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 1117–1128 of 2321 dinner recipes

A slice of white Minas cheese topped with a thick layer of red guava paste

Brazil 5m

Snack & Tea •Minas Gerais Classic

Romeu e Julieta

This romeu e julieta recipe is just two ingredients: a slice of firm, ruby-red guava paste laid over a slice of mild queijo Minas frescal. The salt in the cheese makes the guava taste sweeter, and the guava makes the cheese taste creamier — a pairing Brazilians have loved for generations. One serving is about 101 g.

Sweet Afternoon Snack

Sweet guava paste laid over mild, milky Minas cheese — Brazil's most famous sweet-and-salty pairing, ready in five minutes.

Pairs Well With
Black coffee, guava juice & buttered toast

Quick Prep (<30m)

Two filled pambazo sandwiches in paper wrappers, potato and chorizo filling with shredded lettuce visible at the sides

Mexico 50m

Lunch •Mexico City Street Classic

Pambazo

This pambazo recipe dips soft telera rolls in a smoky guajillo chile sauce, fills them with potato and chorizo, and fries them until the outside turns brick-red and crisp. One serving is about 330 g.

Comfort & Warmth

A guajillo-dipped roll stuffed with potato and chorizo, fried crisp and piled with lettuce and cheese.

Pairs Well With
Shredded lettuce, tomato and a cold glass of agua fresca

A bowl of creamy seafood risotto with shrimp, mussels and squid, scattered with parsley

Italy 55m

Dinner •Venetian Seafood Classic

Seafood Risotto

This seafood risotto recipe — risotto ai frutti di mare — stirs Arborio rice slowly with hot fish stock and white wine, then folds in shrimp, mussels and squid at the last minute so they stay tender. One serving is about 500 g.

Comfort & Warmth

Arborio rice stirred slowly with seafood stock, white wine, shrimp, mussels and squid.

Pairs Well With
A green salad with lemon and a glass of dry white wine

A cherry clafoutis in a glass dish, golden and studded with dark cherries, with a slice cut

France 55m

Snack & Tea •Limousin Cherry Classic

Clafoutis

This clafoutis recipe bakes fresh cherries in a light, flan-like custard of eggs, milk, sugar and just enough flour to hold it together — puffed and golden from the oven, soft and creamy inside. One serving is about 165 g.

Comfort & Warmth

Fresh cherries baked in a light egg, milk and flour custard, dusted with sugar.

Pairs Well With
A spoonful of lightly whipped cream and a cup of tea

A close-up bowl of marmitako, chunks of tuna and potato in a golden paprika broth

Spain 55m

Dinner •Basque Fishermen's Classic

Marmitako

This marmitako recipe simmers fresh tuna and cracked potatoes in a smoky paprika, pepper and tomato stew — the one-pot meal Basque fishermen cooked aboard their boats. One serving is about 500 g.

Comfort & Warmth

Fresh tuna and potatoes simmered in a paprika and pepper stew from the Basque coast.

Pairs Well With
Crusty bread and a glass of Basque txakoli wine

Soups & Broths

A scoop of bright green matcha ice cream in a blue-patterned Japanese bowl with a spoon

Japan 45m

Snack & Tea •Japanese Tea Dessert

Matcha Ice Cream

This matcha ice cream recipe turns cream, milk, egg yolks and ceremonial-grade matcha into a smooth, pale-green scoop with a gentle bitter edge under the sweetness. One serving is about 120 g. This matcha ice cream recipe makes 8 servings in 45 minutes of active work, plus at least 4 hours in the freezer.

Cool & Creamy

A rich custard ice cream coloured and flavoured with real matcha green tea.

Pairs Well With
A pot of hot sencha or hojicha, and a few butter cookies.

Thai cucumber salad with cucumber chunks, red shallot and coriander in a white bowl

Thailand 20m

Lunch •Thai Street Food

Thai Cucumber Salad

This thai cucumber salad recipe is ajam: cool cucumber chunks and thin shallot in a sweet-sour rice vinegar dressing, finished with chilli, lime and crushed peanut. One serving is about 196 g. This thai cucumber salad recipe serves 4 in 20 minutes and works as a cooling side or a light lunch on its own.

Fresh & Light

Crisp cucumber in a sweet-sour vinegar dressing with shallot, chilli and peanut.

Pairs Well With
Chicken satay with peanut sauce, jasmine rice and a cold beer or iced tea.

Quick Prep (<30m)

Grilled eggplant flesh with scallion oil and chopped green onion on a plate

Vietnam 30m

Dinner •Vietnamese Home Cooking

Ca Tim Nuong

This ca tim nuong recipe grills whole Asian eggplants over high heat until the flesh turns smoky and soft, then splits them open and spoons over hot scallion oil, garlic and crushed peanut. One serving is about 188 g. This ca tim nuong recipe serves 4 in 30 minutes and works as a vegetable side or a light dinner with rice.

Smoky & Savoury

Whole eggplants grilled until soft, split open and spooned with hot scallion oil.

Pairs Well With
Steamed rice, a bowl of canh soup and grilled pork or tofu.

Three-cup chicken braised in a dark sauce with basil and onion in a clay pot

China 50m

Dinner •Jiangxi Braised Classic

Three-Cup Chicken

This three-cup chicken recipe is san bei ji: chicken thighs braised in the three cups of soy sauce, sesame oil and Shaoxing rice wine, with ginger, garlic, dried chilli and a big handful of Thai basil. One serving is about 240 g. This three-cup chicken recipe serves 4 in 50 minutes and is at its best with steamed rice.

Rich & Aromatic

Chicken braised in soy sauce, sesame oil and rice wine with ginger, garlic and basil.

Pairs Well With
Steamed jasmine rice and stir-fried greens.

High Protein

Stir-fried kimchi with pork in the centre of a plate, ringed with slices of soft white tofu

South Korea 30m

Dinner •Korean Anju Classic

Dubu Kimchi

This dubu kimchi recipe stirs well-fermented kimchi with pork belly until it turns glossy and deep red, then serves it hot over thick slices of soft simmered tofu. The cool, mild tofu tames the chilli heat, the pork adds richness, and the sour kimchi keeps every bite bright. One serving is about 225 g.

Spicy & Satisfying

Soft simmered tofu with hot, sour stir-fried kimchi and pork belly — Korea's classic anju, the food served with drinks.

Pairs Well With
Serve hot with steamed rice and a cold beer or makgeolli, the way it is eaten in Korean bars.

A white bowl of çoban salata — diced red tomato, cucumber and onion with parsley and a lemon wedge

Turkey 15m

Lunch •Turkish Table Classic

Coban Salata

This coban salata recipe is Turkey's shepherd's salad: tomatoes, cucumber, onion, green pepper and parsley chopped small, dressed with lemon juice, olive oil and a pinch of sumac. It is crisp, sharp and cooling, and it turns up on almost every Turkish table, beside kebabs, stews and grilled fish. One serving is about 218 g.

Fresh & Light

Chopped tomato, cucumber and onion with lemon, olive oil and sumac — the everyday salad of Turkey.

Pairs Well With
Serve with grilled meat, stews or fish — its sharp lemon dressing cuts through rich food.

Quick Prep (<30m)

Grilled sardine fillets with crisp golden skin, served with lemon and green leaves

Greece 30m

Lunch •Aegean Taverna Classic

Sardeles Psites

This sardeles psites recipe grills butterflied sardines over high heat until the skin is crisp and the flesh is just opaque, then spoons over ladolemono — lemon juice whisked with olive oil, garlic and oregano. It is the classic Greek taverna fish: simple, smoky and bright. One serving is about 145 g.

Light & Coastal

Butterflied sardines grilled crisp and dressed with lemon, olive oil and oregano — the classic fish of the Greek taverna.

Pairs Well With
Serve with a tomato salad, crusty bread and a cold drink — the lemon sauce ties it all together.

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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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

Djibouti

Dominica

Dominican Republic

Ecuador

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El Salvador

Equatorial Guinea

Eritrea

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Eswatini

Ethiopia

Fiji

Finland

France

Gabon

Gambia

Georgia

Germany

Ghana

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Guatemala

Guinea

Guinea-Bissau

Guyana

Haiti

Honduras

Hungary

Iceland

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Indonesia

Iran

Iraq

Ireland

Israel

Italy

Jamaica

Japan

Jordan

Kazakhstan

Kenya

Kiribati

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Kyrgyzstan

Laos

Latvia

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Liberia

Libya

Liechtenstein

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Luxembourg

Madagascar

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Maldives

Mali

Malta

Marshall Islands

Mauritania

Mauritius

Mexico

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Mongolia

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Mozambique

Myanmar

Namibia

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Netherlands

New Zealand

Nicaragua

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

Singapore

Slovakia

Slovenia

Solomon Islands

Somalia

South Africa

South Korea

South Sudan

Spain

Sri Lanka

Sudan

Suriname

Sweden

Switzerland

Syria

Tajikistan

Tanzania

Thailand

Timor-Leste

Togo

Tonga

Trinidad and Tobago

Tunisia

Turkey

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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