The Most Popular International Cuisines
Whether you’re traveling abroad or want to try something new, these are the most popular international cuisines.
From delicious Mexican dishes to hearty Italian food – everywhere in the world has something unique to offer. Some might be more difficult to find than others, but they’re worth searching for because they are so delicious!
Chinese
Chinese food is one of the most popular international cuisines in the world, and for a good reason. It’s healthy, flavorful, and incredibly easy to make at home. You can find everything you need right off supermarket shelves: ginger root, soy sauce, and rice vinegar are staples in Chinese kitchens. Rice noodles, napa cabbage, and broccoli also have a place on every table.
If you’re new to cooking Chinese food at home, start with a few dishes made with ingredients that are easily accessible at your local grocery store or online. Then experiment with different flavors by adding ingredients like pineapple or orange juice instead of traditional ingredients like soy sauce (which has a robust flavor).
Italian
Italian food is the most popular cuisine in the world. It’s also delicious and easy to make. Of course, you’ve probably had pasta served with tomato sauce or cheese, but there’s so much more to Italian cooking.
Italian food uses lots of locally-grown herbs and vegetables. These are used in dishes like pasta bolognese (beef and tomato sauce), lasagna (pasta sheets topped with meat sauce), or pizza margherita (tomato base topped with mozzarella cheese and basil).
French
French cuisine is rich in history, and the French are known for their love of food. It’s no surprise that there are so many restaurants based on French cuisine in Paris, but you can find it all over the world too.
This cuisine uses fresh ingredients and often includes butter or cream and wine. Cheese also plays an essential part in French cooking.
Japanese
Japanese food is often described as healthy and fresh, but it’s also very versatile. You can have sushi or sashimi for lunch, tempura for dinner, and ramen for brunch—and still indulge in Japanese fare. The best thing about Japanese cuisine is that it has a lot of room for creativity because many traditional dishes are easy to recreate at home. Regardless of your dietary preferences, there’s something for everyone.
Traditional Japanese dishes include:
- Sushi and sashimi (sliced raw fish)
- Tempura (deep-fried seafood and veggies)
- Ramen (noodle soup)
- Udon (thick wheat noodles in broth with veggies)
- Miso (soup made with a seaweed broth and tofu/seaweed paste)
What makes this cuisine so popular? Everything from its simplicity to the high quality of ingredients used when preparing it makes this type of cuisine appealing to anyone who enjoys trying new things or simply wants something healthy yet tasty on their plate at home or a restaurant.
Mexican
Mexican food is a fusion of indigenous Mesoamerican cooking with European, especially Spanish, elements added after the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire in the 16th century. The basic staples remain corn and beans, but an increasing amount of beef, pork, and chicken are becoming the mainstays of Mexican cuisine.
Spanish
Spanish food can be considered part of Mediterranean cuisine. It is typically served with bread, rice, or potatoes—and sometimes a salad. Local regional dishes are found all over the country and the Basque region has some of the best.
Spanish food tends to be hearty and heavy in meat and fish; however, it also has its own distinct vegetarian specialties that take advantage of seasonal produce from the region’s farms and markets.
Paella is one of the most popular Spanish dishes. It is made with rice and also contains seafood (such as squid) or rabbit.
Greek
Greek cuisine is famous for its yogurt, olives, and feta cheese. It is also very healthy, nutritious, and tasty. The Mediterranean diet consists of lots of fruits, fish, and vegetables which makes Greek cuisine one of the healthiest in the world.
Food from Greece has become very popular in Australia as well as other countries around the world, such as the United States, Canada, and Britain.
Filipino
Filipino food is a combination of Malay, Chinese, Spanish and American cuisine. It’s also influenced by its culture and history. The Philippines has been a melting pot of cultures for centuries—the country has seen influences from the Chinese and Spanish to the Americans. Each region in the Philippines has its own specialty dishes that reflect its individual cultures. Filipino food is very diverse; you will find lots of seafood as well as plenty of vegetables and meat dishes on every table.
It is known for its intense flavors thanks to all those spices used in cooking: ginger root, garlic cloves, lemongrass stalks, and many more. You can find this sort of thing at any grocery store or Asian market if you’re interested in trying some Filipino recipes at home.
