You Can't Say You're from Texas Unless You've Tried 22/40 of These Foods

By: Ian Fortey
Estimated Completion Time
3 min
You Can't Say You're from Texas Unless You've Tried 22/40 of These Foods
Image: David Hensley/Moment Open/Getty Images

About This Quiz

The great state of Texas has long been a melting pot of other cultures including Mexican, Czech, German, Native American and Asian. All of these have greatly influenced the foods prepared throughout the state. Its close proximity to Mexico has ensured that over the years Tex-Mex has become its own kind of cuisine, melding traditional Mexican favorites with an American flair to give us things like chimichangas and enchiladas. The strong German and Czechoslovakia roots have also influenced the culinary history of the region to include dishes like sausage and country fried steak which would not have existed without those cooking styles being folded into the Texas culinary tradition.


Whether it's traditional fair foods like corn dogs and funnel cake or the absolutely legendary Texas BBQ which includes brisket, sausage and those massive beef ribs all smoked low and slow over some delicious mesquite, all washed down with a Texas-made Dr. Pepper, there are a ton of Texas favorites for anyone to eat when they're in the mood. If you consider yourself a true Texan, then you must have had more than your fair share of these items. So why not dig into our custom Texas menu and see how many of these Lone Star favorites you’ve had!



1 - BBQ Sausage
grandriver/E+/Getty Images
This is one-third of the Texas BBQ trinity. What is it?
Sausage
Kippers
Hot dog
Pate
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Sausage is a big part of the Texas BBQ scene thanks to the strong population of both German and Czech immigrants in the state who brought family recipes with them to the region and made them a staple of the food scene.

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2 - Queso
ncognet0/E+/Getty Images
Which of these may be the most famous dip in Tex-Mex cuisine?
Bean dip
Bleu cheese
Queso
Guacamole
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Queso, otherwise known as chile con queso, is a creamy cheese sauce that's usually based on processed cheese melted with some kind of peppers. You can trace the origins of the dish to Chihuahua in Mexico, but when it's made with Velveeta, it's purely American.

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3 - Chicken fried steak
Jeff R Clow/Moment/Getty Images
Do you know which dish is very similar to wiener schnitzel?
Enchilada
Brisket
Southern fried chicken
Chicken fried steak
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Chicken fried steak dates back nearly 200 years in Texas and seems to be inspired by wiener schnitzel, which is typically a breaded pork cutlet. The city of Lamesa, Texas, claims to be the birthplace of the chicken fried steak.

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4 - Blue Bell ice cream copy
Whiskeyfox via YouTube
Brenham, Texas is the birthplace of which of these Texan staples?
Mulberry yogurt
Bread pudding
Custard
Blue Bell ice cream
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Blue Bell ice cream comes from Blue Bell Creameries in Brenham, Texas. The company was founded way back in 1907 and has grown to become more than a local favorite. These days it's the fourth best-selling brand in the country.

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5 - Dr. Pepper
fstop123/E+/Getty Images
Do you know this Texas beverage?
Pepsi
Dr. Pepper
Mr. Pibb
Coca-Cola
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The first Dr. Pepper was served sometimes around 1885 in Waco, Texas. The recipe was crafted by a pharmacist named Charles Alderton and included 23 different flavors. When it was first advertised, they claimed it had medicinal properties.

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6 - Kolach
Tastemade via YouTube
Which of these was originally a pastry of Czech origin?
Kolache
Manske
Sopapilla
Corn dog
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Kolaches are filled pastries that can be either sweet or savory and have become so popular in parts of Texas that they have annual kolache festivals. Traditional kolaches were fruit-filled, but you can find savory versions filled with meats, cheese and eggs as well.

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7 - Crawfish
Jeff R Clow/Moment/Getty Images
Do you know which dish Texas borrowed from Louisiana?
Shrimp cocktail
Lobster Thermidor
Clams casino
Crawfish
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Though crawfish has long been a Louisiana staple, it has been adopted and adapted to Texan tastes. You can get traditional Louisiana style but there is also a prevalent Vietnamese community in Southeast Texas that offers up its own variation, and crawfish boils are not uncommon around Houston in the springtime.

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8 - Sweet tea
Photo by Cathy Scola/Moment/Getty Images
If you need to be refreshed in Texas, maybe this will do the trick. What is it?
Mr. Pibb
Sweet tea
Peach smoothie
Limeade
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Sweet tea is available at just about any restaurant you go to in certain parts of the state of Texas, while it's completely absent in others. It's really the luck of the draw. Those who swear by it feel it's about as Texan as the Alamo, though.

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9 - Enchiladas
LauriPatterson/E+/Getty Images
Which dish involves corn tortillas slathered in sauce?
Taquitos
Burritos
Mole
Enchiladas
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A proper enchilada is a corn tortilla wrapped around a filling that could be beef, beans, rice or potatoes like a burrito and then covered in sauce. Sauces could be cheesy like queso, spicy like salsa or something milder.

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10 - Crunchy taco
LauriPatterson/E+/Getty Images
Do you know which of these you'll find especially in West Texas?
Burritos
Manske roll
Crunchy taco
Sopapilla
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While soft tacos are the more traditional sort, crunchy tacos have found a home in west Texas, especially around the El Paso area. Unlike Taco Bell tacos or the crunchy taco shells you can buy in a store, these are usually homemade tortillas fried crispy to order.

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11 - Hamburger
LauriPatterson/E+/Getty Images
Ground meat and bread are integral ingredients in which of these Texas favorites?
Hamburger
Sloppy Joe
Meatball sub
Pulled pork
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Hamburgers and Texas have a long history. There is no confirmed origin for the hamburger, but one of several competing claims to the invention of the burger comes from Fletcher Davis of Athens, Texas, who is said to have created the burger in 1880.

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12 - Breakfast taco
LauriPatterson/E+/Getty Images
Austin and San Antonio have claimed to be the birthplace of this favorite dish. What is it?
Chimichanga
Sopapilla
Taquito
Breakfast taco
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Breakfast tacos are the morning evolution of the regular taco most people know but filled with breakfast ingredients like egg, bacon, potatoes and so on. They may have first been sold in Corpus Christi in the 1950s but it's believed the actual term "breakfast taco" was born in Austin.

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13 - Pecan pie
Rusty Hill/Photodisc/Getty Images
Which sweet dish is a must-have in the Lone Star State?
Pecan pie
Manske roll
Pralines
Frito pie
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The pecan is the official state tree of Texas and pecan pie, though prevalent in many southern states, has a home in Texas. In fact, archaeological evidence shows that pecans have been harvested in Texas by natives for around 8,000 years.

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14 - Frozen margarita
The Cookie Rookie via YouTube
There's a machine to make which of these treats in the Smithsonian?
Slurpee
Egg cream
Malt
Frozen margarita
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The frozen margarita was invented in Texas, specifically at Mariano's Mexican Cuisine in Dallas. The first machine they used to make one was donated to the Smithsonian so future generations could appreciate this fun, summer drink.

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15 - Whataburger
BabbleTop via YouTube
Do you know which fast-food chain is based in San Antonio?
In-n-Out
Whataburger
Five Guys
Sonic
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

When it comes to fast-food burgers in Texas, the crown goes to Whataburger, the chain that opened in 1950. There are a couple hundred locations outside Texas, mostly in New Mexico and other Southern states, but there are 670 of them in Texas.

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16 - Mesquite-grilled steak
Mike Lang/Moment/Getty Images
Which of these is a staple of Texas cooking?
Pork chops
Chicken Kiev
Mesquite-grilled steak
Lamb chops
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Steak is popular all over but mesquite-grilled steak was perfected in Texas thanks to the incredible abundance of mesquite wood in the state. Around 25% of the grasslands in Texas are covered in mesquite.

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17 - Manske roll
Wiki Commons by Larry D. Moore
This sticky treat is from San Marcos. What is it?
Manske roll
Cronut
Donut
Nanaimo bar
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

San Marcos is the home of Texas State University and what they call the "World Famous" Manske roll, which is a big, sticky kind of cinnamon bun. Gil's Broiler has been making and selling them since back in the 1940s.

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18 - Brisket
jjpoole/E+/Getty Images
Many regions have BBQ specialities, but which one is almost exclusively Texan?
Pastrami
Brisket
Pulled pork
Ham
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Brisket is a Texas BBQ icon because a proper brisket is not a simple thing to make by any means, Many recipes take low and slow to extremes and will require it to cook for anywhere from 10 to 12 hours, maybe even longer.

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19 - Fajitas
rudisill/E+/Getty Images
Most restaurants served these sizzling hot on skillets.
Fajitas
Sopapillas
Chimichangas
Enchiladas
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Fajitas, using that name and being made with strips of meat cooked over a fire, can be traced back to South and West Texas in the 1930s. The first commercial fajita stand dates back to 1969 in the town of Kyle, Texas.

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20 - Funnel cake
Little Hand Images/Moment/Getty Images
If you like fair food, you must have had which of these?
Funnel cake
Churro
Corn dog
Texas toast
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Though not a Texas invention, funnel cake has been a staple of the Texas State Fair for ages now and it has been adopted all across the state. Funnel Cake Paradise in Dallas serves over 200 different flavors of funnel cake for the discerning fan.

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21 - Cobbler
mitchellpictures/E+/Getty Images
Can you pick out the iconic Texas dessert item from this list?
Key lime pie
Bread pudding
Bundt cake
Cobbler
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Cobbler is a favorite dessert across the state of Texas, though there is some debate about the "best" kind.' Some places make peach cobbler while others feel that's more of a Georgia dish and instead focus on blueberry as the main ingredient.

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22 - Frito pie
Jupiterimages/Stockbyte/Getty Images
Some people serve which of these dishes in a bag?
Tortilla soup
Sopapilla
Frito pie
Breakfast burrito
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Frito pie was likely not invented in Texas, but the first recipe that specifically used Fritos was published in Texas in 1949. One variation of the recipe involves essentially just opening a bag of Fritos, dumping in some chili and cheese and eating it from the bag.

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23 - Tortilla soup
LauriPatterson/E+/Getty Images
Do you know which of these dishes is a favorite for using ingredients before they go stale?
Chili
Tortilla soup
Queso
Guacamole
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Tortilla soup was invented in Mexico and found a home in Tex-Mex cuisine from there. It's usually a tomato and onion broth with some garlic and chiles to flavor it plus strips of tortilla added and maybe some avocado and sour cream.

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24 - King ranch casserole
Simply Mamá Cooks via YouTube
You need cream of mushroom soup and cream of chicken soup to properly make which of these?
King Ranch casserole
Texas lasagna
Texas caviar
Chili casserole
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

King Ranch casserole is a lot like a Tex-Mex version of lasagna that uses tortillas instead of noodles, chicken, and the sauce is based on canned soup and tomato rather than a traditional tomato sauce like you'd find in lasagna.

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25 - Fried okra
Photo by Cathy Scola/Moment/Getty Images
Can you ID this crunchy Texas favorite?
Fried okra
Jalapeno poppers
Tater tots
Pierogis
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Fried okra is a popular way to serve up the vegetable across the state in both restaurants and home cooking. Ideally, you want it coated in seasoned corn meal so that when the fry is done it really has a strong, crunchy coating on it.

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26 - Corn dog
Brian Yarvin/Photographer's Choice RF/Getty Images
This fair food staple was created by German immigrants in Texas. What is it?
Churro
Elephant ear
Corn dog
Sopaipilla
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Word is that the corn dog was invented when German immigrants in Texas realized the locals at the time really didn't care for sausage and refused to eat it as it was prepared. The corn dog made it more palatable to the locals and a legend was born.

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27 - Texas caviar
Allrecipes via YouTube
Which of these is a pickled salad?
Texas stew
Texas brine
Sopaipilla
Texas caviar
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Served with tortilla chips, Texas caviar is a picked salad made with black-eyed peas, corn, avocado, mango, red onion, cilantro or other similar ingredients, but the peas are the central part. It was invented in Texas back in the 1940s.

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28 - Chimichanga
Monkey Business Images/Monkey Business / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images
Do you know this item that's basically a deep-fried burrito?
Taquito
Sopapilla
Chimichanga
Tamale
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Rumor has it that chimichangas were invented in Arizona when a restaurant worker dropped a burrito in the fryer by accident. They spread from there and became a prominent part of Tex-Mex cuisine. They also have a weird pop culture presence as the favorite food of Deadpool.

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29 - Pecan pralines
AliciaLynn via YouTube
Which of these might satisfy your sweet tooth?
Pecan pralines
Snickerdoodles
Fluffernutters
Gobstoppers
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Pecan pralines are made using the state nut, pecans, and placing them in a pot with sugar, butter and cream until it forms a caramel sauce. The pralines are placed on a rack to dry and you get what is basically a caramel covered nut when you're done. Pralines are famous in New Orleans, but Texas pecans are prized for making them.

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30 - Cornbread
DebbiSmirnoff/E+/Getty Images
This food dates back hundreds of years, what is it?
Wheat bread
Sheet cake
Cobbler
Cornbread
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Cornbread was perfected by Native Americans long before Europeans arrived, but in Texas it's become a tradition to use things like canned creamed corn and jalapenos to add a little bit of Tex-Mex flair to the more traditional recipes.

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31 - Peanut butter pie
Tom Kelley Archive/Retrofile RF/Getty Images
Some people call which of these a poor man's pecan pie?
Walnut pie
Almond cake
Coconut puffs
Peanut butter pie
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Peanut butter pie is made with what is essentially a peanut butter custard filling and a crust made of crushed vanilla wafers and peanut. It's very similar to pecan pie but cheaper, since peanut butter doesn't cost as much as pecans tend to.

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32 - Sopapilla
John E. Kelly/Photodisc/Getty Images
Which of these is fried pastry dough?
Sopaipilla
Cronuts
Timbits
Chimichanga
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A sopapilla is a pretty simple dish that consists of fried dough sweetened with sugar and usually cinnamon. The dish is originally Mexican and has become a staple at many Texan places that offer up Tex-Mex cuisine.

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33 -Nachos
AdShooter/E+/Getty Images
Every bar and restaurant in North America probably serves which of these?
Taco fries
Chips
Nachos
Chili
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Nachos are not native to Texas and were in fact made by a man in Mexico known by the name "Nacho." That said, they were quickly adopted into Texas and the first known English use of the word nacho is from a Texas cookbook back in 1950.

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34 - Sheet cake
Kathy Quirk-Syvertsen/Moment Mobile/Getty Images
Which of these is a Texas dessert staple?
Sheet cake
Pralines
Dulce de leche
Bread pudding
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

You can find sheet cakes at nearly any supermarket in North America but it's such a staple of Texas dessert it's actually called "Texas sheet cake" there. The recipe seems to have evolved from German chocolate cake, which was brought over by German immigrants.

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35 - Texas stew
Jeff R Clow/Moment/Getty Images
European immigrants contributed to which hearty dish?
Chili
Texas stew
Paella
Ghoulash
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Texas stew is a hearty but not particularly thick stew usually made with mutton and vegetables. It traces its roots to Czech immigrants who adapted it from traditional, one-pot stews from the Wallachia region.

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36 - Chili con carne
Brian Hagiwara/The Image Bank/Getty Images
Which of these is actually the official state dish of Texas?
Nachos
Beef stew
Taco soup
Chili con carne
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The origins of chili can be traced back to Northern Mexico and Southern Texas. San Antonio in particular was crucial in popularizing the dish, particularly when The San Antonio Chili Stand offered it up at the Columbian Expo in Chicago in 1893.

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37 - Texas-style ribs
Jeff R Clow/Moment/Getty Images
Do you know which of these dishes can be pork or beef?
Tacos
Texas-style ribs
Pulled meat
Shawarma
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ribs are a BBQ staple in several regions, but Texas BBQ ribs are smoked and seasoned simply usually with a rub rather than a sauce. Beef ribs are a Texas specialty that is much less common in other states that tend to use pork.

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38 - Topo Chico water
Test Aqua via YouTube
Taco trucks in Texas made this item famous. What is it?
Sweet tea
Limeade
La Croix
Topo Chico water
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Topo Chico mineral water comes from Mexico where it's sourced from Monterrey. Originally it was only available in Mexico and parts of Texas until Coca-Cola bought the company in 2017 and has spread its reach since then.

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39 - Oysters
Jeff R Clow/Moment/Getty Images
Which of these is a favorite along the Gulf?
Oysters
Jalapeno poppers
Bloomin' onion
Clams casino
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Gulf oysters are a favorite not just along the coast in Texas. They're not well-suited to eating raw like some oysters and instead are often sold grilled at oyster bars. A lot of places are actually drive-in bars where you can just dig into a plate in the parking lot.

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40 - Texas lasagna
One Kitchen - A Thousand Ideas via YouTube
Which of these is a Tex Mex version of an Italian classic?
Texas lasagna
Texas ravioli
Texas spaghetti
Texas risotto
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Texas lasagna looks like a traditional lasagna from the outside but inside the ingredients are swapped for Tex-Mex staples. The pasta is tortillas, the sauce is more of a chili and things like seasoned beef, chiles, onion and beans are included.

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You Got:
/40
David Hensley/Moment Open/Getty Images