, served with wild rice.

Main 50 mins

Chicken Fried Steak with Cream Gravy

Tenderised beef steak breaded, fried and served with peppery cream gravy.

Main 50 mins

Shrimp and Grits

Creamy stone-ground grits topped with prawns, bacon and a savoury pan sauce.

Main 50 mins

Chicken and Waffles

Crisp fried chicken served on waffles with maple syrup and hot sauce.

Main 1 hr 10 mins

Cioppino

San Francisco seafood stew with tomato, wine, crab, clams, mussels and fish.

Main 1 hr 10 mins

Nashville Hot Chicken

Fried chicken brushed with cayenne-rich hot oil, served with white bread and pickles.

Main 1 hr 10 mins

Three Sisters Stew

Corn, beans and squash simmered into a nourishing Indigenous-inspired stew.

Main 1 hr 10 mins

Jambalaya

Louisiana rice cooked with chicken, sausage, prawns, peppers and Cajun seasoning.

Main 1 hr 20 mins

Chicago Deep Dish Pizza

Tall buttery crust layered with mozzarella, sausage and chunky tomato sauce.

Main 1 hr 30 mins

Hoppin John with Collard Greens

Black-eyed peas and rice cooked with smoked pork, served with greens.

Main 1 hr 35 mins

Cincinnati Chili Five-Way

Spiced meat chilli served over spaghetti with beans, onions and a mound of cheddar.

Main 1 hr 50 mins

Louisiana Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

Dark-roux gumbo with chicken, smoked sausage, the holy trinity and rice.

Main 2 hr 50 mins

Red Beans and Rice

Creamy red beans simmered with smoked sausage and served over rice.

Main 2 hr 50 mins

New Mexico Carne Adovada

Pork marinated and braised in earthy New Mexico red chile sauce.

Main 3 hr 30 mins

Yankee Pot Roast

Beef chuck slowly braised with carrots, potatoes, onions and gravy.

Main 3 hr 55 mins

Kansas City Burnt Ends

Smoked brisket point cubed, sauced and returned to the smoker until sticky.

Main 7 hr 30 mins

Carolina Pulled Pork with Vinegar Slaw

Slow pork shoulder pulled into strands and sharpened with Carolina vinegar sauce.

Main 8 hr 40 mins

Texas Smoked Beef Brisket

Texas-style beef brisket smoked low and slow with salt, pepper and oak smoke.

Main 12 hr 45 mins

Desserts

American desserts

Banana Pudding

Vanilla custard layered with bananas, wafers and soft meringue or cream.

Dessert 35 mins

Key Lime Pie

Florida lime pie with condensed milk filling and a crumb crust.

Dessert 40 mins

Peach Cobbler

Juicy peaches baked under a golden biscuit-like topping.

Dessert 1 hr 5 mins

Pecan Pie

Southern pecan pie with a glossy brown-sugar filling and toasted nuts.

Dessert 1 hr 15 mins

Boston Cream Pie

Sponge cake filled with pastry cream and topped with chocolate glaze.

Dessert 1 hr 20 mins

Apple Pie

Double-crust apple pie with cinnamon, butter and tender spiced fruit.

Dessert 1 hr 30 mins

Smith Island Cake

Maryland layer cake with many thin layers and cooked chocolate frosting.

Dessert 1 hr 35 mins

New York Cheesecake

Dense baked cheesecake with cream cheese, vanilla and a biscuit crust.

Dessert 1 hr 40 mins

Wine and drink pairings

What to drink with American food

When pairing wine with American food, match the structure of the dish first: fresh whites for seafood and herbs, medium reds for tomato, spice or roast meat, sparkling wines for fried or salty starters, and sweet or fortified wines for desserts.

Red

Chianti / Sangiovese

Savoury, high-acid Italian red with cherry, dried herbs and firm but food-friendly tannins. Built for tomato, olive oil…

Grape: Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Colorino Region: Tuscany, Umbria, Emilia-Romagna

Red

Syrah / Shiraz

Peppery, dark-fruited red with savoury spice and medium-to-firm tannins. Great with grilled meat, pepper, smoke, sausag…

Grape: Syrah, Shiraz Region: Northern Rhône, Barossa, South Africa

White

Albariño / Vinho Verde

Fresh coastal white wine with citrus, peach, sea-spray minerality and bright acidity. Excellent with seafood, salt cod…

Grape: Albariño, Alvarinho, Loureiro, Arinto Region: Rías Baixas, Minho, Vinho Verde

White

Off-Dry Riesling

Slightly sweet, high-acid Riesling that balances spice, salt, smoked pork and sweet-sour sauces without tasting heavy.

Grape: Riesling Region: Mosel, Pfalz, Alsace, Austria

White

Pinot Grigio / Pinot Gris

Clean, easy-drinking white with pear, apple and citrus. Good for light starters, mild fish, salads and simple vegetable…

Grape: Pinot Grigio, Pinot Gris Region: Veneto, Friuli, Alsace, Oregon

White

Sauvignon Blanc

Zesty white wine with lemon, gooseberry, grass and herb notes. It refreshes green vegetables, goat cheese, seafood and…

Grape: Sauvignon Blanc Region: Loire, Marlborough, Bordeaux, Chile

Sparkling

Moscato d'Asti

Lightly sparkling sweet Piedmontese wine with grape, peach and orange blossom.

Grape: Moscato Bianco Region: Piedmont