Top 10 European Dishes

If you’re lucky enough to be visiting the continent of Europe you will find an enormous variety of food, with something to suit every palate. Every country has its own national dishes, and most have food specific to its different regions. Here are some of the most recognisable dishes that you might find on a European menu to get your taste-buds watering:

Spaghetti Bolognese

Bolognese sauce originated in Bologna, Italy and was traditionally used as dressing for tagliatelle. The dish that it has developed into, known as Spaghetti Bolognese, is a tomato sauce prepared with meat, usually beef or pork, and served on a bed of spaghetti with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese over the top. Although you will see this dish on the menu in Italian restaurants the world over, you are unlikely to find it in Italy.

Spaghetti Bolognese / Photo by admin

Greek Moussaka

This version of the eggplant based dish is thought to be a creation of Nikolaos Tselementes, the most influential Greek cookery writer of the twentieth century. It is a baked dish with layers of minced beef and aubergine, topped with a Béchamel sauce. The original dish can be traced back to 10th Century Baghdad, where it was served to the Caliphs.

Photo of Greek Moussaka by avlxyz

Fish and Chips

Created in London in the 19th Century, this staple of the British diet is comprised of a fillet of battered deep-fried fish served with chips. The fish is usually cod, or haddock, and the batter is a simple combination of flour and water. It is usually garnished with salt and vinegar. There are over 11,000 Fish and Chip shops in the UK, selling almost 260,000,000 meals every year.

Photo of Fish and Chips by edera

Paella

This is a very popular Spanish dish that originated from Albufera in Valencia. There are many different varieties of paella including seafood, valencian and mixed. The dish consists of rice which is cooked in a pan with saffron over an open fire. A variety of additional ingredients are added as part of the cooking process. The word ‘paella’ comes from the Latin word for ‘pan’ or ‘dish’.

Photo of Paella by dgies

Beef Stroganoff

Originating from 19th Century Russia, Beef Stroganoff consists of sautéed pieces of beef served in a sour cream sauce. It is normally served with rice or pasta, although the traditional Russian variety is served with potato chips. Stroganoff is a very popular dish in Sweden where the beef is replaced with a traditional Swedish sausage known as a Falukorv.

Photo of Beef Stroganoff by Rendy

Black Forest Gateau

Originating from the mountain range in the Southwest Germany this cake is known locally as Black Forest Cherry Torte. It consists of several layers of chocolate cake with cherries and whipped cream in between each layer. The cake is topped with more whipped cream, maraschino cherries and chocolate shavings. This is a popular dessert in the US, Canada and Australia where it is known as Black Forest Cake.

Photo of Black Forest Gateau by PetitPlat – Stephanie Kilgast

Boeuf Bourguignon

Coming from Burgundy, in the East of France, Boeuf Bourguignon was originally a peasant dish. It is a stew made with beef, braised in a Burgundy red wine, slow cooked to seal the flavour, and garnished with a variety of onions, garlic and mushrooms. From its humble beginnings this dish has been transformed over time and is now considered haute cuisine by French restaurateurs and culinary experts.

Photo of Boeuf Bourguignon by jstuppy

Irish Stew

This is a traditional Irish dish, dating back to the early 1800′s, made from lamb which is boiled slowly in a pot with a variety of vegetables including potatoes, carrots, onions and parsley. One of the earliest known references to ‘Irish Stew’ is in Lord Byron’s poem; ‘The Devil’s Drive: An unfinished Rhapsody’ written in 1813.

Photo of Irish Stew by SaucyGlo

Doner Kebab

The literal translation for the Turkish phrase ‘doner kebab’ is ‘rotating grilled meat’. This is a traditional dish made with shaved goat, lamb, turkey, chicken, beef, or mixed meats, which have been roasted on a spit. It is generally served in a flatbread pitta. It is a very versatile dish and there are a wide range of toppings which can be used as an accompaniment including; tomato, onion, lettuce, tabbouleh, parsley, cabbage, and cucumber. There are also a range of sauces that can be used on a kebab including; yogurt, tahini, hummus, tzatziki, salsa, and garlic mayonnaise, to name but a few.

Photo of Doner Kebab by Graham Holliday

Pizza

Originating in Naples, Italy, this is a flat round bread oven-baked and typically topped with tomato sauce and cheese. It is then layered with a variety of other toppings and is probably Italy’s most famous export. Nowhere is it more popular than in the US where approximately 100 acres of pizza are eaten every day!

Photo of Pizza by admin

So, if you’re lucky enough to get yourself on one of those travel tours around Europe, make sure you try some of the local cuisine! No matter which country you go to, they will have a wonderful variety of traditional dishes so don’t be scared to try something different!

Written by Kat Kraetzer, a passionate traveller and experienced travel writer

Tags: albufera, baked dish, bologna italy, caliphs, continent of europe, cookery writer, deep fried fish, enormous variety, european menu, fish and chip shops, fish and chips, greek moussaka, italian restaurants, national dishes, paella, spaghetti bolognese, spanish dish, taste buds, tomato sauce, valencian

Category: Travel Tips