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Texan cuisine is the food associated with theSouthernU.S. state ofTexas, including its nativeSouthwesterncuisine–influencedTex-Mex foods. Texas is a large state, and its cuisine has been influenced by a wide range of cultures, includingTejano/Mexican,Native American,Creole/Cajun,African-American,German,Czech,Southern and otherEuropean American groups.[2] The cuisine of neighboring states also influences Texan cuisine, such asNew Mexican cuisine andLouisiana Creole cuisine. This can be seen in the widespread usage ofNew Mexico chiles,Cayenne peppers, andTabasco sauce in Texan cooking.[3][4]
In the 1880s, citrus growers in Texas and Florida discovered pink-fleshed seedlessgrapefruit mutations like the Ruby. Early varieties like the Duncan had many seeds and pale flesh.[5]
Citrus is grown commercially in Texas only in theRio Grande valley, centered onHidalgo County.[6] Other fruit trees grown commercially includepeaches. A center of peach production isParker County and the county seat ofWeatherford hosts an annualpeach festival in July.[7]Apples have historically been grown commercially only in theDavis Mountains, due to theirchill-hour requirements. Melons are grown across the state and are particularly suited toNorth Texas, with several varieties emerging from Parker County.[8][9] NearbyWise County continues to grow large amounts of melons. Blackberries and grapes are some of the most well-suited crops for the state, due to their tolerance for hot, intense summer weather as well as a relative lack of pests.
Texas barbecue was influenced by the cooking techniquebarbacoa, a method of slow cooking meat that has been wrapped in leaves in a coveredpit.
In the 19th century,cowboys developed techniques to cook the tough beef from rangecattle over coals and colonial style open pit barbecue was brought to the state when blacks arrived from the southeast, but later developed into closed pit Western-style barbecue which uses indirect heat instead of coals and imparts a smokier flavor.
Barbecue in Texas is most commonly served with white bread, spicy sauces, pickles, sliced onion, andjalapeños; sides includepinto beans,potato or rice salad, and cabbage slaw. Common desserts served with barbecue arefruit cobbler,banana pudding, andpecan pie.
Texas is among a handful of states that developed an early preference for beef barbecue, alongside other states in the neighboringcuisine of the Southwestern United States and thecuisine of the Western United States.[5]Beef brisket (slowly cooked in smoke in a wood-fired "pit") is the most common barbecue.[citation needed]
The influence ofsteak on Texas barbecue is so great that it is often highlighted in popular culture, for example the animated sitcomKing of the Hill. Restaurants that serve Texan cuisine, such asThe Big Texan Steak Ranch, and even national brands likeTexas Roadhouse, often specialize in steak in particular.
It is illegal to defame the cattle and ranching industries, of either Texas or theSouthwestern United States, within the state of Texas.[10]
Near the end of the 19th century, immigrants from Germany and Eastern Europe introduced their distinctive culinary traditions, includingsausage making, marked by bold and sometimes piquant spicing and coarser texture, which became part of Texan barbecue culture and smokedsausage remains a popular dish at Western-style barbecues.[5] Early American traditionalwhole-hog barbecues and later rib barbecues were prepared with pork.
Czech immigrants brought a tradition of pastry-making including fruit-filledkolaches and sausage-filledklobasniky, pastries. TheTexas Legislature has declaredWest, Texas the "Home of the Official Kolache of the Texas Legislature," whileCaldwell, Texas is "Kolache Capital of Texas."[11]Strudel was brought to Texas by European immigrants.[12]
Sopapillas are a simple fried pastry dough sweetened with sugar and cinnamon.[13] The dish has roots in a lard-fried pastry made by theTigua Pueblo andFranciscan friars fromNew Mexico inYsleta, El Paso. This early form of the pastry dates to at least 1682, as the style originates inNew Mexican cuisine, making it one of the earliest pastries known found in Texan cuisine.[12]
Pecan pie is the official state pie of Texas. The crust for another local specialty,peanut butter pie, is made with crushed vanilla wafers and peanuts. The filling is a sweetened peanut butter pudding made with milk, sugar, peanut butter,corn starch and egg yolks.[14]
Though the origin of the termTexas sheet cake is unknown, with some speculating it's a reference to the cake's large size or decadence, and others who believe it's because the cake includes Texas-style ingredients like buttermilk andpecans, the cake has become a popular dessert throughout the United States since the original recipe was published byThe Dallas Morning News in 1957.[15]
Peach cobbler is the official cobbler.[16]
An early claim to the invention of thehamburger wasFletcher Davis ofAthens, Texas, who claimed to have served it at his restaurant at a time when there were more cows than people in Texas. According to oral histories, in the 1880s, he opened a lunch counter in Athens and served a "burger" of fried ground beef patties with mustard and Bermuda onion between two slices of bread; with a pickle on the side.[17]
The claim is that in 1904, Davis and his wife Ciddy ran a sandwich stand at the St. Louis World's Fair. Historian Frank X. Tolbert noted that Athens residentClint Murchison said his grandfather dated the hamburger to the 1880s with "Old Dave" a.k.a. Fletcher Davis.
A photo of "Old Dave's Hamburger Stand" from the 1904 connection was sent to Tolbert as evidence of the claim.[18] Also theNew York Tribune namelessly attributed the innovation of the hamburger to the stand on the pike.
European settlers andAfrican American slaves brought the culinary traditions of theDeep South with them includingbiscuits,red-eye gravy,pan-fried chicken,black-eyed peas,[12]mashed potatoes,cornbread or corn pone,sweet tea, and desserts likepeach cobbler andpecan pie.
Even afteremancipation, many former slaves who had been cooks and domestic servants were not able to afford the highest quality meats and are recognized for the skilled preparation of simple ingredients like greens and beans flavored withsalt pork,hog jowl, peppers and spices.
These staple dishes were served alongsidegame meats, fried chicken andfried catfish.[12] French immigrants from Louisiana introduced influences fromCajun andLouisiana Creole cuisine.[12]
Some claim thecorn dog was invented by vendors at theTexas State Fair.[19]
Confederate cush is a dish associated with Confederate troops, the preparation of which was described by one Texas native in 1863 as follows: "chop up a small quantity of fat bacon into a frying pan, get the grease all out of it, put in a quart of water, when it boils crumble in cold corn bread and stir until dry".[5]
Fried okra is a quintessential side dish throughout the American South, including Texas.[20]
Dating back to the era ofFrench andSpanish colonial rule in Texas, relations between ethnic groups were tense throughout history, but despite these animosities they have enjoyed food from varied cuisines and incorporated borrowed ingredients into their own, contributing to Texas's varied and rich food culture.[22]
Tex-Mex is the best known hybrid cuisine from Texas but there are many others with contributions from around thirty ethnic groups including Czech, Korean, and Indian. Korean donut shops selljalapeñokolaches, Indians makefajitas withchutney, and Czech-Tex stylehot dogs are topped with bothsauerkraut andchili con carne. Other fusion dishes likebulgogi andbanh mi burgers can be found as well.[22]
The origin ofchicken-fried steak is unknown. The town ofLamesa, Texas is claimed as the source of the dish.Governor Rick Perry declared it the "birthplace of the chicken fried steak" in 2011.[23] Lamesa hosts the Chicken Fried Steak Festival each April.[24] Other views are that the dish developed in the cattle country of Texas and theMidwest, or that the dish is a variation of Germanschnitzel.[5]
Tex-Mex refers to a style of cooking that combines traditional Northeastern Mexican cuisine that makes heavy use of beef and extremely hot, tinychiltepin pepper. Combination plates featuringtacos,enchiladas andtostadas served alongside rice and beans are not found in traditional Mexican cuisine.
This custom developed only when Mexican-American cooks adapted offerings for customers who preferred a full plate, rather than the traditional style of eating small, separate dishes.[5]
Commercial manufacture of chili powders began in Texas in the 1890s.[5] Today, chili is the official state dish.[16] Texas is known for its variation ofchili con carne.
Texas chili is typically made with hot peppers and beef (or sometimes game meats likevenison) and is sometimes served withpinto beans, either as a side dish or in the chili itself.
The dish can be topped with an assortment of garnishes including fresh or pickledjalapeños, raw onions or crumbledsoda crackers. Thick chili gravy is served overtamales andenchiladas.[5]
Frank X. Tolbert's 1953 recipe included beef-kidneysuet,ancho chiles and lean beef for stewing such as chuck seasoned withoregano,garlic,cumin andcayenne pepper.[25]
Breakfast items include scrambled egg in flour tortilla tacos asmigas andhuevos con chorizo,huevos rancheros, andempanadas of various meats.
King Ranch casserole is made with chicken,cream of mushroom andchicken soups, cheese andtortilla chips.[5]
Entrees are commonly accompanied by pan-fried potato andrefried beans. Ingredients commonly used in Tex-Mex cuisine include goat, chicken, pork, beef, venison, eggs, cheese, milk, beans,masa harina, peppers, chocolate, and various spices.[12]
Puffy tacos made with deep-fried handmade corn tortillas and served with beefpicadillo are aSan Antonio specialty.[26]
Pan de campo is the official state bread.[16] Also called "cowboy bread", the simple recipe was traditionally baked in aDutch oven.[27]
Desserts includeflan,tres leches cake,sopapillas andpralines.
In the ranch lands of the 1930s, after cattle were butchered, the hide, the head, the entrails, and meat trimmings such as skirt were given to the Mexican cowboys calledvaqueros as part of their pay.[citation needed]
Hearty dishes likebarbacoa de cabeza (barbecued head),menudo (tripe stew), andfajitas orarracheras (grilledskirt steak) have their roots in this practice.[citation needed] Considering the limited number of skirts per carcass and that the meat wasn't available commercially, thefajita tradition remained regional and relatively obscure for many years, probably only familiar to vaqueros, butchers, and their families.[28] Modern "fajitas" were introduced at a county fair inKyle, Texas in 1969 by Sonny Falcon, who later opened anAustin restaurant offering fajitas as a main fare.[29][30]
Other dishes associated with Tex-Mex cooking includeguacamole,chile con queso,tostadas with red salsa,tortilla soup,nachos,tacos,quesadillas,chimichangas,burritos, andcarne guisada[31].
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The now defunctKirby's Pig Stand was the first drive in restaurant in the United States. Founder Jessie G. Kirby reportedly pitched it to potential investors in Dallas as a type of roadside dining establishment where people could order and eat without leaving their vehicles. The restaurant served "pig sandwich" made with roast pork, pickle relish and barbecue sauce.[5]
Dr Pepper was founded inWaco, Texas. TheSpoetzl Brewery inShiner, Texas is the oldest independent brewery in Texas, and produces Shiner Beers, including their flagship Shiner Bock. Thefrozen margarita machine was invented inDallas byMariano Martinez.[citation needed]
Frito-Lay is headquartered inPlano, Texas andFrito pie, a dish of Texas chili topped withcorn chips and cheese, is a popular recipe to serve at large events.[32]
Blue Bell Creameries is a famous ice-cream manufacturer founded and headquartered inBrenham, Texas.[5]
Whataburger is a fast food chain founded inCorpus Christi in 1950 and serving what is sometimes called the "national hamburger" of Texas, the eponymous Whataburger sandwich. Whataburger has almost 700 locations in Texas as of 2025, more than any other hamburger-based restaurant except forMcDonald's.
In his short-lived restaurant in Austin...
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