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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Breakfast to Snack

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What’s for Dinner TonightFeatured Dinner Recipes from 193 Countries

Showing 1009–1020 of 2321 dinner recipes

A platter of virado a paulista with fried eggs, pork, sausages, rice, kale, beans and fried banana

Brazil 1h 20m

Dinner •São Paulo Classic

Virado a Paulista

Virado a paulista is São Paulo's great Monday platter: a mound of tutu — beans mashed with toasted cassava flour — beside white rice, a fried pork chop, sausage, a fried egg, garlicky kale and a breaded fried banana. Salty, sweet, crisp and soft, all on one plate. One serving is about 650 g.

Hearty & Filling

Tutu beans, rice, pork, sausage, fried egg, kale and banana on one platter.

Pairs Well With
Caipirinha, orange slices & farofa

A pot of Mexican caldo de albondigas with meatballs, zucchini and tomato-chipotle broth simmering on the stove

Mexico 1h 10m

Dinner •Mexican Home Cooking

Caldo de Albondigas

Tender beef-and-rice meatballs simmer in a smoky tomato and chipotle broth with potatoes, carrots and zucchini, finished with lime and fresh cilantro. This Mexican meatball soup recipe makes a full, warming bowl that eats like a meal on its own. One serving is about 750 g.

Comfort & Warmth

Beef meatballs with rice simmered in a smoky tomato-chipotle broth with potatoes, carrots and zucchini.

Pairs Well With
Warm corn tortillas, lime wedges & chopped cilantro

Soups & Broths • High Protein

Chicken cacciatore — braised chicken thighs in tomato and mushroom sauce with parsley, served over egg noodles

Italy 1h 15m

Dinner •Italian Hunter-Style Classic

Pollo alla Cacciatora

Chicken thighs are browned, then braised low and slow with tomatoes, sweet peppers, mushrooms and white wine until the meat falls off the bone and the sauce turns rich. This chicken cacciatore recipe is a one-pan Italian classic that tastes like it cooked all afternoon. One serving is about 410 g.

Hearty & Satisfying

Chicken thighs braised slowly with tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms and white wine until the sauce turns rich and silky.

Pairs Well With
Crusty bread, creamy polenta & a glass of Chianti

High Protein

Piperade cooking in a pan — red and green peppers, tomatoes and eggs

France 45m

Lunch •Basque Country Classic

Piperade

Sweet red and green peppers melt down with tomatoes and onion in olive oil, then eggs are folded in until just set and creamy. This piperade recipe is the sunny lunch of the French Basque Country — simple, colourful and ready in one pan. One serving is about 280 g.

Light & Bright

Sweet peppers and tomatoes cooked down in olive oil, then finished with softly scrambled eggs and Espelette pepper.

Pairs Well With
Crusty sourdough, Bayonne ham & a green salad

Migas de pastor frying in a pan — golden breadcrumbs with chorizo and paprika

Spain 40m

Lunch •Spanish Shepherds’ Classic

Migas

Stale bread is dampened, torn into crumbs and fried in olive oil with garlic, sweet paprika and chorizo until golden and crisp at the edges. This migas recipe is the shepherds’ classic of Spain — humble ingredients, big flavour, and grapes on the side. One serving is about 200 g.

Rustic & Filling

Day-old bread torn into crumbs and fried with garlic, paprika and chorizo until crisp at the edges, served with grapes.

Pairs Well With
Green grapes, a fried egg & a cold beer

A bowl of unagi don with glazed grilled eel over steamed rice, with tea, soup and pickles on a tray

Japan 35m

Dinner •Edo-Period Classic

Unagi Don

This unagi don recipe layers glossy kabayaki eel, brushed with a sweet-savoury soy tare, over a bowl of steaming short-grain rice. The eel is rich and caramelised at the edges, the rice carries just enough sauce, and a dusting of sansho pepper lifts the whole bowl. One serving is about 335 g.

Rich Comfort & Protein

Grilled freshwater eel glazed in sweet soy tare over steamed rice, with green onion and sansho pepper.

Pairs Well With
Miso soup, pickled ginger & green tea

High Protein

A plate of golden Thai fried chicken wings with sweet chilli dipping sauce, carrot and shredded cabbage

Thailand 1h 5m

Snack & Tea •Bangkok Street Snack

Thai Fried Chicken Wings

This thai fried chicken wings recipe marinates wings in fish sauce, garlic and white pepper, coats them in rice flour and fries them shatteringly crisp. The crust is light and glassy, the meat inside stays juicy, and the sweet chilli dip is the classic counterpoint. One serving is about 170 g.

Crispy Snack & Protein

Fish-sauce marinated wings in a light rice-flour crust, fried crisp and served with sweet chilli dip.

Pairs Well With
Sweet chilli dip, sticky rice & papaya salad

High Protein

Folded banh trang nuong on a tray, topped with egg, green onion and chilli sauce, with a pan of green onion oil beside it

Vietnam 30m

Snack & Tea •Dalat Street Snack

Banh Trang Nuong

This banh trang nuong recipe grills rice paper over a hot pan until crisp, then sets an egg, minced pork and dried shrimp on top. The base shatters like a cracker, the egg holds everything together, and the green onion and chilli sauce finish it. One serving is about 137 g.

Fun Snack & Quick Bite

Crisp grilled rice paper topped with egg, minced pork, dried shrimp and green onion — Dalat's famous street snack.

Pairs Well With
Iced tea, pickled vegetables & chilli sauce

A bowl of wonton soup with pork and shrimp wontons, bok choy, coriander and spring onion in a clear broth

China 50m

Dinner •Cantonese Classic

Wonton Soup

This wonton soup recipe folds pork and shrimp into delicate wrappers and simmers them in a clear ginger-chicken broth with bok choy, spring onion and coriander. One serving is about 559 g.

Comfort & Warmth

Pork-and-shrimp wontons in a clear ginger-chicken broth with leafy greens — the warming Cantonese classic.

Pairs Well With
Stir-fried greens, chilli oil and jasmine tea

Soups & Broths

A dark earthenware ttukbaegi pot filled with puffy pale-yellow steamed eggs topped with chopped green spring onions

South Korea 25m

Snack & Tea •Korean Banchan Heritage

Gyeran-jjim

This gyeran-jjim recipe makes the fluffy Korean steamed eggs served at barbecue restaurants: eggs beaten with water, seasoned with fish sauce, and cooked in a hot earthenware pot until they puff up like a souffle. One serving is about 149 g, a small bowl of soft, spoonable custard.

Light & Comforting

Beaten eggs steamed with water into a soft, puffy custard, seasoned with fish sauce and topped with spring onions.

Pairs Well With
Steamed rice and kimchi, or grilled meat at a barbecue table

Quick Prep (<30m)

Shredded slow-roasted lamb piled on flatbread with a mound of rice pilaf, roasted tomato, peppers and fries

Turkey 4h 50m

Dinner •Akşehir Heritage

Kuzu Tandir

This kuzu tandir recipe is slow-roasted Turkish lamb: a bone-in shoulder rubbed with garlic, olive oil and thyme, wrapped tight and cooked low for hours until the meat shreds with a fork. One serving is about 280 g of lamb with roasted potatoes, tomato and peppers.

Rich & Hearty

Bone-in lamb shoulder rubbed with garlic and thyme, sealed tight and slow-roasted for hours until it falls off the bone.

Pairs Well With
Warm flatbread, rice pilaf and raw onion salad

A golden-brown walnut cake in a white baking dish with one square cut out, showing its moist, nutty crumb

Greece 1h 10m

Snack & Tea •Greek Syrup-Cake Heritage

Karidopita

This karidopita recipe is the classic Greek walnut cake: ground walnuts and breadcrumbs whipped with eggs, baked golden, then soaked in a cinnamon and lemon syrup until it turns moist and fragrant. One serving is about 110 g, a generous square of syrup-soaked cake.

Sweet & Spiced

A moist walnut and breadcrumb sponge scented with cinnamon and cloves, baked in a tray and soaked in spiced syrup.

Pairs Well With
Greek coffee and a dollop of 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

Albania

Algeria

Andorra

Angola

Antigua and Barbuda

Argentina

Armenia

Australia

Austria

Azerbaijan

Bahamas

Bahrain

Bangladesh

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Belize

Benin

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Bolivia

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Botswana

Brazil

Brunei

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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

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Dominican Republic

Ecuador

Egypt

El Salvador

Equatorial Guinea

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Eswatini

Ethiopia

Fiji

Finland

France

Gabon

Gambia

Georgia

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Guatemala

Guinea

Guinea-Bissau

Guyana

Haiti

Honduras

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Iceland

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Indonesia

Iran

Iraq

Ireland

Israel

Italy

Jamaica

Japan

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Kiribati

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Kyrgyzstan

Laos

Latvia

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Lesotho

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Mali

Malta

Marshall Islands

Mauritania

Mauritius

Mexico

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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

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Slovakia

Slovenia

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Spain

Sri Lanka

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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)

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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