Have you ever wanted to take a trip around the world, but didn’t have the means to just drop out of college and become one of those free-spirited Instagrammers who visit a new country every week?
Many college students know the feeling of craving social media sponsors to fulfill their dream of leaving midterms behind to experience the plethora of cultures the world has to offer. Unfortunately, most have to settle for photoshopping themselves onto Bora Bora’s beaches instead of actually experiencing Earth’s natural wonders. But what if you could take a trip around the world without the price tag and without dropping out of school? What if your dream trip was so close you could taste it…literally?
If you can’t afford to travel around the world, the best way to learn about a culture is through food. Join me on the ultimate all expenses-paid (that is a lie — food costs money) trip as we explore 48 of the best foods from 48 countries.
1) Kabuli Palaw from Afghanistan
Kabuli Palaw is a delicious rice dish that contains raisins, carrots, and lamb. This comfort food is so delicious that Afghanistan made it the national dish!
2) Asado from Argentina
Asado, or barbeque, is one of the most popular dishes in Argentina. If you have the chance to enjoy asado, you may enjoy chorizo (pork sausages), mollejas (sweet bread), morcilla (blood sausage), chinchulines (chitterlings), and more! In Patagonia (no, not the store — the region), you will more commonly eat lamb and goat. This dish, originating from gauchos (Argentinian cowboys who roamed the plains), is not just a delicious meal, it is a chance to enjoy a warm afternoon by the fire.
3) Dzhash from Armenia
Dzhash is a stew that contains a meat, vegetables (such as green beans, zucchini, tomatoes, pumpkins, and leaks), garlic, and herbs, such as mint and dill. This stew is typically enjoyed over rice pilaf. One popular type of dzhash is porani, which is a stew made from yogurt. Another type is gomgush, which contains more ingredients than a traditional dzhash and is thus reserved for special occasions, such as weddings and banquets. Dzhash is so popular it is referred to as the “everyday” dish.
4) Pavlova from Australia
Pavlova is an Australian desert consisting of a large layer of meringue topped with whipped cream, fresh fruits, and passionfruit pulp. This dessert will make your tastebuds dance, which is probably why it was named after a famous ballerina, Anna Pavlova. For those daring enough to try the infamous Australian vegemite, a bitter spread made from leftover brewers’ yeast extract, this sweet food might be a good chaser to an otherwise odd gastronomical experience.
5) Wiener Schnitzel from Austria
Wiener schnitzel is a thin piece of breaded veal pan-fried to perfection. To me, chicken schnitzel is basically a chicken nugget for adults, and I get the impression that eating this traditional meal will make one feel like a sophisticated child.
6) Patla Khichuri from Bangladesh
Patla Khichuri is the traditional Bangladeshi version of Khichuri, a dish made from rice and lentils. Patla Khichuri is generally semi-liquid and encompasses variations of potatoes, seasonal vegetables, meat curry, fried egg, and ghee (a butter-like spread). This warm dish is especially popular during a cold monsoon day (or the Providence equivalent — a chilly and rainy afternoon). It is also eaten to celebrate the two Eid festivals.
7) Cou Cou and Flying Fish from Barbados
Cou cou and flying fish is the national dish of Barbados and consists of a savoury stew of flying fish, tomatoes, thyme, garlic, and onion served next to cornmeal grain and okra. If you are in need of a beach vacation after that awful midterm (you know the one – or the four), this dish will transport your stomach to flavorful relaxation. How could you not be happy eating eating something with such a quirky name?!
8) Waffles from Belgium
Belgian waffles — thick, fluffy, pillows of warmth and happiness — are generally topped with chocolate, cream, and fresh fruits. You can also add Sirop De Liège, a jam-like spread made from evaporated fruits. If the V-Dub waffles are not cutting it, try the thicker Belgian-style waffles to fulfill your Leslie Knope (the notorious breakfast-loving main character on Parks and Recreation), waffle-filled dreams.
9) Fry Jacks from Belize
Fry Jacks are pieces of deep fried dough served for breakfast. This delicious food is often eaten with refried beans and eggs. Sometimes they can be stuffed with ground beef. Every kid in Belize always hopes to have fry jacks covered in cinnamon and sugar and served for dessert!
10) Wagashi Cheese from Benin
Wagashi cheese is a soft cow’s milk cheese made in Northern Benin by the Fulani people, a large and celebrated ethnic group in the Sahel and Western Africa. Wagashi cheese is used in Benin cooking, but can also be a great snack.
11) Livno Cheese from Bosnia and Herzegovina
Speaking of cheese, this Eastern European variety is made from a mixture of sheep’s and cow’s milk. This dry, but decadent, cheese is named after the town in which it was first produced — Livno, in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Imagine getting to live in a town known for it’s cheese? What could be a better residence?!
12) Seswaa from Botswana
Seswaa (the name for the dish in central Botswana), or lesweo (the name for the dish in Southern Botswana), is a meal consisting of beef and goat meat that is boiled until it’s tender and then pounded. The meat is usually served with pap, cornmeal, or mabele, sorghum (a type of cereal native to warm regions).
13) Brigadeiros da Escócia from Brazil
Brigadeiros da escócia are chocolate truffles made from a base of sweetened condensed milk and cocoa powder. The dish was popularized post-World War II when Brazil was lacking fresh ingredients, as the recipe requires just two store-bought items and thus was an easy dessert to make during this difficult period. If you like baking or want to impress the chocolate-lovers in your life but are feeling lazy, this dessert is perfect for you.
14) Kuy Teav from Cambodia
Kuy Teav is a pork broth-based rice noodle soup that is traditionally eaten for breakfast (glad to know I am not the only one who eats pasta before 8am!). This soup often contains bean sprouts, chopped scallions, lime juice, black Kampot pepper, sawtooth coriander, and caramelized garlic oil. A fancy version of Kuy Teav is called Phnom Penh and may contain pork belly, ground pork, congealed pig blood, roasted duck, fish cake, Mekong river prawns, or squid.
15) Ndolé from Cameroon
Ndolé contains stewed nuts, ndoleh (bitter leaves indigenous to Cameroon), and fish or beef. The fish can be accompanied by plantains or bobolo, a dish made from fermented ground cassava, a woody shrub, and wrapped in leaves.
16) Poutine from Canada
Poutine is a tasty Canadian snack (much like Justin Trudeau) or side dish that consists of french fries and cheese curds covered in gravy. Poutine, originating from Quebec, proves that Canadians do not just eat Tim Horton’s and maple syrup.
17) Completo from Chile
Completo, translating to complete, is literally the complete package. It is a huge hot dog topped with every topping imaginable (ketchup, mayonnaise, sauerkraut, pickles, onions, and more). This meal is traditionally sold on street corners.
18) Dumplings from China
Dumplings, or jiaozi in Mandarin, consist of minced meat and chopped vegetables wrapped in a thin piece of dough that is boiled, steamed, or fried. They have been eaten in China for 1,800 years (that somehow feels about as long as my 9am Economics class)! Chinese families have great memories of making dumplings together for regular meals as well as for special holidays, like Chinese New Year, when they eat this dish at midnight.
19) Gallo Pinto from Costa Rica
Gallo Pinto is a rice and bean breakfast that is spiced with peppers, cilantro, and onions. Gallo Pinto translates to “spotted rooster” because when the beans and rice are mixed together, the beans can make the rice look speckled. One can only guess where the rooster resemblance was seen in a bowl of rice and beans, but, nevertheless, Gallo Pinto is still a fun name for a delicious meal!
20) Crni Rizot from Croatia
Crni Rizot, translating to black risotto, is a squid risotto in which black squid ink changes the color of the rice. Crni Rizot can also contain other seafood, such as mussels and clams. As tasty as this meal is, make sure not to order this dish on a first date to spare a smile in which you flash squid ink-covered teeth.
21) Cuban Sandwich from Cuba
Cuban Sandwiches feature ham, Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard on Cuban bread. Your heart will be in Havana (ooh nah nah) with this tasty meal, perfect for almuerzo, or lunch.
22) Æbleskiver from Denmark
Æbleskiver, translating to “apple slice,” are round pancakes traditionally filled with apple slices (although modern variations fill them with different things, too) and topped with sugar and marmalade. These decadent Christmastime desserts are probably a reason why Denmark is consistently considered one of the the happiest countries!
23) Sambuussa from Djibouti
Sambuussa, also referred to as “samosa,” are fried pastries stuffed with meat, onions, and vegetables. They are traditionally eaten as an appetizer and served with zuuqar, a dipping sauce made from tomato paste and grated vegetables.
24) Ful wa Ta’meya from Egypt
Ful wa Ta’meya, similar to falafel, are fried balls of crushed fava bean paste. To cook them, the Ta’meya are put in a Qedra, a large cauldron-like pot, and left to simmer all night. This meal is traditionally eaten as fast food or street food and is known to be cheap and accessible.
25) Wat from Ethiopia
Wat is a stew made from a combination of chicken, beef, lamb, vegetables, and spices (such as berbere, a key spice in Ethiopia containing a mixture of chile peppers, garlic, ginger, rue, and much more) and niter kibbeh, a spiced butter-like paste. Wat is eaten with injera, a flat-bread, which is often dipped into the stew.
26) Lovo from Fiji
Lovo is a meal made on special occasions, such as weddings or birthdays, in which all the food is prepared and cooked underground! Chicken, fish and meat (marinated in sauces and garlic), taro (a tropical root vegetable), and palusami (taro leaves filled with coconut cream, onions, and meat) are all wrapped in foil and placed on top of hot rocks in a hole. Banana leaves cover the food as they cook in the ground. This meal is so delicious that it will make you say, “I lovo it!”
27) Crêpes from France
Ever dream of sitting at a café sipping cappuccinos as you stare up at the Eiffel Tower? Crêpes cannot quite guarantee you will snap a cheesy photo of you “holding” the famous tower, but these thin pancakes are still delicious! Sweet or savory, crêpes can be filled with an endless possibility of foods, from fruit and Nutella to ham and cheese!
28) Bratwurst from Germany
Bratwursts are a type of veal, beef, or pork sausage that are traditionally served in a white bread roll and topped with mustard. If you have ever been called a brat, the person could have been complimenting you because bratwursts are delightful.
29) Spanakopita from Greece
If Mamma Mia made you want to go to Greece and belt out the soundtrack on one of the country’s beautiful islands, you are not alone. Luckily, spanakopita is so delicious that it will make you sing. This appetizer features thin layers of phyllo dough stuffed with sautéed spinach and feta. Excuse me while I go buy all the frozen spanakopita at Trader Joe’s!
30) Soup Joumou from Haiti
Soup Joumou is a beef-stock soup dominated by a puree of Caribbean pumpkin. Cabbage, pasta, carrots, plantains, root vegetables, beef, and more are often added to the soup, which is seasoned using Scotch bonnet chiles.
31) Trdelník from Hungary
Trdelník is a donut-like pastry in which sweet dough is wrapped around a stick and then baked. The resulting cone-shaped dessert is tossed in a mixture of cinnamon, sugar, and walnut. Modern takes on this delicious food include filling the pastry with Nutella or ice cream. You cannot help but be Hungary from thinking about a trdelník!
32) Curry from India
Curry is an extremely popular genre of dishes in India. Although there are many variations of curry, all the dishes are prepared in a generous portion of sauce and are seasoned with a combination of turmeric, cumin, coriander, ginger, and chilies. Each region of India has their own take on curry. For example, coastal Maharashtra typically uses coconut as the base of their curry, while Vidarbha‘s curry is usually spicier and uses a base of groundnut powder and chickpea powder. Other regions use yogurt, legume purée, tomato purée, broth, or dairy cream as a base. Curry is generally used to marinate vegetables, chicken, fish, or lamb.
33) Hummus from Israel
Hummus is a thick dip of puréed chickpeas, tahini sauce, lemon, olive oil, and garlic. Hummus is eaten with just about everything from falafels to shawarma (the latter is a street food consisting of chicken or lamb in pita). It’s creamy, comforting, and will make you feel happiness in your soul.
34) Pizza from Italy
Italian pizza is, well, heaven. You might just have to go to Italy to try this one — the plane ticket will be worth the cost of your first bite into a delicious, warm slice. Imagine a thin crust toasted to the perfect amount of crunch, and glazed lightly with a sauce made from tomatoes picked that morning. Layered gently on top are thick pieces of mozzarella, made fresh by the restaurant from techniques perfected over generations, that melt in your mouth. Basil that wafts sweet aromas throughout the restaurant, providing locals with nostalgia, is garnished on top, along with balsamic vinaigrette, aged to perfection in the finest wineries of Italy. You get the picture…I might as well just forward my future paychecks to Italy.
35) Mochi from Japan
Mochi is a sweet rice cake made from mochigome, a glutinous rice native to Japan. Traditionally, it is made in an all-day ceremony called mochitsuki and eaten on Japanese New Year. In the modern day, Mochi is filled with ice cream and eaten all year round as a sweet frozen treat.
36) Tamales from Mexico
Tamales are corn-based dough filled with anything from meats to cheeses to fruits and steamed in a corn husk or banana leaf. Tamales have been eaten since the pre-Columbian time of the Aztecs, who ate them with turkey, flamingo, frog, axolotl, rabbit, turkey, honey, fruits, squash or beans.
37) Chicken Bastilla from Morocco
Chicken Bastilla is a savory pie containing chicken seasoned with saffron, ginger, pepper, and cinnamon. The pie is also filled with an omelet and fried almonds that are scented with orange flower water. Layered between fillings is warqa, a Moroccan pastry. You know the food is going to be good when it contains ingredients, such as orange flower water, that could also be names of majestic perfumes.
38) Akara from Nigeria
Akara are deep-fried bean cakes that are often eaten for breakfast with a side of ogi, a fermented cereal pudding. The cakes can be made from brown beans ground together with onions and spices. Some recommend eating it with agege bread, a thick, chewy and stretchy bread popular in Nigeria. This delicious meal is so light and fluffy that you will want to take a nap on the cakes.
39) Adobo from the Philippines
Adobo is considered the national meal of the Philippines and consists of meat, seafood, or vegetables marinated in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and black pepper and cooked through simmering. The process originates from people using vinegar to preserve their meats long before refrigerators were available. Now, the vinegar adds a tasty flavoring!
40) Knish from Russia
Knish is a savory pastry that consists of minced meat or potatoes covered in thick dough that is then baked or deep-fried. These pastries are so addicting, you will not be able to stop yourself from Puttin them in your mouth (hahahah, get it?).
41) Malva Pudding from South Africa
This sweet pudding, brought by Dutch settlers, has a sticky cake-like texture and is made with apricot jam and topped with hot cream sauce. This pudding is most commonly baked for Sunday lunch.
42) Tortilla Española from Spain
Tortilla Española is a big, thick, round omelette filled with potatoes, onions, chive, and garlic and pan-fried in oil. This dish is so tasty, you will be forced to say, “Hurricane tortilla, more like hurricane delicious.”
43) Cheese Fondue from Switzerland
Cheese fondue consists of creamy, melted Gruyère cheese mixed with cooking wine (amongst other spices) served in a hot pot. Around the table, everyone uses skewers to dip anything from potatoes to bread to pickles into the sizzling cheese. This warm dish is traditionally eaten in the cold winter. There are two challenges to Swiss fondue: 1) try not to eat the entire dish in under five seconds, and 2) try to prevent the accompaniments from falling into the pot, while covering them with as much cheese as humanly possible.
44) Ma’mul from Syria
Ma’mul are sweet biscuits filled with walnuts, pistachios, or dates. These cookies are shaped using a wooden mold called a tabi, which often imprints pretty patterns onto the treats. This dessert is so delicious that it is eaten by Christians, Muslims, and Jews to celebrate Easter, Eid al-Fitr, and Purim, respectively.
45) Pad Thai from Thailand
Pad Thai is a dish in which rice noodles are stir-fried with eggs, tofu, tamarind pulp, fish sauce, dried shrimp, garlic, vegetables, pepper and palm sugar. This dish is usually topped with lime and roasted peanuts, and is an iconic street food dish.
46) Tea from the United Kingdom
Tea, a warm drink flavored with dried herbs and spices, is often drank with small sandwiches and pastries in the afternoon. Tea is so popular in the United Kingdom that the average resident drinks three cups of tea a day, and the entire country drinks 62 billion cups of tea a year! No wonder throwing British tea in the Boston Harbor did not go over well!
47) Arepas from Venezuela
Arepas are a corn-based thick, but flat, bread that are extremely versatile. Some people fry their arepas, while others bake them. Some people stuff their arepas with avocado and cheese, while others cut them in half to make sandwiches. Some restaurants top the patty-like bread with meat, eggs, tomatoes or fish. The options for arepas are endless, much like the joy one can expect from eating one!
48) Nshima from Zambia
Nshima is a thick porridge-like dish that is made from pounding white maize. Nshima is so popular that it is said to be part of almost every Zambian meal. The best part about nshima is that it is often eaten with your hands — who doesn’t like a good plate of finger food?!
These 48 foods will transport you to the center of dinner tables on the most sacred religious days. They will take you to street corners on which vendors cook while hungry pedestrians enjoy the delicious scent that wafts by. They invite you into the homes of people around the world for an intimate opportunity to learn about their country and culture.
Thus, as you begin to try these foods — and perhaps even more from other countries — I wish you safe travels as you immerse yourself in the many beautiful cultures and traditions the world has to offer.