106 delicious simple recipes from around the world
A traditional Galician dish featuring hake poached with potatoes, onions, and bay leaves, finished with a flavorful garlic and paprika oil (ajada). It's a simple yet elegant preparation that highlights the freshness of the fish.
A rustic Italian open-faced omelet, perfect for breakfast, lunch, or a light dinner. This versatile dish features eggs baked with your choice of vegetables or leftover pasta, and is finished with savory Pecorino cheese and fresh herbs.
Amêijoas à Bulhão Pato, or Portuguese garlic clams, is a classic and incredibly simple appetizer featuring fresh clams simmered in a fragrant broth of olive oil, garlic, white wine, and cilantro. It's named after the 19th-century Portuguese poet Raimundo António de Bulhão Pato and is best enjoyed immediately with crusty bread to soak up the delicious sauce.
Kenyan roasted meat - goat or beef simply seasoned and slow-roasted over coals. This iconic dish, often referred to as the 'national barbecue', is traditionally served with ugali (a stiff maize porridge) and kachumbari (a fresh tomato and onion salsa).
A classic and incredibly simple Portuguese steak sandwich, featuring tender, garlicky steak nestled in a soft bread roll. Perfect for a quick lunch or light dinner.
Jamón Ibérico, often referred to as 'the king of cured meats,' is a Spanish dry-cured ham made from the meat of black Iberian pigs. These pigs are typically acorn-fed ('de bellota'), which imparts a rich, nutty flavor and a distinctively marbled, melt-in-your-mouth texture to the ham. This recipe focuses on presenting the ham in its purest, most exquisite form.
A classic Scottish dish from Aberdeen, featuring haddock poached in a rich, buttery sauce infused with herbs and a hint of lemon.
Authentic Portuguese grilled sardines, a quintessential summer dish. Simple, fresh sardines are generously seasoned with sea salt and grilled over high heat until the skin is beautifully charred and the fish is flaky and moist. Served traditionally on rustic bread to soak up the delicious juices, with a squeeze of fresh lemon.
Ping Pa is a classic Laotian dish of whole grilled fish, typically a white-fleshed fish like red snapper. The fish is seasoned generously with a flavorful paste of lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, garlic, shallots, galangal, fish sauce, and lime juice, then grilled until flaky and tender. It's a staple in Laotian markets and eateries, often served with sticky rice and a spicy dipping sauce (jeow).
The undisputed king of Brazilian churrasco, Picanha (rump cap) is celebrated for its rich flavor and tender texture. This recipe focuses on the traditional preparation: a thick cut of beef seasoned only with coarse salt and grilled over hot coals to perfection. The thick layer of fat renders during cooking, basting the meat and creating an incredibly succulent result.
A simple yet vibrant Ethiopian side dish featuring tender beets infused with aromatic spices, perfect for a fasting meal or as a colorful accompaniment to any spread.
Enfrijoladas are a beloved Mexican dish where corn tortillas are briefly fried or softened, then bathed in a rich, smooth black bean sauce. They are typically filled with cheese and finished with a drizzle of crema, more sauce, and fresh toppings like avocado. They are a simpler, yet equally delicious, cousin to enchiladas.
Saba Shioyake is a classic Japanese dish featuring mackerel fillets simply seasoned with salt and grilled until the skin is wonderfully crispy and the flesh is flaky. Traditionally enjoyed for breakfast, it's a testament to the beauty of simple, fresh ingredients.
A luxuriously thick and creamy Middle Eastern strained yogurt, essential for any mezze spread. Traditionally served drizzled with fragrant extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of earthy za'atar, perfect for scooping with warm pita bread.
A classic Galician dish featuring incredibly tender octopus served over thinly sliced potatoes, generously seasoned with smoky Spanish paprika and high-quality olive oil. Simple, elegant, and deeply flavorful.
A classic and incredibly simple Italian pasta dish featuring garlic, olive oil, and a hint of chili. Perfect for a quick weeknight meal or a late-night craving.
A classic Cantonese dish, Bai Qie Ji, or White Cut Chicken, celebrates the pure, delicate flavor of chicken. The bird is gently poached to tender perfection, then served with a vibrant and aromatic ginger-scallion oil. This recipe focuses on simple techniques to highlight the natural taste of high-quality chicken.
Delightful and simple jam tarts, a beloved British classic perfect for baking with children. These individual pastry cases are filled with your favorite jam and baked until golden and crisp.
A quintessential Bengali dish, Ilish Mach Bhaja features the prized Hilsa fish, lightly seasoned and pan-fried to crispy perfection. It's a simple yet incredibly flavorful preparation that highlights the rich, oily texture and unique taste of Hilsa.
Hiyayakko is a quintessential Japanese summer dish featuring chilled silken tofu served with simple, fresh toppings. It's celebrated for its refreshing simplicity and delicate flavors.
A comforting and flavorful Egyptian casserole featuring layers of fried eggplant baked in a rich tomato and garlic sauce. This simple yet delicious dish is a staple of home cooking.
A simple yet comforting dish of boiled green bananas, a staple food in Timor-Leste. The bananas are cooked until tender and typically served warm, with their skins on or peeled, as a side dish or a light meal.
A simple yet incredibly satisfying Thai home-style omelet, known for its crispy edges and fluffy interior. It's traditionally deep-fried until puffed and golden, then served immediately over steamed rice with a side of Sriracha for a quick and flavorful meal.
A simple yet flavorful dish of green bananas simmered in creamy coconut milk, seasoned with salt and optional aromatics, serving as a staple side dish.
