If one dish is emblematic of Italian American cuisine, it's spaghetti and meatballs. It might seem as quintessentially Italian as pizza Margherita, but this iconic dish was invented in the United States. Italians brought meatballs with them when they emigrated, and spaghetti and meatballs was probably thought up to help food budgets stretch further. By adding pasta and tomato sauce, the whole family could be fed for less.

Now explore the tastiest pasta dishes in the world

Liked this? Click the Like button above. And click the Follow button above for more great stories from loveFOOD

Classic Italian American dishes you'd never find in Italy