10 Quintessentially American Dishes

When it comes to typical American breakfasts, there's one front-runner: pancakes. Variations abound, but you can't go wrong with a short stack of tender, tangy buttermilk flapjacks.

While its exact origins may be a bit of a mystery, there's no denying the club sandwich's place at the American table. This turkey take on the delicious double-decker adds sliced avocado and honey mustard to the mix for an extratasty bite.

Regional barbecue styles vary widely, but one of our favorite meaty menu items has to be glossy beer-glazed baby back ribs.

It's creamy, it's cheesy, it's downright divine — it's macaroni and cheese.

Sometimes a steak is best served simply — generously seasoned with salt and pepper and cooked hot and fast for a burnished crust. Follow this technique for stellar results; the accompanying miso mustard sauce is merely optional (though delightful).

Thanksgiving is the most American of holidays, so it's only natural that its most popular side, mashed potatoes, is considered by many to be one of the United States' signature dishes.

It's on nearly every American restaurant's menu: the cheeseburger. This must-make take boasts gooey cheese, tomato, lettuce, and a zippy pickle-spiked sauce.

Another beloved Thanksgiving dish is pumpkin pie. This Fall favorite is creamy, perfectly spiced, and oh so American.

Piled high with juicy, melt-in-your-mouth pork and crisp coleslaw, the pulled pork sandwich is a Southern standby.

The idiom "as American as apple pie" says it all. This homey dessert deserves a home at any American feast.