8 Nearly Forgotten Native Cuisine Made With Wild Foods

Looking for the delicious old cultural cuisines of North America’s native people? Here are some recipes made with ingredients indigenous to the US and Canada.

The indigenous diets and cuisines of the Native Americans throughout North America were culturally vast and different, with each group adapting to the different climates and terrains found across the continent. The benefits of an indigenous diet and wild food ingredients are phenomenal, as foods were unprocessed, containing everything one could need in the nourishment provided by the land and ocean.

From Native American foods in the South, East, and Great Plains, to the First Nations and Inuit peoples of Canada and Alaska – the cultural cuisines all share a common trait: They use the indigenous ingredients of the land and fulfill more sustenance than most of our modern foods today.

We’ve compiled a list of the best native cuisines and dishes, using the wisdom and knowledge passed down from countless generations, to help you find culinary inspiration with the finest wild ingredients.

Southeastern & Eastern Native American Cuisine

Did you know that the native Americans are responsible for the cultivation of much of today’s agriculture, with many popular fruits and vegetables reported to have been bred and cultivated by the Native Americans long ago, with signs of maize domestication stretching back 8000 years.

These indigenous crops and animals included beans, maize, potatoes, tomatoes, squash, and other plants; and buffalo, caribou, elk, salmon, and other animals. Further North, Canadian natives would hunt seals and whales, eating and using the meat as a main dietary staple.

And one of the most common shared elements between the different indigenous groups across North America was the Three Sisters – a dietary foundation that consists of corn, squash, and beans. 

These 3 items were fundamental to their development and societal growth. Most Native recipes were meant to keep warriors and children healthy and sustained, and you can find each dish in this list packed with proteins, minerals, vitamins, and other amazing dietary benefits for your health and well-being.

Some vegetables native to North America include:

• Chili & Bell peppers
• Lima and Pole Beans
• Potatoes & Pumpkin
• Squash varieties
• Sweet Potatoes
• Tomatoes

Three Sisters Soup

An ancient and nourishing meal, the Three Sisters soup uses the three primary ingredients found in Native American cuisine: Corn, squash, and beans. With the squash roasted and the corn and beans used expertly to combat the cold winter months, these ingredients stored well and were an essential ingredient in every life. You can experiment with the preparation and ingredients as the Three Sisters soup is a master blueprint for a healthy and powerful dish packed with goodness.

Known as the Sustainers of Life – beans, squash, and corn work together to enhance their nutritional value, boosting the amino acids and proteins that allow you to essentially cut meat out of your diet safely and is an amazing factory of minerals, vitamins, and goodness.

Chicken, Corn, and Chili Soup

With the wild and fiery taste of red and green chilies, this soup is perfect if you’re looking for a dish that has a Southwestern taste, as the chicken, corn, and chilies blend well and work together as a great taste combo – enjoyed cold on hot days and hot on chilly nights. Onion, cloves, and garlic are often added to enhance the rich flavors of this soup. Between the proteins and healthy fats of the chicken, and the minerals and vitamins packed into corn and chili, this soup is a wonderful dish to warm yourself on a winter evening and help your immune system fight.

Acorn Nut Bread

Because maize was a primary ingredient in the societies of North America, their bread-making capabilities are impressive, to say the least. Acorn Nut bread is not a common bread, as acorns are used as the ground-up mix for the bread dough. High in omega-3 fatty acids, nut bread is a great alternative to the more common and unhealthy varieties

Fry Bread

For many people, fry bread is considered the most traditional food for Native Americans, and often includes the use of flour and baking powder. This recipe can be used to make Southwestern tacos or bread for hot and spicy dishes. Traditionally fried in vegetable oil, Fry bread is deep fried in lard and enjoyed in a variety of ways. Because of the high levels of fat and loaded calories, if you want to maintain a healthy dietary lifestyle, Fry bread is best enjoyed in moderation.

Native American Great Plains Cuisine

The indigenous peoples that lived in the Great Plains of North America, often historically termed Canadian Prairies or Plain Indians, had to depend on the bison as one of their primary food sources, also known as the American buffalo. The indigenous people would often cut the meat into thin strips which were hung and dried, or cooked over a low flame until completely dried out. This process preserved the meat and allowed it to be stored for months. 

Other food sources included tripe, organs, fruits like cranberries and blueberries, currants, etc.

Buffalo Stew With Earthy Vegetables

The meat from an American Buffalo is very high in protein and has a low fat count, making this an ideal meat choice today if you’re looking for an indigenous diet that will benefit your health and diet today. The bison would roam the Great Plains in the millions and was a primary food source across the Midwest. 

Buffalo stew cooked with root vegetables like carrots and potatoes, sage, and other herbs are still prepared by many Americans to this day. This recipe is known for giving you the energy and nutrients your body craves without giving you the slow fatigue of heavy digestion.

Buffalo Ribs

Although Buffalo ribs often need to be ordered through a special butchery, the effort is well rewarded. The low-fat and rich taste of Buffalo rib meat has a far better taste than domesticated cattle, and depending on how you like your ribs prepared, cooking takes an average of 2 or more hours to grill to perfection. Buffalo meat is noted to be lower in cholesterol and higher in minerals, with roughly half the fat content as lean conventional beef.

Indigenous Canadian Cuisine

Long before the Europeans arrived in Canada, for thousands of years they lived and thrived across Northern America, and many traditions of the native people thankfully survive among the remaining communities. The First Nations and Inuit were often strong coastal dwellers, and one of their main dietary sources was fish, seals, and whales.

Traditional Bannock

Bannock is a type of bread that was used during the most challenging times of survival when food ran low and rations grew scarce – the bannock bread could be made with a wide variety of products, crushing dried berries, pemmican, and whatever else they had on hand into the dried wheat. You can bake, fry, or grill your bannock bread today, and are only limited by your imagination.

West Coast Cedar-Planked Salmon

Salmon is one of the most iconic foods for the First Nations people of Canada, deeply connected to the tradition and culture of their community dating back thousands of years. Aside from its history, salmon is one the most recommended foods for brain health, a source of vitamins and minerals, and a booster for mental wellness. With many ways the fish can be prepared, it all depends on your taste and what you prefer paired with salmon.

After all our modern progress – we still have so much to learn from the founders of modern agriculture. And if we start eating like the people who came before all of us, we’re bound to live longer and healthier lives, benefiting from the wild ingredients of indigenous cuisines.