37 delicious main dish recipes from around the world
A savory and crispy Korean pancake loaded with fresh scallions and optional seafood. Perfect as an appetizer or a light meal, especially on a rainy day.
Fluffy, cloud-like steamed buns filled with a savory mixture of seasoned ground pork, Chinese sausage, wood ear mushrooms, and a whole hard-boiled quail egg. A beloved Vietnamese street food with Chinese culinary influences.
A popular Honduran dish featuring crispy fried green plantain slices (tajadas) topped with seasoned ground beef. It's a delightful combination of savory and slightly sweet flavors.
A popular and flavorful dish featuring pan-fried sausages simmered in a rich, spicy tomato and onion sauce. While originating from Reunion Island, it has been widely adopted and adapted in Madagascar, often served with rice.
Authentic Japanese Karaage, featuring tender chicken thigh pieces marinated in a savory blend of soy sauce, sake, ginger, and garlic, then coated in potato starch and double-fried to achieve an incredibly crispy exterior and juicy interior. A beloved izakaya (Japanese pub) staple.
Tender pork chops simmered in a vibrant, flavorful tomato-based salsa, a classic Honduran dish that is both comforting and satisfying.
Crispy, golden-fried rolled tacos, a delightful crunchier cousin to flautas. These are typically filled with mashed potatoes and served with fresh toppings.
A mild and flavorful chicken curry from Timor-Leste, featuring tender chicken simmered in coconut milk with a blend of aromatic spices. It's a comforting and popular dish, often served with rice.
A savory and crispy Korean pancake generously filled with fresh seafood (shrimp, squid, mussels) and vibrant green scallions. Perfect as an appetizer or a light meal, especially on a rainy day.
Briam is a rustic and flavorful Greek dish of mixed summer vegetables baked in olive oil and tomato. It's a staple of Greek home cooking, celebrated for its simplicity and delicious, tender results.
A classic Macedonian comfort food, Polneti Tikvicki features hollowed-out zucchinis generously filled with a savory mixture of ground meat, rice, and aromatic spices, then baked in a rich tomato sauce. This dish is hearty, flavorful, and a beloved staple in Macedonian households.
Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, Masitas de Puerco are succulent fried pork chunks marinated in a flavorful blend of sour orange juice, garlic, and spices. This popular dish is a staple in Nicaraguan cuisine and is often served with rice and beans.
Authentic Colombian Chicharrón features skin-on pork belly, slow-cooked until tender, then fried to achieve a shatteringly crispy, puffed skin. It's a quintessential element of the iconic Bandeja Paisa and a beloved snack on its own.
A popular Colombian appetizer featuring sweet, ripe plantain slices wrapped around a savory ground beef and tomato filling, then topped with cheese and baked until golden and bubbly.
A hearty and flavorful dish where breadfruit is hollowed out and filled with a savory mixture of minced meat, vegetables, and seasonings, then baked until tender and golden.
A popular Colombian street food, chunchullos are beef intestines meticulously cleaned, then grilled until perfectly crispy and golden brown. Typically served with boiled salted potatoes (papas saladas) and a spicy ají sauce.
Tender pork chops simmered in a vibrant, slightly spicy red salsa made from tomatoes, chiles, and aromatic spices. This comforting dish is a staple in Honduran homes, often served with rice and beans.
A classic Serbian comfort food, Punjene Paprike features bell peppers stuffed with a savory mixture of ground meat and rice, then simmered in a rich tomato-based sauce. It's a hearty and flavorful dish, often enjoyed as a main course.
A classic Sichuan dish featuring tender, silky Chinese eggplants coated in a vibrant, complex sauce that balances spicy, sour, and sweet flavors. Despite its name, 'fish-fragrant' refers to a traditional flavor profile used in Sichuan cuisine, not the presence of fish.
Funche con Bacalao is a hearty and flavorful dish featuring a creamy cornmeal porridge (funche) topped with a savory salt cod (bacalao) stew, seasoned with sofrito and olives.
Authentic Venezuelan empanadas, featuring a crispy fried corn dough shell filled with savory black beans and cheese. These are typically larger than their Colombian counterparts and are a beloved street food.
Authentic Lumpia Semarang, a savory Indonesian spring roll filled with stir-fried bamboo shoots, shrimp, and chicken, served with a sweet soy sauce dip. A delicacy from Central Java.
A comforting and flavorful chicken stew where tender chicken pieces are simmered in a rich, savory peanut butter sauce. This simplified version focuses on core flavors, making it accessible for home cooks.
A classic Filipino festive meat roll, typically enjoyed during Christmas. This steamed pork loaf is studded with hard-boiled eggs, sweet pickles, and cheese, creating a colorful and flavorful cross-section when sliced. It is traditionally served cold.