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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What’s for Dinner TonightFeatured Dinner Recipes from 193 Countries

Showing 337–348 of 2290 dinner recipes

A plate of ropa vieja, shredded beef in tomato sauce, with yellow rice, black beans and fried plantains

Cuba 3h

Dinner •Cuba's National Dish

Ropa Vieja

This ropa vieja recipe braises flank steak low and slow until it falls into long shreds, then simmers it in a tomato, pepper and olive sauce. One serving is about 310 g. Serve it over white rice with black beans and fried plantains, the way Cuban families do.

Comfort & Warmth

Slow-braised shredded beef in a tomato and pepper sauce, served with rice and black beans.

Pairs Well With
White rice, black beans and fried plantains

High Protein

A pressed Cuban sandwich cut in half, with melted Swiss cheese and layers of ham and pork, served with pickle spears

Cuba 25m

Lunch •Havana Classic

Cuban Sandwich

This cuban sandwich recipe layers mojo roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard on Cuban bread, then presses it flat until the crust crackles and the cheese melts. One serving is about 345 g. It is a great use for leftover roast pork and comes together in 25 minutes.

Comfort & Warmth

A pressed sandwich of roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard on Cuban bread.

Pairs Well With
Plantain chips and a cold lager or lime soda

A plate of dark moros y cristianos rice cooked with black beans, served with slices of roast pork and golden fried plantains

Cuba 1h 30m

Lunch •Cuban Heritage

Moros y Cristianos

This moros y cristianos recipe cooks Cuban black beans and rice together in one pot: dried black beans simmered until tender, then long-grain rice cooked in the dark bean liquid with a sofrito of onion, green pepper and garlic, cumin, oregano and bay leaf. The grains come out dark, fragrant and fluffy, never pale or plain. One serving is about 272 g.

Comfort & Warmth

Cuban black beans and white rice cooked together in one pot with sofrito, cumin, oregano and bay leaf, until the grains turn dark.

Pairs Well With
Roast pork or ropa vieja with fried sweet plantains and a crisp cabbage salad, the classic Cuban plate.

Skewers of marinated pork cubes grilling over charcoal on a barbecue

Cyprus 1h 35m

Dinner •Cyprus Street-Food Heritage

Cypriot Souvlaki

This cypriot souvlaki recipe is the pork-skewer classic of Cyprus: cubes of pork shoulder marinated in lemon, olive oil, garlic and oregano, grilled over charcoal until charred at the edges, then tucked into a warm pitta pocket with tomato, onion, cucumber, shredded cabbage and parsley. One serving is about 450 g.

Charcoal-Grilled Pork in Pitta

Marinated pork cubes grilled on skewers and served in a warm pitta with fresh salad — a smoky, high-protein Cypriot dinner.

Pairs Well With
Warm pitta, chopped salad & lemon wedges

High Protein

Grilled sheftalia sausages on a plate with shredded cabbage, tomato, onion and lemon

Cyprus 1h 25m

Dinner •Cypriot Taverna Heritage

Cypriot Sheftalia

This sheftalia recipe makes the Cypriot sausage with no casing at all: seasoned minced pork mixed with onion, parsley and black pepper, rolled into short sausages and wrapped in a single layer of caul fat, then grilled over charcoal until the fat renders and the outside turns crisp and golden. One serving is about 410 g.

Caul-Fat-Wrapped Pork Sausages

Seasoned minced pork rolled into short sausages, wrapped in caul fat and grilled over charcoal — a rich, juicy Cypriot dinner with no sausage casing.

Pairs Well With
Warm pitta, fresh salad & lemon wedges

High Protein

Golden-brown grilled halloumi slices sprinkled with chopped herbs

Cyprus 20m

Snack & Tea •Cyprus Cheese Heritage

Grilled Halloumi

This grilled halloumi recipe is Cyprus in its simplest form: thick slices of the island's famous squeaky cheese, brushed with olive oil and seared on a hot grill until golden and crisp outside and soft inside, then finished with lemon, honey and fresh mint. One serving is about 220 g.

Golden Grilled Cheese Snack

Thick slices of Cyprus cheese seared golden on the grill with lemon, honey and mint — a fast, salty, squeaky snack.

Pairs Well With
Tomato and cucumber salad & lemon wedges

Quick Prep (<30m)

A bowl of green Dominica callaloo soup with scotch bonnet peppers beside it

Dominica 1h 5m

Lunch •Dominican National Dish

Dominica Callaloo Soup

This dominica callaloo soup recipe turns dasheen leaves, okra and coconut milk into a smooth, creamy green soup, with soft pumpkin and cornmeal dumplings simmered in the pot. The leaves are cooked until tender, then blended lightly so the soup stays thick but still shows flecks of green, and a whole scotch bonnet gives gentle warmth without fiery heat. One serving is about 410 g.

Comfort & Warmth

Creamy coconut-milk soup of dasheen leaves, okra and pumpkin, with soft cornmeal dumplings — a warming, leafy-green bowl from Dominica.

Pairs Well With
Fried bakes, avocado & hot pepper sauce

Soups & Broths

Dominica 50m

Breakfast •Dominican Breakfast Classic

Dominica Bakes and Saltfish

This dominica bakes and saltfish recipe makes the breakfast Dominica wakes up to: golden, puffy fried bakes split open and filled with saltfish sauteed with onion, tomato and sweet pepper. The dough is soft and lightly sweet, the saltfish is soaked and boiled first so it is savoury rather than harshly salty, and a squeeze of lime brightens the whole plate. One serving is about 440 g.

Hearty Island Breakfast

Golden fried bakes with savoury sauteed saltfish — the filling breakfast Dominica wakes up to.

Pairs Well With
Avocado, cucumber salad & cocoa tea

A plate of Dominica pelau with brown rice, chicken and pigeon peas

Dominica 1h 25m

Dinner •Dominican One-Pot Classic

Dominica Pelau

This dominica pelau recipe starts with the step that defines the dish: brown sugar melted to a deep amber caramel, then chicken browned in it until every piece is glossy and dark. Rice, pigeon peas, coconut milk and vegetables cook in the same pot, so the rice soaks up the caramel, the chicken juices and the coconut. One serving is about 490 g.

One-Pot Celebration

Chicken, rice and pigeon peas cooked together in a caramelised-sugar base — Dominica's one-pot family dinner.

Pairs Well With
Coleslaw, fried plantain & sorrel

A bowl of Dominican sancocho stew with meat and a round of corn, served with white rice and a lime wedge

Dominican Republic 3h 15m

Dinner •Dominican Heritage

Sancocho Dominicano

This sancocho dominicano recipe simmers beef, pork ribs, chicken and longaniza sausage together with yuca, yautía, ñame, green plantain, pumpkin and corn until the broth turns thick and golden. The yautía slowly melts into the pot and gives the soup its signature body, while a squeeze of lime at the table brightens every spoonful. One serving is about 560 g.

Comfort & Warmth

A thick, slow-simmered celebration stew of mixed meats and starchy root vegetables, served hot in deep bowls with white rice on the side.

Pairs Well With
White rice, ripe avocado & lime wedges

Soups & Broths

A La Bandera Dominicana plate with white rice, braised meat topped with pickled red onions, tomato and lettuce salad, with a cup of bean stew and tostones beside it

Dominican Republic 1h 30m

Lunch •Dominican Republic's National Lunch Plate

La Bandera Dominicana

This la bandera dominicana recipe makes the Dominican Republic's national lunch: a mound of white rice (arroz blanco) next to red beans stewed with squash (habichuelas guisadas) and chicken braised in sofrito and tomato (pollo guisado), with crisp twice-fried green plantains (tostones) and a fresh tomato and lettuce salad. The name means 'the flag', because the white rice, red beans and meat echo the colours of the Dominican flag. One serving is about 695 g.

Hearty & Satisfying

White rice, stewed red beans, braised chicken, tostones and salad on one plate — the lunch the Dominican Republic eats every day.

Pairs Well With
A tall glass of morir soñando, the Dominican orange-and-milk drink

A bowl of smooth mashed green plantain (mangú) in a white bowl

Dominican Republic 40m

Breakfast •Dominican Breakfast Classic

Mangú Dominicano

Green plantains are boiled until tender, then mashed silky-smooth with butter and a little of their own cooking water, and finished with a tangle of red onions softened in vinegar and oil. It is the Dominican Republic's national breakfast dish, mild, starchy and comforting, with the sharp onions doing all the talking. One serving is about 280 g.

Hearty Breakfast Energy

Boiled green plantains mashed with butter and topped with tangy sautéed onions for a filling, slow-burning start to the day.

Pairs Well With
Sautéed red onions, fried eggs, fried cheese and fried Dominican salami (Los Tres Golpes)

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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Andorra

Angola

Antigua and Barbuda

Argentina

Armenia

Australia

Austria

Azerbaijan

Bahamas

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Botswana

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Cameroon

Canada

Central African Republic

Chad

Chile

China

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Comoros

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Republic of the Congo

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Ireland

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Italy

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North Korea

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Portugal

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Russia

Rwanda

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Lucia

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Samoa

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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.

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