Dinner Ideas • Recipes from 193 Countries

Dinner Ideas from 193 Countries — What to Cook Tonight

Stuck on what to cook for dinner? Dinner Ideas brings easy dinner recipes from 193 countries — signature dishes with ingredients, steps, nutrition and pairings.

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193

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Breakfast to Snack

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Recipes with Nutrition

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What’s for Dinner TonightFeatured Dinner Recipes from 193 Countries

Showing 1309–1320 of 2321 dinner recipes

A glass bowl of pale fermented sauerkraut with fine carrot shreds and a serving spoon

Germany 30m

Lunch •German Fermented Classic

German Sauerkraut

This german sauerkraut recipe turns one humble cabbage into a jar of crisp, tangy kraut with nothing but salt, time and a little caraway. Shredded cabbage is massaged with salt until it gives up its own brine, then left to ferment until it turns pleasantly sour. One serving is about 150 g.

Gut-Friendly Fermented Side

Crisp, tangy fermented cabbage that adds bright acidity to rich German plates.

Pairs Well With
Bratwurst, roast pork, mashed potatoes and mustard

Fermented / Gut Health

An open copper cataplana filled with prawns, tomatoes and herbs in a golden seafood broth

Portugal 50m

Dinner •Algarve Coastal Classic

Cataplana de Marisco

This cataplana de marisco recipe layers prawns, mussels, cod and squid over onion, tomato and red pepper, then steams the whole pot shut in a hinged copper cataplana until the seafood is just cooked. The lid is lifted at the table, releasing a rush of steam and the smell of the sea. One serving is about 440 g.

High-Protein Seafood Feast

Prawns, mussels, cod and squid simmered in tomato and white wine in the copper cataplana pot.

Pairs Well With
Crusty bread, white rice and a glass of vinho verde

High Protein

A glass of golden Moroccan mint tea with foam on a silver tray beside a teapot, fresh mint and sweets

Morocco 15m

Snack & Tea •Moroccan Tea Ceremony

Moroccan Mint Tea

This moroccan mint tea recipe brews gunpowder green tea strong and sweet, then steeps it with a big bunch of fresh mint and pours it from a height so it froths in the glass. It is the drink Morocco offers to every guest, at any hour. One serving is about 200 g — one small glass.

Light & Refreshing

Sweet green tea poured high into small glasses, fragrant with fresh mint.

Pairs Well With
Almond biscuits, dates and orange-blossom pastries

Golden-brown Egyptian ta'ameya patties with sesame seeds on a white plate

Egypt 40m

Breakfast •Cairo Street Breakfast

Egyptian Ta'ameya

This egyptian taameya recipe starts with dried split fava beans soaked overnight — never chickpeas, never cooked beans — ground with leeks, parsley and cilantro into a bright green mix, then shaped into patties and fried until deep golden and crisp. One serving is about 175 g, five patties.

Plant-Based Protein

Crisp fava-bean patties with leeks and herbs, fried golden and tucked into warm baladi bread.

Pairs Well With
Warm baladi bread, tahini, tomato and pickles

Quick Prep (<30m)

Two round zaatar manakish flatbreads covered in dark za'atar herbs and sesame seeds on a wooden board

Lebanon 1h 30m

Breakfast •Beirut Heritage

Zaatar Manakish

Zaatar manakish is Lebanon's breakfast flatbread: a soft, hand-stretched dough brushed with a dark green paste of za'atar herbs and olive oil, baked until the crust is golden and the topping smells warm and nutty. It is eaten folded in half, often with mint tea, olives and fresh vegetables on the side. One serving is about 164 g.

Warm Bakery Breakfast

Soft yeasted flatbread brushed with za'atar and olive oil, baked until the edges turn golden.

Pairs Well With
Mint tea, black olives, cucumber and tomato

A metal pot of golden Argentine locro stew with corn, pumpkin and chopped greens on a wooden board

Argentina 3h

Dinner •Andean Heritage

Argentine Locro

Argentine locro is a thick, golden stew of dried white corn, white beans, pumpkin and potatoes, simmered for hours with pork, beef and chorizo until everything melts into one hearty pot. It is the dish Argentina cooks in huge cauldrons for the patriotic holidays of May 25 and July 9. One serving is about 552 g.

Comfort & Warmth

Dried white corn, beans, pumpkin and several meats simmered low and slow into a thick, golden stew.

Pairs Well With
Crusty bread, quiquirimichi spicy oil, and a glass of red wine

A plate of papa a la huancaína with potatoes covered in golden yellow sauce, a boiled egg and black olives

Peru 45m

Lunch •Huancayo Heritage

Papa a la Huancaína

Papa a la huancaína is Peru's classic starter: thick slices of boiled potato laid on lettuce leaves and covered in a silky, golden sauce of ají amarillo, queso fresco, evaporated milk and crackers, finished with a boiled egg and black olives. It is creamy, gently spicy and served cool. One serving is about 382 g.

Creamy Starter

Boiled potatoes under a silky golden sauce of ají amarillo, queso fresco and evaporated milk.

Pairs Well With
Lettuce leaves, boiled egg, black olives, and a cold chicha morada

A plate of nasi kerabu with blue rice, fried fish, crackers and sambal, with a spoon

Malaysia 1h

Lunch •Kelantan Heritage

Nasi Kerabu

Nasi kerabu is the blue rice of Kelantan, on Malaysia's east coast: jasmine rice cooked in butterfly-pea flower water until it turns a vivid indigo, served with a crunchy salad of raw herbs and vegetables, fried fish, toasted coconut and a fiery sambal. Everything is mixed together on the plate before eating. One serving is about 434 g.

Colourful Herb Rice

Blue butterfly-pea rice with a crunchy herb salad, fried fish, coconut and a hot sambal.

Pairs Well With
Fried fish, keropok crackers, sambal, and iced tea

A bowl of rawon, black beef soup with tender beef chunks, served with rice, bean sprouts and sambal

Indonesia 2h 30m

Dinner •East Javanese Classic

Rawon

This rawon recipe is East Java's famous black beef soup: beef shin simmered until tender in a dark, nutty broth coloured by keluak nuts, with a fried spice paste of shallot, garlic, ginger and turmeric. It is served hot with steamed rice, bean sprouts, fried shallots and a spoon of sambal. One serving is about 450 g of soup, before rice.

Deep, Dark Beef Comfort

Beef simmered in a black keluak broth with rice, bean sprouts and sambal.

Pairs Well With
Steamed rice, bean sprouts & sambal

Soups & Broths

Three glossy raw Dutch herring fillets on a plate with a pile of finely diced onion

Netherlands 25m

Lunch •Dutch Seaside Classic

Dutch Herring

This dutch herring recipe is the Netherlands' most famous fish snack: Hollandse Nieuwe — young herring, lightly salted and ripened, served raw as glossy fillets with finely diced onion and a sour pickle. It is eaten by hand, held by the tail and lowered into the mouth, or tucked into a soft roll. One serving is about 145 g.

Fresh Seaside Snack

Lightly salted raw herring fillets with diced onion and pickle, eaten by hand or on bread.

Pairs Well With
Soft white roll, diced onion & pickles

Two tomatoes stuffed with grey shrimp in mayonnaise, served on lettuce on a plate

Belgium 35m

Lunch •Belgian Coast Classic

Tomate Crevette

This tomate crevette recipe is the Belgian coast's signature starter: a ripe tomato, hollowed out and filled with tiny grey shrimp folded through mayonnaise and lemon, served cold on lettuce with a hard-boiled egg. It is light, creamy and unmistakably seaside. One serving is about 340 g.

Light Coastal Starter

Ripe tomatoes filled with grey shrimp in mayonnaise, served cold on lettuce.

Pairs Well With
Crusty bread, lettuce & a glass of white wine

A plate of Berner Platte with sliced sausage, smoked pork, sauerkraut, boiled potatoes and mustard

Switzerland 1h 20m

Dinner •Bernese Feast Classic

Berner Platte

This berner platte recipe is Bern's celebratory meat platter: smoked pork, pork sausages and bacon piled over sauerkraut with green beans and boiled potatoes, mustard on the side. It is a feast dish, built for sharing at the table. One serving is about 390 g.

Hearty Celebration Feast

Smoked pork, sausages and bacon with sauerkraut, green beans and boiled potatoes.

Pairs Well With
Boiled potatoes, mustard & a Swiss lager

High Protein

Find Dinner Ideas by Country

Every one of the world's 193 countries has a signature dish — browse the full directory to find tonight's dinner, or jump straight to a cuisine with recipes.

Afghanistan

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Antigua and Barbuda

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North Korea

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Zimbabwe Browse all 193 countries →

Dinner Ideas by Category

Soups & Broths Pasta & Noodles High Protein Fermented / Gut Health Quick Prep (<30m)

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The Dinner GazetteFresh Dinner Ideas from the Journal

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A bowl of tagliatelle with rich ragù sauce

Ingredient Guides

The Pantry Staples Every World Kitchen Shares

From a market in Bangkok to a farmhouse in Tuscany, cooks reach for the same handful of staples: rice, dried beans, good oil, salt, garlic, chillies and something sour. Stock these, and dinner in any cuisine is suddenly within reach.

November 5, 2026 • 725 words

A hearty autumn stew served in a rustic bowl

Seasonal Cooking

Autumn’s Best: Cooking with Squash and Root Vegetables

When the air turns cool, the garden answers with squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips and beets. Roasted low and slow, these autumn vegetables turn sweet, caramelised and deeply satisfying — here is how to cook them well.

November 5, 2026 • 597 words

Fresh herbs rolled into Vietnamese spring rolls

Kitchen Techniques

How to Store Fresh Herbs So They Last Two Weeks

Fresh herbs wilt in days when they are tossed loose into the fridge. The jar method — a little water, a loose bag, and the right shelf — keeps parsley, cilantro, mint and dill bright and fragrant for up to two weeks.

November 5, 2026 • 658 words

Food Pairing Guide

What to Eat With What

Some foods taste better — and do you more good — together. Here is what to serve with each dish, and what to skip, with the science in plain words.

Tested in the Dinner Ideas kitchen

Phở Bò (Vietnamese Beef Broth)

Iron & Collagen Dynamics

EAT TOGETHER: Fresh Lime & Sawtooth Coriander

The ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) in freshly squeezed lime converts the non-heme and heme iron from thinly shaved beef into its bioavailable ferrous form (Fe²⁺), escalating iron assimilation by up to 300%. Fresh culantro supplies carotenes that ignite digestive bile acids.

AVOID IMMEDIATELY AFTER: Condensed Milk Iced Coffee

Drinking condensed milk coffee (Cà Phê Sữa Đá) directly following Phở binds active polyphenolic chlorogenic acids and milk casein directly to the beef iron molecules, forming unabsorbable insoluble complexes that severely stunt nutrient uptake. Wait at least 90 minutes.

Metabolic window: Breakfast (07:00 – 09:30) • Optimal Gut Transition: 3.5 Hours

Tomatoes & Wild Summer Greens

Carotenoid Unlocking

EAT TOGETHER: Extra Virgin Olive Oil & Aged Feta

Lycopene is an intrinsically lipophilic (fat-soluble) antioxidant compound bound tight inside tomato skin cells. Pairing ripe heirloom tomatoes with the monounsaturated fats of raw cold-pressed olive oil boosts vascular lycopene absorption by nearly 4.4-fold.

AVOID TOGETHER: Fat-Free Industrial Dressings

Consuming vine tomatoes with zero-fat or high-sugar artificial vinaigrettes prevents the body from emulsifying fat-soluble Vitamins A, E, and K, passing essential restorative nutrients unabsorbed through the gastrointestinal tract.

Metabolic window: Lunch or Aperitivo • Lycopene Uptake: +440%

Turmeric + Black Pepper

Piperine in coarse crushed pepper amplifies active curcumin bioavailability by 2000%.

Green Tea + Lemon Twist

Citric acid preserves delicate EGCG catechins through acidic stomach transit intact.

Calcium Rich + Iron Stews

Heavy dairy cheese interferes with non-heme iron absorption channels if consumed simultaneously.