Everything’s bigger in Texas — including our appetite!
Here are some of the foods that are staples in our Lone Star kitchens and our Texas-sized hearts, including a few that have origins right here in the state!
13 of Texas’ most popular culinary creations
Chicken fried steak
Chicken fried steak is a Southern classic that has its roots in Texas. The dish is believed to have originated in the Austrian and German immigrant communities in the state, as it closely resembles the wiener schnitzel made in those cuisines. Here, though, the dish is made with a breaded and fried steak that is often served with a creamy gravy made from leftover pan drippings.
Chili
Chili is a stew that is primarily made with chili peppers, meat, beans and spices and is often served alongside cornbread or crackers. The dish originated in Mexico, but it was popularized in Texas in the late 1800s as the ranches popped up all over Texas.
Chili is a versatile dish that can be made with a variety of different ingredients, but the most common version is made with ground beef, beans and chili peppers. Each family recipe will have its own secret chili concoction though, so the only way to find out which is best is to try them all!
Frito pie
Frito pie is a Tex-Mex dish that consists of chili, Frito chips, cheese and onions served layered inside a Frito bag. It’s a wildly popular snack and is often served at sporting events or potlucks all over Texas.
The dish was — allegedly — invented in the 1940s by the mother of Charles Doolin, who was the founder of Frito-Lay. Though there are a handful of conflicting stories that place the origin at various towns around Texas and New Mexico, no one can argue that the snack was popularized and immortalized as concession stands at Texas high school sport games.
King Ranch chicken casserole
King Ranch chicken casserole is a creamy and cheesy casserole made with chicken, corn, tomatoes and a variety of herbs and spices. The dish was invented back in the 1950s in Texas, though who invented it and where is still uncertain — that period of time saw a rise in casserole creations as housewives searched for inexpensive ingredients with which to make dinner in the years immediately following World War II.
Either way, we know it came from Texas and we know for sure that it’s still wildly popular half a century later!
Kolaches
Kolaches — or Klobasnek — are a type of pastry that is filled with a variety of sweet or savory fillings, such as cheese, jalapeno, sausage or fruit.
The pastry originated in the Czech Republic and was brought to Texas by Czech immigrants in the 1850s. Kolaches were primarily sweet pastries up until that point, but eventually people started adding meat, sausage and cheese to the center of the dough. Now, kolaches are a delicious and uniquely-Texan pastry that is a must-try for any visitor to Texas.
Margaritas
Need we say more?
With a classic mix of tequila, lime, orange liqueur and salt, the simple drink has its roots in the Northern Mexico/Texas area sometime in the 1930s to 1940s. Now, Dallas is one of the best places to find a variety of Texas-sized margaritas!
Micheladas
Micheladas — a.k.a. the perfect drink for a hot day!
Made with just lime juice, salt and hot sauce, this Bloody Mary variant substitutes traditional tomato juice with beer and typically showcases fewer garnishes than its vodka-forward cousin. Allegedly, the drink originated with Mexican general Augusto Michel in the 1940 whose go-to cocktail, according to the stories, was beer with salsa.
Migas
Migas is the ultimate hangover breakfast: a plate of scrambled eggs mixed with pieces of stale tortillas for an extra crunch and drenched with the sauce of your choice. Why let a perfectly good tortilla or bag or tortilla chips go to waste when you could have migas instead?
Pecan pie
This southern favorite is so beloved here in Texas that it became the official Texas State Pie!
Cowboy caviar
Cowboy caviar or Texas caviar is a salad made with black-eyed peas, corn, tomatoes, onions and a variety of spices. The dish is often served as a dip for chips or as a side dish all on its own
Texas Caviar is thought to have originated back in the 1940s, when it was created by a woman named Helen Corbitt who was the director of food service at Neiman Marcus in Dallas.
Texas funeral cake
We have former First Lady Lady Bird Johnson to thank for this potluck staple — in fact, it’s such a common dish at functions, parties and church gatherings that it’s also earned the moniker "church lady cake!"
Whatever one calls it, this Texas funeral chocolate cake is moist, gooey and can ideally be thrown together quickly and with minimal effort. Pecans and chocolate frosting typically top the brownie-like cake, and holiday varieties feature candies, sprinkles and other seasonal treats.
Texas hash
Texas hash is more of an idea than a recipe, if that makes sense.
At its essence, Texas hash is a casserole made from whatever kind of veggies, meat and sauces you have on hand — an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink kind of situation. Mix all your ingredients with some herbs and spices, add a can of cooked tomatoes, throw in some instant rice or noodles and bake until the cheese on top is gooey and the noodles are cooked.
Et voila! Texas hash!
Texas toast
Thick, crunchy, covered in butter and light as air, Texas toast won’t fit in your toaster but it will certainly find a place in your heart.
Luckily, you’re likely to find all this food and more wherever you end up looking, especially if you live near our Austin apartments!
Bon appetit!
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Featured photo courtesy Pixabay/sinapy
Colleen Ford is a South African who now lives on Oahu in Hawai'i. She loves to travel, camp, spearfish and hike. She's also part of a super cool canoe club and is pretty decent at it. Colleen enjoys Star Wars and also not being cold ever.
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