Top 11 American Foods (Savory)
- CJ Tiernan
- Nov 26, 2025
- 6 min read
By CJ Tiernan
In honor of Thanksgiving this week, I have decided to create a list of my favorite American foods. These are foods that were invented here in the United States, as opposed to imported or transplanted. Some of these are next door neighbors to foods from other countries, but that's what makes America great. We are one big melting pot for global cultures. Nevertheless, it is fun to think there are some traditions that are inherent to this land (America. It's beautiful man). Please enjoy this list of my Top 11 favorite American Foods that are not dessert.
1. Barbecue - Brisket/Pulled Pork/Ribs
In 2018, I visited my sister in Texas, as she was living in the Austin area at the time. I had the opportunity to indulge in Texas BBQ. My brain chemistry was forever altered (picture this) and all other foods have been, with all due respect, ruined for me. BBQ straight from the source is so transcendent. The meat melts in your mouth! It's magical. If you have the means, I highly recommend a pilgrimage. It is so choice (nay, Prime).
2. Cheeseburgers
When I think about biting into a cheeseburger, my drool begins to emulate the grease and meat juice that leaks out from the bite mark. It's a glorious experience (the bite not the drool). If you are one of the humans that has opted for anemia instead of eating meat, you are truly missing out. If you want, you could go without the cheese and enjoy a hamburger. Also, as a note, while any cheese is fine on a cheeseburger (it's your food, man, dress it how you like), I do envision the one on this list with American cheese. It just feels like it fits the theme (even if processed cheese was originally invented in Switzerland, we did the American thing and stole it and patented it here).
3. Deep-Dish Pizza
Pizza is Italian. I'm willing to accept that pizza was not born from American loins. However, Deep-Dish Pizza was born and raised in Chicago, baby! They went full America and said "make it bigger! More! More! More!" I'm obviously left to speculate there but you know what I'm not guessing at? How delish this 'za is. The sauce is the perfect mix of sweet and savory (and they put it on top!) and the crust operates as a cheese vessel. There can never be too many cheese vessels in this world.
4. Fried Chicken/Fried Chicken and Waffles
Be honest. The second you first encountered this invention on a menu, you knew this was American. Much like Dark Helmet knew that only Lone Starr would use raspberry to jam the radar, only America would load this many calories onto a single plate. It's majestic. I included regular fried chicken in with the Chicken and Waffles because without one, the other couldn't be included. Plus, waffles didn't start here. I assume they were wrought in Belgium, if my waffle maker is to believed. But America did its mad scientist thing, like Doc Brown turning a DeLorean into a time machine and here we have: The Chicken and Waffles.
5. Pot Roast
This is the Sunday dish to end all Sunday dishes. A real set it and forget it meal. You just cook it on slow and low forever and Salt Bae some veggies in there and you have a wonderful meal. Pot Roast is so moist and tender. It begins as a solid blob but, when done right, has no ability to maintain shape. Every attempt to corral a bite is like cutting off the head of a hydra, it just results in more. It is the Russian Nesting Doll of meats (actually, I take that back. That's the Turducken, which is also American).
6. Cornbread
This belongs on the ballot for the side-dish Hall of Fame. Cornbread: part corn, part bread, entirely delicious. It is crumbly, which is word we don't get to use enough. It is also sweet. There is usually some honey at play. It is the perfect side to a BBQ meal. I'm no stranger to dipping my BBQ sauce in cornbread. Scratch that, reverse it.
7. Hot Dogs
I am aware that there is a debate that rages on the internet as to whether or not a hot dog is a sandwich. I will confess the debate means so little to me that I will not be allocating the time to choose a side (who would waste their time doing something so fruitless. It's not nearly as life affirming as creating Top 11 lists on widely varied eclectic topics). It is not pertinent to whether or not it's delish. The Hot Dog is very American. It feels closely tied to the ballpark experience of watching sports live and in person. I will say I prefer a beef hot dog to a regular hot dog, but I've consumed more than my fair share of both (though nowhere near as many as Joey Chestnut).
8. Buffalo Wings
Here we've arrived at another hot-button topic with arguments on both sides. I am not often called lazy, but anytime someone has called me lazy, I correct them and state that I am simply efficient. It is in this mindset that, when given the choice, I will always go for boneless wings. Not only do you get more bang for your buck, you don't have to work for it. You just grab it (or stab it with a fork if in mixed company) and use it as a bleu cheese vessel (hooray! We found another cheese vessel). Again, you are entitled to your opinion. I respect that. I don't like when the people who like to eat bones and gristle like to sit upon their high horse and judge those of us who like the boneless. Show some respect, sir. We are living in a society.
9. Peanut Butter and Jelly
Here's the thing: I LOVE a Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich. It is great as a snack to go or as the backbone of a lunch. You can use basically any kind of bread under the sun (I have used hamburger and hot dog buns to assemble this confection over the years in addition to more standard breads like white, wheat, and sourdough). It is infinitely customizable. In addition to choosing smooth or crunchy peanut butter, you get to utilize your own jelly flavor (I'm a sucker for Smucker's Raspberry Preserves). Some people will even pile additional ingredients in there like potato chips or bananas (am the only one that spells out "bananas" by singing Gwen Stefani's "Hollaback Girl" in my head? B-A-N-A-N-A-S). It's your sandwich, man. Go wild!
10. BLT
What is more American than not even bothering to say the whole name of the sandwich? We don't have time to spell out Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato. That's totes a prob. However, bacon is never a problem. You mack on one of these sandwiches and you can pretend you've indulged in a salad, as the staples are all accounted for. But there's a reason they list the B first (and don't say alphabetical. I swear, if you say the ingredients are just listed alphabetically...), it's the star of the show. If bacon were a broadway show, it would be sold out nightly. There, I said it. Bacon: The Musical! I'd attend that myself, actually.
11. Chili
I'm not a big soup guy. I don't particularly enjoy consuming warm beverages, so I assume this is related. A lot of soups are thin and brothy and kinda hover in a land between food and drink. Not so for the Chili Con Carne. This bad boy has meat and beans and a little spice. It is more stew than soup. I like the idea that you consume Hot Chocolate when you're cold but you also eat Chili when you're chilly to warm up. I'm just entertaining myself here. Last time I saw my pulmonologist, she recommended that I steer clear of tomato-based foods (heartburn). Here's the thing: tomato based foods are the best ones. In addition to Chili, we're talking about salsa, barbecue sauce, ketchup, and pizza. Yeah, I don't think so, kid. Stay in your lane (and give me medicine for heartburn, please).
Final Thoughts
American foods span a wide swath of territory. You've got some southern staples on this list, some Texas BBQ, and some absolute midwest bangers. I hope you've had the honor of trying all of these items on my list, but if not, step up your game and stretch your palate (with things like hot dogs). I'm sure you have other American foods you love that didn't make my list. I'll give you a small list of the ones that just missed my list below, but please make sure to include any omissions in the comments section. Thanks!
Comments