Americans take a lot of pride in their food. A Fourth of July cookout isn’t complete without burgers, fries, and maybe some mac and cheese on the side, or a slice of apple pie, some dishes just feel undeniably American. But what if I told you these staples of American eating didn’t actually start in America? Some of our most beloved foods were borrowed or adapted. Here’s a list of all the foods we treat like red, white, and blue traditions—except they were actually cooked up somewhere else.
1. Hamburgers (Germany)
If America had a national scent, it would be burgers sizzling on a backyard grill. Juicy, beefy, slapped onto a bun with whatever toppings you want—that’s American ingenuity at work. But the hamburger is straight out of Hamburg, Germany.
Back in the 19th century, Germans were chowing down on “Hamburg steak”—ground beef mixed with onions and spices, shaped into a patty, and served sans bun. When German immigrants brought the idea to America, a couple of Midwestern food vendors had the idea to put that beef between slices of bread. Bam—portable, easy to eat, and works for factory workers on a quick break.
Of course, America took it to the next level, and eventually let McDonald’s turn it into a global obsession.
2. Macaroni and Cheese (Italy)
Mac and cheese is American comfort food royalty. Whether it’s mom’s baked casserole or the neon-orange Kraft version, it’s a dish everyone grew up with. But it had to come from Italy. They invented pasta, after all.
Way back in the 13th century, Italian cooks were already making a version of mac and cheese. The earliest recipe called for pasta squares tossed in grated cheese, probably Parmesan. Fancy, but not exactly what you’d find in a blue box today.
So how did it become an American obsession?
And Thomas Jefferson, on a trip to Europe, got hooked on pasta and had his enslaved chef, James Hemmings, recreate the dish back home. By the 1800s, baked mac and cheese was a hit in Southern kitchens, and during the Great Depression, Kraft turned it into a budget-friendly meal. Italy may have made it first, but America made it irresistible.
3. French Fries (Belgian)
French fries still connect people across the world, and if you think french fries are the ultimate American snack, here’s some irony for you: fries aren’t even French. They’re actually Belgian.
Belgians were frying thinly sliced potatoes as early as the 1600s. When the river froze over in winter, they couldn’t catch fish, so they deep-fried potatoes instead. There are claims that a street vendor in Paris created them. But more and more historians agree that Belgians mastermind the dish.
Why were they dubbed french fries?
There are a few theories. One is that American soldiers stationed in Belgium during WWI tasted them and—since many Belgians spoke French. Another is that the term “frenching” as a verb refers to how the potatoes are cut into thin strips to ensure even cooking and maintain an attractive appearance. Either way, America took fries and made them an obsession. Loaded them with cheese, drowned them in chili, crinkled them, curly-fried them, and even made them waffle-shaped.
4. Fried Chicken Dates Back to Britain and West Africa
Fried chicken is so American, it practically has its own genre of music (blues, jazz, and gospel all owe a debt to those Sunday soul food feasts). But if you think it was born in the South, not really.
The British and people from west West Africa had been frying chicken for centuries. Scottish immigrants in particular were known for deep-frying their chicken without seasoning—basically, a bland ancestor to what we know today. Meanwhile, English cookbooks in the 1700s were already writing about battered, fried chicken dishes.
Scottish and English settlers brought their techniques to the American South, but it was Black enslaved cooks who perfected the dish. They added seasoning, spice, and serious crunch, turning it into a cultural icon. By the time fast-food chains like KFC spread it worldwide, fried chicken had become unmistakably American.
5. Peanut Butter (Canada)
Peanut butter is about as American as it gets—PB&J sandwiches, peanut butter cups, and peanut butter cookies are all staples in the U.S. But—shocker—it wasn’t invented in America. The first patent for peanut butter actually came from Canada.
In 1884, a Montreal pharmacist named Marcellus Gilmore Edson developed a process for grinding roasted peanuts into a paste. About a decade later, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg (yes, the cereal guy) took the idea and refined it into a peanut-based health food, serving it at his wellness clinic in Michigan. His version was originally intended as a protein-rich option for patients who had trouble chewing solid food.
From there, peanut butter took off. By the early 1900s, brands like Skippy and Jif turned it into a household staple, and today, Americans eat millions of pounds of peanut butter each year.
6. Apple Pie (British)
“As American as apple pie.” That phrase is on bumper stickers. It’s in political speeches. If aliens landed tomorrow, someone would probably try to explain America using a slice of pie. But—plot twist—apple pie isn’t even American.
The first recorded apple pie recipe came from England in 1381. It was a medieval experiment, loaded with apples, pears, raisins, and saffron (yes, saffron). Sugar wasn’t even a thing in those days, and the crust wasn’t for eating—it was just a baking vessel.
What’s the American connection with Apple pie?
Colonists brought apple seeds, planted orchards, and by the 1700s, apple pie was everywhere. It became a staple of home cooking, a fixture in diners, and eventually, a full-blown symbol of American wholesomeness. The British may have written the recipe, but we made it iconic.
7. Mayonnaise (Spain)
Mayonnaise is practically a requirement in American diners. It’s on sandwiches, in salads, mixed into dips—you name it. But the creamy condiment wasn’t made in some 1950s American kitchen. The origin of mayonnaise is quite debated but one popular story is that it comes from an island in Spain.
Back in 1756, the French were busy at war with the Mediterranean island of Minorca (now part of Spain). After they won, the French Duke de Richelieu’s chef wanted to celebrate with a special sauce. But he was out of cream, so he improvised—whipping together egg yolk and oil to make what he called mahonnaise, named after the port of Mahón. Another theory is that the chef got the recipe from the island’s residents. Although the French have no specific origin story to pit against the Spanish tale.
France ran with it, spreading the love for mayonnaise across Europe. But when it hit America? took it up a notch. By the 1900s, it was mass-produced, slapped onto burgers, and mixed into potato and tuna salads.
8. Starburst (England)
Unwrapping a pack of Starburst feels like childhood in a wrapper. But these chewy little squares weren’t dreamed up in an American candy factory. Nope—they were born in England.
Back in 1960, the Brits rolled out a fruity chew candy called Opal Fruits. When Mars brought them to the U.S. in 1967, they rebranded them as M&M’s Fruit Chewies—which also bombed. Finally, someone with marketing sense renamed them Starburst, and boom—instant hit.
The U.K. tried changing Opal Fruits to Starburst in 1998, but Brits revolted—forcing a temporary comeback of the original name. Meanwhile, in America, we just kept eating them. England may have made them, but we made them part of our candy culture.
9. Pickles (Mesopotamia )
If you’ve ever had a New York deli sandwich without a side of pickles, were you even in a New York deli? Pickles are everywhere in America—crunchy, sour, sometimes sweet, and even deep-fried in the South. But they definitely weren’t born here.
The first recorded pickles came from Mesopotamia— ancient civilization territory. As early as 2400 BC, people were soaking cucumbers in brine to preserve them. Cleopatra supposedly ate them for beauty benefits, and Julius Caesar fed them to his soldiers.
How did they become American? Jewish immigrants brought kosher pickling techniques to New York in the late 1800s, making pickles a deli essential. Then came mass production, pickle spears in every fast-food meal, and of course—pickle-flavored everything.
10. Coleslaw (Netherlands)
No barbecue plate is complete without a big ol’ scoop of coleslaw. Whether it’s creamy, tangy, or loaded with vinegar, it’s as much a summer essential as hot dogs and potato salad. But it wasn’t born at an American cookout—it came from the Netherlands.
The Dutch were already making koosla ( “cabbage salad”) centuries before it hit American tables. When Dutch immigrants settled in New York (then called New Amsterdam), they brought koosla with them—shredded cabbage tossed with vinegar and oil.
America, being America, tweaked it. By the early 1900s, we added mayo, sugar, carrots, and sometimes even pineapple (debatable). Fast-food joints started piling it on pulled pork sandwiches, and now, coleslaw is unofficially required at every summer barbecue.
11. Pancakes (Ancient Greece)
Pancakes are a staple of American breakfast culture, appearing on diner menus and in home kitchens nationwide. However, the origins of this beloved dish can be traced back to ancient Greece.
Around 600 BC, Greek poets referenced early pancakes made from wheat flour, olive oil, honey, and curdled milk. These early versions lacked the fluffiness of modern pancakes but were a common breakfast food. The concept later spread to Rome and beyond.
When European settlers arrived in America, they brought their own variations, incorporating ingredients like cornmeal and buckwheat. The introduction of baking powder in the 19th century helped create the soft, airy texture associated with modern pancakes. While the Greeks established the foundation, the dish evolved significantly in America, becoming a symbol of hearty breakfasts and weekend brunch culture.
12. Cheesecake (Ancient Greece)
New York-style cheesecake is widely regarded as a culinary icon, but the dessert’s history predates the city by thousands of years. The earliest recorded version comes from ancient Greece, where it was served to athletes during the first Olympic Games in 776 BC.
Greek cheesecakes were simple, made with fresh cheese, honey, and flour. When the Romans expanded their empire, they adopted and modified the recipe, introducing eggs and a baked preparation. The dessert continued evolving across Europe before reaching America.
In the 19th century, the accidental invention of cream cheese in New York led to the rich, dense texture that defines modern cheesecake. Though its roots lie in ancient Greece, American adaptations transformed it into a signature dessert, with regional variations now found across the country.
