Shrimp and Grits

Alabama

A southern specialty that's very easy to make at home. Shrimp and grits is great for brunch or dinner, or anytime company is coming. It’s down-home speedy comfort food that's usually made with saucy shrimp, onions, peppers, and bacon which gives the dish a nice smoky undertone.

Photo by: Skinny Taste

[Blackened Shrimp and Grits Recipe]

Grilled Salmon

Alaska

Even if you’ve never cooked salmon before and don’t know what to do with it, you’ll soon see that it’s easy to make delicious grilled Alaska salmon without a ton of ingredients or complicated cooking methods.

Photo by: Dinner at the Zoo

[Grilled Salmon With Garlic and Herbs Recipe]

Cheese Crisp

Arizona

Arizona cheese crisps consist of a flour tortilla that is topped with shredded cheese in its most basic form. The tortilla is placed in a butter-brushed pan which is put under a broiler until it develops a crisp texture.

Photo by: Elise Bauer

[Arizona Cheese Crisps Recipe]

Fried Rice

Arkansas

Though we sometimes think of certain ingredients being typical (eggs, garlic), the only thing you need to make fried rice is heat, rice, and oil. Anything else you add is up to you. Fried rice is a quick and delicious way to transform leftovers into something delicious.

Photo by: Gimme Some Oven

[Fried Rice Recipe]

Guacamole

California

California is the leading producer of domestic avocados and home to about 90 percent of the nation's crop. The guacamole was first developed in Mexico and has become part of international and American cuisine as a dip, condiment, and salad ingredient.

Photo by: Well Plated by Erin

[Guacamole Recipe]

Omelet

Denver

Historians have speculated that the dish was originally served on bread as a sandwich and at some point, a breadless version was developed. It became known as the Denver omelet. The Denver omelet is known for its firmer texture and caramelized flavor. Make it a complete lunch or dinner with arugula salad and toasted bread.

Photo by: Jessica Gavin

[Denver Omelet Recipe]

Hamburgers

Connecticut

The first hamburgers in U.S. history were served in New Haven, Connecticut, at Louis' Lunch sandwich shop in 1895. Steak is ground fresh each day and hand-molded, slow-cooked, broiled vertically and served between two slices of toast.

Photo by: A Spicy Perspective

[Best Hamburger Patty Recipe]

Peach Pie

Delaware

Delaware designated peach pie as the official state dessert in 2009 and produces about 2 million pounds of peaches each year enough to guarantee an ample supply of local peaches from late June through early September.

Photo by: Cindy Rahe

[Old-Fashioned Peach Pie]

Key Lime Pie

Florida

Key lime pie is a dessert pie made of Key lime juice, egg yolks, and sweetened condensed milk. It may be served with no topping, topped with a meringue topping made from the egg whites, or with whipped cream.

Photo by: Alexandra Grablewski / Once Upon a Chef

[Key Lime Pie Recipe]

Peach Cobbler

Georgia

The biggest difference between a peach pie and a peach cobbler is that a cobbler is easier to make. While a pie is always made with a bottom crust and often a top crust and a cobbler is not. The cobbler is a baked fruit dessert without a bottom crust and the top crust is a kind of biscuit dough instead of a traditional pastry or pie dough.

Photo by: Pinch of Yum

[Best Peach Cobbler Recipe]

Ahi Poke

Hawaii

Poke is diced raw fish that is served as an appetizer or a main course and is one of the main dishes of Native Hawaiian cuisine. The traditional Hawaiian poke consists of fish served with traditional condiments such as sea salt, candlenut, seaweed, and limu.

Photo by: A Couple of Cooks

[Ahi Poke Recipe]

Finger Steaks

Idaho

Idaho finger steaks are crunchy, breaded, or batter-fried strips of whole beef served with a tangy sauce. Finger steaks start with slices from a whole cut of tasty beef, seasoned, breaded/battered, and then deep-fried. The dish has a long history in Idaho. book.

Photo by: Spiced Blog

[Idaho Finger Steaks with Spicy Cajun Dipping Sauce]

Deep Dish Pizza

Illinois

The most famous Chicago-style pizza is the deep-dish pizza. The pan in which it is baked gives the pizza its characteristically high edge which provides ample space for large amounts of cheese and a chunky tomato sauce.

Photo by: Recipe Girl

[Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza recipe]

Breaded Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches

Indiana

Created in 1908 at Nick's Kitchen in Huntington, Indiana, the breaded pork tenderloin sandwich is hard to find outside the region. The pork tenderloin sandwich contains a breaded and fried cutlet similar to the Wiener Schnitzel. It is popular in the Midwest region of the United States, especially in the states of Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, and Iowa.

Photo by: Spoon Fork Bacon

[Pork Tenderloin Sandwich Recipe]

Steak de Burgo

Iowa

Originally made famous by Johnny and Kay's Restaurant, this traditional steak dish and a regional specialty in the Midwest, specifically Des Moines, Iowa. Steak de Burgo usually consists of a beef tenderloin either topped with butter, garlic, and Italian herbs or served in a sauce consisting of those same ingredients.

Photo by: Taste of Home

[Ultimate Steak de Burgo Recipe]

BBQ Ribs

Kansas

Kansas-style barbecue ribs are typically characterized by the thick, sticky sauce brushed on in the last minutes of cooking. The dry rub and sauce are on the sweet side using a brown sugar base but are balanced with chili powder and pepper, producing some delicious ribs.

Photo by: Kevin Is Cooking

[Kansas City Style Ribs Recipe]

Hot Brown

Kentucky

Also known as a Louisville Hot Brown or Hot Brown sandwich, the Kentucky Hot Brown is an American hot sandwich originally created at the Brown Hotel in Louisville Kentucky. It’s an open-faced turkey breast, ham, and bacon sandwich covered in creamy Mornay sauce and baked until the bread is crisp and the sauce begins to brown.

Photo by: The Spruce Eats

[Kentucky Hot Brown Turkey Sandwich Recipe]

Gumbo

Louisiana

Gumbo is the official state cuisine of Louisiana. It consists primarily of a strongly-flavored stock, meat or shellfish, a thickener, celery, bell peppers, and onions. Gumbo is often categorized by the type of thickener used, whether okra or filé powder.

Photo by: Tastes Better From Scratch

[Authentic New Orleans Gumbo Recipe]

Lobster Rolls

Maine

It was the New Yorkers and Bostonians that really gave the Maine lobster its place on the culinary map after they developed a taste of its deliciously sweet and succulent meat. The Maine Lobster Roll consists of Maine lobster meat tossed with mayonnaise and maybe chopped celery and a bit of onion served cold.

Photo by: Striped Spatula

[Maine Lobster Rolls Recipe]

Chicken a la Maryland

Maryland

It is said that this famous dish was prepared with a French twist and offered on the first-class menu of the Titanic voyage in 1912. The Chicken a la Maryland recipe was born as the Old Line State's answer to traditional southern fried chicken where it is deep-fried in oil or lard.

The Maryland version pan-fries the chicken. Auguste Escoffier's Chicken a la Maryland features a side of fried bananas as a nod to Baltimore, which was once a key port for the import of bananas from Latin America.

Photo by: The Spruce Eats / Abbey Littlejohn

[Chicken a la Maryland Recipe]

Clam Chowder

Massachusetts

Clam chowder is a use used to describe just about any soup that contains clams and there are so many versions out there. Most clam chowders are also made with potatoes, onions, or celery, while some even add in bacon. Oyster or saltine crackers almost always accompany the soup.

Photo by: Damn Delicious

[Easy Clam Chowder Recipe]

Coney Island Hotdog

Michigan

Though no one really has an absolute claim as the place of origin of the Coney Island hotdog, Michigan has a strong bid mainly by the sheer volume and longevity of its restaurants. 

The Coney dog or Coney Island hot dog is a beef frankfurter in natural casing, nestled in a soft steamed bun. The difference from an ordinary hot dog is its topping of all meat, beanless chili, diced white onions, and yellow mustard.

Photo by: Simply Scratch

[Detroit Style Coney Dogs]

Tater Tot Hotdish

Minnesota

To make Hotdish, you’ll need three key ingredients: meat, canned soup, and a starch. Minnesotans will insist that it’s only a Hotdish if it’s topped with frozen tater tots, but others allow pasta, rice, or chow mein noodles to fill in.

Tater Tot Hotdish recipe calls for ground beef, but substitutes like turkey, venison, or other similar types may be used instead. It depends on your preference.

Photo by: A Farmgirl’s Dabble

[Tater Tot Hotdish Recipe]

Fried Catfish

Mississippi

Mississippi is the world’s leading producer of pond-raised catfish.  Of all the catfish grown in the United States, 80 percent comes from Mississippi, where more than 102,000 acres are devoted to catfish farms. 

Catfish is a popular dish down South, and for good reason. Although it can be prepared in a variety of ways, including grilled, frying it in a cornmeal coating is the most traditional.

Photo by: The Gracious Wife

[Southern Pan Fried Catfish Recipe]

Toasted Ravioli

Missouri

Toasted ravioli is breaded deep-fried ravioli, usually served as an appetizer. The dish was popularized by two restaurants in St. Louis Missouri, where both claim to have accidentally dropped ravioli on hot oil.

Normally, meat is wrapped in square ravioli, breaded, and deep-fried until the pasta shell becomes slightly crispy. Toasted ravioli is generally served with a marinara sauce for dipping and parmesan cheese is sometimes sprinkled on top.

Photo by: Chew Out Loud

[Crispy Toasted Ravioli Recipe]

Huckleberry Ice Cream

Montana

Huckleberries may look like dark blueberries, but they are a different fruit with a distinct taste and are actually more expensive. Huckleberries have a mostly sweet flavor with a little bit of tart edge. This makes it the perfect filling for a rich and creamy ice cream.

Photo by: Country Living / Ray Kachatorian

[Huckleberry Ice Cream Recipe]

Reuben sandwich

Nebraska

A Reuben sandwich consists of corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, Russian dressing between slices of rye bread that is grilled until the bread is crispy and the cheese melts.

One origin story holds that Reuben Kulakofsky, a Jewish Lithuanian in Omaha, asked for a sandwich made of corned beef and sauerkraut at his weekly poker game in the Blackstone Hotel from around 1920 through 1935. The participants including the hotel's owner made the first Reuben for him, adding swiss cheese and thousand islands dressing to his order, putting the whole thing on rye bread.

[Reuben Sandwich Recipe]

Onion Rings

Nevada

We couldn’t find a food that’s distinctly unique to Nevada. And we can’t exactly give you the recipe for Las Vegas’ famous buffets. So we went with Onion rings.

Nevada is in the top 10 states that produce onions with about 240 million pounds planted at a time on more than 3000 acres of land.

Photo by: The Cozy Cook

[Onion Rings Recipe]

Apple Cider Doughnuts

New Hampshire

Apple cider doughnuts are a New England treat made with a base of boiled-down apple cider, which turns into a syrup that’s sweet and deeply apple-flavored. They are cakey, dense, and intensely flavored that come together quickly and easily. The trick for big flavor is to use concentrated apple cider.

Photo by: The Kitchn / Ghazalle Badiozamani

[Apple Cider Doughnuts Recipe]

Tomato Pie

New Jersey

The difference between pizza and Trenton tomato pies is in the process of making the pie. Unlike the thicker square Italian tomato pie, Trenton tomato pie is often circular, of the thin-crust variety, and includes cheese. In this style of tomato pie, the mozzarella and toppings are placed on the pie first followed by the tomato sauce placed on top.

Photo by: Brian Woodcock / Country Living

[Tomato Pie Recipe]

Blue Corn Pancakes

New Mexico

Blue corn pancakes are similar to regular pancakes, but they feature blue corn dough, which is made from ground corn. The dough is frequently used in corn tortillas, gorditas, and tamales. When you add blue corn to pancakes, it lends a distinct corn taste, similar to corn muffins. When topped with maple syrup, it has a lovely balance of savory and sweet and is uniquely New Mexican.

Photo by: All Recipes

[Blue Cornmeal Recipe]

New York-style pizza

New York

New York-style pizza has slices that are large and wide with a thin crust that is foldable yet crispy. It is traditionally topped with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese, with any extra toppings placed on top of the cheese.New York-style pizza began with the opening of America’s first pizzeria, Lombardi’s, by Gennaro Lombardi in the Little Italy neighborhood of Manhattan in 1905, which served large, wide pies.

Photo by: Bigger Bolder Baking

[New York Style Pizza Recipe]

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

North Carolina

In North Carolina barbecue means pork, or more precisely smoked pork shoulder, that has been grilled using the indirect method until it's tender, then pulled into shreds with fingers or a fork. It is then doused with vinegar sauce and eaten with coleslaw on a hamburger bun.

Photo by: Simply Recipes

[Pulled Pork Sandwiches Recipe]

Cheese Buttons

North Dakota

Many believe that cheese buttons should be North Dakota's official food. And as far as we have been able to learn, they are absolutely unique to the state.

Cheese buttons have some likeness with Italian ricotta ravioli. The recipe for the noodle dough is exactly the same, and the recipe for the farm cheese is similar to at least one version of ricotta. You will note that the dish is remarkably deficient in any green vegetable. Instead, it is heavy on bread and flour from the wheat as well as eggs, milk, and butter from the barnyard.

Photo by: Food52

[Cheese Button Recipe]

Buckeye Candy

Ohio

Buckeye candies are sweets made from a peanut butter fudge partially dipped in chocolate to leave a small part of the peanut butter visible. Buckeyes are similar to peanut butter balls, which are completely covered in chocolate.

Named for its resemblance to the nut of the Ohio buckeye tree, the state tree of Ohio, this candy is particularly popular in Ohio and neighboring states.

Photo by: Sugar Spun Run

[Buckeye Candy Recipe]

Chicken Fried Steak

Oklahoma

Chicken Fried Steak, also known as country-fried steak, is an American breaded cutlet dish consisting of a piece of chicken coated with seasoned flour and either deep-fried or pan-fried. It is sometimes associated with the Southern cuisine of the United States. The Ultimate Chicken Fried Steak is fried to golden perfection and topped with the creamiest gravy you can imagine, sure to quickly become a family favorite. It’s hard to imagine a more quintessential Southern meal than Chicken Fried Steak and Gravy.

Photo by: Dotdash Meredith Food Studios / All Recipes

[Chicken Fried Steak Recipe]

Marionberry Pie

Oregon

Marionberry pie is a comfort food staple from Oregon. Marionberries are characterized by a tart and complex flavor with a hint of earthiness and sweetness. The crust for this pie is made with flour, salt, shortening, and cold water, while the basic filling is prepared with a combination of marionberries, sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon for extra flavor.

Photo by: Taste of Home

[Marionberry Pie Recipe]

Philly Cheesesteak

Pennsylvania

Philly Cheesesteak is a sandwich made with super thinly sliced ribeye steak, caramelized onion, and provolone cheese. The Philly Cheesesteak has been modified on the West Coast to include bell peppers and mushrooms but a true “Philly” only has steak, onion and cheese served over a roll.

Philadelphians Pat and Harry Olivieri are often credited with inventing the sandwich by serving chopped steak on an Italian roll in the early 1930s. The exact story behind its creation is debated, but in some accounts, Pat and Harry Olivieri originally owned a hot dog stand, and on one occasion, decided to make a new sandwich using chopped beef and grilled onions.

Photo by: Nick Evans / Simply Recipes

[Philly Cheesesteak Recipe]

Calamari

Rhode Island

Calamari a familiar dish throughout the United States, rising in popularity in the 1980s, and becoming a mainstream appetizer served in most American casual dining restaurants.

She-Crab Soup

South Carolina

A staple of Charleston and the South Carolina Lowcountry, She-crab soup is a rich soup, similar to bisque, made of milk or heavy cream, crab or fish stock, Atlantic blue crab meat, and crab roe. The soup is named "she-crab", or female crab as the orange crab roe comprise a chief ingredient in traditional she-crab soup.

Photo by: The Kitchn

[She-Crab Soup Recipe]

Chislic

South Dakota

Chislic is a dish consisting of skewered cubes of red meat, traditionally mutton or lamb, although game meats such as venison and even beef steak can be used. Chislic is deeply South Dakotan, and in its purest form is fried mutton with garlic salt, served with Saltines on the side.

Photo by: Holly A. Heyser

[South Dakota Chislic Recipe]

Hot Chicken Sandwich

Tennessee

People of Nashville, Tennessee have been hooked on hot chicken for decades. This fiery chicken is coated with a special blend of spices, deep-fried and served up over white bread, and garnished with pickles.

Nashville hot chicken sandwich is a sandwich with a major kick. The chicken gets a hefty dose of spice thanks to hot sauce and cayenne in the coating as well as a spicy sauce drizzled over the top.

Photo by: Bobbi Lin / Food52

[Nashville-Style Hot Chicken Sandwich Recipe]

Texas Chili

Texas

The classic Texas chili doesn't include beans or tomatoes, only beef, homemade chile paste, and a few flavorings. It is like a thick and hearty beef stew than most chilis with a focus on chili pepper flavor. It's what Texans call a "Bowl o' Red" and tastes intensely of its two main ingredients.

Photo by: Chili Pepper Madness

[Texas Chili Recipe]

Utah Scones

Utah

Utah scones are a deep-fried, puffy bread, eaten with powdered sugar and honey and butter, usually, more akin to a Native American fry bread than anything else.

Photo by: Creme de la Crumb

[Utah Scones Recipe]

Corn Chowder

Vermont

Chowder is any of a variety of soups, made with milk, often enriched with salt pork, and thickened with flour. It has been around since the sixteenth century when it was considered “poor man’s fare”. Vermont corn chowder is a traditional dish made with a milk-based broth, corn, and other vegetables such as onions, peas, potatoes, and cabbage. The dish is usually enriched with strips of bacon and thickened with flour or Vermont cheddar cheese.

Photo by: Natasha's Kitchen

[Corn Chowder Recipe]

Virginia Country Ham Biscuits

Virginia

Ham biscuits are traditional biscuits from Virginia consisting of a thin slice of country ham that's placed in a buttery, flaky biscuit. The biscuits are usually made with flour, baking powder, butter, fat or lard, buttermilk, and Virginia ham. This dish is certainly a southern staple that's often served for brunch, lunch, dinner.

Photo by: The Seasoned Mom

[Virginia Country Ham Biscuits Recipe]

Apple Pie

Washington

An apple pie is a pie in which the principal filling ingredient is apple and is often served with whipped cream, ice cream, or cheddar cheese. It is generally double-crusted, with pastry both above and below the filling. Apple pie is an unofficial symbol of the United States and one of its signature comfort foods.

Photo by: Natasha's Kitchen

[Apple Pie Recipe]

Pepperoni Rolls

West Virginia

The pepperoni roll was first sold by Giuseppe Argiro at the Country Club Bakery in Fairmont, West Virginia, in 1927. The rolls originated as a lunch option for the coal miners of north-central West Virginia in the first half of the 20th century. 

The classic pepperoni roll is made up of a soft white yeast bread roll with pepperoni baked in the middle. During baking, the fats in the pepperoni melt resulting in spicy oil infused into the bread.

Photo by: The Recipe Critic

[Pepperoni Roll Recipe]

Cheese Curds

Wisconsin

Cheese curds, a uniquely Wisconsin delicacy, are formed as a by-product of the cheese-making process.  Most cheese curd made in Winsconsin is a cheddar cheese product.  Some can be made from mozzarella, Colby, or Monterey jack cheeses.

Deep-fried cheese curds are covered with a batter similar to the one used for onion rings or breading, and placed in a deep fryer. They are sometimes served with a side of ketchup, marinara sauce, or ranch dressing. 

Photo by: All Recipes

[Deep-Fried Cheese Curds Recipe]

Rack of Lamb

Wyoming

Wyoming has over 11,500 farms and ranches, and also one of the leading states in sheep production. It's no wonder why the cowboy state loves their roast. Many restaurants in the state are highly regarded for their preparation of a roasted rack of lamb, which is usually sourced from local farmers and ranchers.

Photo by: Recipe Tin Eats

[Rosemary Garlic Marinated Rack of Lamb Recipe]