People Are Sharing Their Favorite Recipes From Their Cultures, And I Can't Wait To Make Them (2024)

"I'm from Mauritius, a tiny island in the Indian Ocean, and our rich culinary culture is influenced by the cuisines of China, East Africa, France, India and more. One staple dish in any Mauritian household is lentils and rice, known as du riz lentilles.

Finely chop and sauté and onion in oil with thyme, ginger, and garlic. When the onions become translucent, add chili, half a cup of tomato sauce, and continue cooking. Then, add lentils (I use pre-steamed), 2-3 cups of water, and bring to a boil. Reduce the flame and let the lentils simmer for another 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and spoon over rice." —Shina C.

Recipe: Mauritian-Style Black Lentils

"I'm half Indian, and my mother always made samosas growing up. You can find plenty of recipes online for inspiration but I would recommend making them filled with potatoes and peas." —Sue

Recipe: Perfect Samosas

"This combination of pasta, Italian sausage, peas, and a creamy tomato sauce is so simple but so delicious. It’s one of my favorite Italian dishes." —katk479a3402f

Recipe: Rigatoni alla Buttera

"This thick soup from Suriname is made with chicken, cured/salted beef brisket, and balls made from boiled plantains/banana." —valmkarg

Recipe: Surinamese Peanut Soup

"I'm Vietnamese and the amount of flavor in this dish is amazing. It takes some patience because it requires a lot of simmering, but the recipe itself is simple. You'll want to use specific vermicelli noodles meant for Bun Bo Hue so the noodles cling to the broth. I use beef tendons and pork shoulder to elevate the flavor of the dish even more." —silvahaileythi

Recipe: Bun Bo Hue

"We refer to this Greek chicken and rice soup with lemon as penicillin because it cures anything. It's the perfect food." —sps437

Recipe: Greek Lemon Chicken Soup (Avgolemono)

"I’m from an Indian Pueblos in New Mexico and my favorite comfort food, a popular dish from my culture, is red chile stew. I recommend it to everyone, especially if you're visiting New Mexico." —emmemagnolia

Recipe: Red Chili Stew

"Lahmajoun, a dish from my home country of Armenia, is the greatest comfort food. It's basically thin, spiced pizza, and if you like Mediterranean or Middle Eastern food, you'll love it. I'd suggest using lab over beef, but if you're vegetarian you can use chickpeas. The thinner the crust and the more lemon you use the better. And like any good pizza, you can always try using new ingredients and toppings." —mcrivellokhan

Recipe: Lahmacun (Turkish Pizza)

"My boyfriend is from Iran, and I would highly recommend trying some Persian dishes at home. My favorite is saffron rice with Tahdig. It's essentially crispy, spiced rice and it's delicious." —deannab44873e588

Recipe: Crispy Persian Rice (Tahdig) With Spiced Golden Chickpeas

"This Filipino dish can be made with tripe, beef, pork, oxtail, seafood or just veggies in peanut sauce. Just don't skip out on the shrimp paste!" —superemang

Recipe: Kare Kare

"In Denmark we eat a dish called burning love, which is mashed potatoes with pieces of bacon, Caramelized onions, and beets on top. It's comforting and delicious." —lineesbjerg90

Recipe: Burning Love (Brændende Kærlighed)

"I’m from New Orleans and one of my favorite dishes to cook is crawfish etouffe. It's easy to make, but it requires a bit of time. The final result is so delicious and worth every minute of cooking. Toast some French breast and serve it over rice." —mrg

Recipe: Crawfish Etouffe

"The popular Mexican breakfast dish, Chilaquiles, is absolutely amazing." —SamCrevellari

Recipe: Chilaquiles Rojos

"This Vietnamese crispy crepe —filled with anything from shrimp to pork belly and veggies— is so delicious, especially when it's enveloped in a rice paper spring roll wrapper." —lindseyn4a247aa33

Recipe: Crispy Vietnamese Crêpes (Bánh Xèo)

"This Irish side dish is similar to colcannon, but it isn't made with cabbage. It's similar to mashed potatoes but even better, thanks to the addition of scallions, chives, pepper, and warm milk. When serving, make a well in the middle of the potatoes and pour in some melted butter. It's so delicious." —CelticNessa

Recipe: Irish Champ

"This Danish staple is made with sliced pork belly that are fried until crispy, then they're served with Bechamel parsley sauce and boiled potatoes. It’s decadent and rather easy to make." —amaliel2

Recipe: Grilled Pork Belly in Parsley Sauce (Stegt Flaesk)

"This French dish is one of the easiest vegetarian meals ever. The secret to perfect ratatouille is pre-cooking all of the vegetables separately before simmering them together. But when I'm short in time or just feeling lazy, I throw them all in the same pot and ta-daaa. It's usually made with eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, bell pepper, onions, and garlic. Drizzle with olive oil, season with thyme, balsamic, salt, and pepper, and let cook for 30 minutes to an hour." —carocapdepon

Recipe: Ratatouille

"This soup — a common staple in many Ashkenazi Jewish households — can fix just about anything." —Jazzap

Recipe: Matzo Ball Soup

"Served with a side of fried dumplings and sweet plantains, this meal probably isn't something you should have every day, but it's a staple in Jamaican culture. Ackee is a savory fruit found in Jamaica and parts of west Africa, but you can buy it canned if you can't find it fresh. It's cooked with salted cod fish, chopped sweet onions, and sliced tomatoes. The combination of this savory dish with the sweet plantains is *chefs kiss*. It feels like a warm hug in your belly for breakfast to start your day off right!" —GigiMomster

Recipe: Ackee and Saltfish

"Traditional Swedish food is loaded with potatoes and butter, and raggmunk is no exception. It's basically a Swedish pancake made out of shredded potato." —lynchamigsakta

Recipe: Raggmunk (Swedish Potato Pancakes With Jam)

"This German recipe is similar to a thin steak, which is filled with bacon, mustard, pickles and onions, then rolled up and cooked until tender in a delicious and rich gravy. It's typically served with red cabbage, cooked apples, and boiled or mashed potatoes." —johannab1002

Recipe: Beef Rouladen

"This dish is the Russian take on potato salad, and different regions have slightly different takes on the recipe, but it's a staple on every holiday table. It's made with tender boiled beef, boiled potatoes, hard boiled eggs, onion, pickles, and peas all dressed in mayo and sour cream. You'll find some recipes that call for chicken or ham instead of beef or additional vegetables. It takes a little time to make, but it's delicious and you can make a big batch and eat it throughout the week." —sofiyak

Recipe: Olivye Salad