10 Ethnic Recipes to Branch Out of the Usual Dinner

April 15, 2021

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If you are looking for new ways to jazz up your meal repertoire, it may be that you simply need to get out of your cooking rut by trying some ethnic recipes. While it may be intimidating at first to get started with ethnic cooking, you will be glad that you pushed yourself out of your culinary comfort zone. Here are 10 of the best ethnic recipes that you may want to consider trying tonight for dinner.

German Potato Dumplings: These pillowy German potato dumplings are the perfect comfort food. The savory dumplings are topped with browned butter for the ultimate indulgence. Feel free to top them with chives, crumbled bacon, sauteed mushrooms, or whatever you fancy. Serve these dumplings as a stand-alone entree paired with a green salad or use them as a hearty side dish to complement a German pork roast. Either way, everyone around the table will go crazy for this unique dumpling rendition.

Traditional French Cassoulet: This is not your grandmother’s casserole recipe. The traditional French cassoulet has long been the standard against which all casserole recipes are measured. The cassoulet contains chicken, garlic sausage, salt pork, cannellini beans, vegetables, and herbs. The flavorful broth brings all of the elements together. Because of its long cooking time, this makes a great Sunday dinner when you have a lazy afternoon to babysit the oven. Be sure to serve this cassoulet with a loaf of French bread that you can use to sop up all of the deliciousness.

Lemon and Dill Shrimp Sandwiches: For something lighter for an easy summer dinner, try these lemon and dill shrimp sandwiches. These sandwiches are a staple of the Norwegian culture. Do not skimp on the fresh dill or lemon juice. It is also recommended to use large shrimp rather than the smaller salad shrimp. The dish comes together in just 20 minutes, making it a quick dinner or lunch. A fresh fruit salad makes a great side dish to go along with these sandwiches.

Swedish Meatballs: If your only encounter with Swedish meatballs has come from the Ikea food court, you are missing out on this creamy and meaty goodness. This authentic Swedish meatballs recipe is a real winner. The meatballs are a mixture of beef and pork combined with breadcrumbs, herbs, and onion. The morsels simmer in a delicious gravy made with butter, cream, and more. Serve these meatballs over egg noodles.

Spanish Paella: For a special occasion meal, be sure to put this Spanish paella recipe at the top of your list. Widely recognized as the national food of Spain, this dish combines rice, chicken, mussels, shrimp, vegetables, and more. The saffron gives the dish its distinctive color and flavor. If you do not like seafood, you can add sausage or more chicken in its place. Because it is so customizable, you can also adapt this recipe for vegetarians.

Italian Beef Braciole: This classic Italian dish is the ideal Sunday dinner spent with family. Italian Beef Braciole features thin slices of beef that are stuffed with prosciutto and then topped with breadcrumbs, herbs, and parmesan cheese before being simmered in a rich red wine sauce. You do not want to rush this masterpiece, so be sure to plan to make it on a day when you have plenty of time to spare. Serve the dish with garlic bread, a fresh green salad, and a big bottle of red wine for a fantastic Sunday dinner indulgence. If you are feeling extra motivated, finish the meal with cannoli or tiramisu.

Curried Beef Oven Stew: There is nothing more intoxicating than the smell of curry simmering on the stove. This curried beef oven stew will quickly become a family favorite. This one-pot recipe makes clean-up a breeze. The ingredients list includes top round beef, pearl onions, celery, carrots, diced tomatoes, potatoes, fresh herbs, and more. The addition of curry adds an entirely different dimension of flavor to what would be an ordinary beef stew. It will be impossible to go back to traditional beef stew after trying this curry version.

Tabbouleh: This simple Mediterranean dish makes a light dinner or a fresh side dish for your next ethnic meal. The tabbouleh salad consists of bulgur wheat mixed with finely chopped vegetables such as cucumbers, tomatoes, green onions, parsley, and mint. The grains and the vegetables are then tossed with a dressing made with lime juice and olive oil. While the ingredients list is small, the flavor is big. For the best results, be sure to refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes so that the dressing has the chance to permeate through all of the ingredients.

New Zealand Rosemary Lamb Shanks: While some may think that lamb is an acquired taste, these New Zealand Rosemary lamb shanks will be the star of any dinner party right from the start. The root vegetables pair beautifully with the tender lamb. This dish is also healthy, full of heart-healthy vegetables and low in saturated fat. Do not leave out the finishing touch of the fresh parsley and rosemary. Choose a solid bottle of white wine for the cooking process that you can drink it with the meal.

Chicken Tikka Masala: Chicken Tikka Masala is an Indian cuisine masterpiece. You do not have to rely on your favorite Indian takeout to enjoy this dish any longer. The aromatic chicken swims in a beautiful tomato-based curry sauce that is bursting with flavor thanks to the cornucopia of unique spices. Serve this dish over the rice of your choice and then garnish it with sprigs of cilantro. Or scoop the chicken and sauce onto a piece of toasted naan bread. The possibilities are endless.

Do not let the foreign names of these dishes scare you away. The new and wonderful flavors that you will discover will be well worth your effort to try something different.