What is the traditional breakfast in different countries of the world?
They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. We don't know if that's really true, but what we know is that there are as many kinds of breakfast as there are countries in the world, and even some of them are a point of reference in international cuisine. We want you to take a look at those different breakfast dishes… You'll be surprised by some of them!
Breakfasts in Spain are very varied depending on what part of the country you are in. But as a country famously known for its Mediterranean diet, coffee, orange juice and a toasted slice of bread with olive oil on top are essential. You can also add some garlic, tomato, and Iberic ham to complete your toast. On the other side of the healthy Mediterranean diet, you can have your 'churros' with hot chocolate which is very Spanish as well.
If we think about German food, it probably comes to mind sausages, and yes, they also have them for breakfast. Germans usually eat them with bread, eggs, and sometimes different kinds of cheeses. There are other traditional German breakfast meals that include meat, yogurt, and cheese.
Two things that really go with French cuisine are coffee and croissants. Although these two are some of the most typical elements of a French breakfast, you can also have a toasted baguette with butter known as 'tartine'. Another famous option is to have the sweet pastry known as 'pain au chocolate'.
In Italy, breakfasts aren't that heavy or long. Of course, coffee is the most important part of the meal and can be accompanied by a pastry known as 'cornetto', which is an Italian version of the croissant.
One of the most famous breakfasts in the world needs to be eaten on an empty stomach because of its many ingredients: Eggs, sausages, bacon, white beans, roasted tomatoes, mushrooms, and buttered toast. Of course, it is all served with typical English tea.
Dutch people usually have bread with butter or sweet cream and served them with 'hagelslag' on top, which are chocolate sprinkles.
The most typical breakfast in Hungary is a pastry made with butter, cottage cheese, and sour cream. There are many variations of the dish but the most popular one is the one with cheese.
Bulgarians' typical breakfast has just one name: Banitsa. It is a soft pastry dish elaborated with eggs and Bulgarian goat cheese cooked in the oven. Sounds delicious, right?
Danish people called their traditional breakfast 'Morgenmad'. The main element of the dish is bread (which has to be of great quality). It can be accompanied by boiled eggs, cheese, butter, jam, and a bowl of cereal.
Being one of the coldest countries in the world, Iceland's breakfasts must certainly be hot. That's why one of their favorite dishes is a porridge made with oats, which is served with fruits, jams, and even 'lysi' (liver cod oil).
As we have seen many times in American cinema, in the U.S., pancakes are normally the protagonists of breakfast. They can be sweet or salty, but drizzling maple syrup on top is always a no-brainer.
Just like their northern neighbors, Mexicans don't go for a light breakfast. One of their most typical dishes is ranch eggs, a fulfilling meal that can cure any hangover. It's as simple as frying some eggs and serving them in a corn 'tortilla' full of tomato, queso, beans, and guacamole.
This cornstarch-based meal is a round and flat 'tortilla' that is typically eaten by Colombians and Venezuelans. They are usually served with a range of ingredients like cheese and meat. Arepas can be prepared for any meal of the day but are usually present at breakfast time.
The French croissant is called by Argentinians 'medialuna' (half-moon). This is always the perfect breakfast, especially, when it's served with a good coffee, right?
Image: Montatip Lilitsanong / Unsplash
'Tacacho' with cured meat is usually served with chorizo and a sauce elaborated with a fruit called cocona. It is a typical breakfast dish in the areas of San Martín and Madre de Dios, where they eat it with coffee or fruit juice.
'Gallopinto' is a traditional dish of Costa Rica that can be combined with rice and beans. It can be eaten at any time of day, but usually as a breakfast meal. You can add egg, avocado, cheese, fried banana, and more to the dish.
Brazilian breakfasts are normally very healthy. Bread is the most important element of this meal. Apart from coffee, they usually have bananas or papayas which are very typical of the country but also cheese, eggs, and juices.
On this Caribbean Island, you will leave breakfast with a full stomach. They usually eat 'callaloo', which is a kind of spinach that is served with fried banana and a scramble of cod and 'ackee', a delicious fruit.
'Congee' is a white rice pudding that is eaten in China, India, and Malaysia. It is cooked in a big pot and normally has a thick consistency. Especially in China, 'congee' is served for breakfast, but they also have 'youtiao' which is similar to donuts and eaten with soy milk.
Japanese have tough stomachs. One of their most traditional breakfasts, especially in the northern side of the country, is called 'natto'. The soy is fermented by a bacterium that produces a sort of viscous slime that smells really strong, that slime is eaten with mustard, chopped leek, soy sauce, and, of course, a bowl of rice!
Koreans do a decent variety of meals for breakfast and it's completely different from what we eat in western countries. Rice is part of every meal, but for breakfast, you can have it with soup, kimchi, fish, and eggs.
In Singapore, we can have coffee and kaya toast (bread with butter and sugar), or maybe some kind of pastry, but they usually eat it with poached eggs with a runny yolk.
'Nasi Lemak' is a dish that can be found in Malaysia, Brunei, and Singapore, but it is an official breakfast from Malaysia. It consists of rice cooked in coconut milk and served with spicy anchovies, seasoned fried chicken, hard-boiled eggs, cucumber slices, and peanuts. An absolutely delicious dish for Asian cuisine lovers.
Even though in western culture we usually have this dish for lunch or dinner, Vietnamese 'pho' can be eaten at any time of day. Known as 'Buen Rien Cua', this dish is a rice noodle soup with crab, vegetables, and, occasionally, meat.
If we are in India, Bangladesh, or Nepal, we can't miss the opportunity to try their vegetarian breakfast called 'Poha' (or whipped rice): Rice is smashed and transformed into thin dry leaves. Preparation can include nuts, vegetables, and shredded coconut, depending on the region.
Pakistanis usually have 'Halwa Puri' for breakfast which is a meal that can also be found in Indian cuisine. It is a mix of sweet and salty flavors: The sweet comes from the Halwa, which is made of semolina, and the salty comes from the Puri, which is fried flat bread. It is usually combined with different products in the first meal of the day.
Filipinos have a sweet tooth when it comes to breakfast. They usually have some sweet and fluffy little pieces of bread called 'pandesal'. This is their base for many other sweet meals as well as salty ones.
The most typical breakfast in Israel is called 'shakshouka' which literally means 'everything mixed up'. Israelis consider breakfast to be one of the most important meals of the day, that's why it is not a light one. 'Shakshouka' has eggs cooked up in a sauce made of tomatoes, peppers, onions, and several spices, so you can also eat it spicy and served it with toasted bread.
The most traditional and popular breakfast in Iran is called 'haleem', a meal in which we can find meat (lamb or chicken), cinnamon, melted butter, sugar, and salt. It's served in a bowl and can be eaten warm as well as cold.
'Kahvalti' is the traditional Turkish breakfast. In this meal, you can find fresh cheeses like feta and 'kashkaval', green and black olives, freshly baked white bread, preserved fruits, honey, sweet butter, and a lot of black tea.
'Beghrir' is a sort of crepe that is very popular in the Maghrebi cuisine, it is made with wheat flour, warm water, salt, and baking powder. You can have them for breakfast with honey or olive oil, and, occasionally, with almond paste.
This traditional Egyptian dish is popular amongst many other Middle East countries. It is a stew cooked with boiled beans dressed with vegetable oil, cumin, and sometimes chopped parsley and spices. It is usually served with pita bread and also with chickpeas and boiled eggs.
'Manzadis' is a pastry, similar to donuts, that is shaped in a triangular form. This delicious sweet can be found in African streets where it is freshly cooked and served with chai or masala tea, a beverage originally from India.
Although this is a more and more common breakfast nowadays, Australians have been eating avocado on toast with their coffee for a long time. They also enjoy the classic toast with butter or vegemite (a brown spread, similar to butter but with a salty taste).
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