10 “Foreign foods” That are actually american
I’ll never forget my first trip to Italy, excitedly glancing at the menu and then wondering why I didn’t recognize anything listed.
I’d been to plenty of “Italian” restaurants in the States, I mean, hello, Olive Garden is Italian, right? What was all of this? Where the heck are the breadsticks and fettuccine alfredo?
Then, there was the time I was in Merida, Mexico, and tried to order fajitas. I know just enough Spanish to realize now that fajitas are Tex-Mex food and are not traditionally made in Mexico.
Embarrassing. Anyway, I’ve learned my lesson the hard way as usual, and now, when I travel, I just ask the waiter to bring me their favorite dish from the menu. It is a win-win. They get to show me their favorite meal, and I don’t have to worry about what to order.
Here are some other foods that Americans might think have foreign origins, but it turns out they absolutely do not.
1. Fortune Cookies
While commonly associated with Chinese cuisine (who doesn’t love a sweet treat and a positive affirmation after a hearty Asian meal?), fortune cookies are actually an American invention.
Their origins can be traced back to San Francisco in the late 19th century when they were created as a novelty dessert. Though they have since become a popular accompaniment to Chinese meals, they hold no significance in traditional Chinese culinary traditions.
Funny story: in high school, we went on a field trip to Chinatown in San Francisco as a class. One of our chaperoning teachers was kind enough to buy a large bag of fortune cookies and gave us all one when we returned to the bus to head home.
A few students started opening their cookies, and gasps and laughter followed. A few minutes later, our panicked teacher was sprinting up and down the aisles of the bus, grabbing everyone’s cookies. It turns out they were x-rated fortunes, but he didn’t realize that since the packaging was all written in Chinese. Every time I eat a fortune cookie, I laugh and think about his face when he realized what he had done.
2. Spaghetti and Meatballs
This iconic Italian-American dish is a staple on many menus across the United States and in our kitchens. While spaghetti and meatballs can be found on menus in Italy, they won’t be served as one meal.
Spaghetti originated in Sicily as early as the 8th century. The word originates from the Italian word Spaghetto, which means little cord. Italian meatballs, are smaller and usually longer than their American counterparts and are served as a stand-alone meal.
Spaghetti and meatballs, as we know it, originated in New York around the late 1800s when Italians began immigrating from Italy to the US. Spaghetti was one of the only Italian foods available, but they had access to more meat than they did at home, so they began incorporating more protein into their meals.
The earliest record of spaghetti and meatballs is a recipe in 1880 when Juliet Corson published a “pasta, meatballs, and tomato sauce” recipe in the New York Times.
Kind of unrelated, but do you put your sauce on top of your noodles or mix it all in? This is a debate in our house every time we make spaghetti.
3. General Tso’s Chicken
General Tso’s Chicken may be a favorite in Chinese-American restaurants, but it has a fascinating backstory that most people don’t know. The dish was actually created in Taiwan by Chef Peng Chang-kuei, who named it after General Tso Tsung-t’ang, a military leader from Hunan. However, the real General Tso never had anything to do with the dish.
Chef Peng’s original recipe was much spicier and less sweet than today’s version. It was adapted to suit American tastes when it gained popularity in the U.S. It’s a classic example of how cuisine evolves and blends with different cultures!
Yay for less spicy versions of delicious food!
4. Chili Con Carne
Chili con carne, a hearty stew made with meat, beans, and chili peppers, is often considered a Mexican dish as the Spanish phrase “con carne” literally translates to “with meat”.
However, its origins can be traced back to the American Southwest. The earliest description of chili comes from an 1828 journal where it is described as a kind of hash with nearly as many peppers as there are pieces of meat this is all stewed together.
Historians often cite Texas as the birthplace of chili con carne.
God bless Texas for this gift to the world.
5. Chicken Parmesan
Chicken Parmesan, a dish featuring breaded and fried chicken topped with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese (and one of my favorites!), is often associated with Italian cuisine and can be found on many Italian restaurant menus.
However, its origins can be traced back to the United States. While the individual components of the dish may have Italian roots, the specific combination and preparation method used in chicken Parmesan are more characteristic of American cuisine.
In old Italy, the original meal was eggplant parmesan. Eggplant could easily be grown in backyard gardens making it an affordable meal. When Italian immigrants came to New York, they realized meat was more easily accessible and inexpensive than vegetables. They began substituting chicken for eggplant, and voilà, chicken parm was born.
6. California Roll
Sushi, with its fresh fish and delicate flavors, is undeniably Japanese, but the California roll? Not so much! This popular roll, featuring avocado, cucumber, and imitation crab, was actually invented in North America. It was created to appeal to Western palates that weren’t too keen on raw fish.
The California roll took off in the 1960s and became a gateway to sushi for many people. It’s a perfect example of how traditional dishes evolve when they travel across borders. Classic sushi purists might raise an eyebrow, but there’s no denying that the California roll has become an iconic part of sushi culture outside Japan.
7. Chimichanga
Despite its Mexican flair, the chimichanga is all-American! The story goes that this deep-fried burrito was invented by accident in Arizona when a chef dropped a burrito into the fryer, and the result was a crispy, delicious hit. Chimichangas have since become a Tex-Mex favorite, stuffed with everything from beans to shredded beef and smothered in cheese or salsa.
While it’s not something you’d typically find on a Mexican table, it’s earned its place in American dining culture—especially when you’re in the mood for something indulgent and fried.
8. Chop Suey
Chop suey may sound like an authentic Chinese dish, but its roots are firmly planted in the U.S. It’s believed to have been created by Chinese immigrants in the late 1800s trying to whip up something using local ingredients.
The name itself means “mixed pieces,” which is fitting since it’s basically a stir-fry with meat, vegetables, and a savory sauce. While it’s not part of traditional Chinese cuisine, chop suey became a go-to dish in Chinese-American restaurants and a comforting favorite for many.
9. Corned Beef and Cabbage
This is one of my favorite meals, and I look forward to making it every St Pattys day. But did you know that its not even Irish food, and they don’t eat it in Ireland on St Patrick’s Day? Sheesh. My whole life has been a lie.
This dish originated not in Ireland but in the Jewish delis of New York City. When Irish immigrants arrived in the U.S. in the 19th and early 20th centuries, many settled in New York alongside Jewish communities.
In Ireland, pork and bacon were more common, but in their new homes, Irish immigrants found beef more affordable and readily available, particularly the brisket cut, which was popular in Jewish cuisine.
Jewish delis in New York significantly created corned beef and cabbage as we know it today. The Jewish method of brining and curing brisket to make corned beef became popular among Irish immigrants, who substituted it for the traditional Irish bacon they were accustomed to. Cabbage, one of the cheapest vegetables, was an easy and inexpensive pairing. Thus, the dish was born out of a fusion of Jewish and Irish-American influences, not from the traditional fare of Ireland.
10 Cuban Sandwich
The Cuban sandwich is often considered a direct import from Cuba, but it’s a Floridian creation. While many believe it came over from the island, this version of the sandwich was born in Florida.
The original Cuban sandwich in Havana over a century ago was quite different, featuring salchichón, a Spanish-style sausage that was a popular filling. When Cuban immigrants began moving to Florida in the mid-19th century, they couldn’t find salchichón in their new home.
By the 1880s, Cuban immigrants in Ybor City, Tampa, were busy rolling cigars, and the need for a hearty, convenient meal grew—local restaurant owners improvised by replacing the hard-to-find salchichón with Genoa salami, which was easier to source.
These cigar workers, who had a bit of cash to spend on food, became the sandwich’s biggest fans. Over time, other ingredients, like yellow mustard, Swiss cheese, and pickles, were added, turning it into the Cuban sandwich we know today.
