- There are times when we all crave comforts – and nothing hits the spot more than your favorite food.
- In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, many are relying on home-cooked meals and takeout food more than ever to fill their pleasure quota.
- Residents of every country have their go-to comfort food, from grilled cheese in the US and poutine in Canada to Shakshuka in Morocco and pierogies in Poland.
- Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.
While we rely on food to sustain us physically, we also depend on it for its comforting properties – sometimes a dish just knows how to convey so much more than words ever could.
As the coronavirus pandemic prevents people from engaging in their usual hobbies like seeing friends, going out to dinner, going to the movies, and more, people may now be relying on food more than ever before to make them happy and give them pleasure.
“A lot of us don’t have access to a lot of our day-to-day pleasures right now, so if you find yourself getting more pleasure out of food, and it’s not super nutritious food, that’s OK,” nutritionist Rachael Hartley previously told Insider. “It’s what we might have to do to get through this moment.”
From greasy fish and chips in Great Britain to the lasagna-like moussaka in Greece, certain dishes undeniably make us feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
Here are 26 comfort foods from around the world that everyone should try.
French onion soup is popular comfort food in France.
Best enjoyed with a slice of crusty bread, French onion soup is comfort food at its best. Rich, warm, and blanketed under a generous portion of creamy cheese, French onion soup can make even the worst day slightly more bearable.
Ramen noodles are comfort food in Japan as well as the United States.
From the sodium-heavy instant packs found in every American college dorm to the Michelin-star winning joint in Tokyo, Japan, ramen has developed into a global obsession.
Poutine, or fries covered in gravy and cheese curds, is a popular comfort food from Canada.
We have Montreal to thank for Canada's unofficial national dish, poutine - which also sometimes goes by its informal nickname, "Canadian salad." The iconic dish consists of crispy, golden fries topped with cheese curds and drenched in gravy.
Chilaquiles is a delicious comfort food dish from Mexico.
Chilaquiles - which translates to "in a sauce of chiles" from Nahuatl - is a traditional Mexican dish consisting of heaps of crisp tortilla triangles tossed in a pan with salsa, and then piled sky-high with crumbled cheese and crema. Even better, chilaquiles are often enjoyed for breakfast.
Fish and chips is the comfort food of Great Britain.
If you're harboring any reservations about just how delicious battered fish and crispy fries taste when dipped in a creamy tartar sauce, do yourself a favor and embark on a mission to make your own fish and chips at home.
Wiener schnitzel is popular in Austria.
Wiener schnitzel, the national dish of Austria, consists of boneless, mallet-thinned meat (usually veal) that is then breaded and deep-fried until it reaches prime crispiness.
Spaghetti alla carbonara is one of many comfort foods to come out of Italy.
Originally from the region of Lazio (which is around Rome), this decadent spaghetti is a creamy mix of crispy bacon, velvety olive oil, fatty egg yolk, and nutty Parmesan cheese.
Sausage rolls are comfort food in Australia.
Think of these Aussie favorites like the larger, heartier, and more sophisticated version of pigs-in-a-blanket.
Pierogis are the Polish version of dumplings.
Pierogies are boiled dumplings that are typically filled with a mixture of potatoes and cheese curds, and often enjoyed with a generous dollop of sour cream and caramelized onions.
Matzo ball soup is a popular comfort food from Israel.
Matzo balls - which are made from matzo meal and eggs, and often consumed during Passover - are doughy, rich soup dumplings that have a delicious tendency to soak up all the flavors of the broth in which they're submerged.
Congee is popular comfort food in China.
Congee - a soothing type of rice porridge that is so extensively cooked that the individual grains of rice coalesce into an almost homogeneous base - is popular in many East Asian countries, and is often fortified with different garnishes and ingredients to amplify the flavor.
Grilled cheese sandwiches are the epitome of American comfort food.
The simple comfort mainstay known as the grilled cheese sandwich can come dressed up or au naturel - just as long as it comes with a side of tomato soup for dunking.
Check out how to make the perfect grilled cheese, according to a cheese expert.
Bratwurst is comfort food in Germany.
Arguably Germany's most widely valued culinary contribution, bratwursts are thick German-style sausages that are frequently paired with stewed sauerkraut and a tall, cool beer.
Check out how to pour beer like a German.
Kare-kare is comfort food in the Philippines.
Kare-kare is a nutty and sweet Philippine stew. Its signature flavor derives from a thick and savory peanut sauce.
Paella is one of Spain's most delicious comfort foods.
Rich, smoky, vibrant, and nourishing, Valencians take their paella (a rice dish topped with seafood) seriously - it is Spain's best-known culinary export, after all.
Khichuri is a comfort food in India.
Khichuri, also called Khichdi, is an ancient Indian comfort dish made from rice and lentils that is typically prepared in one pot.
Mofongo is a comforting plantain dish served in Puerto Rico.
Mofongo, a ball-shaped dish of pickled, fried, and then smashed plantains that are flavored with garlic, salt, and oil in a wooden pilón, is a Puerto Rican staple usually served alongside a hearty stew or broth.
Moussaka is the comfort food of Greece.
Moussaka - a baked dish that can be described as Greece's version of lasagna - typically features layers of fried eggplant, potatoes, ground meat, and spices, all topped off with grated cheese and a cream sauce such as béchamel.
Shakshuka is a classic comfort food in Morocco.
Shakshuka is a stew of eggs poached in a spicy sauce of tomatoes, chili peppers, and onions flavored with cumin. While it likely originated in North Africa, it is a popular dish throughout the Middle East.
Picadillo is the comfort food of Cuba.
Picadillo, a Cuban-style hash, routinely features a base of ground beef and tomatoes, but you'll find different renditions of the dish depending on which region you're eating it in. Some prefer it with olives for a salty kick; others enjoy it with raisins for sweetness.
Goulash is a comforting and delicious stew from Hungary.
Goulash is a hearty, paprika-flavored stew with cubes of seared beef, parsnips, carrots, and potatoes.
Swedish meatballs are the epitome of comfort food.
Swedish meatballs are served at most holidays and special events in Sweden. The meatballs are commonly made with a mixture of ground beef and pork, swimming in a delicious gravy of the meat juices, flour, and butter.
Asheh Reshteh is comfort food in Persia.
Thick, stick-to-your-ribs soups make up the backbone of Iranian cooking - in fact, there are more than 50 varieties. Asheh Reshteh, a Persian noodle soup full of beans, herbs, and yogurt, is arguably the most popular type.
Naan bread is one of the most popular comfort foods in India.
Soft, pillowy, and marked with gorgeous golden spots, naan, which is baked in is a hot tandoori clay oven, is a type of Indian bread that's perfect for dipping or relishing on its own.
Ackee and saltfish is a delicious dish from Jamaica.
Jamaica's national fruit, the ackee, is the star of ackee and saltfish, the island's national dish, a salty and savory sautée that's often served with fried plantains and rice.
Borscht is a sour soup from Ukraine.
Borscht - a sour soup with a vibrant red color, thanks to its primary ingredient of beets - is traditionally made with meat or bone stock, sautéed veggies, and fermented beetroot juice, although there are countless variations of the dish.
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