Holiday recipes from around the world
This time, I want to share with you 42 exotic recipes from around the world to celebrate your festive and holiday seasons.
Near year-end, there are many festivities to celebrate around the globe.
Starting from religious celebrations such as Christmas, Hanukkah, Bodhi Day, Advent, St. Barbara Day, Krampusnacht, etc., to cultural celebrations like Kwanzaa, Boxing Day, Solstice, etc.
So the cold winter month of December is actually full of days that millions if not billions of people around the world look forward to.
It is actually the holiday season of the year when people take time off from work to get together with family and friends. All the loved ones.

And what is a more fun way to celebrate exciting moments than having good food together?
As we all know that food is one of – if not THE – universal language of togetherness. Although this year, the way we celebrate our festive seasons may be different due to the pandemic that restricts us seeing and meeting our loved ones. However, the spirit is still there.
And to create a more fun holiday feel, let’s try something new this time. Try to broaden our menu by trying out some traditional recipes from different parts of the world. Let’s celebrate our festivities abroad without us going away.
Therefore, I’ve curated loads of mouthwatering exotic food recipes from around the world that are traditionally enjoyed during the holiday season.
Take a look at the list and spoil yourself with adventurous ideas for your next festive cooking.
Disclaimer though, before I carry on, please note that the collection of recipes below doesn’t reflect my personal diet.
So there are foods on the list that I personally have no experience in having them. The only reason I include them is that they’re traditionally festive to some people and they might be something you can enjoy. So enjoy.
Breakfast with exotic food to lit up your holiday
Indian Gujarati Khaman Dhokla
Khaman Dhokla is a steamed savoury cake that is made of chickpea flour and drizzled with spicy lemony oil. This Gujarati dish is traditionally enjoyed for breakfast, holidays, happy festive celebrations and weddings.
Italian Prune and Fig Cjarsons di Pontebba
These traditional Northern Italian sweet ravioli are a unique and delicious way to serve pasta. They are filled with prunes, figs and ricotta and served with melted butter, cinnamon and sugar! Traditional for holidays and at Christmas!
Scandinavian Rommegrot (Milk and Flour Porridge) Recipe - Buttered Side Up
Rommegrot is a Scandinavian dish served around the holidays! It's a milk and flour porridge that's delicious served with melted butter and cinnamon sugar.
Swedish Tea Ring
A holiday favourite in Sweden, the Swedish Tea Ring is a sweet pastry filled with brown sugar, spices, and almond paste, and topped with buttercream frosting. The beautiful wreath-shaped pastry is perfect for serving for breakfast Christmas morning.
Traditional appetizers to greet the seasons
Eastern European Latkes
These crispy and tasty potato latkes are traditional in Eastern European Jewish households. They are usually associated with Hanukkah but are so good you'll want them all year round!
Indonesian Cucumber And Tomato Salad
This spicy cucumber and tomato salad is simple and easy but it has a big refreshing flavour. It makes a good starter for a holiday spreading menu.
Norwegian Klubb Recipe - Potato Dumplings
These Norwegian Klubb Dumplings are so tasty, filling, and a great way to celebrate Scandinavia. Whether it is a holiday tradition or a weeknight meal, these dumplings are worth the effort.
Pakistani Dahi Baray
Dahi Baray is fluffy and moist lentil dumpling that is soaked in spiced yoghurt. You enjoy it with a drizzle of tamarind sauce and a sprinkle of crispy gram flour Savian. This humble yet delicious Pakistani appetizer is almost always served at happy occasions such as festive celebration, holidays and weddings.
Russian Shuba Salad with Salmon
Shuba Salad is traditionally made with Herring, but I think it tastes even better with Salmon! A layered Russian potato salad with beets, carrots, eggs, potatoes, dill and smoked salmon. A bright and hearty salad that looks like a cake! Especially popular at celebrations like New Years and Christmas.
Russian Borscht Soup
Borscht soup is traditional Russian beet soup. It’s a hearty soup packed with vitamins and nutrients and has a distinctive vibrant red colour. This is the original Russian recipe from my Mother.
Main course recipes for the holiday season from around the world
African Lamb Curry with Coconut Milk
Enjoy this hearty and filling meal of lamb curry with coconut milk, spiced in a rich curry sauce and topped with spinach and bell peppers. It makes a delicious and exotic holiday meal!
Croatian Blitva - Swiss Chard and Potatoes
A traditional Croatian homestyle recipe, also known as blitva,made of leafy Swiss chard and red potatoes.
German Pot Roast - Sauerbraten
Authentic German Sauerbraten recipe from my grandfather's kitchen makes a fabulous holiday meal!
Greek Turkey Stuffing With Sausage
This traditional Greek turkey stuffing with sausage, chestnuts, dates, prunes and pine nuts has a wholesome, delicious flavor you can’t have enough of.
Hawaiian Crock Pot Laulau
Juicy, tender meat wrapped in leafy greens slow-cooked to perfection. This deconstructed Crock Pot laulau takes the effort out of making Laulau.
Indonesian Chicken Satay or Lamb Satay
Satay is often enjoyed for happy occasions of holidays, festive seasons, or weddings. You can make it with any meat you like, chicken satay or lamb satay, both are delicious.
Iranian Slow Cooker Fesenjan Chicken (Gluten-Free, Paleo)
The traditional Iranian stew with chicken and the deep flavours of pomegranate molasses and walnuts now made easy right in the crock-pot! Slow Cooker Fesenjan Chicken is a hearty gluten-free & paleo dinner recipe that will warm the belly and soul!
Jamaican Ackee and Saltfish
This delicious Ackee and Saltfish recipe is made with quintessential ackee (Jamaica’s national fruit) and saltfish that simmers with onions, peppers, tomato and scotch bonnet.
Kenyan Classic Beef Stew
This classic Kenyan beef stew recipe never misses at any festivities. It is normally served alongside rice, chapati or ugali (a type of dough made from corn flour and hot water). Beef is stewed in spices and a tomato-based sauce to give you a delicious and comforting stew.
Nigerian Beef Stew
Nigerian Beef Stew is a mouthwatering West African stew made with blended tomatoes, bell peppers, habanero pepper, and herbs. It is so easy to make and delightfully spicy!
Pakistani Aloo Gosht
No celebration of holidays, festive seasons or weddings will be complete among Pakistani cuisines without Aloo Gosht, the luscious meat and potato curry.
Persian Jeweled Rice
Persian Jeweled Rice is a gluten-free, vegan rice pilaf topped with colourful gem-like fruits and nuts ~ this popular wedding dish is perfect for the holidays!
Puerto Rican Pasteles - Pasteles Puertorriqueos
Pasteles, a beloved Puerto Rican holiday tradition, are made with a green banana masa and filled with your choice of stewed meat.
Singaporean Devil Curry Recipe (Curry Debal) - a Spicy Eurasian Christmas Curry
Devil Curry, or Curry Devil, is also known as Curry Debal. It is an iconic Eurasian spicy curry from Singapore and Malaysia, traditionally made on Boxing Day with leftover Christmas meat.
Syrian Stuffed Bell Peppers (Koosa Mih-shee)
Middle Eastern Stuffed Bell Peppers (Koosa Mih-shee) is a Syrian traditional dinner recipe ideal for large families. Green bell peppers are stuffed with an authentic lamb and rice filling then simmered in a tomato and pomegranate broth. This one-pot dinner is easy to make and a great addition to holiday dinner.
Vietnamese Pho Noodle Soup
This unbelievably delicious Vietnamese Pho Recipe is made with a nourishing beef broth infused with fragrant spices, chewy noodles, and tender slices of meat. Filled with the same delicious and authentic flavours as your favourite pho restaurant, learn how to make this Vietnamese Noodle Soup from scratch and serve topped with fresh herbs and vegetables. This healthy soup is the perfect way to warm up this Holiday season.
West African Cinnamon Spiced Jollof Rice
This Cinnamon Spiced Jollof Rice recipe is just the thing to spice up your holiday table this year. Jollof Rice, a traditional West African spiced tomato rice dish, is served at celebrations such as Christmas, weddings and birthdays. No special occasion is complete without it!
Scrumptiously delicious sweets and desserts
Australian Trifle with Custard
This is THE Aussie trifle for busy cooks. Perfect for celebrations or Christmas, we’ve made this quick, easy and hassle-free. Loaded with custard, cream and iconic port wine jelly for an Australian trifle to impress!
British Salted caramel mince pies recipe
Get baking and in less than 30 minutes, you could be enjoying the flaky buttery pastry and oozy salty sweetness of a salted caramel mince pie!
Cantonese Taro Sago (tapioca) with coconut milk
Taro sago (tapioca dessert) is a delicious Cantonese dessert soup that can be served hot or cold. It’s very easy to make, only requiring three main ingredients – taro, sago/small pearl tapioca and coconut milk.
Danish Christmas Cookies - Brunkager
Brunkager are Danish Christmas cookies with a delicious spiced flavour and a wonderful crunch. They're perfect for sharing during the festive season.
Indian Gulab Jamun (with Khoya)
Gulab Jamun is the most popular Indian dessert. Gulab Jamun is deep-fried donut-like balls, soaked in sweet rose flavoured syrup. They are so delicious and taste absolutely heavenly. Learn to make the best Gulab Jamun with khoya along with all the tips and tricks to get them melt-in-the-mouth soft.
Indian Nankhatai Biscuits
These Indian style biscuits are light, flaky, crumbly, and literally will melt in your mouth. It is flavoured with cardamom and nutmeg.
Indonesian Klepon
Klepon is Indonesian sweet treat made of glutinous rice, filled with palm sugar and coated with coconut. It’s exotically delicious and moreish. A dessert you want to enjoy during holidays and festive seasons.
Italian Panforte with Nuts and Figs
Panforte is an Italian sweet treat that is served with coffee in thin slices. Originally from Siena, now found all over Italy and on Christmas menus everywhere!
New Zealand Hokey Pokey Ice Cream
This hokey pokey aka honeycomb ice cream is a homemade spin on a classic New Zealand flavour. It combines a vanilla bean ice cream base with a decadent honey caramel sauce and crunchy fresh honeycomb. The three elements come together to make a rich, creamy ice cream that my kiwi husband and friends assure me is as good as, if not better than the original.
Pakistani Gajar ka halwa
Gajar ka Halwa is one Pakistani dessert that is enjoyed at celebrations such as holidays, festive seasons, or weddings. It’s surprisingly easy to make and delightful to eat.
Philippines Crema de Fruta Recipe
Crema de Fruta is a Filipino dessert made of delicious layers of soft fluffy cake, rich creamy custard, and fruit blanketed in gelatine. Fun, festive, definitely deserves a place in your celebrations.
Spanish Mantecados and Polvorones Cookies
The traditional Christmas cookies in Spain, Mantecados and Polvorones, are a soft, velvety treat that almost melts in your mouth. They're almond-based like most holiday treats here.
Festive Drinks
Cuban The World's Best Eggnog
Crema de Vie is a Christmas drink often called Cuban eggnog. It is made at home and can be stored for a week before giving it as a gift or sharing with house guests.
Mexican Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate
Creamy, chocolate-y, cinnamon-y hot cocoa with a kick. You're sure to love this Mexican Hot Chocolate Recipe
Puerto Rican Cookies and Cream Coquito
This cookies and cream coquito recipe is a one of a kind coquito recipe that is sure to surprise your guests!
Finely crushed chocolate cookies, chocolate syrup, and a traditional Puerto Rican coquito create a unique chocolate coconut drink!
WOW! Such a wealth of amazing recipes to try this year!
Thank you, Marta.
What a fantastic collection of festive recipes. One’s spoilt for choice with the variety here, can’t wait to go through them!
Thank you. Season’s greetings to you x