Are your weeknights feeling like a never-ending cycle of the same old dinners? It’s time to break the monotony and add some excitement with a variety of international dishes. Think about meals that transport you to different corners of the globe, adding a splash of adventure to your evening routine. Don’t let your weeknights be boring – spice them up with 17 international dishes that promise to turn any evening into a flavorful escapade.
Air Fryer Chicken Cordon Bleu
When you’re trying to impress but also insist on being lazy, Air Fryer Chicken Cordon Bleu is your wingman. This dish is like hitting the fancy button on your air fryer and watching magic happen. It’s crispy on the outside, ooey-gooey on the inside, and doesn’t leave your kitchen looking like a hurricane hit it. Plus, you get to say “Cordon Bleu” a lot, which automatically makes you sound more culinary sophisticated than you might actually be.
Get the Recipe: Air Fryer Chicken Cordon Bleu
Mediterranean Cod
On days when you want to feel fancy without actually doing anything fancy, Mediterranean Cod has got you covered. It’s a dish that says, “Look at me, I’m healthy and sophisticated,” but whispers, “I was shockingly easy to make.” Each bite is like a mini-holiday by the sea, leaving you wondering why you don’t eat like a Greek god every day. Plus, it’s so light and breezy, you’ll have room for dessert, because priorities.
Get the Recipe: Mediterranean Cod
Chicken Tinga
If your kitchen had a dial for flavor, Chicken Tinga would crank it up to eleven. This dish is the life of the party, showing up with a smoky, spicy attitude that’s impossible to ignore. It’s like sending your chicken on a spring break trip to Mexico, and it comes back with stories that’ll spice up any dinner conversation. Wrap it up in a taco, and you’ve got yourself a meal that’s more fun than a piñata full of fireworks.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Tinga
Mexican Cauliflower Rice
Who says you can’t enjoy a fiesta on a plate and still keep it light? Mexican Cauliflower Rice kicks the traditional carb to the curb and invites cauliflower to the party for a remix that’ll have even the skeptics reaching for seconds. It’s like your favorite taco decided to go on a health kick and, surprise, it’s still delicious. With all the bold spices and colors, you might just forget you’re eating vegetables.
Get the Recipe: Mexican Cauliflower Rice
Italian Chicken
If you’re looking to whisk someone special off to Italy but your bank account says, “How about no?”, Italian Chicken is your culinary jetpack. This dish wraps herbs, garlic, and tomatoes in a warm hug, creating a one-way ticket to flavor town. It’s like playing a romantic Italian serenade on your taste buds, without the awkward accordion player. Plus, it’s so easy, you’ll still have time to watch an Italian movie and pretend you understood all the dialogue.
Get the Recipe: Italian Chicken
Birria Tacos
Ever thought about taking a bath in something other than water? Birria Tacos make you feel just like that, but it’s your mouth taking the bath – in an absolutely divine consommé. This dish is the equivalent of finding a crumpled $20 bill in an old coat and then spending it all on something ridiculously tasty. It’s a hug, a high-five, and a fist bump, all rolled into one. And when that juicy, spicy goodness hits, you’ll wonder where these tacos have been all your life.
Get the Recipe: Birria Tacos
Pesto Orzo Salad
Leave it to Pesto Orzo Salad to bring the party to any picnic or potluck. It’s like the cool, laid-back friend who also happens to be deliciously dressed at all times. This salad doesn’t just walk into a room, it sashays, leaving a trail of envious glances and mouthwatering anticipation. It’s refreshing, it’s hearty, and it’s got enough green to make you feel like you’re winning at life. Put it on your table, and watch it disappear faster than your willingness to share.
Get the Recipe: Pesto Orzo Salad
Birria Pizza
Picture this: Italy and Mexico decide to throw a pizza party, and Birria Pizza is the guest of honor. It’s like someone dared these two culinary titans to have a delicious baby, and boy, did they deliver. This dish is for those nights when you just can’t decide between pizza and tacos, so you end up heroically choosing both. It’s a flavor fiesta on a crust, proving that sometimes, the most unexpected pairings are the best kind.
Get the Recipe: Birria Pizza
Peameal Bacon
Starting your day with Peameal Bacon is like giving your morning a firm, encouraging slap on the back, saying, “You got this.” It’s the Canadian cousin your taste buds have been wanting to visit; sweet, a little salty, and surprisingly polite. This bacon asks, “Would you like some delicious with your breakfast?” And the answer is always a resounding, “Oh, heck yes.” Plus, it’s a great way to convince yourself you’re having a gourmet brunch without actually leaving the house.
Get the Recipe: Peameal Bacon
German Kohlrabi
If vegetables had a popularity contest, German Kohlrabi would be the quirky underdog that steals everyone’s hearts. Think of it as the veggie equivalent of a pocket protector: a little geeky, but surprisingly awesome. Covered in a creamy sauce, it’s like discovering the secret handshake to an exclusive club where everything tastes amazing. This dish is a low-key way to buff up your kitchen cred and your veggie intake at the same time.
Get the Recipe: German Kohlrabi
Back Bacon
Meet Back Bacon, your breakfast’s new best friend, who’s lean, mean, and a smokin’ machine. This is the bacon that looks at its American cousin and says, “I can do healthy and delicious, watch me.” It’s perfect for days when you want to indulge without feeling like you’ve eaten a whole farm. Also, it’s a surefire way to kick your sandwiches up a notch, giving them a sophisticated twist that screams, “I know my bacon, and I’m not afraid to use it.”
Get the Recipe: Back Bacon
Creamed Spinach with Mascarpone
If someone told you that spinach could be the highlight of your meal, you’d probably laugh, but then Creamed Spinach with Mascarpone marches in and drops the mic. It’s like spinach got a makeover and now it’s turning all the heads at the table. This dish is not just a side; it’s the co-star of your plate, bringing creaminess and flair to the dinner party. It whispers, “Who says healthy can’t be ridiculously indulgent?” leaving you feeling both virtuous and wickedly satisfied.
Get the Recipe: Creamed Spinach with Mascarpone
German Pork Loin
Let’s get out those lederhosen and turn dinner into Oktoberfest with some German Pork Loin, minus the actual trip to Germany. This dish is like that one friend who’s always reliable, hearty, and leaves you feeling all warm inside. It’s the perfect way to fool your dinner guests into thinking you’re way more cultured than you actually are. And who knows, by the end of the meal, you might even be inspired to yodel.
Get the Recipe: German Pork Loin
Turkey Stuffed Shells with Pesto
Imagine cozying up with a dish that’s like your grandma’s hug meets a high-five from your best friend, and you’ve got Turkey Stuffed Shells with Pesto. This dish is the comfort food equivalent of putting on your favorite fuzzy socks and sliding across a hardwood floor. It’s fun, it’s filling, and it’s got just enough green to make you feel like you’re doing adulting right. And let’s be real, anything smothered in pesto is like a cheat code for deliciousness.
Get the Recipe: Turkey Stuffed Shells with Pesto
Cullen Skink
If you’ve never cuddled up with a bowl of Cullen Skink, are you even living right? This Scottish superhero of a soup swoops in on cold nights, rescues your taste buds, and leaves you feeling like you’re wrapped in the warmest, wooliest tartan blanket. It’s like a hearty handshake from Scotland, saying, “Aye, laddie, welcome to flavor town.” Forget the fireplace; this soup is all the warmth you need, plus it’s a great way to impress friends with your ability to pronounce it.
Get the Recipe: Cullen Skink
Spaetzle
Ever wanted to make something that sounds like a sneeze but tastes like a dream? Enter Spaetzle, your carb-loving heart’s new best friend. These little doughy delights are basically the cooler, more adventurous cousin of pasta that decided to backpack through Europe. They’re ready to sponge up whatever saucy goodness you’ve got going on, proving once and for all that Germans really do know their way around comfort food.
Get the Recipe: Spaetzle
Chicken Paprikash
Now, who doesn’t want a trip to Hungary from the comfort of their home kitchen? With Chicken Paprikash, you’re basically getting a hug from a Hungarian grandma, in food form. The chicken becomes so tender, it practically falls off the bone and swims in a sauce that’s the culinary equivalent of a cozy blanket. If your weeknight dinner routine was a TV show, this dish would be the season finale everyone’s excited about.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Paprikash