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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100%

Recipes with Nutrition

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What’s for Dinner TonightFeatured Dinner Recipes from 193 Countries

Showing 1813–1824 of 2290 dinner recipes

A whole golden-brown Argentine pascualina pie with a crimped crust in a metal baking pan, fresh from the oven

Argentina 1h 25m

Dinner •Argentine-Italian Easter Pie

Argentine Pascualina

This argentine pascualina recipe bakes chard, ricotta and parmesan into a golden puff-pastry pie with four whole eggs nestled inside, so every slice has its own surprise. One serving is about 206 g — one generous slice — and the pie is best served warm or at room temperature with a simple green salad.

Comfort & Celebration

A golden, flaky pie of chard, ricotta and parmesan with whole eggs hidden inside — the Argentine-Italian Easter classic.

Pairs Well With
A simple green salad with lemon and olive oil

A plate of Peruvian arroz con pato: green cilantro rice with a whole duck leg and red peppers

Peru 2h

Dinner •Chiclayo Sunday Classic

Arroz con Pato

This arroz con pato recipe is the Chiclayo classic: duck legs browned and braised in a green sauce of blended cilantro, spinach and aji amarillo with dark beer, then cooked with long-grain rice in the same pot until the rice is loose, fragrant and deep green. One serving is about 380 g — one duck leg with a generous mound of rice — served with sharp salsa criolla on the side.

Hearty & Festive

Tender duck braised in a green cilantro-and-beer sauce, cooked with rice until every grain is fragrant and mossy green.

Pairs Well With
Salsa criolla and lime wedges

Golden pai tee top-hat cups filled with jicama and egg on a banana leaf with chilli sauce

Malaysia 1h 25m

Snack & Tea •Nyonya Heritage Snack

Pai Tee

This pai tee recipe makes 24 crisp Nyonya top-hat cups: a thin rice-flour batter fried on a brass mould until lacy and golden, then filled with a warm, sweet-savoury stir-fry of jicama, carrot and French beans and topped with omelette strips, scallions and chilli. One serving is about 190 g — four filled cups — with sweet chilli sauce on the side.

Crisp & Shareable

Golden, lacy fried cups filled with sweet-crisp jicama and carrot — the defining Peranakan party snack.

Pairs Well With
Sweet chilli sauce and hot tea

A white bowl of semur ayam, glossy dark sweet-soy braised chicken with potatoes and star anise

Indonesia 1h 5m

Dinner •Javanese Heritage

Semur Ayam Recipe

This semur ayam recipe braises chicken thighs and potatoes in kecap manis, Indonesia's thick sweet soy sauce, with star anise, cinnamon and nutmeg until the sauce turns dark and glossy and the chicken is spoon-tender. One serving is about 510 g and carries 484 calories. Serve it with steamed rice and a spoonful of the sauce over everything.

Comfort & Warmth

Chicken braised in sweet soy sauce with warm spices, a comforting Javanese home favourite.

Pairs Well With
Steamed jasmine rice and a simple cucumber salad.

A plate of jachtschotel, Dutch hunter's casserole of stewed beef and potatoes with mashed potato and apple sauce

Netherlands 1h 10m

Dinner •Dutch Heritage

Jachtschotel

This jachtschotel recipe layers leftover roast beef simmered with onions and beef stock, soft mashed potato with butter and milk, and slices of tart Granny Smith apple, then bakes the whole dish under a crisp breadcrumb crust. One serving is about 530 g.

Comfort & Warmth

Layers of leftover roast beef, mashed potato and tart apple, baked under a golden breadcrumb crust.

Pairs Well With
Red cabbage and a glass of Dutch beer

High Protein

A white bowl of creamy pastinaaksoep, pale parsnip soup with chopped chives and a swirl of oil

Belgium 45m

Lunch •Belgian Heritage

Pastinaaksoep Recipe

This pastinaaksoep recipe turns sweet parsnips into a silky Belgian soup with potato, onion and a swirl of cream, finished with nutmeg and fresh chives. One serving is about 468 g and carries 368 calories. Serve it hot with crusty bread for a simple, warming lunch.

Comfort & Warmth

Sweet parsnips blended into a silky soup with potato, cream and nutmeg.

Pairs Well With
Crusty bread and a small green salad.

Soups & Broths

A whole pan-fried omble chevalier, golden Arctic char with potato salad, lemon and parsley on a white plate

Switzerland 35m

Dinner •Lake Geneva Heritage

Omble Chevalier Recipe

This omble chevalier recipe pan-fries whole Arctic char until the skin is crisp and golden, then finishes it with lemon butter and a splash of white wine. One serving is about 200 g and carries 392 calories. Serve it with potato salad and a green salad, the way the lakeside inns do.

Comfort & Warmth

Whole Arctic char pan-fried in butter until the skin is crisp, with lemon and white wine.

Pairs Well With
Potato salad, a green salad and a dry white wine.

A slice of German crumb cake with a thick golden streusel topping on an amber glass plate

Germany 2h 25m

Snack & Tea •Silesian Coffee-Time Classic

German Crumb Cake

This german crumb cake recipe makes the classic Streuselkuchen of Silesia: a soft, lightly sweet yeast dough baked flat on a tray under a deep layer of buttery crumbs. One serving is about 111 g — one square — with a tender, pull-apart crumb and a crisp, golden streusel top. The crumbs follow the old 1:1:2 ratio of sugar to butter to flour, and the cake is at its best still faintly warm with coffee.

Coffee-Time Comfort

A soft yeast cake with a thick buttery crumb topping, baked flat on a tray and cut into squares for afternoon coffee.

Pairs Well With
Hot coffee and a pot of tea

A glass bowl of serradura, layers of cream and crushed biscuit under a golden sawdust topping, with a spoon

Portugal 20m

Snack & Tea •Portuguese Sawdust Pudding

Serradura

This serradura recipe makes Portugal's sawdust pudding: layers of sweetened whipped cream and finely crushed Marie biscuits, chilled until set and served cold from the fridge. One serving is about 148 g — one small glass — with a cloud-soft cream layer and a golden, powdery biscuit crumb that looks like sawdust. There is no baking and no gelatine: the cream, the condensed milk and a long chill do all the work.

Sweet & Creamy

Chilled layers of whipped cream and crushed Marie biscuits, served cold from the fridge.

Pairs Well With
Espresso and a pot of tea

Moroccan fish balls poached in a spiced tomato and red pepper sauce, topped with fresh coriander, in a pan

Morocco 1h

Dinner •Moroccan Home Classic

Moroccan Fish Balls

This moroccan fish balls recipe shapes finely chopped white fish with chermoula herbs, egg and breadcrumbs into tender balls, then poaches them in a spiced tomato and red pepper sauce with preserved lemon. One serving is about 464 g — five fish balls in plenty of sauce — with soft, herby fish and a bright, warming sauce that is made for scooping up with bread.

Comfort & Warmth

White fish balls poached in a spiced tomato and pepper sauce, served hot from the pan with bread.

Pairs Well With
Warm khobz bread and couscous

High Protein

A glass jar of Lebanese-style pickled turnips dyed bright pink with beetroot in brine

Lebanon 40m

Snack & Tea •Lebanese Mezze Classic

Lebanese Pickles

Lebanese pickles, or mkhallal, are the bright pink, lip-puckering mixed pickles that sit on every Lebanese mezze table: turnips blushed pink with beetroot, crinkle-cut carrots, cauliflower, cucumber, garlic and green chillies, all kept crunchy in a sharp vinegar brine. They cut through rich shawarma, falafel and grilled meats like nothing else. One serving is about 159 g.

Crunchy & Tangy

Crisp pickled vegetables in a sharp vinegar brine, served in small spoonfuls alongside rich mezze dishes.

Pairs Well With
Shawarma, falafel, grilled meats and hummus.

Fermented / Gut Health

Argentine ham and cheese tart cut into slices on a wooden board, with a golden flaky pastry crust

Argentina 1h 10m

Lunch •Argentine Bakery Classic

Argentine Ham and Cheese Tart

Tarta de jamon y queso is the ham and cheese tart every Argentine bakery sells by the slice: a buttery homemade crust filled with diced cooked ham, melted mozzarella and a silky egg, cream and milk custard, baked until golden and just set. It is lunch, picnic food and late-night snack all in one, and it tastes best still warm from the oven. One serving is about 188 g.

Comfort & Warmth

A golden baked tart of ham, melted mozzarella and egg custard in buttery pastry.

Pairs Well With
Green salad, roasted tomatoes and a glass of red wine.

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

Albania

Algeria

Andorra

Angola

Antigua and Barbuda

Argentina

Armenia

Australia

Austria

Azerbaijan

Bahamas

Bahrain

Bangladesh

Barbados

Belarus

Belgium

Belize

Benin

Bhutan

Bolivia

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Botswana

Brazil

Brunei

Bulgaria

Burkina Faso

Burundi

Cabo Verde

Cambodia

Cameroon

Canada

Central African Republic

Chad

Chile

China

Colombia

Comoros

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Republic of the Congo

Costa Rica

Croatia

Cuba

Cyprus

Czechia

Côte d'Ivoire

Denmark

Djibouti

Dominica

Dominican Republic

Ecuador

Egypt

El Salvador

Equatorial Guinea

Eritrea

Estonia

Eswatini

Ethiopia

Fiji

Finland

France

Gabon

Gambia

Georgia

Germany

Ghana

Greece

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Guatemala

Guinea

Guinea-Bissau

Guyana

Haiti

Honduras

Hungary

Iceland

India

Indonesia

Iran

Iraq

Ireland

Israel

Italy

Jamaica

Japan

Jordan

Kazakhstan

Kenya

Kiribati

Kuwait

Kyrgyzstan

Laos

Latvia

Lebanon

Lesotho

Liberia

Libya

Liechtenstein

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Madagascar

Malawi

Malaysia

Maldives

Mali

Malta

Marshall Islands

Mauritania

Mauritius

Mexico

Micronesia

Moldova

Monaco

Mongolia

Montenegro

Morocco

Mozambique

Myanmar

Namibia

Nauru

Nepal

Netherlands

New Zealand

Nicaragua

Niger

Nigeria

North Korea

North Macedonia

Norway

Oman

Pakistan

Palau

Panama

Papua New Guinea

Paraguay

Peru

Philippines

Poland

Portugal

Qatar

Romania

Russia

Rwanda

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Lucia

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Samoa

San Marino

São Tomé and Príncipe

Saudi Arabia

Senegal

Serbia

Seychelles

Sierra Leone

Singapore

Slovakia

Slovenia

Solomon Islands

Somalia

South Africa

South Korea

South Sudan

Spain

Sri Lanka

Sudan

Suriname

Sweden

Switzerland

Syria

Tajikistan

Tanzania

Thailand

Timor-Leste

Togo

Tonga

Trinidad and Tobago

Tunisia

Turkey

Turkmenistan

Tuvalu

Uganda

Ukraine

United Arab Emirates

United Kingdom

United States

Uruguay

Uzbekistan

Vanuatu

Venezuela

Vietnam

Yemen

Zambia

Zimbabwe Browse all 193 countries →

Dinner Ideas by Category

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

Dinner Ideas by Meal

Breakfast Lunch Dinner Snack & Tea

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Mediterranean & Italy East & South Asia Latin America & Caribbean Middle Eastern Nordic & European African Heritage North America Oceania & Pacific

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.

Dinner Ideas from 193 Countries — What to Cook Tonight

What’s for Dinner TonightFeatured Dinner Recipes from 193 Countries

Find Dinner Ideas by Country

Dinner Ideas by Category

Dinner Ideas by Meal

Dinner Ideas by Region

The Dinner GazetteFresh Dinner Ideas from the Journal

What to Eat With What

Iron & Collagen Dynamics

Carotenoid Unlocking

Never wonder what’s for dinner again