17 New England Recipes That The People Who Live There Love
When you road trip all the way through New England, you'll find plenty of rich history, so many fall leaves to peep, and some of the best food in the country. Yes, we're here to put New England on the map for not only being such a crucial region in U.S history but also for American cuisine (and not just for all those Dunkin' "regulahs" we love to order). Chances are, you'll really get a New Englander riled when you bring up these classic — and dare we say, it — wicked delicious recipes that go way beyond just the lobster roll.
Okay, speaking of lobster rolls, which way do you roll? Do you go Maine or Connecticut? For Team Delish, we simply say "Yes," as we'll take a lobster roll any way we can get them. That being said, we do lean slightly towards a Connecticut-style roll (which is warm, dunked in butter, and served on a toasted bun) over Maine (which is chilled, tossed in mayo, and topped with crunchy herby greens). No matter which way you choose, the lobster roll debate is a win-win situation in food form.
Outside of lobster, there's tons of different foods that New England has made their own. Blueberries dot Maine (and make for delicious blueberry pies), maple syrup flows all across Vermont (which is bomb in our maple butter), and apple orchards are all over the region (pick a bunch and then grab plenty of apple cider donuts after).
Want to build a truly New England feast (and why shouldn't you)? Serve up a seafood boil or steamed clams as your main, with Boston cream pie for dessert. And if you do do that, please remember to invite us!
Blueberry Pie
Fresh blueberry pie makes us want to sit on the back porch and enjoy the warm summer breeze. It's the perfect use for fresh summer blueberries, but is also a great way to cover up frozen blueberries. Once everything is cooked down you end up with a sweet, jammy filling that you'll find difficult to not eat before it goes into the pie crust! Use our homemade pie crust for a flaky, buttery crust that makes this pie irresistible.
Get the Blueberry Pie recipe.
Lobster Rolls
PSA: You don’t have to go to New England for the best lobster roll. While this recipe focuses on the all-butter version that makes lobster the star of the show, mayo fans need not fear—we've got both options at Delish, so you can make your dream lobster roll, just how you like it. Serve it with your favorite summer sides, and you’ve got a classic sandwich to transport you straight to the coast after just one bite.
Get the Lobster Rolls recipe.
Grilled Clam Bake Foil Packs
Bundle fresh clams, sweet corn, cooked potatoes, and a garlic-herb compound butter into foil packs and pop them on the grill. Fifteen minutes later, dinner is served. Be sure to serve some crusty bread on the side to mop up all of the delicious juices.
Get the Grilled Clam Bake Foil Packs recipe.
Crab Cakes
Crab cakes are an appetizer staple at fancy seafood restaurants, but they're actually surprisingly easy to make at home! Ready in 30 minutes, this is the perfect easy appetizer to serve up when you want to feel transported to a seaside escape.
Get the Crab Cakes recipe.
Apple Cider Donuts
As soon as we even think we feel a slight chill in the air, we're craving an apple cider donut. These ones are baked, which yields a soft, dense donut, and brushed in butter and rolled in cinnamon sugar. One bite, and you'll feel transported to an apple orchard.
Get the Apple Cider Donuts recipe.
Clam Chowder
This recipe is for New England clam chowder, which is what most people often think of when they hear the word “clam chowder.” New England clam chowder is a cream-based soup, while Manhattan clam chowder is a lighter, tomato-based soup. If that sounds more your speed, try our Manhattan clam chowder recipe!
Get the Clam Chowder recipe.
Whoopie Pies
If you have ever been to the East Coast, especially Maine or Pennsylvania Amish country, I'm sure you've at least heard of whoopie pies. It’s unclear who gets to call dibs on the whoopie pie, but either way, we're glad they exist. The iconic dessert is essentially a cake sandwich. For a traditional whoopie pie, you’ll find a marshmallow buttercream sandwiched between two soft, chocolate discs of cake. A properly filled whoopie pie should squish out its buttercream with each bite, but it's absolutely worth the sweet mess it creates.
Get the Whoopie Pies recipe.
Steamed Clams with Bacon, Corn, and Basil
Sorry fancy restaurants, the secret is out: Steamed clams are SO easy to make at home. Here, they're paired with crispy bacon, fresh sweet corn kernels, and a glug of heavy cream for a decadent sauce, perfect for dunking grilled sourdough bread into. It only takes about 7 minutes to steam clams open—there's barely any trick to it.
Get the Steamed Clams with Bacon, Corn, and Basil recipe.
Maple Butter
Of all the sweet compound butters out there, maple butter is probably the easiest to make, and has the power to bring a caramelized, nutty flavor to even the simplest foods. We can’t get enough of adding sweet maple to everything during the fall season, and this homemade butter is one of our favorite ways to do it. Only requiring 3-ingredients and no special tools, this is the special treat you should reach for when you want to take your brunch (or dessert, or dinner) to the next level.
Get the Maple Butter recipe.
Seafood Boil
If you love a messy, dig-in-with-your-hands meal, make yourself a seafood boil. This seafood boil, to be exact. It's loaded with all the boil mainstays, and cooked in a flavorful broth that's heavy on the Old Bay. How you serve this boil is entirely up to you. Some prefer to mix the broth from the boil with butter and pour over the seafood, while others go for straight butter and lemon wedges.
Get the Seafood Boil recipe.
Best-Ever Blueberry Buckle
We love this blueberry buckle for breakfast, dessert, or an afternoon snack. Not too sweet, super tender, and with an insanely addictive crumb topping, we think it's one of the best things you can make with sweet summer blueberries.
Get the Best-Ever Blueberry Buckle recipe.
Boston Roll
You might have already guessed from the name: The Boston roll is a classic of Americanized sushi. Rolled uramaki-style, with the rice wrapped around the nori, the fillings are a simple mix of poached shrimp, crunchy cucumber, and rich avocado. What makes the roll really special is the addition of tobiko, or fish roe, on the outside of the rice. Briny, crunchy, and vibrantly orange or red, it makes every bite extra special. But if tobiko is out of your reach (or out of your budget), there are easy substitutions like seaweed, caviar, or even furikake seasoning in a pinch!
Get the Boston Roll recipe.
Boston Baked Beans
New England style baked beans are a staple across the region and for good reason. These beans are equal parts salty, smoky, sweet, and savory, and make for a perfect side any night of the week.
Get the Boston Baked Beans recipe.
Vegan New England Clam Chowder
Whether you call it chowder or “chowda,” we think this rich and warming vegan soup does the classic New England version justice. It’s creamy without the cream, briny without the clams, and has a high ratio of mushrooms to potato chunks for a bit of chew and texture in each bite.
Get the Vegan New England Clam Chowder recipe.
Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Cranberry sauce is a key player on our Thanksgiving plates, right alongside green bean casserole and mashed potatoes. Its sweet-tart flavor goes perfectly with everything from turkey to holiday breads and adds some much needed color to the classic holiday spread. While we understand the nostalgic appeal of the canned stuff, homemade cranberry sauce is 1,000x better. It's fresh, versatile, and so easy to make. All you need are 5 ingredients and 20 minutes to make this staple holiday side.
Get the Homemade Cranberry Sauce recipe.
Grilled Lobster Tails
Lobster tail is kinda expensive, and therefore seems pretty fancy. Don't be intimidated though, it's actually incredibly simple to make! This recipe comes together in under 30 minutes and is a great dinner to make for a special occasion. The herb butter is PERFECT.
Get the Grilled Lobster Tails recipe.
Boston Cream Pie
The classic Boston Cream Pie isn't technically a pie at all, but a classic vanilla cake filled with a vanilla custard and topped with a rich chocolate ganache. The assembly is quick and much easier than frosting a cake in our opinion and the results are a soft buttery cake that stays moist thanks to the custard. If you love this American classic, you'll want to try our many variations, especially our Boston Cream Cheesecake!
Get the Boston Cream Pie recipe.
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