Last Updated on March 28, 2024 by Share My Kitchen
Comfort food recipes are a great way to cope during times of uncertainty. Many people are turning to home-cooked meals in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. If you are tired of your usual rotation of dishes, why don’t you try something new? Something that other people globally would consider their comfort food?
These global comfort foods recipes, which include frikandel (fried sausage) and omurice (omelette with rice) will make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Sometimes, a dish can communicate so much more than words could ever. These are 14 comfort food recipes that you can make tonight.
Here Are 14 Easy Comfort Food Recipes From Around The World
Russia
Blini (Pancakes)
Blini are small Russian pancakes made from wheat flour or buckwheat flour. They are traditionally served with butter, sour cream, or fruit jam, but you can also add savory items like caviar, smoked salmon, or chicken and mushrooms to suit your budget.
Serbia
Prebranac (Baked Beans)
Prebranac, also known as pasulj or grah, is a popular Balkan comfort food. It’s a baked-bean soup that uses pinto beans or white beans. To make it more filling, you can add bacon, sausage, or Han.
Czech Republic
Smažený Sýr (Fried Cheese)
Smazeny Syr, or “fried cheese,” is a Czech cheese-based dish that’s popular as comfort food. A thick slice of Gruyere or Edam is breaded with flour, egg, and bread crumbs. Then, deep-fried and served with tartar sauce and a side salad. It is also very popular in street food in Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
Denmark
Biksemad (Hash)
Biksemad, also known as pyttipanna in Norway and Sweden, is a simple dish that combines meat and vegetables. It allows you to use all of your leftovers. This dish usually contains pork, sausages, onions, potatoes and carrots and is often topped off with an egg.
Netherlands
Frikandel (Fried Sausage)
This Dutch traditional snack is made with a fried, skinless sausage with mayonnaise or ketchup. You can also cut the sausage like a hot dog bun and smothering it with chopped onions.
Germany
Käsespätzle (Cheese Noodles)
This German comfort food, literally translated to “spatzle and cheese,” is very similar to mac ‘n cheese. It is made up of egg noodles called spatzle (or egg noodles), which are layered with grated cheddar and topped with sauerkraut-fried onions.
Philippines
Adobo
The Filipino comfort food adobo, is made with marinated pork or chicken cooked in soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and black pepper. It can vary in every region in the country. It is a savory stew best paired with hot fluffy rice!
Italy
Minestrone (Vegetable Soup)
It’s a hearty Italian soup made with pasta and vegetables, and garnished generously with Parmigiano-Reggiano. It is filling enough to have it as a main dish and can be made vegan or full of meat. You can customize the ingredients to suit your tastes, so there’s no set recipe.
Nigeria
Puff-Puff (Deep-Fried Dough)
The Nigerian snack is made up of a pillowy and chewy, deep-fried dough, which is deep-fried until it turns golden brown. You can top them with powdered sugar, like French beignets, or roll them in other spices or flavoring like cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg. They are often served with fruit dips and coffee.
Iran
Tahdig (Scorched Rice)
Rice may sometimes feel a bit bland, so it might need a bit of texture. Tahdig is a great example of this. This dish literally means “bottom of the pan,” and consists of crispy, caramelized rice that has been taken from the bottom. You can cook the rice with turmeric and saffron, and make it crispy with a special steaming technique, which you can mimic using a kitchen towel.
Sri Lanka
Kottu Roti (Shredded Flatbread)
Kottu Roti, which means “chopped roti,” is a comfort food that’s made from roti (or chewy flatbread) that is chopped up, then cooked with vegetables, eggs, spices, and sometimes meat. This delicious dish is hard not to love.
Taiwan
Lu Rou Fan (Braised Pork Rice)
This rich comfort food dish is popular in Taiwan. It is made with ground pork that has been marinated and boiled in soy sauce and served over steamed rice. This dish has the perfect combination of umami flavors from the pork and starchy carbohydrates from the rice. To make it a complete meal, serve it with vegetables.
Japan
Omurice (Omelette with Rice)
The western-inspired Japanese dish is an omelette filled with tomato-flavored rice and thin scrambled eggs. It’s usually served with ketchup. This Japanese dish was popularized by families and children around the turn of the 20th century.
Canada
Poutine (Topped Fries)
This iconic dish was created in Quebec, Canada in the 1950s. It consists of french fries and cheese curds topped with brown gravy. You can add sausage, chicken, bacon, brisket or other smoked meats to your fries and gravy to make plenty of variations.
United States
Grilled Cheese
Americans have discovered the ultimate comfort food. Two pieces of bread and a layer of gooey cheese grilled on a hot pan with butter until crispy. There are many variations to try, but the basic version is a classic.
So, What Comfort Food Are You Planning To Try?
There are many other comfort foods available from all over the world, including pierogies from Poland, French onion soup, and shakshuka from Morocco. These comfort foods will surely cheer you up and keep you warm during the colder months. It will also remind you of the beautiful simpler times.
FAQs
What is comfort food, and why is it so popular?
You know when you take a bite of something and memories flood in? The warmth you felt when you took that bite? Yes. That’s how you define comfort food. Comfort food is any type of food that provides a sense of comfort, nostalgia, and, more often than not, childhood memories. It is what you eat when you just had a breakup, a failed exam, or generally a bad day.
What are some popular global comfort food recipes from around the world?
Comfort food recipes vary from country to country, but some popular examples include macaroni and cheese in the United States, poutine in Canada, fish and chips in the United Kingdom, ramen in Japan, and pizza in Italy.
Are there any healthy comfort food recipes?
Yes, there are plenty of healthy comfort food recipes that can be just as satisfying as traditional comfort foods. For example, roasted sweet potato and black bean tacos are a healthy and delicious alternative to traditional tacos, while lentil soup can provide the same level of comfort as a chicken noodle soup.
How can I make my own comfort food recipes at home?
To make your own comfort food recipes at home, start by thinking about the flavors and textures that make you feel happy and comforted. Then, search for recipes that feature those flavors and textures. You can also experiment with your own recipe ideas, using your favorite ingredients and cooking techniques.
Can I modify traditional comfort food recipes to make them healthier?
Yes, you can modify traditional comfort food recipes to make them healthier. For example, you can swap out white pasta for whole wheat pasta in macaroni and cheese, or use lean ground turkey instead of beef in chili. You can also add extra veggies to recipes to boost their nutritional value.
