An ancient 'superfood' sent from heaven
This South Asian dish is chicken marinated in yogurt and spices. It's traditionally roasted in a tandoor, a cylindrical clay oven.
This Maghrebi dish is all about poached eggs in a sauce of tomatoes, olive oil, peppers, onion, and garlic. It's commonly spiced with cumin, paprika, and cayenne pepper, and served with bread.
This Japanese delicacy consists of fresh raw fish or meat, which is sliced into thin pieces and often eaten with soy sauce. Common ingredients include tuna, salmon, and mackerel.
While the exact origin of this dish is uncertain, it's particularly popular in North Indian. The main ingredients of biryani are basmati rice, spices, and a base of meat, shrimp, vegetables, and so on. Dried fruits, nuts, and yogurt can also be added.
One of the oldest types of pasta dishes, lasagna is made of very wide, flat sheets. Popular fillings include ragù, béchamel sauce, vegetables, and cheese, such as ricotta, mozzarella, or Parmesan.
This flavorful national dish of India is especially popular in southern parts of the country, and in other Southeast Asian countries. A highly nutritional stew, it's popularly made with yellow lentils, caraway, coriander, onions, garlic, chilies, and ginger.
This dish is of Turkish origin. It consists of spiced lamb cooked on a spit and served in slices, typically with pita bread.
Sources: (Taste Atlas) (CNN)
See also: Colorful and vibrant vegan cuisine
Spring rolls are traditional Chinese snacks consisting of thin sheets of dough, which are filled with various ingredients, then deep-fried. Common fillings include shredded pork, shrimp, mushrooms, and cabbage.
These thin pancakes are made with wheat flour, and have origins in the French region of Brittany. While they're a French staple, crêpes became a worldwide hit during the 20th century, when white wheat flour became affordable.
Churrasco is a Brazilian barbecue method where juicy pieces of beef, veal, lamb, pork, chicken, and more are placed on big skewers and grilled over wood fire. It all started in the early 1800s, when European settlers in southern Brazil would get together and grill large portions of meat on skewers.
Thailand's national dish, this flavorful stir-fry includes rice noodles, tofu, dried shrimp, bean sprouts, and eggs. Meat, chicken, or pork can also be added.
One of the most popular street foods in Greece, gyros consists of either pork or chicken meat. The meat is sliced in thin shavings and then placed in a pita bread with tzatziki and fresh vegetables.
Most Brits would agree that there is nothing more British than fish and chips. This national dish consists of a freshly fried white fish fillet and large French fries.
The national dish of Peru, ceviche consists of slices of raw fish or shellfish that are spiced with salt, onion, and chili peppers. This fresh dish is then marinated in lime juice.
A typical Roman dish, pasta carbonara is prepared by simply tossing spaghetti with guanciale (cured pork jowl), egg yolks, and Pecorino Romano cheese.
One of the most popular Korean dishes, bibim means "mixed," while bap means "cooked rice." The rice is combined with a variety of ingredients such as sliced beef, vegetables, soy sauce, gochujang (a red chili pepper paste), and a raw egg on top, which cooks through the steaming rice.
This noodle soup is Vietnam's national dish, and pure comfort food! It's traditionally made with chicken or beef broth, herbs, spices, chewy rice noodles, juicy beef slices, and crunchy sprouts.
This popular French pie is filled with eggs and cream, and anything from bacon, cheese, and leeks. The most popular versions are quiche Lorraine, quiche Florentine, and quiche Provençale.
This popular appetizer was created by maître d' Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya, who made it in 1941 for customers at the Victory Club restaurant in Piedras Negras, Mexico. Anaya couldn't find the cook, so he combined the available ingredients of tortilla chips, cheese, and jalapeño peppers.
Koreans love fermented pickled vegetables, and they keep it interesting! Kimchi is made from napa cabbage, marinated with hot chili peppers, salty fish paste, leeks, ginger, sugar, and garlic.
Japanese gyozas are crescent-shaped dumplings that originated from the traditional Chinese jiaozi dumplings. Stuffed with a mixture of meat and vegetables, it's one of the most popular dishes in Japan.
This Italian dish originated from Bologna, and consists of a rich ragù made with a mixture of minced beef and pork and tomatoes. In Bologna, it's typically served with fresh tagliatelle pasta.
A northern Italian staple, risotto is a widely popular and extremely versatile dish that consists of a rice and stock base.
This rice dish hails from Valencia and shines as one of the most renowned and cherished dishes of Spain. The saffron-flavored rice dish includes meat, seafood, and vegetables.
Ramen is a noodle soup that first appeared in Japan in 1910, when Chinese cooks combined the noodles with a salty broth. Its name was derived from the pronunciation of the Chinese word lamian, meaning pulled noodles.
An American staple, the hamburger evolved from the German Deutsches beefsteak. Its name comes from the fact that many German immigrants to the US came from the port of Hamburg.
This dish from Mexico dates back to the country's 18th-century silver mines, when the word taco referred to gunpowder that was wrapped in a piece of paper and inserted into rocks.
One of Japan's most famous culinary staples, sushi has wrongly become synonymous with raw fish. The primary ingredient of every type of sushi is actually only the vinegared rice.
Pizza became popular in 18th-century Naples as a cheap, nourishing food for peasants. Modern pizza as we know it today evolved from early Neapolitan flatbread, which we're all grateful for!
A classic Swiss dish, fondue's key ingredient is melted cheese over a flame, with varieties and flavorful additions such as cherry brandy, white wine, or a sprinkle of nutmeg.
It's hard to say which country has the best cuisine in the world, as there are so many distinctive flavors and styles of preparing food out there. But there are definitely some dishes that have made their mark in world cuisine. Be it Italian, Japanese, or Mexican, even if you've never been to the home countries of some of these dishes, you're probably well familiar with most of them.
To feast your eyes (and test your drooling), click on for 30 of the world's most popular dishes. Bon appétit!
The world's most popular dishes
These meals are considered culinary icons
FOOD Cuisine
It's hard to say which country has the best cuisine in the world, as there are so many distinctive flavors and styles of preparing food out there. But there are definitely some dishes that have made their mark in world cuisine. Be it Italian, Japanese, or Mexican, even if you've never been to the home countries of some of these dishes, you're probably well familiar with most of them.
To feast your eyes (and test your drooling), click on for 30 of the world's most popular dishes. Bon appétit!