A Flavorful Look Back To The 60s
Every decade in American history is filled with delicious (and sometimes perplexing) dishes that give our country so much history. The 1960s in particular had a food personality that was all its own, filled with colorful party spreads, creamy casseroles, molded salads, and more. Juggling convenience with affordability and taste can be a challenge, but the 60s certainly got it right. Here are just 20 vintage 1960's dishes that will take you back in time.
1. Chicken à la King
Experiencing its peak popularity in the 50s and 60s, chicken à la King was the kind of dish that always made dinner feel more special. Because what's not luxurious about tender chicken cooked with mushrooms and peppers, folded into a rich sauce, and then served over toast points, rice, or biscuits?
2. Tuna Noodle Casserole
A staple recipe that stuck around in many American households for decades, tuna noodle casserole brought together the best of convenience and comfort. It had everything busy parents wanted: easy pantry ingredients, a creamy sauce, and enough servings to feed the whole family with ease.
Ahmad Mohammadnejad on Unsplash
3. Beef Stroganoff
Hearty, satisfying, and perfectly filling, beef stroganoff was always a welcome sight on the dinner table back in the 60s. The sauce was rich and creamy, and the combination of beef, mushrooms, onion, and egg noodles was delightful. As far as comfort meals went, it didn't get better than this.
4. Jell-O Salad
Despite being one of the most recognizable dishes of the decade, Jell-O salad continues to be looked back upon with genuine confusion. It was a weird concoction of dessert meets dinner, with the molded jelly filled with anything from fruit to vegetables and even cottage cheese. Sure it was colorful, but that didn't make it the most appetizing-looking dish.
5. Swedish Meatballs
Still popular to this day, it's no surprise Swedish meatballs have held up all these years when they're so delicious. Back in the 60s, families loved them for their tasty seasoning, meaty flavor, and most of all, that creamy gravy that tied everything together. It was great at parties and potlucks, but they were always a hit at home, too.
6. Deviled Eggs
To this day, deviled eggs still make a regular appearance at potlucks and parties. It's not just because they're easy to make, but because they're dependable, affordable, and tasty, too! And if you really wanted to mean business back in the 1960s, you'd serve them on a special, dedicated deviled egg platter.
7. Salisbury Steak
When you wanted the taste of steak but needed to make it more practical for the average household, salisbury steak was the go to. The dish instantly tastes familiar and homey because it was built for affordability and ease, and it was so popular, you could get it anywhere from home kitchens to diners and even frozen dinners.
8. Ambrosia Salad
Another baffling 1960's dish that modern crowds won't understand, ambrosia salad certainly brought flair to holiday tables and potlucks. This dish typically consisted of canned pineapple, mandarin oranges, marshmallows, coocnut, and whipped topping or sour cream. It's better to think of it as a dessert salad than a side dish.
9. Chicken Divan
Chicken Divan is the kind of casserole that cemented this genre of dish as a staple in the 1960s. It paired chicken and broccoli with a sauce often made from mayonnaise, condensed soup, cheese, and a touch of curry powder, and when baked until bubbly, turned into a delicious dinner everyone dug in for.
tengrrl from Blacksburg, VA, United States on Wikimedia
10. Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
Many adults today are still fans of pineapple upside-down cake, and it's not hard to see why. Sure, the design might look a little retro or outdated, but the cake itself is bright, sweet, and fruity. Back in the 60s, it was a popular pick because it made even the most novice of home bakers look impressive when the appearance looked this fancy.
Kimberly Vardeman from Lubbock, TX, USA on Wikimedia
11. Porcupine Meatballs
The name might be confusing, but once you learn that porcupine meatballs earned their name from the grains of rice tucked into the meat mixture, it makes total sense. This recipe was a popular one because it was a practical dish that stretched ground beef to its full potential. The touch of novelty also kept things fun!
12. Waldorf Salad
Waldorf salad had been around long before the 1960s, but it stuck around because it fit into the decade’s taste for creamy salads. Apples, celery, walnuts, and mayonnaise created this unique dish, which might not work for today's crowd, but it worked well back then as a luncheon item or holiday side.
13. Fondue
Thanks to the interactive nature of this dish, fondue was popular in the 60s, and it's still popular decades later. Because what's not to love about a pot of melted cheese served with bread cubes, potatoes, and other delightful little dippables? It's warm, rich, and fun to enjoy with your closest friends and loved ones.
14. Meatloaf With Ketchup Glaze
Meatloaf might get a bad rap in Hollywood media, but no one can deny it's a dependable dinner staple that parents rely on, no matter what year it is. It takes humble ingredients and turns it into a filling meal, and when done right, can be a truly delicious bite.
15. Creamed Chipped Beef On Toast
Creamed chipped beef on toast was simple, salty, and very much part of midcentury American cooking. It was a budget-friendly meal for families, taking slices of dried beef, stirring them into a white sauce, and simply spooning them over toast. That kind of ease and practicality isn't something that just disappears after one year.
16. Baked Alaska
If you wanted drama back in the day, none brought it more to the dessert table than baked Alaska. Just one look is all it takes to understand why it was a natural fit for special occasions. That contrast between warm meringue and cold ice cream felt magical and exciting, and even today, still makes guests pay attention.
17. Green Bean Casserole
It might not sound like the best dish out there, but surprisingly, green bean casserole was a 60's household favorite because it was creamy, crunchy, and most importantly, easy to make. It was common at holiday meals, but it also worked for everyday dinners when something quick was needed.
18. Shrimp Cocktail
This just goes to show you that sometimes, the most timeless dishes are also the most simple. Take shrimp cocktail for example; it was a straightforward dish that consisted of chilled shrimp arranged around a glass or platter and served with a zesty, tomato-based cocktail sauce. That's all there is to it, but people absolutely loved it.
19. Stuffed Bell Peppers
Stuffed bell peppers weren't just fun to look at with all their bright colors, they were also a hearty and practical dish which made them a comfortable fit for 1960s home cooking. For something that was made up of mostly affordable and familiar ingredients, it sure tasted great.
20. Chiffon Pie
Chiffon pie delivered a light, creamy dessert that felt elegant without being too heavy. Popular flavors included lemon, orange, chocolate, and strawberry, often set with gelatin and folded with beaten egg whites or whipped cream. The filling had a soft, airy texture that simply made it hard not to stop eating.
