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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4 Slots

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 1837–1848 of 2290 dinner recipes

Fried fish covered in creamy orange seafood sauce with squid rings and mussels, served with white rice

Peru 45m

Dinner •Peruvian Heritage

Pescado a lo Macho

This pescado a lo macho recipe fries white fish fillets until golden, then blankets them in a spicy, creamy seafood sauce of prawns, mussels and squid with tomato and aji amarillo. It takes 45 minutes, serves 4, and the sauce — not the fish alone — is what makes the dish. One serving is about 438 g of fish and sauce (rice served separately is not counted).

Coastal Seafood Feast

Golden fried fish under a spicy, creamy sauce of prawns, mussels and squid — the bold classic of Peru's coast.

Pairs Well With
White rice, tomato and onion salad, lime wedges, and a cold beer

Golden kuih kapit love-letter rolls stacked on a white plate against a plain grey background

Malaysia 1h

Snack & Tea •Chinese New Year Classic

Kuih Kapit

Kuih kapit, also called love letters, are wafer-thin rolls made from a batter of eggs, sugar, coconut milk and rice flour, baked until golden and rolled around a chopstick while still hot so they set crisp. This kuih kapit recipe makes 24 rolls. One serving (four rolls) is about 84 g.

Crisp & Sweet

Paper-thin coconut wafers, baked golden and rolled while hot — a crisp, sweet Malaysian festive snack.

Pairs Well With
Hot jasmine tea or kopi-o (Malaysian black coffee).

Whole deep-fried catfish with red sambal, fried tempeh, cabbage, cucumber and basil on a patterned plate

Indonesia 55m

Dinner •Lamongan Heritage

Pecel Lele

This pecel lele recipe starts with whole catfish rubbed in a turmeric, garlic and coriander marinade, then fried until the skin is dark, crisp and crackling. It is served with a pounded sambal terasi of chillies, shallots, tomato and shrimp paste, plus fried tempeh and a pile of fresh lalapan vegetables. One serving is about 300 g.

Bold & Satisfying

Crisp deep-fried catfish with fiery sambal terasi, fried tempeh and fresh raw vegetables, served the Javanese street-stall way.

Pairs Well With
Steamed jasmine rice, fried tempeh, lalapan (cabbage, cucumber, basil, long beans) and sambal terasi.

Three bokkenpootjes, almond meringue biscuits dipped in dark chocolate at both ends, on a blue-patterned plate

Netherlands 55m

Snack & Tea •North Holland Heritage

Bokkenpootjes

This bokkenpootjes recipe pipes almond meringue into long, slim logs, bakes them until crisp outside and chewy inside, then sandwiches two together with vanilla buttercream and dips both ends in dark chocolate. The name means 'goat's feet', for the shape of the finished biscuit. One serving is about 70 g.

Sweet & Comforting

Crisp almond meringue biscuits sandwiched with vanilla buttercream and dipped in dark chocolate — a Dutch bakery classic.

Pairs Well With
Strong black coffee, cold milk and a bowl of fresh berries.

Pan-fried cod fillets with creamy sauce over mashed potato on a white plate

Belgium 45m

Dinner •Belgian Coast Heritage

Kabeljauw met Witte Saus

This kabeljauw met witte saus recipe poaches thick cod fillets gently in a silky white sauce of butter, flour, milk and cream, sharpened with a little mustard and lemon. It is served the Belgian coastal way, with boiled potatoes and a shower of parsley. One serving is about 390 g.

Gentle & Comforting

Thick cod fillets poached gently in a silky white sauce, served with boiled potatoes the Belgian coastal way.

Pairs Well With
Boiled potatoes, a green salad and a glass of dry white wine.

Macaroni topped with a rich minced beef tomato sauce and a basil leaf on a patterned plate

Switzerland 55m

Dinner •Swiss Family Heritage

Hörnli mit Gehacktem

This hörnli mit gehacktem recipe simmers lean beef mince with onion, carrot, celery, tomato paste, red wine and herbs into a rich, dark sauce, then spoons it generously over elbow macaroni and finishes it with grated Gruyère. A spoonful of applesauce on the side is the classic Swiss touch. One serving is about 500 g.

Hearty & Satisfying

Elbow macaroni topped with a slow-simmered beef mince sauce and Gruyère, with applesauce on the side — a Swiss family classic.

Pairs Well With
A green salad, crusty bread and a glass of dry red wine.

Pasta & Noodles

A Frankfurter Kranz crown cake with buttercream swirls, red cherries and golden krokant, with one slice cut showing the sponge layers

Germany 2h 35m

Snack & Tea •Frankfurt Crown-Cake Classic

Frankfurter Kranz

This frankfurter kranz recipe bakes Frankfurt's crown cake: three layers of airy egg sponge filled with vanilla buttercream and tart redcurrant jam, then coated in more buttercream and golden krokant, with cherries like rubies on top. One serving is about 170 g and carries 571 calories. It is a celebration cake, made for birthdays and holidays, and it tastes best the day it is made.

Celebration & Comfort

A ring of light sponge layered with vanilla buttercream and redcurrant jam, crowned with crunchy caramelised hazelnut krokant.

Pairs Well With
Black coffee or a glass of Sekt, with the cake served in thin slices.

Golden fios de ovos egg threads piled in a nest on a glass plate, bright yellow and glistening with syrup

Portugal 45m

Snack & Tea •Portuguese Convent Sweet

Fios de Ovos

This fios de ovos recipe turns egg yolks and sugar syrup into glistening golden threads: the yolks are drizzled through a funnel into simmering syrup, where they set in seconds. One serving is about 70 g and carries 230 calories. It is the classic Portuguese convent sweet, eaten on its own or piled over cakes and puddings.

Sweet & Golden

Golden threads of egg yolk poached in sugar syrup — the convent sweet that crowns Portuguese cakes and puddings.

Pairs Well With
Black coffee or a glass of port, with the threads served cold.

Shaved fennel and orange segments with green microherbs on a white plate

Morocco 20m

Lunch •Moroccan Citrus Salad

Moroccan Fennel and Orange Salad

This moroccan fennel and orange salad recipe pairs shaved fennel with sweet orange segments, salty black olives and fresh mint, dressed with olive oil, lemon and a whisper of cinnamon. One serving is about 245 g and carries 189 calories. It is the bright, crunchy salad Moroccans serve beside tagines and grilled fish.

Fresh & Light

Shaved fennel and sweet oranges with olives, mint and a lemon dressing — a crisp Moroccan salad that wakes up the palate.

Pairs Well With
Mint tea or sparkling water, served cold beside a tagine or grilled fish.

A whole salted feseekh mullet on a white plate, silvery-grey with a golden-brown sheen

Egypt 1h 15m

Lunch •Sham el-Nessim Salted Fish

Egyptian Feseekh

This egyptian feseekh recipe serves salted fermented mullet the Sham el-Nessim way: the fish is bought ready-made from a licensed fassakhani, cleaned, soaked and rinsed, then served cold with lemon, red onion and baladi bread. One serving is about 275 g and carries 447 calories. Read the safety note first: badly prepared feseekh can cause botulism, so never ferment it at home and buy only from a licensed, trusted vendor.

Festival & Tradition

Salted, fermented mullet served cold with lemon, onion and bread for Sham el-Nessim — Egypt's spring festival fish.

Pairs Well With
Baladi bread, green onions and lemon, eaten outdoors with the Sham el-Nessim spread.

Fermented / Gut Health

Golden grilled chicken wings on a charcoal grill, charred at the edges over glowing coals

Lebanon 1h 5m

Lunch •Beirut Grill Classic

Lebanese Chicken Wings

This lebanese chicken wings recipe marinates wings in garlic, lemon, olive oil and sumac, then grills them over charcoal until the skin is crisp and charred at the edges and the meat stays juicy. The marinade is the whole point: bright, garlicky and savoury, with no heavy sauce to hide behind. One serving is about 130 g, three wings.

Grilled & High-Protein

Charcoal-grilled wings in a garlic and lemon marinade, the Lebanese grill snack served with bread and toum.

Pairs Well With
Warm pita, toum garlic sauce and a chopped tomato-cucumber salad.

High Protein

A glass of cold shrimp with a lemon wedge and a small cup of red cocktail sauce on a white plate

Argentina 30m

Lunch •Mar del Plata Coastal Classic

Argentine Shrimp Cocktail

This argentine shrimp cocktail recipe poaches shrimp until just pink, chills them on ice, and folds them through salsa golf, the creamy pink sauce of ketchup and mayonnaise that was invented in Argentina. Avocado, celery and lettuce keep it fresh and light. One serving is about 245 g, one filled glass.

Light & Coastal

Cold poached shrimp in salsa golf — the pink ketchup-and-mayonnaise sauce invented in Argentina — served in glasses with avocado and lettuce.

Pairs Well With
Crusty bread, a crisp white wine and a simple green salad.

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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Angola

Antigua and Barbuda

Argentina

Armenia

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Central African Republic

Chad

Chile

China

Colombia

Comoros

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Republic of the Congo

Costa Rica

Croatia

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Dominican Republic

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Fiji

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Gabon

Gambia

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Guinea-Bissau

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Iceland

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Ireland

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Italy

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Japan

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Laos

Latvia

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Mali

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Netherlands

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Niger

Nigeria

North Korea

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Portugal

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Trinidad and Tobago

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Yemen

Zambia

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.