Any country’s cuisine is an important part of its cultural identity. Many nations share methods of cooking and types of ingredients, others reflect the national history and the effect of being in touch with different ethnicities.
Here are 30+ traditional dishes around the world that will persuade you of the unique character they all have.
Poutine – Canada
Poutine is a Canadian dish that emerged in Quebec in the middle of the 20th century. It is a dish of French fries with white cheddar cheese curds and gravy of chicken or turkey. All these ingredients are mixed before serving so that the fries remain crispy.
Peking Duck – China
Peking Duck has been made in China for centuries. It is regarded as the National Dish. Peking Duck is served as three separate dishes. The first one is the slices of thin and crispy skin accompanied by a sauce. The second is duck meat served with pancakes, spring onions, and cucumber. The third is also duck meat mixed in a dish such as a soup or noodles.
Ćevapi – Bosnia & Herzegovina
Ćevapi is a hand-rolled minced and grilled meat that is served in a flatbread and red pepper sauce. It can be served with chopped onions and green salad or fries. Although Ćevapi is common in Croatia, Albania, Serbia, Slovenia, and Austria, it is known as a national dish of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Feijoada – Brazil>
Brazil’s one of the most famous dishes is Feijoada. The word comes from Portuguese feijão that means “beans”. Feijoada is made of black beans stewed with smoked and salted beef and pork. Vegetables such as carrots or tomatoes can be added as well.
Sauerbraten – Germany
A popular German dish Sauerbraten can be prepared from various meats. Most often it is a heavily marinated beef but originally the dish was made with horse. Sauerbraten is served with mashed potatoes and red cabbage.
Moussaka – Greece
Moussaka is a common dish in the Balkans and the Middle East. It has different variations in the region. Traditional Greek Moussaka consists of sliced eggplants or potatoes, ground meat (lamb or beef), and Béchamel sauce. They are layered with a tomato-based sauce and cooked together.
Irish Stew – Ireland
Irish Stew is a well-known dish to the world, it is native to Ireland. The dish usually contains mutton or beef stewed with parsley, potatoes, carrots, onions, and other root vegetables.
Meatballs – Sweden
Classic Swedish meatball is made of beef and pork flavored with cardamom and nutmeg. The dish is topped with beef stock gravy, sour cream, and lingonberry. Meatballs are served with mashed potatoes.
Lasagna – Italy
Lasagna is the name of flat pasta that is thought to be one of the oldest types of pasta. It is used to prepare the famous Italian dish – Lasagna. Lasagna consists of flat pasta layers filled with ground meat sauce, cheese, and vegetables. Oregano and garlic may be added for flavor.
Bacalhau – Portugal
Bacalhau is Portugal’s one of the most treasured dishes. It is an essential part of the country’s cuisine. Bacalhau is made of salted cod accompanied by potatoes, boiled eggs, onions, and olives.
Hamburger – The United States of America
Hamburger, probably one of the most popular dishes in the world, appeared in the early 20th century. Hamburger consists of two buns filled with patties of meat, lettuce, tomato, cheese, onions, and other additional ingredients that may include pickles, mayonnaise, ketchup, or various sauces.
Japanese Curry – Japan
Japanese Curry is a popular dish in Japan. It is served in three forms, curry rice, curry over noodles, and curry-filled pastry. Usually, Japanese Curry refers to a dish prepared with meat and vegetables in curry sauce and Japanese spices. It is served with steamed rice.
Tacos – Mexico
Taco is a Mexican dish made of wheat or corn tortilla and different fillings. Traditional tacos are made of marinated and grilled beef, cheese, onions, tomatoes, and cilantro. They may be served with guacamole or salsa.
Stamppot – Netherlands
Stamppot is a traditional Dutch dish made with mashed potatoes and sausages. Mashed potatoes are usually cooked in the pot with various vegetables including kale and turnips. Then sausage is added that is usually smoked. Other ingredients may involve nuts, cheese, or pickled onions.
Ceviche – Peru
Ceviche is one of the best representatives of Peruvian culture. It can be tasted everywhere in the country. Ceviche is prepared from raw fish chunks marinated in citrus juice and mixed with peppers, garlic, and onions.
Adobo – Philippines
Adobo comes from the Spanish word and means to marinate. The name was given to the cooking method from Spanish colonists to the Philippines since their methods were similar. Adobo consists of meat, vegetables, or seafood marinated in soy sauce, garlic, bay leaves, vinegar, and peppercorns. Meat becomes dark brown in the process of frying.
Khachapuri – Georgia
Khachapuri is a traditional Georgian dish, a baked bread stuffed with cheese and topped with butter before serving. One of the famous forms of Khachapuri is the Adjarian one. Adjarian Khachapuri has the shape of a boat and alongside cheese, egg yolk is added in the middle. The dish is said to be created by Lazi people who were sailors.
Bigos Stew – Poland
Bigos is a Polish dish prepared from any kind of chopped meat stewed with shredded cabbage. It is usually served with spicy Polish sausage, vegetables, and wine.
Haggis – Scotland
Haggis is a traditional dish in Scotland. It is a mixture of sheep’s grounded pluck (liver, lungs, and heart), suet, oatmeal, spices, and onion. The dish is wrapped in an artificial casing or sheep stomach.
Hainanese Chicken Rice – Singapore
Hainanese Chicken Rice is made of boiled chicken cooked with soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and chili. The dish is served with steamed rice. It was created by immigrants from Hainan, China, and is commonly prepared in Singapore and Malaysia.
Paella – Spain
Originated from Valencia, Paella is one of the well-known dishes in Spanish cuisine. It is a classic dish made of rice, chicken, rabbit or seafood and vegetables such as tomatoes and onions.
Kibbeh – Syria
Kibbeh and its variations are a popular dish in Middle Eastern cuisine. Kibbeh is a rounded meat dumpling toasted with bulgur and onions. Kibbeh can be served with tzatziki, plain yogurt, or warm tahini sauce.
Pad Thai – Thailand
Pad Thai is usually served as street food in Thailand. It is made with rice noodles, tofu or beef, chicken, scrambled eggs, and peanuts. The dish may also include seafood and different vegetables such as bean sprouts.
Borscht – Ukraine
Borscht is a famous soup in Eastern Europe, originally from Ukraine. The dish is usually made of beef and plenty of vegetables including beetroots, cabbage, carrots, and onion. Borscht is served with sour cream.
Döner Kebab – Turkey
Döner Kebab is made of beef that is cooked on a vertical rotisserie. To prepare the dish, sliced crispy meat, raw tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, and onions are mixed and folded in flat bread.
Koshary – Egypt
Koshary is a traditional Egyptian dish and popular street food. It combines Indian, Italian, and Middle Eastern cooking methods. Koshary consists of pasta, rice, lentils, and onions covered with tomato sauce. This dish is suitable for breakfast as well as lunch and dinner.
Meat Pie – Australia
The Australian meat pie is a popular dish in many countries. The pie is made with minced meat and gravy, mushrooms, cheese, and onions. It is often available as takeaway food.
Wiener Schnitzel – Austria
Wiener Schnitzel is a famous Viennese dish that is made of veal. The meat is usually breaded and fried in butter. Traditionally, Wiener Schnitzel is served with a salad and potatoes.
Moules-frites – Belgium
Moules-Frites is referred to as Belgium’s national dish. To prepare the food, mussels are steamed or cooked with onions and served with fries. Sometimes mussels are cooked with white wine sauce and buttery parsley.
Frikadeller – Denmark
Frikadeller is also known as Danish meatballs. Although the origin of the dish is unknown, it is common for Scandinavian, Polish and Danish cuisines. To prepare the dish, minced meat is pan-fried with chopped onions, eggs, and milk. Frikadeller is served with boiled potatoes, pickled beetroots, or creamed cabbage.
Chicken Tikka Masala – England
Chicken Tikka Masala is an official national dish of Britain. It is a dish made of roasted chicken chunks in a spiced, creamy curry. Although it is regarded as an English dish, the ingredients and techniques for preparing the dish come from Indian cuisine.
Pot-au-Feu – France
Pot-au-Feu is considered a national dish in France. Typically this dish is served for Christmas. Pot-au-Feu is a beef stew accompanied by vegetables such as carrots, onions, leeks, and parsley.
Masala Dosa – India
Masala Dosa is a popular Indian dish that is made from rice, potato, lentils, curry leaves, and fenugreek. It is rolled or folded and served hot with sambar and chutneys.
