Let me propose an idea: we skip the travel and bring Europe to us. How? With food, obviously!
These recipes are the next best thing. They’re packed with flavor, full of history, and just so incredibly good.
It’s time for a food adventure!
1. Croque Monsieur
Let me just tell you, this classic ham and cheese sandwich is a French delight that will treat your tastebuds right. You can whip this incredible sandwich up in just a few minutes because the recipe uses simple pantry ingredients.
The result is a single layer of ham and Gruyere snuggled between two slices of toasted bread. Don’t forget to top it with béchamel sauce to make it extra creamy and even better. YES.
2. Bratkartoffeln (German Pan-Fried Potatoes)
You’re going to need just one pan, a handful of ingredients, and a cook time of only 30 minutes. This recipe is a weeknight wonder that gives you maximum flavor for minimum effort.
What you get are crisp, golden-brown potatoes paired with yummy bacon and caramelized onions. You can add green peppers and paprika for an extra flavor punch.
For a super satisfying meal, serve it with Schnitzel or a spicy German sausage.
3. Apple Strudel
From Germany to Croatia, apple strudel is a European dessert favorite. It has a flaky butter crust and a spiced apple filling that is just so good. Put a cinnamon glaze on top, and you’ll have a tasty, aromatic breakfast to wake everyone up.
But honestly, apple strudel is delicious any time of day with a hot cup of coffee! Want to make it a dessert? Just add some vanilla ice cream or a homemade vanilla sauce on top. Done deal.
4. Cabbage Rolls
Kohlrouladen, or cabbage rolls, are a classic German comfort food that goes way back 1500 years. If I had to compare it to other comforting foods, I’d say it has the same satisfaction level as mac and cheese!
These are healthy because the recipe uses seasoned ground beef, cooked rice, and tomato soup. Just imagine all those simple ingredients rolled up in cabbage leaves and baked until they are perfectly tender.
In Eastern Europe, they come with chestnuts and walnuts. People also think these rolls are lucky on New Year’s Eve since the cabbage leaves resemble paper money.
5. Cornish Pasty
A Cornish pasty is a hand-held pie that’s filled with meat and veggies. This dish looks pretty unassuming from the outside but is absolutely loaded with flavor on the inside.
This slow-baked pie has a rich history, starting as a portable lunch for farmers, tin miners, and fishers in Cornwall. It’s compact, filling, and you can eat it without any utensils.
According to historians, some thoughtful wives would make a pasty divided into two sections. One half would have a savory filling, and the other would be sweet. A complete meal!
6. Eton Mess
Macerated strawberries, crunchy meringue, and whipped cream are all you need for this quintessential English dessert. Eton Mess got its start at Eton College, where it was served during the school’s yearly sports event.
It’s known as one of the most loved desserts in England and is pure heaven in a bowl and a total joy to eat. It’s possible to make other versions of this recipe by swapping the strawberries for raspberries or apricots.
7. Keftedakia (Greek Meatballs)
Keftedes, or Keftedakia (which just means smaller Keftedes), are traditional Greek meatballs and a favorite picnic food in Greece. These tasty, deep-fried meatballs are so easy to whip up. They’ll be on your table in 40 minutes or less.
Don’t worry about making too many of this meaty delight, because they taste even better the next day. You can simmer the meatballs in a marinara of tomato, garlic, and onion. Serve them over pasta, and you’ve got a new dish with an Italian spin!
8. Escudella
Escudella is a rich, meaty stew known as Andorra’s national dish. Traditionally, it’s served in two parts every Sunday and Thursday.
First up is a meat broth with either pasta or rice, and the second part is all the meat from the broth served with vegetables.
There’s another version called Escudella de Nadal that’s commonly served on Christmas Day. It has memorable flavors that are sure to warm you from the inside out.
9. Swedish Meatballs
IKEA made Swedish meatballs famous, but nothing can beat a homemade version. The real secret to getting those authentic Swedish flavors is adding allspice and nutmeg to the ground beef mixture.
To create a total flavor explosion, you can also include Worcestershire sauce and mustard in the sauce. So, so good!
10. Margherita Pizza
Pizza Margherita is an Italian classic that’s wildly popular and represents the country’s flag. Just think of red tomatoes, white mozzarella, and green basil.
This pizza is so popular that you’ll find different versions of it in many restaurants. Some like to add a topping of Parmesan cheese, while others use fire-roasted canned tomatoes and garlic powder.
For the most authentic flavor, remember that less is more. The best Margherita pizza is simple and satisfying without being too greasy.
11. Ovcharaska Salad
Ovcharaska salad is a Bulgarian salad that’s upgraded with eggs, ham, and mushrooms. It’s a refreshingly delicious meal idea for lunch or dinner.
To eat this salad the traditional Bulgarian way, serve it in one bowl with several forks for sharing, alongside some grilled meat. It’s all about putting the forks in one bowl together.
12. Belgian Waffles
These light and crisp waffles have deep pockets that are perfect for holding little pools of delicious syrup! Unlike American waffles, the Belgian style uses a lighter batter and has larger squares.
Everyone loves ordering these at breakfast restaurants, but why go out when you can make this classic dish right at home? Belgian waffles might not be as easy as pancakes, but the extra effort and cook time are totally worth it.
For toppings, you can’t go wrong with classic butter and maple syrup. Sometimes I like to top mine with caramelized bananas or cinnamon roll icing. YUM.
13. Anglesey Eggs
This dish comes from Anglesey, an island off the north-west coast of Wales. The recipe uses hard-boiled eggs, mashed potatoes, and a rich cheese and leek sauce. Anglesey eggs are total comfort food for vegetarians!
This dish is also an amazing match for grilled meats and is just perfect for a filling brunch.
14. Spanish Flan
Spanish flan is milky and sweet with just a hint of bitterness. The consistency is like a firm jelly or custard that just melts in your mouth.
With its rich caramel sauce that blends perfectly with the intense vanilla taste, this Spanish flan is delicioso! A total showstopper.
15. Danish Red Berry Pudding (Rødgrød Med Fløde)
Four different red berries, strawberry, raspberry, blackcurrant, and redcurrant, get transformed into a silky pudding topped with heavy cream.
In Denmark, this dish is traditionally made at the end of summer when all the berries are in season. Of course, you can use just one type of berry if you want.
If you decide to go with strawberries, you might want to use less sugar so the dessert isn’t overly sweet.
16. Chestnut Soup
This silky smooth, creamy soup is a total star during the holidays. Its earthy flavors are so warming for the heart and soul. It’s tasty, light, and easy to whip up, so get ready for everyone to ask for the recipe!
In French, it’s known as velouté, and this puréed soup gets its flavors from a delicate mix of spices, chicken broth, carrots, and of course, crumbled chestnuts.
Enjoying this soup by the fire on a chilly night with a glass of sparkling wine? Ah, it’s just so satisfying.
17. Skordalia
I’m sure this one will be another big hit with potato lovers. Skordalia is a Greek garlic dip with a thick base made from puréed potatoes. Some people use liquid-soaked stale bread, walnuts, or almonds for a bulky base.
Just like other Greek dips, Skordalia is hearty, healthy, and full of antioxidants, especially if you add the walnuts. This dip goes with any vegetable, meat, or fish dish.
It’s often served during the Greek Independence Day celebration, alongside batter-fried salted cod.
18. Scottish Tablet
Scottish tablet is often mistaken for fudge, but it has a brittle, grainy, and medium-hard texture. It’s not as soft as fudge and not as hard as candy. The tablet is made from sugar, condensed milk, and butter.
If you want to add extra flavor, feel free to mix in some vanilla, whisky, or nut pieces. A word of warning: this treat is addictive. Even though it can last for a few weeks, I doubt that will happen with kids around.
19. Romanian Cheese Donuts
Papanasi, or Romanian cheese donuts, are fried donut-shaped sweets made from soft cheese. These donuts are topped with a small donut ball and lots of fruity jam and sour cream.
Cheese donuts are one of the most favorite desserts in Romania, so you’ll see them in every traditional Romanian restaurant.
20. Greek Fries
These crisp, hand-cut fries are oh-so-tender on the inside. Greek fries are thicker than your average French fries and are flavored with feta, garlic, and oregano.
But that’s not all. For a complete burst of flavors, dip them in a homemade tzatziki sauce (a Greek yogurt dipping sauce).
Want your fries to be a little hotter and more spiced? Some great seasonings to add are cumin, cayenne pepper, fresh thyme, dried dill, and paprika.
21. Bangers and Mash
Bangers and mash is the ultimate pub favorite and the certified comfort food of Great Britain. Honestly, this savory sausage recipe with creamy mashed potatoes and a flavor-packed onion gravy is just hard to beat.
What’s even better is that you can use any kind of sausage you like, but thick pork sausages are the best! For the potatoes, make sure to pick medium-starch ones for a buttery flavor and impressive texture.
The gravy is just as important as the other ingredients, so make yours super rich and caramel-y!
22. Kaiserschmarrn
It might not be the best-looking pancake out there, but Kaiserschmarrn will definitely blow you away.
This dish is also known as Emperor’s Mess. It was named after the Austrian emperor Kaiser Franz Joseph I, who absolutely adored this shredded pancake.
It’s packed with rum, raisins, and sugar. You can dust it with powdered sugar or serve it with a fruit compote for a mouthwatering dessert or a light lunch.
23. Traditional Welsh Cake
Welsh cake has been a tea-time favorite in Wales since the 19th century. Traditionally, this dish was cooked on a bakestone, but using a heavy frying pan works just as well.
Think of Welsh cakes as a cross between scones, pancakes, and cookies. They have similar ingredients to scones but are cooked on a griddle like pancakes. And in terms of size, they’re like chubby cookies.
24. Risalamande
Risalamande is a traditional Danish dessert served every Christmas Eve after dinner. It has a base of creamy rice pudding that’s infused with almonds and topped with a cherry sauce.
Risalamande looks really elegant, but it’s actually pretty easy to make. All you have to do is make the rice pudding extra special.
Just fold in some vanilla-flavored whipped cream, add chopped almonds, and drizzle with the sweet sauce. Garnish with fresh mint, and your serving dish will start to look a lot like Christmas!
25. Italian Brownie Cake
If you love Italian recipes and you’re a fan of brownies, this decadent dish is definitely worth a try. Italian brownie cake uses no yeast and very little flour. It’s light and tender, and it’s similar to a soft and fudgy brownie.
Enjoy this sweet Italian delight by adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. In my book, that pairing is unbeatable!