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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What’s for Dinner TonightFeatured Dinner Recipes from 193 Countries

Showing 1885–1896 of 2290 dinner recipes

A white bowl of Nepalese gundruk sadeko, fermented greens tossed with tomato, red onion and green chilli

Nepal 35m

Lunch •Nepali Fermented Greens

Nepalese Gundruk

Fermented mustard and radish leaves, sun-dried for keeping, then soaked and tossed with tomato, red onion, green chilli and mustard oil into a tangy sadeko. One serving is about 125 g.

Tangy & Nourishing

Sun-wilted mustard and radish leaves, fermented until sour, then tossed as a bright sadeko salad.

Pairs Well With
Steamed rice, black lentil dal & pickled chilli

Fermented / Gut Health

A bowl of freshly made pol sambol, orange-red grated coconut relish with chilli and onion

Sri Lanka 15m

Lunch •Sri Lankan Table Staple

This pol sambol recipe pounds fresh grated coconut with red onion, chillies and lime into a fiery, fragrant relish — the small bowl that sits beside almost every Sri Lankan meal, ready to wake up rice, dhal and hoppers. One serving is about 92 g.

Fresh & Fiery

Fresh grated coconut pounded with chilli, onion and lime — a bright, fiery relish that wakes up rice and curry.

Pairs Well With
Steamed rice, dhal curry & papadum

A plate of morog polao, golden ghee rice with chicken pieces and crisp fried onions

Bangladesh 1h 25m

Dinner •Dhaka Wedding Classic

Morog Polao

This morog polao recipe steams fragrant basmati rice in ghee with mild-spiced chicken, milk and whole spices — a golden, gentle pilau that is lighter and softer than biryani, and the centrepiece of Bangladeshi weddings and Eid feasts. One serving is about 488 g.

Festive & Comforting

Ghee-rich basmati rice steamed with mild-spiced chicken — the gentle, fragrant pilau served at Bangladeshi weddings and Eid.

Pairs Well With
Cucumber raita, roast chicken & borhani

A bowl of Lao khao mee, flat rice noodles with sliced pork, long beans and herbs, with lime and chilli on the side

Laos 55m

Lunch •Vientiane Morning Noodles

Lao Khao Mee

This lao khao mee recipe makes Vientiane’s everyday noodle bowl: flat rice noodles tossed in a savoury pork sauce, then ladled with a light, clear pork broth — no coconut curry, just pork, bean sprouts, long beans and a pile of fresh herbs. One serving is about 475 g.

Warm & Satisfying

Flat rice noodles in a light, clear pork broth with bean sprouts, long beans and fresh herbs — Vientiane’s everyday noodle bowl.

Pairs Well With
Fresh herbs, lime & chilli oil

Pasta & Noodles

Cambodian ginger chicken stir-fry with golden ginger matchsticks and wood ear fungus, served with steamed rice and a fried egg

Cambodia 35m

Dinner •Khmer Home-Cooking Classic

Cambodian Ginger Chicken

This cambodian ginger chicken recipe is the Khmer home-cooking classic cha khnhei: boneless chicken thighs wok-fried with 100 g of fresh ginger cut into matchsticks, garlic, onion and wood ear fungus, then glazed with soy, fish and oyster sauces, palm sugar and plenty of black pepper. One serving is about 430 g. It is served the Cambodian way, over steamed jasmine rice with a crisp-edged fried egg and a scattering of holy basil.

Bold & Warming

Chicken wok-fried with a generous pile of fresh ginger, garlic and black pepper, finished with holy basil — a punchy, warming plate that comes together in about 35 minutes.

Pairs Well With
Steamed jasmine rice, a fried egg and a cold lime soda

High Protein • Quick Prep (<30m)

A blue bowl of Russian solyanka with sausage, green olives, a lemon slice, sour cream and parsley

Russia 1h 40m

Lunch •Russian Classic

Solyanka

Solyanka is a thick Russian soup built on beef stock, with stewed beef, smoked sausage and ham, sour pickles, olives, capers and a wedge of lemon in every bowl. A spoonful of sour cream and fresh dill finish it. One serving is about 550 g.

Comfort & Warmth

A thick, sour, savoury soup loaded with mixed meats, pickles, olives and lemon.

Pairs Well With
Dark rye bread, sour cream & fresh dill

Soups & Broths

A slice of Linzer torte with a hazelnut lattice top and red raspberry jam, served with fresh raspberries

Austria 1h 35m

Snack & Tea •Linz Classic

Linzer Torte

Linzer torte is Austria's famous nut tart: a crumbly hazelnut and cinnamon pastry filled with tart raspberry jam and finished with a woven lattice top. It keeps for days and tastes better on the second day. One slice is about 110 g.

Afternoon Treat

A spiced hazelnut shortcrust tart filled with raspberry jam and topped with a lattice.

Pairs Well With
Unsweetened whipped cream, black coffee & fresh raspberries

Two golden Ukrainian garlic pampushky with dill on a plate, one torn open to show the soft crumb

Ukraine 2h 5m

Lunch •Ukrainian Classic

Pampushky

Pampushky are soft Ukrainian yeast buns, baked until golden and brushed while hot with garlic, dill and melted butter. They are the classic partner for a bowl of borscht, torn open and dunked. One serving is two buns, about 148 g.

Comfort & Warmth

Soft baked buns brushed with garlic, dill and butter, made to go with borscht.

Pairs Well With
Ukrainian borscht, sour cream & a light salad

Two golden Romanian papanași doughnuts topped with sour cream, dark cherry jam and a small dough ball

Romania 45m

Snack & Tea •Romanian Classic

Papanași

Papanași are Romanian cottage cheese doughnuts, fried until golden and served warm with a spoonful of sour cream and sour cherry jam, the little dough ball perched on top. Crisp outside, soft and cheesy inside. One serving is about 327 g.

Sweet Finish

Fried cottage cheese doughnuts with sour cream and sour cherry jam.

Pairs Well With
Sour cream, sour cherry jam & strong black coffee

Badrijani nigvzit — golden fried eggplant rolls filled with walnut-garlic paste, topped with pomegranate seeds and coriander on a wooden board

Georgia 55m

Lunch •Georgian Supra Classic

Badrijani Nigvzit

Thin slices of fried eggplant rolled around a garlicky walnut paste, scattered with pomegranate seeds and fresh coriander. This badrijani recipe is a favourite of the Georgian supra feast: rich, herby and completely plant-based. One serving is about 200 g.

Fresh & Savoury

Eggplant and walnuts give this starter fibre and plant protein with no animal products at all.

Pairs Well With
Warm lavash, tomato and cucumber salad, and a glass of dry white wine

A white plate of Uzbek shivit oshi: vivid green dill noodles drizzled with white yogurt and topped with a golden beef, potato and vegetable stew

Uzbekistan 3h

Dinner •Khiva Heritage

Uzbek Shivit Oshi

This uzbek shivit oshi recipe comes from Khiva, in Uzbekistan's western Khorezm region: handmade noodles coloured a vivid green by fresh dill, served on a plate (never in soup) under a tomato-rich beef and vegetable stew called vaju, with a dollop of tangy yogurt. The green noodles, the dry plated form and the yogurt sauce are what set it apart from lagman, the plain-noodle dish it is often confused with. One serving is about 500 g.

Hearty & Warming

Bright green dill noodles under a slow-simmered beef and vegetable stew, finished with cool yogurt — a warming Khivan dinner.

Pairs Well With
Achik-chuchuk tomato and onion salad, warm non (flatbread) & green tea

Pasta & Noodles

Nepalese sekuwa — charcoal-grilled marinated meat chunks served on a leaf plate with puffed rice and pickled vegetables

Nepal 50m

Dinner •Nepalese Charcoal Grill

Nepalese Sekuwa

Cubes of chicken and goat marinated in smoked mustard oil, yogurt, garlic, ginger and timur pepper, then grilled over charcoal until smoky and charred at the edges. This nepalese sekuwa recipe is Nepal's answer to barbecue, best eaten hot off the skewer. One serving is about 200 g.

High-Protein Energy

Two grilled meats give this dinner about 49 g of protein per serving with no added sugar.

Pairs Well With
Beaten rice (chiura), pickled vegetables, and a cold lager or masala chiya

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

Albania

Algeria

Andorra

Angola

Antigua and Barbuda

Argentina

Armenia

Australia

Austria

Azerbaijan

Bahamas

Bahrain

Bangladesh

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Central African Republic

Chad

Chile

China

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Comoros

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Republic of the Congo

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Guinea-Bissau

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Iceland

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Iran

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Jamaica

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Laos

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Mali

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Niger

Nigeria

North Korea

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Norway

Oman

Pakistan

Palau

Panama

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Paraguay

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Poland

Portugal

Qatar

Romania

Russia

Rwanda

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Lucia

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Samoa

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São Tomé and Príncipe

Saudi Arabia

Senegal

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Sweden

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Syria

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Thailand

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Trinidad and Tobago

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Uzbekistan

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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)

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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.