Take a culinary journey with these delicious foreign food recipes you can make at home. From French onion soup to Italian pizza and Swiss fondue, there’s something for everyone.

Fans of spicy food will love Mexican fajitas and Jamaican jerk chicken. Those with a sweet tooth are sure to enjoy Austrian apfelstrudel and Black Forest gateau from Germany.

Apfelstrudel

Austria

Apple strudel has been popular in Austria since the 1800s. This tasty combination of apple, cinnamon, raisins and filo pastry is best served straight out of the oven. Serve it with ice cream or whipped cream and garnish with cherries or fresh mint.

Ingredients:

• 4 Granny Smith apples
• 6 sheets filo pastry
• 100g granulated sugar
• 50g melted unsalted butter
• 25g sultanas
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

 

Instructions:

• Heat oven to 190°C, gas mark 5.
• Peel, core and dice the apples.
• Cook the apples with the sultanas, cinnamon and 75g of sugar in a frying pan on medium heat until golden brown.
• Allow to cool to room temperature.
• Line a large baking tray with a baking sheet.
• Lay 1 filo sheet on the baking tray, brush with melted unsalted butter and sprinkle on 1 tsp of sugar.
• Add another filo sheet, brush with butter and sprinkle on sugar.
• Repeat with the remaining filo sheets.
• Spoon the apple and cinnamon mix onto the filo sheets, leaving a 2.5cm space at the edges.
• Fold the filo edges over into a neat roll.
• Brush with the remaining butter, sprinkle on the sugar and transfer to the oven.
• Bake for around 30 minutes until golden brown.
• Allow to cool for around 10 minutes before serving.

Black Forest Gateau

Germany

This rich chocolate cake is thought to have been invented by pastry chef Josef Keller in 1915. He passed the recipe on to August Schaefer whose son, Claus, is the owner of Café Schaefer in Triberg. You can sample an authentic Black Forest gateau there or try making it yourself with the following recipe.

Ingredients:

• 400g jar of cherries in kirsch
• Small punnet of fresh cherries to decorate
• 100g flour
• 150g caster sugar
• 2 tbsp corn flour
• 6 medium eggs
• 450ml double or whipping cream
• 150g chocolate
• 50g cocoa powder
• 50g icing sugar
• 150g unsalted melted butter
• Extra butter for greasing cake tins

 

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 180°C, gas mark 4.
• Grease 3 cake tins and line their bases with baking paper.
• Whisk the eggs in a large mixing bowl.
• Fold in the flour, sugar, melted butter and cocoa powder.
• Pour the cake mixture into the tins and bake for around 20 minutes. Use a metal skewer to check that they’re cooked through.
• Allow the cakes to cool on a baking rack.
• Shave the chocolate using a cheese grater, potato peeler or sharp knife, then chill the shavings in the fridge.
• Drain the can of cherries, saving the liquid. Chop into quarters.
• Place cornflour in a small saucepan and add the cherry liquid. Bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer for two minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
• Whip the cream in a large mixing bowl. Spread over the cakes.
• Spoon the cherry mixture onto each cake.
• Stack the cakes together and top with shaved chocolate and fresh cherries.

Cheese Fondue

Switzerland

A hearty winter dish that will warm you up after a day on the ski slopes! Fondue became popular in the 1930s when the Swiss Cheese Union promoted it as a way to get people to eat more cheese.

Ingredients:

• 500g grated Gruyere
• 500g grated Emmental
• 125ml white wine
• 50ml kirsch
• 1 tsp cornflour
• 1 baguette

 

Instructions:

• Heat the wine in a saucepan, gradually adding the cheese and stirring until completely melted.
• Add the kirsch.
• Add the white wine and stir until smooth.
• Serve with a baguette broken into small pieces.

Fajitas

Mexico and the USA

This tasty Tex-Mex dish originated in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas. Mexican cowboys were given skirt steak as part of their pay, and ate it wrapped in a warm tortilla. These days, fajitas are often served with chicken as well as beef.

Ingredients:

• 2 large skinless chicken breasts, cut into slices
• 6 medium tortillas
• 1 peeled and diced onion
• 1 diced red pepper
• 1 diced green pepper
• 1 lime, juiced
• 2 crushed garlic cloves
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• Pinch of cumin
• 5 drops of Tabasco sauce
• Ready-made tomato salsa to serve

 

Instructions:

• Spritz a large frying pan with cooking spray and warm on a medium heat.
• Combine the coriander, paprika, cumin, lime juice, garlic cloves and Tabasco sauce in a large bowl.
• Add the chopped onion and peppers and chicken to the bowl and coat thoroughly.
• Cover the tortillas in foil and warm in the oven at 200°C, gas mark 6.
• Cook the chicken mixture in a large saucepan until tender and remove from the pan.
• Divide the mixture between the tortillas.
• Serve rolled up, with salsa on the side.

French Onion Soup

France

According to legend, French onion soup was invented when King Louis XV was stranded in a hunting lodge and the only cooking ingredients available were onions, butter and champagne. These days, white wine is used rather than champagne.

Ingredients:

• 750g sliced onions
• 100ml dry white wine
• 125g grated Gruyere cheese
• 25g butter
• 2 crushed garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tsp plain flour
• Pinch of salt
• 2 beef or vegetable stock cubes
• 1 baguette
• Optional sprigs of parsley to decorate

 

Instructions:

• Melt the butter and oil in a large pan on medium heat.
• Add the onions and cook for 10 minutes until soft. Add the salt and reduce the heat. Stir, cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes more.
• Remove the lid, add the garlic and cook for another 10 minutes until the onions are tender, stirring occasionally.
• Add the flour and stir, then increase the heat and add the wine.
• Dissolve the stock cubes in 1 litre of hot water and add to the pan. Increase the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Lightly toast the sliced baguette in the oven.
• Remove the onion soup from the pan, ladle into bowls, top with grated cheese. Add a sprig of parsley, if using. Serve with the toasted baguette.

Hummus

Israel

Hummus is a quick and easy recipe that’s popular throughout the Middle East and Israel. The word hummus means chickpea, which is the main ingredient of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 400g tin of chickpeas
• 1 peeled, crushed garlic clove
• 1 tbsp tahini
• 1 lemon
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Optional sprig of basil to garnish
• Optional sesame seeds to garnish

 

Instructions:

• Drain and pour the chickpeas into a food processor.
• Add the garlic, tahini, a squeeze of lemon juice and 1 tbsp oil, then process until smooth.
• Add extra lemon juice or water to thin it down, if needed.
• Use a spatula to spoon into a serving bowl. Drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and top with basil and sesame seeds.
• Serve with crunchy vegetables and warm pita bread.

Jerk Chicken

Jamaica

This dish is known for its spiciness! It is thought to have originated when escaped slaves preserved meat in the wild and cooked it outdoors.

Ingredients:

• 6 chicken breasts
• 120ml white wine vinegar
• 120ml dark soy sauce
• 1½ Scotch bonnet chilli, finely chopped
• ½ tsp ground allspice
• Small punnet of cherry tomatoes to garnish
• Rice
• Small can of black beans

 

Instructions:

• Mix the vinegar, soy sauce, Scotch bonnet chilli and ground allspice together.
• Place the chicken in a marinade dish and pour over the mixture, setting a little sauce aside for serving. Marinade overnight or for a minimum of 2 hours.
• Fry the chicken for 25-30 minutes in a large saucepan.
• Serve with rice and beans, garnish with cherry tomatoes and serve with the remaining sauce.

Pad Thai

Thailand

Created in the 1930s by the then Prime Minister of Thailand, this delicious dish has been popular ever since. With a base of rice noodles, it can involve a variety of ingredients such as shellfish, chicken, beef or tofu.

Ingredients:

• Pack of tiger prawns
• 250g flat noodles
• 100g bean sprouts
• 3 crushed garlic cloves
• 1 finely chopped red chilli with seeds removed
• 6 thinly chopped spring onions
• Handful of roughly chopped salted peanuts
• 2 limes
• 2 large beaten eggs
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 tbsp brown sugar

 

Instructions:

• Cook the flat noodles as per the packet instructions, then set to one side.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok until smoking. Add the chilli and garlic. Add the tiger prawns, bean sprouts and spring onions and cook for a few minutes, stirring well.
• Add the noodles, juice of one lime, fish sauce and sugar and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add the egg, stir well and cook for a few more minutes.
• Serve with the remaining lime and peanuts on the side.

Pizza

Italy

This classic Italian dish evolved from flat breads in the eighteenth century. It originated in Naples and Queen Margherita gave her name to the Margherita pizza. This was inspired by the colours of the Italian flag, with red from tomatoes, white from mozzarella and green from fresh basil.

Ingredients:

• 200g plain flour
• 7g dried yeast pack
• 85ml passata
• Small bunch of chopped basil
• 100g mozzarella
• 1 tsp sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• Olive oil to grease baking tray
• 2 tbsp grated Parmesan
• 125ml warm water
• Optional toppings: anchovies, chorizo or mushrooms

 

Instructions:

• Preheat oven to 240°C, gas mark 9.
• Grease a baking tray with the oil.
• Mix the flour, sugar, yeast and salt in a large bowl, then add the water. Knead until smooth, flatten with a rolling pin and transfer to the oiled baking tray.
• Spread the passata over the dough, leaving a border around the edges. Season and sprinkle on the chopped basil, Parmesan and chopped mozzarella cheese. You can also add chopped anchovies, chorizo or mushrooms.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

Seafood Paella

Spain

Paella originally comes from the Valencia region of Spain, although you can find it throughout the country these days. The word paella means frying pan in Valencian.

Ingredients:

• 300g risotto or paella rice
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp hot smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 400g frozen seafood mix
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 900ml chicken stock
• 1 chopped onion
• 1 crushed garlic clove
• Juice of ½ lemon

 

Instructions:

• Heat olive oil in a large frying pan.
• Add chopped onion and cook for 5 minutes until soft.
• Add paprika and thyme, then add the rice and stir well.
• Dissolve the chicken stock in 1 litre of hot water, then add to the pan.
• Pour over the chopped tomatoes and add the garlic.
• Cook for 15 minutes, then add the seafood and cover with a lid.
• Cook for a further 5 minutes, then squeeze on the lemon juice and serve.

Have you made any of these foreign food dishes? Which one would you like to try first? Let us know in the comments, and then check out some more of our foreign food recipe recommendations.