152 delicious holiday recipes from around the world
Sweet, spiral-shaped rolls filled with a rich, aromatic poppy seed paste. These are a beloved treat, often enjoyed during holidays and special occasions, with a tender, slightly sweet dough and a generous poppy seed filling.
A sweet, yeasted dough rolled with a rich, spiced poppy seed filling. This pastry is a beloved treat, especially during holidays and special occasions.
Venezuelan Asado Negro is a classic comfort food dish featuring a beef roast slow-cooked in a rich, dark caramel sauce made from papelón (unrefined cane sugar). The result is incredibly tender beef with a deep, mahogany hue and a complex sweet, savory, and slightly tangy flavor profile. It's traditionally served with white rice.
Makovník is a delightful sweet bread, a beloved pastry in Slovakia, characterized by its soft, yeasted dough generously filled with a rich mixture of ground poppy seeds, sugar, and a hint of cinnamon. It's often enjoyed during holidays and family gatherings, offering a perfect balance of fluffy dough and the distinct nutty sweetness of poppy seeds.
Risalamande is a beloved Danish Christmas dessert, a creamy and elegant rice pudding enriched with vanilla, almonds, and whipped cream. It's traditionally served with a warm cherry sauce and features a fun game of finding a hidden whole almond.
A succulent pork roast slow-cooked with dried prunes, onions, and aromatic spices, resulting in a tender, flavorful dish with a delightful sweet and savory balance. This dish is often prepared for special occasions and holidays.
These delicate, crumbly shortbread cookies, also known as mantecaditos, are a staple during holidays and celebrations in Puerto Rico. They melt in your mouth and are often topped with guava paste or sprinkles.
Søt lefse is a soft, sweet Norwegian flatbread, often made with potatoes, flour, butter, and sugar. It's a popular treat, especially during holidays, and is typically served with butter and sugar, or cinnamon.
A moist and decadent cake infused with the rich flavor of Bahamian rum, often served during celebrations and holidays.
Eesti Kringel is a sweet, enriched yeast bread, often braided and flavored with cardamom and cinnamon, then glazed or topped with almonds. It's a festive bread enjoyed during holidays and special occasions.
These small, round, spiced cookies are a quintessential treat associated with Sinterklaas (Saint Nicholas) celebrations in the Netherlands. They have a distinctive crunchy texture and a warm, spicy flavor.
Fesikh is a traditional Egyptian dish made from salted and fermented grey mullet, often enjoyed during the Sham El-Nessim spring festival. This process requires careful salting and extended fermentation, resulting in a unique, pungent flavor profile that is an acquired taste. Due to the fermentation process, it is crucial to ensure the fish is handled and prepared hygienically to avoid foodborne illnesses. This recipe outlines the traditional method.
Cougnou, also known as 'Bread of Jesus', is a sweet, brioche-like bread traditionally enjoyed in Belgium and Northern France, especially around Saint Nicholas Day and Christmas. It's often shaped into a swaddled baby Jesus figure and can be enriched with raisins, pearl sugar, or chocolate chips.
A comforting and savory Colombian chicken pie featuring a creamy, vegetable-rich chicken filling encased in flaky puff pastry.
Smultringer are traditional Norwegian doughnuts, often spiced with cardamom, and are a popular treat, especially around Christmas. They are typically small, ring-shaped, and fried to a golden crisp, with a tender interior. While often enjoyed plain, they can also be served with a simple glaze or dusted with sugar.
A rich and aromatic honey cake, Medovník is a traditional Slovak dessert known for its thin, spiced layers and creamy filling. Often decorated, it's a popular choice for celebrations and holidays.
A traditional Finnish stew originating from the Karelia region, known for its rich, savory flavor achieved through slow cooking of various meats. It's a hearty and comforting dish, often served during special occasions and holidays.
A traditional Czech dish, particularly popular around Saint Martin's Day (November 11th), featuring a whole roast goose served with red cabbage and bread dumplings. The goose is typically seasoned with caraway and marjoram, resulting in tender, flavorful meat and crispy skin.
A traditional Polish poppy seed roll, often made for Christmas. This dense and sweet cake features a rich poppy seed filling swirled within a soft yeast dough, creating a beautiful spiral pattern when sliced. It's a labor of love that's well worth the effort.
Guaba Rellena de Carne, also known as 'Pasteles en Hoja' in some regions, are savory parcels made from a dough of green plantains or yuca, filled with seasoned ground meat, and steamed in banana leaves. This dish is a festive staple, often prepared during holidays and family gatherings, showcasing the rich flavors and culinary traditions of the Dominican Republic.
A festive and traditional Nicaraguan dish, Gallina Rellena features a whole hen stuffed with a savory mixture of ground pork, vegetables, fruits, and spices. It's a rich and flavorful centerpiece, often prepared for special occasions like Christmas.
A traditional Scandinavian dish, lutefisk is a whitefish (typically cod) that has been dried and then treated with lye, giving it a gelatinous texture. It's a holiday staple in many Norwegian-American communities, particularly in the Midwest.
A classic Venezuelan chicken salad featuring tender shredded chicken, diced potatoes and carrots, sweet peas, and crisp apple, all bound together with creamy mayonnaise. Perfect as a side dish or light meal, especially during festive occasions.
Sweet, spiced rings filled with a rich treacle and spice mixture, a traditional Maltese treat often enjoyed during festive seasons.
