US American dishes

Tomas

Forum Practitioner
Joined
Apr 4, 2019
Reaction score
104
Location
EU
Lifestyle
  1. Vegan
Hi all,

I have always been interested in food culture from around the world and have explored many foods from many countries but now I wanted to know more about American food culture (I'm European). I'm not talking about fast food because that you can find all over the world but I'm talking real American food, veganized. Things like New Orleans Jambalaya for instance. When I do a search online I can only find fast food als "American cuisine". There must be more to it, right?
 
  • Like
Reactions: shyvas
Yeah, I was thinking most'd be meat based dishes. It's more difficult to change them into a vegan dish seeing meat is the main ingredient though. Asian dishes for instance are easier to change because the meat or fish in it isn't a key component of the dish and they often already have vegan alternatives for buddhist monks. When I was traveling in Thailand I literally had a paper with me saying "I eat like a monk" (because they don't really have or had a word for vegan) so that I could eat :D.
 
  • Informative
  • Like
Reactions: shyvas and Emma JC
An interesting topic

From what I understand many ethnic foods in America have been Americanized. They tel me that stuff that is ubiquitous in America Chinese restaurants don't exist in China. Maybe the same with Pizza ie, Chicago style, NY style. Our upscale Asian restaurants serve "Fusion" where they combine different styles and make something unique.

Veganized BBQ, hamburgers and hot dogs of course.

maybe not what you are looking for but I think a perusal of the menus of American Vegan restaurants might be enlightening. .

Vegan Mob is pretty famous around here. You can take a look at their menu here

Maybe our oldest and most famous vegetarian restaurant (they all have vegan dishes) is Greens.
You can view their menu here

South of me it seems like all the vegetarian and vegan restaurants are Asian.
Here is one
 
  • Friendly
Reactions: Emma JC
About the Chinese thing. I am from Europe so I can't be sure about US restaurants but my wife IS Chinese and I speak it a bit and we actually get a different menu, in Mandarin, with actual Chinese dishes as apposed to the westernized asian dishes on the menu.
 
About the Chinese thing. I am from Europe so I can't be sure about US restaurants but my wife IS Chinese and I speak it a bit and we actually get a different menu, in Mandarin, with actual Chinese dishes as apposed to the westernized asian dishes on the menu.
oh yeah. When I was dating a Chinese woman she would order off the menu too.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Tomas
Hi all,

I have always been interested in food culture from around the world and have explored many foods from many countries but now I wanted to know more about American food culture (I'm European). I'm not talking about fast food because that you can find all over the world but I'm talking real American food, veganized. Things like New Orleans Jambalaya for instance. When I do a search online I can only find fast food als "American cuisine". There must be more to it, right?
.
A lot of North American First Nation cuisine (Native American, Mexican) is plant-centered, and can easily be made vegan. Lots of beans/corn/potato dishes, with chiles and salsa.
.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Lou
.
A lot of North American First Nation cuisine (Native American, Mexican) is plant-centered, and can easily be made vegan. Lots of beans/corn/potato dishes, with chiles and salsa.
.
Oh, yeah. Corn and potatoes are from the new world.

So "technically" anything made with corn and potatoes are American.
Corn chowder would be a good one. Apple pie of course. Maybe chili.

I even found a list of New World foods.

artichokes, avocados, beans (kidney and lima), black walnuts, blueberries, cacao (cocoa/chocolate), cashews, cassava, chestnuts, corn (maize), crab apples, cranberries, gourds, hickory nuts, onions, papayas, peanuts, pecans, peppers (bell peppers, chili peppers), pineapples, plums, potatoes, pumpkins, raspberries, squash, strawberries, sunflowers, sweet potatoes, tobacco, tomatoes, turkey, vanilla, wild cherries, wild rice.
 
  • Like
Reactions: David3
Hi all,

I have always been interested in food culture from around the world and have explored many foods from many countries but now I wanted to know more about American food culture (I'm European). I'm not talking about fast food because that you can find all over the world but I'm talking real American food, veganized. Things like New Orleans Jambalaya for instance. When I do a search online I can only find fast food als "American cuisine". There must be more to it, right?

Jambalaya is of Spanish origin like many dishes that are typically American. Many other dishes from Louisiana are of both French and West African origin.

Like so many other great things, jambalaya is also the result of a collision of cultures. A single bowl reflects many of the numerous diverse cultures that planted roots in and around New Orleans in the 18th century.
There’s the recipe and technique adapted from the Spanish.

 
  • Like
Reactions: Lou and David3
That is what I love about things like Jambalaya. It is the dish that defines what New Orleans is. In cultural melting pot, hot and swealtering, bluesy and jazzy.
Thank you all for the wonderful resposes. I have quite some stuff to work with now.
 
Great list from Lou. I wanted to add that all beans from the "Phaseolus" genus are originally from the Americas. Phaseolus beans include green beans, pinto beans, black ("turtle") beans, white ("navy" or "haricot") beans, anasazi beans, pink beans, cranberry beans, and others: Phaseolus - Wikipedia
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: PTree15 and Lou
Fried chicken is another iconic American dish. This can be challenging to veganize. The KFC international restaurant chain has done some test-serving of plant-based fried "chicken": KFC Is Doing Another Test Of Its Super-Popular Plant-Based Fried Chicken
I find it hard to not think theirs a conspiracy to keep popular foods like this from being vegan, because fried seitan pieces, a blend of vwg and tofu, are fantastic with the same breading and seasonings. They just won't do it. I've done it once, because I just avoid frying anything, but there is no other reason to not serve this. Premade seitan pieces are easily frozen, and the same process of breading and frying as the birds
The best chikn nuggets I've had have also been fleeting and very hard to get. I had Yummy brand once when Aldi had a special--loved! They were gone within the week and I can't find anywhere else, while Yummy chicken nuggets are everywhere

Same with foods that are no different if made vegan, are not made vegan
And don't get me started on vegan mayo! Stupid easy, yet more expensive though lacking eggs 🙄 , and not easy to find
 
A Cleveland Ohio thing is a Po'Boy. Not the seafood thing elsewhere--a Polish Boy
Get a big bun (hoagie bun), a Beyond Sausage brat, french fries, BBQ sauce, and cole slaw
 
  • Informative
  • Love
Reactions: shyvas and PTree15
Oh interesting...I did see a good variety of Gardein products there. I’ve been turned off to Gardein recently but I would probably try these. I’ll look for them.
 
  • Informative
Reactions: shyvas
Fried chicken is another iconic American dish. This can be challenging to veganize. The KFC international restaurant chain has done some test-serving of plant-based fried "chicken": KFC Is Doing Another Test Of Its Super-Popular Plant-Based Fried Chicken

I used to make chicken Maryland which would be quite easy to make using plant based ingredients.

The origins of certain recipes and dishes are quite fascinating to read and are often debatable. Many countries and or regions debate over who invented a recipe and as internet or even cook books didn't exist centuries ago is triggers many discussions.



 
  • Like
Reactions: Lou and David3