Starters, Snacks & Sides from Around the World

Not every great dish is the main event. These are the soups, small plates, street snacks and sides that open or round out a meal somewhere on the map: 466 authentic recipes, each with its cultural story, ingredients, and step by step method.
466 recipes · showing 1 to 48
Agedashi Tofu (Fried Tofu in Dashi Broth)Tokyo (Kanto), Japan · medium · 32 minSoft tofu dusted in potato starch and fried until just crisp, then set in a pool of warm dashi, soy and mirin broth with grated daikon, ginger and spring onion.
Ahi PokeHawai‘i, United States · easy · 20 minHawai‘i’s original fish salad: cubed raw ahi with soy, sesame oil, sweet onion, and limu, over warm rice.
Aloo Sadeko (Nepali Spiced Potato Salad)Kathmandu Valley, Nepal · easy · 1 hBoiled potatoes tossed with red onion, green chilli, lime, timur pepper and toasted sesame, then doused in smoking mustard oil fried with fenugreek and turmeric.
Amanida de Xicoies (Andorran Dandelion Salad with Bacon)Andorra la Vella, Andorra · easy · 1 hTender young dandelion leaves from the spring meadows, dressed with plenty of olive oil, vinegar and green garlic and topped with hot, crisp pieces of fried pork belly.
Anafre (Honduran Bean, Cheese and Chorizo Dip)San Pedro Sula, Honduras · easy · 30 minRefried red beans, crumbled chorizo and melting quesillo kept bubbling in a clay pot over coals, scooped up with crisp fried corn tortilla chips.
Aubergines aux Crevettes et Sardines (Gabonese Eggplant with Shrimp and Sardines)Libreville, Gabon · easy · 1 h 25 minSteamed eggplant, chopped and simmered with onion, green pepper, tomato, garlic, shrimp and flaked sardines into a soft, savoury stew, served warm as a first course.
Azifa (Ethiopian Green Lentil Salad)Addis Ababa, Ethiopia · easy · 1 h 45 minGreen lentils cooked until just tender, then chilled and tossed with red onion, green chili, lemon or lime and a sharp dressing of ground mustard seed.
Badrijani Nigvzit (Georgian Eggplant Rolls with Walnut Paste)Imereti, Georgia · medium · 1 h 30 minThin slices of fried eggplant rolled around a garlicky walnut paste scented with coriander and blue fenugreek, scattered with pomegranate seeds and served cool.
Bahamian Conch ChowderNassau, Bahamas · medium · 2 h 35 minA light, brothy tomato chowder of tenderised conch simmered slowly with salt pork, sweet pepper, celery, thyme, potatoes and carrots, sharpened with lime and hot pepper.
Baklazhanna Ikra (Odesa-Style Eggplant Caviar)Poltava, Ukraine · easy · 2 h 20 minRoasted eggplant, pepper and tomato, peeled and chopped by hand with garlic, herbs, sunflower oil and a splash of vinegar, a cold zakuska spread on black bread.
Balchi di Piska (Curaçao Fish Balls)Willemstad, Curaçao · medium · 1 h 25 minSmall balls of poached white fish ground with onion, sweet pepper, celery, scallion and hot pepper, spiced with nutmeg and cumin, fried golden and served with a tangy tomato sous krioyo.
Belizean Shrimp CevicheBelize City, Belize · easy · 1 hChopped shrimp steeped in plenty of fresh lime juice with ripe tomato, onion, cucumber, cilantro and habanero, served cold with crisp corn tortilla chips.
Bergensk FiskesuppeVestland (Bergen), Norway · easy · 50 minBergen’s creamy fish soup: salmon and cod in a gently sweet-and-sour broth with root vegetables and chives.
Bermuda Fish ChowderHamilton, Bermuda · medium · 1 h 20 minA dark, tomatoey fish chowder finished at the table with black rum and sherry pepper sauce.
Bhajia (Kenyan Crispy Potato Fritters)Nairobi, Kenya · easy · 1 hThin potato slices coated in a spiced gram flour batter with green chili, ginger, turmeric and coriander, fried until crisp and served hot with a tangy tomato chutney.
Bigilla (Maltese Broad Bean Dip)Valletta, Malta · easy · 13 h 45 minSmall dried broad beans soaked, simmered until soft and mashed with garlic, chilli, parsley, mint and olive oil into a rustic, spicy spread for crusty Maltese bread or galletti.
Bollitos de Yuca (Dominican Cheese-Filled Cassava Balls)Cibao, Dominican Republic · medium · 3 h 10 minBoiled cassava mashed smooth with butter, milk and parsley, wrapped round cubes of cheese, rolled in egg and flour and fried until golden, crisp outside and molten in the middle.
Borani BanjanKabul, Afghanistan · easy · 55 minSilky fried eggplant layered with tomato and garlicky yogurt, finished with dried mint, Kabul’s favorite way to honor a vegetable.
Bruschetta al Pomodoro (Tomato Bruschetta)Lazio (Rome), Italy · easy · 50 minThick slices of country bread toasted until crisp, rubbed with raw garlic and heaped with diced ripe tomato, basil, salt and a generous pour of olive oil.
Caldo VerdeMinho, Portugal · easy · 45 minPortugal’s signature green soup: silky potato broth with ribbons of collard greens and smoky sausage.
Casquinha de Siri (Brazilian Stuffed Crab Shells)Bahia, Brazil · medium · 55 minCrab meat cooked down with onion, tomato, pepper, a touch of dendê oil and coconut milk, spooned back into shells, topped with breadcrumbs and Parmesan and baked until crisp.
Cesnaková Polievka (Slovak Garlic and Potato Soup)Bratislava, Slovakia · easy · 40 minA clear, garlicky Slovak soup of potatoes simmered with paprika, caraway and marjoram, ladled over toasted bread and finished with grated cheese.
Ceviche de Camarón (Ecuadorian Shrimp Ceviche)Pichincha (Andes), Ecuador · easy · 1 h 35 minBriefly poached shrimp in a cold, soupy marinade of lime and orange juice, tomato, red onion, cilantro and a little of their own broth, served with plantain chips, toasted corn and popcorn.
Chakka (Tajik Strained Yogurt with Herbs and Garlic)Dushanbe, Tajikistan · easy · 8 h 15 minTangy yogurt hung in cloth until thick, then beaten with salt, garlic and chopped dill, mint and basil, set out with warm non to scoop at the start of the meal.
Chojín (Guatemalan Radish and Chicharrón Salad)Guatemala City, Guatemala · easy · 20 minFinely chopped radishes, tomato, onion and fresh mint dressed with sour orange and lime, tossed at the last moment with crisp crumbled pork rinds and eaten on tostadas or tortillas.
Chorba FrikAlgiers, Algeria · medium · 1 h 20 minThe Ramadan soup of Algeria: a spiced tomato broth with lamb, chickpeas and smoky green freekeh, thick enough to eat as a meal.
Chourba (Chadian Chicken and Vegetable Soup)N'Djamena, Chad · easy · 1 h 20 minChicken simmered with onion, garlic, tomato, carrot, potato, green pepper and a little cardamom and chili into a light, fragrant broth, the soup of Chad's Ramadan table.
Ciorbă de PerișoareTransylvania, Romania · medium · 1 h 10 minA tangy Romanian sour soup of pork-and-rice meatballs simmered with root vegetables, soured with fermented borș and finished with lovage.
Crab Back (Grenadian Stuffed Crab Shells)St. George's, Grenada · easy · 55 minCrab meat cooked with onion, spring onion, garlic, sweet pepper, Scotch bonnet, thyme and nutmeg, packed back into the shells under buttered breadcrumbs and baked golden.
Croquetas de Jamón (Cuban Ham Croquettes)Havana, Cuba · medium · 5 h 15 minA thick béchamel with onion, nutmeg and finely ground ham, chilled until firm, rolled into small logs, coated twice in egg and cracker meal and fried deep gold, served with lime.
Cullen SkinkScotland (Moray Coast), United Kingdom · easy · 45 minA smoky, creamy chowder of smoked haddock, potato, and leek from a single fishing village on the Moray coast.
Dagnje na Buzaru (Croatian Mussels in White Wine and Garlic)Dalmatia, Croatia · easy · 32 minAdriatic mussels steamed open in a pot with olive oil, garlic, parsley and white wine, the juices thickened with a spoonful of breadcrumbs, served in the pot with plenty of bread for mopping up.
DushbaraBaku, Azerbaijan · advanced · 1 h 20 minTiny hand-pinched lamb dumplings floated in a clear garlicky broth, finished with vinegar and mint.
Ebbeh (Gambian Cassava and Seafood Soup)Banjul, The Gambia · medium · 1 h 15 minCassava boiled and pounded with hot pepper into a thick, tangy soup with palm oil, tamarind and lime, loaded with smoked fish, crab and shrimp.
Eetch (Armenian Tomato and Bulgur Salad)Yerevan, Armenia · easy · 2 h 5 minFine bulgur simmered in a brick-red sauce of onion, tomato, tomato and pepper pastes and lemon, left to swell and cool, then heaped with spring onion, parsley and red pepper and scooped up with lettuce or lavash.
Escargots à la Bourguignonne (Snails in Garlic and Parsley Butter)Burgundy, France · medium · 1 h 10 minBurgundy snails tucked back into their shells with a generous plug of garlic, shallot and parsley butter, baked until it sizzles and served with bread for mopping.
FattoushDamascus, Syria · easy · 30 minA bright Syrian chopped salad of crisp vegetables and toasted flatbread in a tangy sumac and pomegranate molasses dressing.
Flädlesuppe (Swabian Pancake Strip Soup)Swabia, Germany · easy · 1 hThin, golden pancakes rolled and cut into ribbons, set in the bowl and covered with hot, clear beef broth and chives, the first course of a Swabian Sunday dinner.
Gazpacho AndaluzAndalusia, Spain · easy · 2 h 20 minThe cold soup of the Spanish south: ripe tomatoes, cucumber, and pepper blended silky-smooth with olive oil and sherry vinegar.
Goat Meat Pepper Soup (Nwo-Nwo)Enugu (Southeast), Nigeria · medium · 1 h 15 minGoat meat simmered until tender in a thin, fiery broth of Scotch bonnet, crayfish and pepper soup spice, finished with uziza or scent leaves and served hot in small bowls.
Gỏi Cuốn (Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls)Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam · medium · 1 h 15 minSoft rice-paper rolls packed with poached pork, halved shrimp, rice vermicelli, lettuce and fresh herbs, dipped in a warm hoisin and peanut sauce.
Gravlax (Gravad Lax)Skåne, Sweden · easy · 1 daySalmon dry-cured for a couple of days in salt, sugar, dill and white pepper, sliced paper-thin and served with a sweet mustard-dill sauce.
Groentesoep met Balletjes (Dutch Vegetable Soup with Meatballs)Gelderland, Netherlands · medium · 3 h 30 minA clear beef broth simmered from shank and marrow bones, filled with finely cut soup vegetables, tiny nutmeg-scented meatballs and vermicelli, the Dutch starter of birthdays and Sundays.
Guacamole con TotoposMichoacán, Mexico · easy · 30 minRipe avocados crushed in a molcajete over a paste of white onion, serrano chile, cilantro and salt, folded with tomato and served at once with warm fried corn tortilla chips.
Haemul Pajeon (Seafood Scallion Pancake)Seoul (Gyeonggi), South Korea · medium · 40 minA thin, crisp-edged pancake of whole spring onions and mixed seafood bound in an ice-cold batter, fried golden in plenty of oil and cut into pieces to dip in soy and vinegar sauce.
HariraFès-Meknès, Morocco · medium · 1 h 10 minThe tomato, lentil, and chickpea soup that breaks the fast across Morocco, silky, herbal, and lemon-bright.
Hideg Meggyleves (Hungarian Cold Sour Cherry Soup)Great Hungarian Plain, Hungary · easy · 6 h 35 minSour cherries simmered with sugar, cinnamon and cloves, thickened with sour cream and served ice cold, the pink first course of a Hungarian summer lunch.
Hilbet (Eritrean Fava and Fenugreek Whip)Asmara, Eritrea · medium · 12 h 10 minFava beans, lentils and fenugreek cooked to a smooth paste, cooled and whipped into a pale, fluffy spread, with a well of spicy berbere tomato sils in the middle.
← Browse all collections