Main dishes
The centre of the plate.
Laing
🇵🇭 PhilippinesTaro leaves and meat or seafood simmered in spiced coconut milk
Stew or curry, Lunch, Dinner
KabochaVeganカボチャ
🇯🇵 Japan and 5 moreA sweet, dense winter squash with edible skin, used in Japanese and Asian cooking
Main dish, Lunch, Dinner
Christmas hamMeat
🇸🇪 Sweden and 3 moreCured ham served at Christmas, with local glazes and traditions
Main dish, Dinner
Kpekpele
🇬🇭 GhanaSteamed and fermented cornmeal eaten with palm nut soup and smoked fish
Main dish
Kinilaw
🇵🇭 PhilippinesRaw seafood or vegetables marinated in vinegar and citrus juices from the Philippines
Salad or side, Snacks
Burrito
🇲🇽 Mexico and 1 moreA wheat flour tortilla wrapped around a savory filling, eaten by hand or with sauce
Main dish, Breakfast, Lunch
Tempura天ぷら
🇯🇵 Japan and 1 moreSeafood or vegetables coated in a light batter and deep-fried
Main dish, Lunch, Dinner
MeatballMeat
🇮🇹 Italy and 5 moreGround meat shaped into balls and cooked by frying, baking, or braising in sauce
Main dish, Lunch, Dinner
Phophở
🇻🇳 Vietnam and 5 moreVietnamese rice noodle soup with beef or chicken in aromatic broth
Soup, Breakfast, Lunch
CarbonaraMeatpasta alla carbonara
🇮🇹 Italy and 1 morePasta tossed with eggs, hard cheese, cured pork and black pepper
Main dish, Lunch, Dinner
Foie grasMeat
🇫🇷 France and 5 moreFattened duck or goose liver, a French delicacy served whole or as a spread
Main dish, Lunch, Dinner
RavioliRavioliai
🇮🇹 Italy and 4 moreStuffed pasta parcels, usually square, with varied fillings and sauces
Main dish, Lunch, Dinner
MochiVegan餅
🇯🇵 JapanJapanese rice cake made by pounding glutinous rice into a sticky, chewy mass
Sweet or dessert
Pâté
🇫🇷 France and 5 moreA smooth or coarse spread made from minced meat, liver, or vegetables
Sauce, pickle or ferment
ShashlikMeatшашлык
🇷🇺 RussiaSkewered cubes of marinated meat grilled over open coals
Main dish, Dinner, Lunch
Nachos
🇲🇽 Mexico and 1 moreTortilla chips topped with melted cheese and a mix of savory garnishes
Main dish, Snacks, Lunch
Bibimbap비빔밥
🇰🇷 South Korea and 1 moreKorean rice bowl with mixed vegetables, meat, egg and chili paste
Main dish, Lunch, Dinner
Peking duckMeat北京烤鸭
🇨🇳 China and 4 moreCrisp-skinned roast duck from Beijing, carved and served with pancakes and condiments
Main dish, Dinner, Lunch
MuesliMüesli
🇨🇭 Switzerland and 1 moreSwiss cold cereal of soaked oats, fruit, and nuts, eaten for breakfast or supper
Main dish, Breakfast, Supper
Börek
🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 moreFlaky pastry filled with cheese, meat or vegetables, baked or fried
Pie or savoury pastry, Breakfast, Lunch
Onigiriおにぎり
🇯🇵 JapanHand-shaped Japanese rice balls, often wrapped in seaweed
Main dish, Lunch, Snacks
ShakshukaVegetarian
🇹🇳 Tunisia and 5 moreEggs poached in a spiced tomato and pepper sauce from North Africa
Main dish, Breakfast, Dinner
Udonうどん / 饂飩
🇯🇵 Japan and 4 moreThick wheat noodles served hot or cold in Japanese cooking
Noodle or pasta dish, Lunch, Dinner
BigosMeat
🇵🇱 Poland and 5 morePolish stew of mixed meats, sauerkraut and cabbage, simmered with spices
Stew or curry, Breakfast, Dinner
ChorizoMeat
🇪🇸 Spain and 5 moreA seasoned pork sausage from the Iberian Peninsula, made in many regional styles
Sausage or cured food, Breakfast, Lunch
Doner kebab
🇹🇷 Turkey and 5 moreMeat roasted on a vertical spit, sliced and served in bread or on a plate
Main dish, Lunch, Dinner
Chili con carneMeat
🇲🇽 Mexico and 1 moreA spicy stew of meat and chili peppers from Mexico and the United States
Main dish, Lunch, Dinner
Soufflé
🇫🇷 FranceA French baked egg dish that puffs up in the oven
Main dish
Fried rice
🇨🇳 China and 5 moreCooked rice stir-fried with eggs, vegetables, meat or seafood, and seasonings
Main dish, Breakfast, Lunch
CheeseburgerMeat
🇺🇸 United StatesA hamburger topped with melted cheese, often with lettuce, tomato and condiments
Main dish, Lunch, Dinner
Potato pancakeVegetarian
🇧🇾 Belarus and 5 moreShallow-fried pancakes made from grated or mashed potato, common across Europe
Main dish, Lunch, Dinner
Okonomiyakiお好み焼き
🇯🇵 JapanJapanese savory pancake cooked on a griddle with cabbage and toppings
Main dish, Lunch, Dinner
Khinkaliხინკალი
🇬🇪 GeorgiaGeorgian dumplings with spiced meat or vegetable filling and a juicy broth inside
Dumpling, Lunch, Dinner
Cabbage roll
🇺🇦 Ukraine and 5 moreCooked cabbage leaves wrapped around seasoned fillings, simmered or baked
Main dish, Lunch, Dinner
FufuVegan
🇬🇭 Ghana and 4 moreA soft, starchy dough made by pounding cassava, plantain or cocoyam, eaten with soups
Main dish, Lunch, Dinner
Tajineطاجين
🇲🇦 Morocco and 4 moreNorth African stew slow-cooked in a cone-lidded clay pot
Main dish, Lunch, Dinner
Pierogi
🇵🇱 Poland and 6 moreDumplings of unleavened dough filled with savory or sweet mixtures
Dumpling, Lunch, Dinner
DosaVegetarianದೋಸೆ
🇮🇳 India and 3 moreA thin, fermented rice and lentil pancake from South India, served hot with chutney and sambar
Main dish, Breakfast, Lunch
Steak tartareMeat
🇫🇷 France and 5 moreRaw minced beef, seasoned and often topped with a raw egg yolk
Main dish, Lunch, Dinner
AspicMeat
🇫🇷 France and 5 moreMeat or fish set in savoury gelatin, served cold as an appetizer or festive dish
Main dish, Lunch, Dinner
Bento弁当
🇯🇵 Japan and 4 moreA Japanese meal packed in a box, often with rice, meat or fish, and vegetables
Main dish, Lunch
DalVeganदाल
🇮🇳 India and 5 moreSoupy dish made from split lentils, peas or beans, a staple across South Asia
Main dish, Lunch, Dinner
Congee粥
🇨🇳 China and 5 moreRice simmered in water to make a soft, comforting porridge
Main dish, Breakfast, Dinner
Beef StroganoffMeatбефстроганов
🇷🇺 Russia and 6 moreSautéed beef in a creamy mustard and sour cream sauce, often with mushrooms or onions
Main dish, Lunch, Dinner
Chicken tikka masalaMeat
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 4 moreRoasted marinated chicken in a creamy, spiced tomato-based sauce
Main dish, Lunch, Dinner
Haggistaigeis
🇬🇧 United Kingdom and 4 moreA savoury pudding of sheep offal, oats and spices, boiled in a casing
Main dish, Dinner
IdliVegetarian
🇮🇳 India and 1 moreSteamed cakes of fermented rice and lentil batter from South India and Sri Lanka
Main dish, Breakfast, Dinner
Gimbap김밥
🇰🇷 South KoreaCooked rice and fillings rolled in seaweed and sliced into rounds
Main dish, Lunch, Snacks
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Haggis: Chris Brown, CC BY 2.0, source
- Gimbap: changupn, CC0, source
- Idli: Soumya dey at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Steak tartare: Dr. Bernd Gross, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Bibimbap: abex (a flickr user), CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Chicken tikka masala: Kelly Sue, CC BY 2.0, source
- Cheeseburger: Renee Comet (photographer), Public domain, source
- Dosa: Roland, CC BY 2.0, source
- Muesli: Original description was: I, VirtualSteve took this photograph on Febr, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Bento: Blue Lotus, CC BY 2.0, source
- Pho: Phương Huy, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Mochi: Kropsoq, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Burrito: jeffreyw, CC BY 2.0, source
- Peking duck: Mr Wabu, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Nachos: Navajcmer, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Fufu: HarunaSylvester, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Chili con carne: Carstor, CC BY-SA 2.5, source
- Shakshuka: Joe Mahoney, CC BY 2.0, source
- Carbonara: Javier Somoza, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Foie gras: Nikodem Nijaki, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Udon: udono, CC BY 2.0, source
- Khinkali: Sandra C, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Chorizo: Asturnut ( talk ), CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Fried rice: Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0, source
- Okonomiyaki: ume-y, CC BY 2.0, source
- Pâté: H. Alexander Talbot, CC BY 2.0, source
- Ravioli: OneArmedMan, Public domain, source
- Christmas ham: Santeri Viinamäki, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Bigos: Alberto Racatumba, CC BY 2.0, source
- Kpekpele: Nii Ashiloh, CC0, source
- Soufflé: Mark Miller, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Beef Stroganoff: Pittaya Sroilong, CC BY 2.0, source
- Laing: Lokalpedia, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Kabocha: Theguy002, CC0, source
- Kinilaw: Jdcgumpal, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Tempura: Yaco*, CC BY 2.0, source
- Meatball: Myself, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Shashlik: Alandislands, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Börek: Silar, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Doner kebab: AleGranholm, CC BY 2.0, source
- Potato pancake: Photo made by Daniel Spils and uploaded to flickr.com, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Tajine: Bawdeep2010, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Cabbage roll: Burkhard Mücke, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Aspic: Gmelfi, Public domain, source
- Dal: Bhaskaranaidu, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Congee: Daiju Azuma, CC BY-SA 2.5, source