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 445–456 of 2290 dinner recipes

A mound of golden kačamak cornmeal porridge on a white plate, with a bowl of sour milk and a slab of white cheese on a wooden board

Montenegro 1h

Dinner •Montenegrin National Dish

Montenegrin Kačamak

Montenegrin kačamak is a soft, creamy porridge made by stirring fine cornmeal into mashed boiled potatoes, then beating in butter, milk, sour cream and crumbled feta until it turns smooth and rich. Unlike the stiff maize porridges of southern Africa, which are sliced and eaten by hand, kačamak is soft enough to eat with a spoon, straight from the bowl. One serving is about 415 g.

Comfort & Warmth

A soft, spoon-eaten porridge of cornmeal and potato, enriched with butter and crumbled white cheese for a rich, warming dinner.

Pairs Well With
Serve with a bowl of cold sour milk, a cucumber and tomato salad, and extra crumbled white cheese on the side.

Thin slices of Njeguški pršut on a tray beside a slice of bread spread with kajmak, held in a hand

Montenegro 30m

Lunch •Njeguši Classic

Njeguški Pršut

Njeguški pršut is Montenegro's famous dry-cured ham from the mountain village of Njeguši: a pork leg salted with sea salt, pressed flat, lightly smoked over beechwood and left to mature in the mountain air for about a year. This njeguski prsut recipe is the home part of that story — how to choose a good piece, trim it, slice it paper-thin and serve it the Montenegrin way, with Njeguši cheese, kajmak and warm crusty bread. One serving is about 206 g.

Sharing & Savouring

A sliced cured-ham plate built for sharing: salty, smoky pršut with cheese, kajmak and crusty bread, eaten slowly at the table.

Pairs Well With
Serve the sliced ham with Njeguši cheese, kajmak, warm crusty bread and a glass of Vranac red wine.

High Protein

A steaming black pot of opened mussels in white wine broth, sprinkled with chopped parsley and garlic

Montenegro 32m

Dinner •Montenegrin Coastal Classic

Montenegrin Buzara

Montenegrin buzara is a pot of fresh mussels steamed in white wine with garlic, olive oil and parsley, finished with breadcrumbs and lemon. The mussels open in the fragrant broth, and that broth is the best part — soak it up with crusty bread. One serving is about 565 g.

Light & Fresh

Fresh mussels steamed in white wine, garlic and parsley — a light, briny Adriatic dinner with crusty bread for the broth.

Pairs Well With
Serve with crusty bread for the broth and a glass of the same dry white wine.

A bowl of mohinga — rice noodles in thick golden fish broth with a halved boiled egg, fresh cilantro and chilli flakes, chopsticks resting on the bowl

Myanmar 1h 45m

Breakfast •Myanmar National Dish

Mohinga

This mohinga recipe simmers catfish with lemongrass, ginger and turmeric into a fragrant broth, then thickens it with toasted chickpea and rice flour until it coats the spoon. It is ladled over soft rice vermicelli with flaked fish, tender banana stem, a halved boiled egg, crisp fried shallots, cilantro and lime. One serving is about 600 g, broth, noodles and toppings together.

Warm & Comforting

A thick, lemongrass-scented catfish broth ladled over rice noodles with egg, herbs and lime — Myanmar's classic breakfast bowl.

Pairs Well With
Fried shallots, fresh herbs, lime wedges and chilli flakes at the table.

Soups & Broths • Pasta & Noodles

A bowl of Shan noodles — rice noodles tossed in tomato sauce with pickled mustard greens, crushed peanuts, spring onions, coriander and tofu

Myanmar 50m

Lunch •Shan State Classic

Shan Noodles

This shan noodles recipe is Shan State's beloved bowl: soft rice noodles topped with a rich tomato chicken sauce, then finished with pickled mustard greens, crushed peanuts, spring onions and fresh coriander. The sauce is tangy and savoury rather than creamy, and every bowl is seasoned to taste at the table with soy sauce, chilli oil and lime. One serving is about 570 g.

Comfort & Warmth

Warm rice noodles in a tangy tomato chicken sauce with crunchy pickled greens and peanuts — a comforting Shan lunch.

Pairs Well With
Light chicken broth, pickled mustard greens & green tea

Pasta & Noodles

Lahpet thoke — Burmese fermented tea leaf salad with peanuts, sesame seeds, tomato, chilli and lime on a plate

Myanmar 30m

Snack & Tea •Burmese National Dish

Lahpet Thoke

This lahpet thoke recipe is Myanmar's most distinctive snack: dark, tangy fermented tea leaves tossed by hand with shredded cabbage, tomato, roasted peanuts, toasted sesame, fried garlic and crisp yellow split peas, then dressed with lime juice, soy sauce and sesame oil. It is sour, salty, crunchy and fresh all at once, and it comes together in 30 minutes with only a few minutes of frying. One serving is about 178 g.

Tangy & Crunchy

Fermented tea leaves tossed with crunchy peanuts, sesame and fresh vegetables — a sour, savoury Burmese snack that is eaten, not drunk.

Pairs Well With
Hot green tea & steamed rice

Fermented / Gut Health

Coconut-crusted fish fillet with a golden shredded coconut coating, served with broccoli and baby carrots

Nauru 32m

Dinner •Nauru's National Dish

Nauruan Coconut Fish

This nauru coconut fish recipe starts with cod fillets soaked briefly in lime juice, salt and pepper, then rolled in rice flour, egg and grated coconut and fried until the crust turns golden and crisp. It is the dish Nauru is best known for — just two island staples, fish and coconut, cooked simply and served hot with lime wedges. One serving is about 310 g.

Crispy Comfort

White fish fillets marinated in lime, coated in grated coconut and fried crisp — high in protein and full of island flavour.

Pairs Well With
Sweet potato fries and lime wedges, with cold coconut water

High Protein

A molded dome of coconut rice served on a banana leaf with a slice of avocado

Nauru 45m

Dinner •Nauru Island Staple

Nauruan Coconut Rice

This nauru coconut rice recipe simmers long-grain rice in creamy coconut milk with just salt and water until every grain is tender, fragrant and lightly rich. It is the plain rice itself, served as a staple beside grilled fish all over Nauru — not the Malaysian nasi lemak plate, which builds a whole meal of sambal, anchovies, peanuts and egg around its coconut rice. One serving is about 213 g.

Simple & Satisfying

Plain long-grain rice simmered in coconut milk — a filling, plant-based staple that anchors a Nauruan dinner.

Pairs Well With
Grilled fish or coconut fish, with lime wedges and a crisp cucumber salad

Grilled tuna steak with dark grill marks on a patterned plate with green salad

Nauru 30m

Dinner •Nauru Island Catch

Nauruan Grilled Tuna

This nauru grilled tuna recipe is the everyday cooking of the world's smallest island nation: thick yellowfin steaks, caught the same day, marinated briefly in fresh lime juice, garlic and a little soy sauce, then grilled over high heat until the outside is charred and the centre is just cooked. The lime keeps the rich fish bright, and the whole plate comes together with almost nothing else. One serving is about 221 g.

Fresh & Filling

Fresh-caught yellowfin tuna steaks marinated in lime and garlic, then grilled over high heat — lean, high in protein and ready in half an hour.

Pairs Well With
Coconut rice or steamed rice, with lime wedges and a cold drink

High Protein

Nepalese momo — steamed chicken dumplings on a steel plate with a bowl of red chilli achar

Nepal 1h 25m

Dinner •Nepalese Street-Food Favourite

Nepalese Momo

This nepalese momo recipe wraps spiced ground chicken, onion, cabbage, ginger and coriander in paper-thin wrappers, steams the little pleated dumplings until juicy, and serves them hot with a fiery tomato-sesame achar. One serving is about 410 g.

Comfort & Warmth

Small steamed dumplings filled with spiced chicken, served hot with a fiery tomato-sesame achar.

Pairs Well With
Tomato-sesame achar, cucumber salad, hot masala chiya

High Protein

Nepali dal bhat on a brass thali — a mound of white rice with bowls of yellow dal, vegetable tarkari, saag greens, yogurt and papad, with fresh fruit

Nepal 1h 5m

Dinner •Nepal's National Dish

Dal Bhat

This dal bhat recipe is Nepal's everyday dinner plate: a mound of steamed basmati rice with a bowl of golden lentil dal, potato and cauliflower tarkari, wilted spinach saag, cool yogurt and a crisp papad, all served together on one plate. The dal is finished with a sizzling tempering of cumin, garlic and ginger in ghee, and a squeeze of lemon wakes the whole plate up. One serving is about 610 g.

Everyday Comfort

Steamed rice with soft lentils, vegetable tarkari, saag, yogurt and papad — Nepal's everyday dinner plate.

Pairs Well With
Tomato achar, cucumber salad & masala chiya

A pile of golden-brown sel roti — crisp ring-shaped Nepali rice doughnuts

Nepal 1h 5m

Snack & Tea •Nepal Festival Classic

Sel Roti

This sel roti recipe makes Nepal's beloved ring-shaped rice doughnuts: a sweet batter of soaked rice, banana, sugar and cardamom, poured in a circle into hot oil and fried until crisp outside and soft inside. The rings are best eaten warm, pulled apart by hand, with a cup of milky chiya. One serving is about 115 g (2 rings).

Festive Sweet Snack

A sweet, crisp-edged ring to share with tea at festivals and family gatherings.

Pairs Well With
Milky chiya, aloo achar & plain yoghurt

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

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Armenia

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Bahamas

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Central African Republic

Chad

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China

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Democratic Republic of the Congo

Republic of the Congo

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Niger

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North Korea

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Portugal

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Russia

Rwanda

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Saint Lucia

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São Tomé and Príncipe

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Senegal

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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.

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