Photo by Fidel Fernando on Unsplash
Fidel Fernando on Unsplash

It's nice to try food from other parts of the world, especially if you're tired of making the same thing every day. The good news is that you can make many of these foreign dishes right at home. Here's a look at 15 traditional dishes from around the world and the basic ingredients it takes to make them.

#1: Vietnamese Pho

Pho is sometimes considered to be the "original ramen," but you don't just add water to the noodles in the microwave. It's much more flavorful than ramen noodles with ingredients such as:

  • Bean sprouts

  • Beef

  • Bone broth

  • Cardamom

  • Cinnamon

  • Coriander

  • Fish sauce

  • Ginger

  • Herbs

  • Onions

  • Rice noodles

  • Salt

  • Star anise

  • Sugar

You can also add anything else you want to make it more sweet, spicy, or savory.

#2: Thailand's Pad Thai

This may look like a difficult dish to make, but it can be made in as little as 30 minutes. Ingredients include:

  • Garlic chives

  • Lime

  • Rice noodles

  • Tamarind puree or ketchup

  • Tofu

When it comes to meat, you can use either seafood or chicken.

#3: Spanish Churros

Did you know that most people think this originated in Mexico (and you're probably one of them), churros actually originated in Spain- but this is also heavily debated. Either way, Mexico has deep ties to Spain, and Spanish churros are super easy to make. All you need is:

  • Butter

  • Cinnamon

  • Eggs

  • Flour

  • Salt

  • Sugar

  • Vanilla

  • Vegetable oil

#4: Portuguese Rabanadas

Similar to French toast, rabanadas are crispy and taste like a sweeter version of the Spanish churro with a softer texture. The ingredients are:

  • Cinnamon

  • Eggs

  • French bread

  • Milk

  • Oil

  • Sugar

You can eat it plain or add your favorite fruit toppings.

#5: Nigerian Jollof Rice

This is one of the most popular dishes in Nigeria and combines everything in one pot:

  • Onions

  • Pimento peppers

  • Rice

  • Scotch bonnet

  • Tomatoes and tomato paste

#6: Moroccan Harira

This is a bean-based soup that is popular in Morocco Ingredients include:

  • Chickpeas

  • Cinnamon

  • Ginger

  • Herbs

  • Pepper

  • Plantains

#7: Kenyan Ugali

This is a cornmeal porridge, making it the perfect meal alongside soup. The ugali itself is simple and only contains two ingredients: cornmeal and water.

#8: Japanese Sushi Rolls

Sushi is a food that has made its way all over the globe, but there's nothing like making it the traditional Japanese way. You'll need:

  • Nori sheet (roasted seaweed)

  • Raw (or cooked) seafood

  • Sushi rice

  • Vegetables

#9: Italian Tiramisu

Tiramisu has become increasingly popular outside of Italy over the past few years, and now you can make it at home. With less than 10 ingredients and 15 minutes to combine them (and six hours to chill before serving), you'll need:

  • Cocoa powder

  • Coffee and coffee liqueur

  • Dark chocolate

  • Eggs

  • Mascarpone cheese

  • Sugar

You can even make your own whipped cream with your very own whipped cream charger from Exotic Whip.

#10: German Schnitzel

A classic German staple, the schnitzel is similar to a breaded pork chop. In addition to pork chops, you'll need:

  • Breadcrumbs

  • Eggs

  • Flour

  • Pork (or veal)

#11: French Beef Bourguignon

This famous French meal is both traditional and simple to make. Ingredients needed include:

  • Bacon

  • Bay leaves

  • Beef brisket and beef stock

  • Bouillon cube

  • Extra virgin olive oil

  • Flour

  • Garlic

  • Mushrooms

  • Onion

  • parsley

  • Pepper

  • Red wine

  • Thyme

  • Tomato paste

#12: Egyptian Ful Medames

This traditional Egyptian dish is usually served on top of pita bread or with vegetables. Ingredients include:

  • Fava beans

  • Onions

  • Spices

#13: Czech Kolaches

This dessert looks more like a dinner roll, but it is sweet and filled with the fruit or cream cheese of your choice. Ingredients needed are:

  • Dry yeast

  • Egg yolks

  • Flour

  • Milk

  • Unsalted butter

  • Salt

#14: Belgian Waffles

Traditional Belgian waffles will always beat out frozen waffles unless you're short on time. However, they don't take an extremely long tie to make either. The ingredients you'll need include:

  • Baking powder

  • Cinnamon

  • Eggs

  • Flour

  • Milk

  • Salt

  • Sugar

  • Vanilla extract

  • Vegetable oil

You can top them off with fruit, syrup, and whipped cream if you like, but it's not necessary.

#15: American Hamburgers

Even if you live outside of the United States, you may have tried some version of the American hamburger due to all of the global fast-food chains that originated there. Traditional ingredients include:

  • Ground beef

  • Ketchup

  • Lettuce

  • mustard

  • Onions

  • Pickles

  • Sesame seed buns

  • Tomato

Most Americans also add American cheese, making it a cheeseburger. You can also add bacon and/or leave off other traditional ingredients.

Remember that you can find thousands of more detailed recipes online that will tell you exactly how to make these traditional dishes.