Mid-century American food gets a bad reputation that I feel is really undeserved. While we associate it with slop made by our least favorite relatives, its origins lie in classical French food, but made simpler for the American home kitchen.
With a few modern updates, you can make something both easy and elegant.
Classic Paprika Deviled Eggs
Deviled eggs were always my favorite potluck food growing up. It's a classic for a reason: great for big groups, kid-friendly, and a snort of paprika really does take them to the next level.
Don't lose this recipe! Drop your email and we'll send it to you, so you've got it handy the next time you're planning dinner.
Ingredients
Method
- Cover eggs with 1 inch cold water; bring to full boil over medium-high.
- Cover; remove from heat and rest 12 minutes.
- Chill in ice water 5 minutes; peel and halve lengthwise.
- Mash yolks with mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper until smooth.
- Fill whites; dust evenly with paprika. Chill at least 30 minutes before serving.
Pecan-Crusted Cheddar Cheese Ball
The pecan-crusted cheddar cheese ball is largely forgotten now, but it really has all the elements of a great party food. This recipe pairs the richness of cream cheese with the tang of Worcestershire and that nice golden-brown crust, made complex and nutty by the pecans, giving fancy restaurant croquettes a run for their money.
Ingredients
Method
- Beat cream cheese in a medium bowl until smooth with no cold lumps.
- Thoroughly mix in cheddar, scallion, Worcestershire, mustard, garlic powder, and pepper.
- Scrape onto plastic wrap; shape one compact ball.
- Refrigerate 1 hour until firm enough to handle.
- Roll in pecans, pressing lightly to adhere. Chill until 20 minutes before serving.
Caramelized French Onion Dip
I love French onion dip for football season, and you don't need to use the instant soup packet. Instead, this version, using fresh ingredients, gives you that same Sunday afternoon nostalgia, but with cleaner and brighter flavors.
Ingredients
Method
- Melt butter in a wide skillet over medium-low; add onions, salt, and sugar.
- Cook 30 to 35 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until deep golden and jammy, not pale and wet.
- Spread on a plate; cool completely.
- Mix sour cream, mayonnaise, Worcestershire, garlic powder, and pepper in a bowl.
- Fold in cold onions; refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.
Old-School Shrimp Cocktail
Nothing says mid-century lounge quite like shrimp cocktail. Poaching the shrimp rather than boiling ensures a tender texture, and the tomato and horseradish sauce is a portal to a world of smoking jackets, pillbox hats, and sultry glances.
Ingredients
Method
- Gently boil water, lemon halves, salt, and bay leaf in a large saucepan.
- Cook shrimp 2 to 3 minutes until opaque, loosely C-shaped, and centers reach 145°F.
- Immediately chill in ice water 3 minutes; drain and pat dry.
- Mix ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire, and hot sauce smooth.
- Chill shrimp and sauce separately at least 1 hour. Serve shrimp on one plate with sauce in a small bowl.
Crisp Bacon-Wrapped Rumaki
I used to always ask my mom to make rumaki at parties because it seemed so grown-up and sophisticated to my 10-year-old self. A one-time tiki bar staple, these skewers marry crunchy water chestnuts, crispy bacon, soft chicken livers, and a Japanese-inspired marinade. Mai tai pairing optional.
Ingredients
Method
- Bake bacon on a rack over a sheet at 400°F for 8 minutes until some fat renders but strips remain flexible.
- Mix soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, and garlic powder; marinate livers in it 15 minutes refrigerated.
- Place one liver piece and one chestnut half on each bacon strip. Roll tightly; secure with a soaked toothpick.
- Return to rack; bake 12 to 14 minutes until bacon browns and liver reaches 165°F.
- Rest 5 minutes; remove toothpicks only if rolls hold securely.
Creamed Chipped Beef on Toast
Ignore the ominous name and military mess hall association. This is actually, at its core, a cousin of biscuits and gravy; you get the same mix of crispy toast, creamy sauce, and flavorful cured meat, perfect for a hearty breakfast.
Ingredients
Method
- Rinse beef under cool water 15 seconds; drain and pat dry to remove surface salt.
- Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium. Cook beef 2 minutes until edges slightly curl.
- Add flour; stir 1 minute until no dry patches remain.
- Gradually whisk in milk; simmer 4 to 6 minutes until gravy coats a spoon. Add pepper and nutmeg.
- Butter and toast bread crisp; spoon hot creamed beef over two slices per serving.
Chicken a la King in Puff Pastry Shells
Change the shape of the case and call it "vol-au-vent," and this could appear at any old-school French bistro. The trio of chicken, mushrooms, and cream sauce is evergreen, and in a pastry case, you get an hors d'oeuvre that will fly off the party tray.
Ingredients
Method
- Bake shells according to package directions until deeply golden; hollow soft centers.
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook mushrooms and onion 7 minutes until browned and dry.
- Stir flour 1 minute; whisk in broth and cream. Simmer 5 minutes until smooth and thickened.
- Add chicken, peas, pimentos, salt, and pepper; cook 4 minutes until filling reaches 165°F.
- Fill shells just before serving to keep bottoms crisp.
Tuna Noodle Casserole with Potato Chip Crust
Tuna noodle casserole might have been the bane of every '60s kid's existence, but there's no reason it has to be. With quality canned tuna and a flavorful sauce made on the stovetop, it's really at its heart a delicious pasta bake, and a potato chip crust is a playful wink to the past.
Ingredients
Method
- Boil noodles in salted water 2 minutes less than package time; drain well.
- Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high. Cook mushrooms 6 minutes until browned and dry.
- Stir flour 1 minute; whisk in milk, salt, and pepper. Simmer 4 minutes until thickened.
- Fold in tuna, peas, cheddar, and noodles. Spread in a greased 9-by-13-inch dish.
- Cover evenly with crushed chips; bake at 375°F for 20 minutes until edges bubble.
Salisbury Steak with Onion Gravy
I always associated Salisbury steak with TV dinners growing up, but when I got older and traveled, I found that it's still revered as steak haché in France and as hanbagu in Japan. And it deserves more love from us Americans.
The onion gravy comes together in a jiffy too, making this a great weeknight meal.
Ingredients
Method
- Mix beef, breadcrumbs, egg, ketchup, Worcestershire, salt, and pepper just until combined; shape 6 oval patties.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Brown patties 3 minutes per side; transfer to a plate.
- Cook onions in same skillet 10 minutes until deep golden and soft.
- Add flour; stir 1 minute. Whisk in broth and mustard; simmer 3 minutes.
- Return patties; cover and simmer 10 to 12 minutes until centers reach 160°F and gravy coats a spoon.
Swedish Meatballs with Cream Gravy
You've had them at Ikea, but they are very much worth making at home. The key to Swedish meatballs is the spice blend, which pairs so well with the cream sauce, and of course feel free to serve lingonberry jam (or cranberry sauce) on the side for the full experience.
Ingredients
Method
- Mix breadcrumbs and milk; rest 5 minutes until absorbed.
- Mix in beef, pork, egg, onion, salt, allspice, and nutmeg; shape 24 small meatballs.
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Brown meatballs in 2 batches, 6 minutes each; transfer to a plate.
- Melt remaining butter; stir flour 1 minute. Whisk in broth and cream until smooth.
- Return meatballs; simmer 8 to 10 minutes until 160°F and gravy lightly thickens.
Broccoli Chicken Divan
Chicken Divan dates back to the grand hotels of old New York, but got a bad reputation with mayonnaise-based sauces later on. But the OG, chicken, broccoli, and cheese sauce (call it "Mornay" if you're feeling fancy), is worthy of Park Avenue.
Ingredients
Method
- Season chicken with 1 teaspoon salt. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high; cook 5 to 7 minutes per side until 165°F. Rest and slice.
- Steam broccoli 4 minutes until bright green and barely tender. Spread with chicken in a greased 9-by-13-inch dish.
- Melt butter in a saucepan; stir flour 1 minute. Whisk in milk, mustard, and remaining salt until thickened.
- Remove from heat; add 1 cup cheddar and lemon juice. Pour over chicken and broccoli.
- Mix remaining cheddar with panko; scatter on top. Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes until browned and bubbling.
Beef Stroganoff with Egg Noodles
Beef stroganoff has its origins in the aristocratic homes of the Russian Empire, but it's easy enough to make so that we commoners can enjoy it too. The key is to whisk the sour cream in right at the end.
Ingredients
Method
- Boil noodles in salted water until tender; drain and keep warm.
- Season beef with 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. Sear in 2 batches with 1 tablespoon oil over high, 90 seconds per side until at least 145°F; transfer to a plate.
- Add remaining oil; cook mushrooms and onion 7 minutes until browned. Add garlic for 30 seconds.
- Add flour; stir 1 minute. Whisk in broth, mustard, and remaining salt; simmer 4 minutes.
- Remove from direct heat; stir in sour cream and beef. Serve immediately over noodles.
Porcupine Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
Silly name, tasty dish. These are, at their core, a classic plate of meatballs and tomato sauce, but the rice provides textural variation and also makes this an easy one-pot meal.
Ingredients
Method
- Mix beef, rice, onion, egg, salt, garlic powder, and pepper just until combined; shape 18 meatballs.
- Heat oil in a deep skillet over medium-high. Brown meatballs in 2 batches, 5 minutes each.
- Mix tomatoes, broth, and Worcestershire in skillet; return all meatballs.
- Cover; simmer on low 35 minutes, turning once, until rice is tender and centers reach 160°F.
- If sauce is thinner than spoonable gravy, simmer uncovered 5 minutes.
Beef and Rice Stuffed Bell Peppers
There's a reason cultures from Mexico to the Middle East and everywhere in between stuff peppers with beef and rice. Roasting the peppers beforehand ensures optimum texture.
Ingredients
Method
- Brush pepper halves with half the oil; arrange cut-side up in a dish. Roast at 400°F for 15 minutes.
- Heat remaining oil in a skillet. Cook beef and onion over medium-high 7 minutes until beef reaches 160°F; drain excess fat.
- Stir garlic, salt, and oregano 30 seconds; add 1 cup tomato sauce and cooked rice.
- Fill softened peppers evenly; spoon remaining sauce on top.
- Cover; bake 20 minutes. Uncover, add cheddar, and bake 8 minutes until melted.
Chicken Cordon Bleu
It might look intimidating, but chicken Cordon Bleu couldn't be simpler. They're a snap to make in the oven, too, so there's no need to deal with the mess (and caloric load) of deep frying.
Ingredients
Method
- Pound breasts between plastic wrap to an even 1/4-inch thickness; season with salt and pepper.
- Add one ham slice and one cheese baton to each; roll tightly and secure seams with toothpicks.
- Chill 20 minutes; coat in flour, beaten eggs with water, then panko.
- Heat oil in an oven-safe skillet; brown over medium-high 2 minutes per side.
- Bake at 375°F for 18 to 22 minutes until chicken reaches 165°F. Rest 5 minutes; remove every toothpick before slicing.
Pineapple-Glazed Ham Steak
Ham and pineapple is the sort of thing that you might only know from oversaturated photos in old cookbooks, but for enthusiasts of retro, it's worth trying at least once. Put on your beehive wig, get out the lounge LPs, and give it a go.
Ingredients
Method
- Pat ham and pineapple dry so they brown rather than steam.
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Sear ham 3 minutes per side; transfer to a plate.
- Brown pineapple in same skillet 2 minutes per side; transfer beside ham.
- Add pineapple juice, brown sugar, mustard, vinegar, and cloves; simmer 4 minutes until syrupy.
- Return ham and pineapple; spoon glaze over both. Cook 3 minutes until ham reaches 140°F.
Steakhouse Iceberg Wedge Salad
The word "salad" is doing some serious heavy lifting here. However, the wedge of iceberg lettuce makes a great vehicle for a creamy blue cheese dressing studded with bacon; resist the urge to substitute fancier lettuces.
Ingredients
Method
- Cook bacon in a skillet over medium 8 to 10 minutes until crisp; drain and crumble.
- Whisk sour cream, mayonnaise, buttermilk, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until pourable.
- Remove loose outer leaves and lettuce core; cut into 4 equal wedges.
- Briefly rinse, thoroughly dry, and chill wedges 20 minutes.
- Place wedges on plain plates; top evenly with dressing, bacon, tomatoes, and blue cheese.
Seven-Layer Salad
In an era when the camera eats first, it's something of a shock that seven-layer salad, with its brightly colored layers of veggies and proteins, hasn't made a full-on comeback. If it were called a "deconstructed Olivier salad" and served at a Michelin-starred restaurant, it'd be all over your social media feed.
Ingredients
Method
- Spread lettuce evenly in a 3-quart glass bowl.
- Layer celery, peas, onion, and eggs in that order; do not stir.
- Mix mayonnaise and sugar; spread edge to edge over eggs to seal vegetables.
- Cover; refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to 12 hours.
- Add cheddar and bacon just before serving; scoop straight down through every layer.
Citrus Ambrosia Salad
Personally, the word "ambrosia" triggers traumatic memories of canned fruit cocktail and Cool Whip, but that doesn't need to be the case. With fresh fruit and homemade whipped cream, it's actually a pretty classy dessert.
Ingredients
Method
- Remove orange peel and white pith; cut flesh bite-size over a bowl.
- Drain oranges and pineapple in a colander 10 minutes to avoid watery dressing.
- Whip cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla to soft peaks.
- Fold oranges, pineapple, coconut, marshmallows, and pecans into cream just to coat.
- Refrigerate 1 hour; serve within 6 hours while fruit retains texture.
Watergate Salad
In the eyes of many, this dish might have been the bigger scandal, but it is a fun experiment to make this infamous '70s dessert salad based on pistachio pudding. Give it a try, but don't blame me if you need a presidential pardon afterward.
Ingredients
Method
- Mix undrained pineapple and dry pudding mix until powder dissolves and mixture starts thickening.
- Fold in thawed topping without completely deflating.
- Fold in marshmallows and pecans evenly.
- Cover; refrigerate at least 2 hours to hydrate pudding and slightly soften marshmallows.
- Stir once before serving; keep bowl chilled, not at room temperature.
Savory Tomato Aspic
Aspics had something of a micro-revival among food bloggers around 2020, but there's no getting around the fact that this is, at its core, tomato Jell-O. Still, aspics remain popular in Eastern Europe, and they absolutely have their fans, and there's only one way to find out if you might be among them.
Ingredients
Method
- Pour cold tomato juice into a small bowl; sprinkle gelatin evenly over it. Bloom 5 minutes.
- Heat remaining tomato juice in a saucepan until steaming, not boiling.
- Whisk in gelatin until fully dissolved; add celery, lemon juice, Worcestershire, horseradish, salt, and hot sauce.
- Pour into a lightly oiled 4-cup ring mold; skim foam.
- Refrigerate at least 6 hours. Briefly dip mold in warm water; invert onto a plain plate.
Old-Fashioned Scalloped Potatoes
Nothing says "comfort food" to me quite like scalloped potatoes: slice up some potatoes, pour a béchamel over, and bake. Serve as a side dish, and then the next day, holy cow, do they make good leftovers.
Ingredients
Method
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium. Stir flour 1 minute; gradually whisk in milk.
- Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg; simmer 4 minutes until sauce lightly coats a spoon.
- Layer half the potatoes and onion in a buttered 9-by-13-inch dish, then half the sauce. Repeat.
- Cover tightly with foil; bake at 375°F for 50 minutes.
- Uncover; bake 20 to 25 minutes until potatoes yield to a knife and top browns. Rest 15 minutes before serving.
Green Bean Casserole from Scratch
Green bean casserole is the type example of back-of-the-box cooking, but if you use a from-scratch mushroom sauce instead of a can of cream of mushroom, you get something that's genuinely delicious, and makes a great veggie side. And there's nothing quite like a crispy fried onion topping.
Ingredients
Method
- Boil beans in salted water 4 minutes until bright green. Chill in ice water; drain thoroughly.
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook mushrooms and onion 8 minutes until browned and dry.
- Stir flour 1 minute; whisk in milk, broth, salt, and pepper. Simmer 4 minutes until thickened.
- Fold in beans and 1 cup fried onions; spread in a 3-quart dish.
- Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes. Top with remaining onions; bake 5 minutes until crisp.
Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots
Glazing vegetables can be tricky, but fortunately carrots are a bit easier due to their sturdy structure. The key is to reduce down to a glossy glaze without burning, and your reward is a vegetable dish for dessert lovers.
Ingredients
Method
- Bring carrots, water, and salt to a simmer in a wide skillet over medium-high.
- Cover; cook 8 minutes until barely fork-tender.
- Uncover; cook until water nearly evaporates.
- Add butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, tossing often, until glaze is shiny and clings.
- Remove from heat; add lemon juice before serving.
Skillet Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
The cast iron makes for a fun twist on this mid-century classic. The Maraschino cherries are very much optional, but they somehow seem perfectly suited to the occasion.
Ingredients
Method
- Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly; arrange pineapple with one cherry in each center.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
- Beat remaining butter and granulated sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla; alternate adding flour mixture and milk.
- Carefully spread batter over fruit without disturbing pattern.
- Bake at 350°F for 35 to 40 minutes until tester in cake comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; invert onto plate.
Old-Fashioned Banana Pudding
If you're anything like me, your freezer is full of nearly-black bananas that you swear you'll someday make into banana bread. However, banana pudding made from scratch provides another great way to use up bananas that are a little too ripe for snacking.
Ingredients
Method
- Whisk 1/2 cup sugar, flour, salt, milk, and yolks in a saucepan. Cook over medium 8 to 10 minutes, whisking, until thick and 170°F. Add vanilla.
- Layer one-third wafers and bananas in a 2-quart dish, then one-third warm custard. Repeat twice.
- Beat whites and cream of tartar to soft peaks. Gradually add remaining sugar; beat to stiff, glossy peaks.
- Spread meringue over hot pudding all the way to edges.
- Bake at 375°F for 8 to 10 minutes until browned. Cool 1 hour; refrigerate at least 3 hours.
Chocolate-Cherry Baked Alaska
It's a bit silly, but baked Alaska is still a very fun home science experiment slash dessert, and the reveal is as fun as the eating. Cherry ice cream makes for a twist, but feel free to sub with another flavor if, like me, you're not a fan of the cherry-chocolate flavor combo.
Ingredients
Method
- Line a 9-inch bowl with plastic wrap; press in softened ice cream. Freeze at least 4 hours until solid.
- Trim cake to a 9-inch circle. Invert frozen dome onto cake; remove wrap.
- Freeze assembled cake 1 hour while heating oven to 500°F.
- Beat whites, cream of tartar, and salt to soft peaks. Gradually add sugar; beat stiff and glossy. Beat in vanilla.
- Completely cover cake and ice cream with thick, continuous meringue. Bake 3 to 5 minutes until browned; slice immediately.
Grasshopper Pie
One of my favorite parts of going for Chinese food growing up was the Andes mint at the end of dinner, and there's nothing on a hot summer day quite like mint chip ice cream. It's a classic flavor combination for a reason, and this pie deserves a second look.
Ingredients
Method
- Mix crumbs and melted butter; press into a 9-inch pie plate. Bake at 350°F for 8 minutes; cool completely.
- Heat marshmallows and milk over low, stirring until completely smooth; cool to room temperature.
- Add creme de menthe, creme de cacao, and food coloring.
- Whip cream to medium peaks; fold into mint mixture in 3 additions.
- Spread in cold crust; freeze at least 6 hours. Rest at room temperature 10 minutes before slicing.
Cherries Jubilee over Vanilla Ice Cream
Raise your hand if you have the memory of a male relative taking a few too many swigs of the brandy for the cherry jubilee and lighting his sleeve on fire as well as the cherries. This recipe removes the risk, keeping the cherry-brandy flavor combo without the flames, and tastes just as good on vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients
Method
- Combine cherries, sugar, cornstarch, water, and lemon juice in a cold, wide skillet.
- Cook over medium 8 to 10 minutes, stirring, until cherries are hot and sauce clear and glossy.
- Remove from burner; add brandy and return to low heat.
- Simmer 2 minutes to soften alcohol flavor; remove from heat and add vanilla.
- Spoon warm cherries and sauce over six bowls of firm ice cream; serve immediately.
Tunnel of Fudge Bundt Cake
Consider this the ancestor of the chocolate lava cake. The walnuts perform an important structural function, and are not at all optional.
Ingredients
Method
- Thoroughly grease and flour every ridge of a 12-cup Bundt pan.
- Beat butter and granulated sugar 4 minutes until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time; beat in vanilla.
- Whisk powdered sugar, flour, cocoa, and salt; mix into butter just until combined. Fold in walnuts.
- Spread batter evenly; bake at 350°F for 50 to 55 minutes until top crusts and edges slightly pull away. Do not test soft center.
- Cool in pan 90 minutes; invert onto rack. Pour hot cream over chocolate; stir smooth and drizzle over cooled cake.
What mid-century cooking got right
At its best, mid-century cooking represents a democratization of the classical French table. All those dishes that were once served to princes and potentates were simplified just enough for the intrepid housewife, and for me, that's something worth preserving.
The ones that should stay in the past
Let's face it, not all of these dishes are great. But I do think that all of them are worth a second look, because who knows… You might realize that aspic is just what you've been missing.
