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101+ Traditional Foods From Around The World: Recipes for Best Dishes

Welcome to The Storied Recipe, a community that harnesses the power of food to tell stories, preserve cultural heritage, and remember those that loved us through their cooking.

Authentic Recipes Cherished by My Podcast Guests

Every recipe came from a podcast guest. These traditional recipes carry reminders of large celebrations, the fresh seasonal ingredients of home, and family legacies of love and resilience. If you're looking for the most delicious and culturally diverse dishes from around the world, you've come to the right place.

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Don't Skip the Stories!

As you try these recipes, tune into The Storied Recipe Podcast to hear the stories, memories, and heritage related to them.

Each recipe will contain a link to its related episode.

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Africa

Dessert from South Africa, a popular street food (made at home) from Ghana, the national dish of Nigeria (and its cousin from the Ivory Coast) and more.

My guests used authentic dishes to educate us on their own local foods (like tiny Kabalagala bananas!) and both the traditional way and more modern way of preparing them. In the podcast episodes related to these recipes, we also discussed the cultural influences that altered the flavors of these dishes and their meaning to religious ceremonies.  

  • South African Peppermint Crisp Tart
  • Ugandan Cassava Flour Pancakes interspersed with Kabalagala bananas
    Kabalagala: Vegan Banana & Cassava Flour Pancakes from Uganda
  • warm shot of lentil quinoa pilau in bowl with cinnamon stick over
    How To Make Easy Vegan Pilau
  • plate of somalian isku dhex karis garnished with bananas, greens, and bright orange chili peppers
    Isku Dhex Karis {Somali Rice Dish}
  • small brown wooden bowls and woven black and white african bowls hold Nigerian jollof rice
    Nigerian Jollof Rice Recipe
  • small bowl of red riz au gras garnished with thinly sliced zucchini over traditional ghanaian cloth
    Riz au Gras (also known as Jollof Rice)
  • overflowing bowl of golden kelewele - spicy fried plantain chunks - garnished with boiled peanuts
    Ghanaian Kelewele: Best Spicy Fried Plantain Recipe

Appalachia (United States)

  • appalachian kilt lettuce of bacon grease over wilted greens on plate garnished with with purple chives
    Kilt Lettuce Appalachian Salad

British

From a simple dish of Irish Stew featuring cheap and plentiful root vegetables to classic sweet and savory puddings, this category represents some of the very best traditional food from the United Kingdom. (But no Black Pudding recipe, sorry! If you want to share one, get in touch with me about being a guest on The Storied Recipe Podcast.)  

  • square cropped "star shot" of stack of rich buttery English toffee studded with almonds and covered with toasted pecans
    Chocolate Covered Rich Buttery Toffee
  • simple comforting bowl of 4 ingredient slow cooked irish beef stew in a large blue bowl styled over thick and cozy sweater
    Slow Cooked Irish Beef Stew (Crock Pot or Hob/Stove Top)
  • The Clifton House "Tunisian Cake" with Orange and Almond
  • 2 individual steak and kidney puddings sit on a blue plate with bite taken out of one showing steak and gravy
    (Individual) Steak and Kidney Pudding Recipe + Your Pudding Questions Answered!
  • tray of lovely cottage pies with greenery, bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary
    Guinness Shepherd's Pie (Lamb) OR Cottage Pie (Beef)
  • golden spirals of soft dough filled with basil pesto fill a pie plate over cutting board
    Pesto Rolls
  • Devon lemon strawberry jam drips out of a classic English scone garnished with whole strawberries
    Strawberry (Lemon) Jam Recipe from Devon
  • hand slices classic british syrup sponge pudding decorated with evergreens for Christmas
    Golden Syrup Pudding

Caribbean

Food systems and pathways around the world intersect in the Caribbean. Home to some of the hottest chili peppers in the world and citizens with roots in Africa, India, and Asia, in addition to indigenous peoples, there are dishes in the Caribbean you'll also find in surprising parts of the globe, though often under different names. Try the fried chicken famous through Puerto Rico, the *most* delicious chickpea dish in the world that, according to my guest, "unites all Trini people across every race and class" and the national dish of Haiti, and many other treats under this heading. 

  • two cobs of plump white corn boiled in coconut milk on a plate with a dollop of spicy chive butter garnished with thyme
    Coconut Corn on the Cob Boiled in Milk with Spicy Butter
  • golden pollo frito piled high in a red checked cloth lined basket over blue tile backdrop
    Pollo Frito: Puerto Rican Fried Chicken (Without Flour)
  • haitian plantain bowls filled with festive fun fillings like pineapple avocado shredded beef
    Fried Plantain Cups {Plus Lots of Fun & Easy Filling Ideas!}
  • Soup Joumou (From Haitian-American Kathiana LeJeune)
  • dumplings float in golden bowl of jamaican chicken soup along with corn and other vegetables
    Jamaican Chicken Soup
  • Vegetarian Bean Stew
  • overhead shot trinidadian doubles
    Gluten Free Doubles {Trinidad Street Food}

Central and South American

Return to traditional Mexican cuisine with Diana's authentic mole sauce and enjoy the two most popular of all Venezuelan dishes - or enjoy a stew made with incredibly simple ingredients found at any grocery store. This category is packed with fresh flavors and healthy options.  

  • overhead shot of heathy green garlic soup (sopa de ajo) full of spinach and leeks and garnished with lemons and crispy fried leeks
    Sopa de Ajo: Healing Garlic Green Soup for a Cold
  • The holiday season lasts through the Roman Catholic celebration of Epiphany or Three Kings Day, which celebrates the Magi arriving and presenting gifts to the newborn King, Jesus. It's fitting therefore to exchange family gifts that day, instead of on Christmas Day and many Peruvian households observe this tradition, particularly in the Andean regions of Peru. With all of these celebrations, you may be creating multiple Christmas meals this year! Here are enough recipes to serve authentic Peruvian food at each and every one!
    27 Best Peruvian Christmas Food Recipes
  • venezuelan white rice black beans and shredded skirt steak make up a plate of pabellion criollo. garnished with avocado.
    Pabellón Criollo (Authentic Venezuelan Rice & Beans)
  • authentic spanish rice on a plate with tortilla and green chilis
    Authentic Mexican Rice Recipe
  • enchiladas topped with quick and easy mole sauce and surrounded by spanish rice and bright green chilis.
    Easy Molé Recipe
  • golden venezuelan arepas are tossed on a pan and topped with creamy chicken and avocado filling
    Arepas Venezolanas: Reina Pepiada (with Chicken & Avocado)
  • girl in bright pink festive dress holds ecuadorian Pristiños dripping with piloncillo syrup
    Pristinos

East Asian

On a personal note, one of my favorite recipes from any guests ever is in this category! Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken, a popular choice in the night markets all across Taiwan.  

  • taiwanese popcorn chicken with fried basil sits on a green background
    Tawainese Fried Chicken Recipe
  • Dongchimi overhead shot of Korean radish sticks, carrots, green onions in fermented white kimchi broth
    Korean White Radish Water Kimchi (Dongchimi)
  • vegan pineapple bun on plate styled over banana leaf
    Vegan Bolo Bao Recipe
  • mushroom, baby corn, cilantro, and spring onions garnish a small plate of chicken pancit
    Filipino Chicken Pancit Recipe
  • flatlay of ramen bowl
    Best Thai Spicy Ramen Noodles (with Healthy Greens)
  • two slices of chewy golden nian gao on pink plate
    Baked Nian Gao: Glutinous Rice Cake (with Sticky Rice Flour)

Eastern European

From famous dishes like Pierogis piled with sour cream and dill to a sweet, eggy, fruity popular breakfast item from Poland, to dishes famous among Ashkenazi Jews for celebrating high holidays, to revelatory ways to cook with eggplant, don't skip the Eastern European contributions to the culinary arts! 

  • Golden brown Polish Pasztet with slices coming down towards camera. Styled with bay leaves and pistachios.
    Polish Pasztet: Pork, Beef, and Chicken Liver Pâté
  • Ukrainian Roll Ups: Baked Vegan Eggplant Appetizer
  • creamy chunks of red potatoes covered with dill cream sauce on pink plate
    Easy Ukrainian Dill Potatoes in Cream Sauce
  • bright photo of apricot and prune purim cookies
    79 Hamantaschen Filling Ideas (With Links to Every Recipe)
  • diamond shaped mazurka peanut cookies studded with raisins are cut into diamonds and arranged on a stand
    Super Easy Peanut Raisin Cookies {Polish Mazurka}
  • delicate white dish holds fish cooked in tomato sauce, topped with gently caramelized onons, dill and parsley
    Ukrainian Fish in Red Tomato Sauce
  • fluffy Polish sweet omelette on a dish stacked like pancakes with fresh cream, blueberries, and strawberry
    Polish Biszkoptowy: Fluffy Omelette with Stewed Berries, Honey & Crème Fraîche
  • thick slices of slow cooked jewish brisket rest in juice on bright blue plate garnished with carrot greenery
    Jewish Brisket Recipe (Slow Cooker and Oven Instructions)
  • platter of vegetables for vegan shuba
    Shuba Recipe
  • bright photo of apricot and prune purim cookies
    Purim Cookies! Classic Hamantaschen w/ Prune & Apricot Fillings
  • raw ukrainian pierogis stuffed with mashed potatoes sit on a wooden cutting board
    Ukrainian Varynyky Recipe (Pierogi)
  • simple golden hungarian potato soup garnished with parsley and a dollop of sour cream
    Hungarian 5 Ingredient Potato Soup Recipe Without Milk

Mediterranean

Ah, the Mediterranean diet - whole grains, citrus fruits, fresh produce everywhere, fish and lean proteins, salty cheeses - its no wonder most consider the Mediterranean one of the best places in the world to eat!! Try these authentic and traditional recipes from my podcast guests and find how simple it is to eat this fresh and healthy diet at home!

  • shakshuka for one in a small crock garnished with cherry tomatoes, spinach, cilantro
    Traditional Shakshuka for One (From A Health Expert)
  • What is Lamb Kofta? The 13 Best Kofta Recipes Around the World
  • horizontal view of turron de jijona on decorative plate with crushed almonds and evergreen around
    Turrón de Jijona (No Cook Spanish Soft Almond Nougat)
  • Golden Sfouf {Egg-Free Lebanese Turmeric Cake}
  • fresh mozzarella, olives, and basil are scattered over a sourdough spelt pizza dough.
    Sourdough Spelt Pizza
  • light and bright photo of warm chickpea cassrole topped with pita chips pine nuts and parsley
    Fattet Hummus (Warm Hummus Casserole with Yogurt, Crispy Pita Chips, and Caramelized Garlic & Pepper Paste)
  • gorgeous almond vasilopita sits on glass cake stand. garnished with decorative orange slices and artful drips of glaze.
    Greek New Year's Cake: Vasilopita Recipe
  • stacked layers of butternut squash, mozzarella, and tomato sauce surrounded by a moody scene of autumn gourds
    Layered Sliced Butternut Squash Dish ("Parmigiana a la Zuccha Gialla")
  • overhead shot of stewed greek peas
    Greek Stewed Peas
  • seven Anginetti cookies covered with sprinkles on a plate
    Anginetti (Italian Sprinkle Cookies, Lemon Drops + 11 More Variations!)
  • plate of golden crispy tiropitas on grecian scene with olive greenery
    Tiropitas: Greek Cheese Pies in Filo

Middle Eastern

The Middle East is often grossly mischaracterized as a desert, when in fact, parts of it contain some of the most fertile and temperate places on the planet. This category boasts some of the healthiest high-protein, high-fiber dishes on the site by maximizing legumes like lentils and chickpeas. Try the golden savory dish from Palestine, Musalwa'a which is smothered in caramelized onions or warm Syrian Yogurt-Hummus casserole. If you don't mind a little meat, try a worldwide favorite: Safiha, Lebanese meat pies. 

  • ghraybeh
    Ghraybeh Cookies: Middle Eastern Shortbread-Butter Cookie
  • golden musalwa'a or mujadarah safra topped with caramelized and sumac onions
    Mujadarah Safra (aka Musalwa’a): Palestinian Lentils and Rice
  • Lebanese safiha in square shape with fresh ground lamb, diced tomatoes and green pepper piled on a plate
    Safiha Recipe - Lebanese Meat Pies
  • arabic fatayer spinach pies on plate with tabbouleh and vermicelli and rice dish
    Fatayer Recipe (Arabic Pies)
  • bowl of pakistani korma garnished with parsley and almond and surrounded by whole spices used in cooking
    Best EASY Authentic Pakistani Chicken Korma Recipe
  • small shortbread pecan date bars cut exactly the size of the pecans nestled into each. lined up on brown butcher paper
    Pecan Date Bars

Northern European/Scandinavian

From Norwegian Rice Pudding famously eaten at Christmastime to cardamom flavored Semla rolls eaten just once a year on Fat Tuesday, this category is bursting with celebratory flavors. 

  • Easy Christmas Truffles: Chocolate Mint Balls from Norway
  • Semla bun piled high with whipped cream with raspberries and almonds in the background
    Semla Recipe

Persian

Can Persian Cuisine, dating back millenia, be the most delicious cuisine in the entire world? When you try my guest's Iranian Chicken and Walnut Stew or the most *perfect* Lamb Biryani from another guest, you just may conclude it is! Tune in to episodes to discover how Couscous is harvested and learn about Persian meatballs so large the encase an entire chicken!

  • Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani Recipe (Lamb Biryani)
  • golden chicken leg quarter rests in an iranian walnut pomegranate stew topped with lovely backlit pomegranate arils
    Khoresh Fesenjān {Persian Walnut Pomegranate Chicken Stew}
  • Kofteh Tabrizi: Persian Meatballs in Tomato Sauce
  • Mirza Ghasemi: An Iranian Smoked Eggplant Dish

South Asian

If you want to improve as an intuitive cook and learn a little bit more about working with spices, this is the category for you!! There is simply no food scene like the Indian food scene! Start simple with the Chai Masala blend, then work your way up to the complicated - but OH, so delicious - Stuffed Eggplant Curry. For a different Flavour, try this Fish Curry in Mustard Sauce, one of the most shockingly delicious recipes we've been gifted by my guests.

  • gorgeous golden bowl of golden creamy mushroom curry. Garnished with decorative enoki and portobello mushrooms
    Quick Vegan Mushroom Curry with Coconut Milk (Kodava Kumme Curry)
  • large metal tray of poha chivda surrounded by curry leaves and terra cotta diyas
    Easy Poha Chivda Recipe
  • light filled photo of shorshe mach: chunks of fish float in golden mustard curry sauce
    Shorshe Mach (Mustard Fish Curry)
  • Shinwari Mutton Karahi with bread, fresh onion slices, chilis, and lemons
    Shinwari Mutton Karahi
  • hands covered with holi powder holds bengali malpua dripping with syrup and covered with pistachios
    Bengali Malpua Recipe (Instant Malpua)
  • Easy Traditional Chanay Recipe {AKA Chana Masala}
  • indian halwa recipe
    An Indian Dessert: Halwa Recipe
  • overhead shot of milky masala tea made from homemade chai masala powder
    How to Make Indian Chai Masala Powder (Homemade Recipe)
  • a plate of 5 purple brinjal (small eggplants) stuffed with spices, nuts, and lentils
    Brinjal Curry Recipe

Southeast Asian - Oceania

You really have to try Mie Goreng, a great recipe showcasing Kecap Manis, the Indonesian soy sauce with a different flavor than you may have tried before, lots of healthy greens and perfectly cooked, flavor-packed proteins - a meal in one pan.  And if you love white rice balls, try this super simple spicy Laos dipping sauce with just 5 ingredients.  

  • succulent shrimp topping a plate of Indonesian chicken mie goreng featuring asian greens
    Mie Goreng (Authentic Fried Indonesian Noodles)
  • beautiful bright green jeow mak phet to dip sticky rice
    Laos Dipping Sauce for Sticky Rice (Jeow Mak Phet)
  • hand holds flaky spiraled roti paratha (aka roti canai in malaysia) above lush green foliage.
    How to Make Flaky Roti Paratha (Malaysian Roti Canai)

Southern Cooking (U.S.)

What is "American food"? I don't think anyone can quite say - but most can agree on a special subcategory, Southern Cooking! Known for its combination of fresh produce and rich ingredients plus an unabashed love of all things sweet, there is most definitely something for everyone in this category!!!! Try Old Fashioned Lemon Icebox Pie, a old time alternative to Key Lime Pie, while you listen to the Soul Food Scholar educate us on the definition, history, and future of Soul Food - including it's legacy in the White House!

  • Quick, Easy, Fast, Delicious Courgette Pancakes
  • Easy Soft Scones with Buttermilk {Plus a Quick Jam}
  • hand swirls meringue over creamy lemon layer of lemon icebox pie. scene surrounded by lemons, sugar, eggs, and lemon juice.
    Old Fashioned Lemon Icebox Pie Recipe
  • southern tea cake, torn to show soft interior on china plate surrounded by hydrangeas
    Old Fashioned Southern Tea Cakes Recipe
  • steam rises out of a huge pot of best jumbalaya ever featuring chicken shrimp and pork
    Dutch Oven Jambalaya from Famous Cajun Chef Paul Prudhomme
  • classic kentucky bourbon bundt cake decorated with fresh flowers on blue plate
    Kentucky Butter Cake Recipe
  • pimento cheese and jam on crackers over autumn scene
    Southern Pimento Cheese Recipe
  • crumbled candied bacon over vanilla ice ceam
    Spicy Candied Bacon

Western European

Which is the more popular food scene: French or Italian Cuisine? Whichever you argue, you'll have to agree that with BOTH included in this category, you simply cannot go wrong!! 

  • lovely cut glass dessert cup full of creamy zabaione with christmas reds and greens in the background
    Zabaglione (Zabaione): Easy Italian Custard With Eggs
  • coq au vin in cast iron skillet on green tablecloth
    What to Serve with Coq Au Vin: 47 Inspired Sides (with Links to Every Recipe)
  • homemade croissants sit on elegant white plates over wooden cutting board in fresh breakfast in bed scene
    How To Make Puff Pastry Croissants At Home
  • Kalter Hund - German No Bake Rich Chocolate and Biscuit Cake
  • yeast free bugnes lyonnaises (beignets) from a remote village in France. Cut in diamond shapes, golden brown, and covered in powdered sugar.
    Easy No Yeast Beignet Recipe from the French Countryside

World's Best Dishes for Any Meal

This page curates all the traditional foods, stories, and the heritage that my guests have shared with us. 

boy covered in gold and pink Holi color powders holds a plate with a stack of Bengal style malpua
Try Rai's Bengali Malpua for Holi... or just a Saturday morning.

In this curated selection of recipes, you'll find elegant, traditional dishes for holidays like Eid, Purim, Diwali, or Christmas.

You can also find simple breakfast recipes, packable lunches, and flavorful weeknight suppers. 

Celebrate Regional, Fresh Ingredients

One thing all the best foods in the world have in common is a deep respect for fresh, local produce. Try new ingredients and an array of herbs and spices from the vibrant cultures that have given birth to these recipes.

Widsom From Street Food Hawkers to Grandmother's Kitchens

Pabellón Criollo black beans and rice on gold backgound

From the street food found in bustling markets to the elaborate delicacies, traditional food is homecooked food.  

As you try these recipes representative of worldwide cuisine, you'll not only explore new flavors but new techniques as well.

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Welcome, Friend!

I’m Becky Hadeed, a mother to 4, curious home cook, lover of extraordinary light, and host of The Storied Recipe Podcast. I consider it a great honor that my guests entrust me with their stories and allow me photograph and share their most treasured family recipes.

More About Me ->

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