Paraguayan cuisine combines Guaraní foundations with Spanish colonial influences. Maize, cassava, cheese, milk and meat recur in dense breads, cakes, soups and grilled foods that are closely tied to home cooking.
Bolivian cuisine reflects extraordinary altitude and ecological diversity, from the Andes and Altiplano to valleys and tropical lowlands. Potatoes, maize, quinoa, chillies, beef and regional grains support many distinct local traditions.
Costa Rican cuisine is built around rice, beans, maize, plantains, vegetables, meat and tropical fruit. Seasoning is generally balanced rather than intensely hot, with fresh ingredients and straightforward preparations playing a major role.
Guatemalan cuisine is rooted in Maya food traditions and later Spanish influences. Maize, beans, chillies, tomatoes, squash, herbs and seeds form the basis of tortillas, tamales, stews and complex recados.
The cuisine of Trinidad and Tobago is one of the Caribbean’s most diverse, shaped by Indian, African, Creole, Chinese, European and Indigenous influences. Roti, curries, chickpeas, seafood, rice and fiery condiments coexist in a vibrant street-food culture.
Dominican cuisine combines Taíno, Spanish and African traditions in a food culture centred on rice, beans, plantains, root vegetables and meat. Everyday meals are substantial and closely tied to family life.
Puerto Rican cuisine, often described through the tradition of cocina criolla, combines Taíno, Spanish, African and wider Caribbean influences. Plantains, rice, beans, pork, root vegetables and sofrito are fundamental.
Canadian cuisine reflects Indigenous foodways, French and British settlement and successive waves of migration across a vast geography. Seafood, game, wheat, potatoes, maple products and regional produce appear in many different culinary traditions.
Venezuelan cuisine combines Indigenous, Spanish, African and Caribbean influences. Maize, black beans, plantains, cassava, beef and fresh cheese underpin many familiar dishes, with arepas occupying a particularly important place in daily life.
Ecuadorian cuisine changes dramatically between the Pacific coast, Andean highlands and Amazon basin. Plantains, potatoes, maize, rice, seafood, pork and tropical fruit are recurring foundations, but their use is strongly regional.
Uruguayan cuisine shares the Río de la Plata tradition with neighbouring Argentina, with beef, grilling, pasta, breads, mate and dulce de leche at its core. European immigration has strongly shaped everyday cooking.
Chilean cuisine stretches across an unusually long geography, combining Pacific seafood, Andean produce, central-valley agriculture and southern pastoral traditions. Potatoes, maize, seafood, beef, bread and seasonal vegetables are recurring staples.
Cuban cuisine combines Spanish, African and Caribbean traditions in dishes based on rice, beans, pork, plantains, cassava, citrus and aromatic sofrito. The flavour profile is generally savoury and fragrant rather than intensely hot.
Jamaican cuisine combines African, Indigenous, European, Indian and Chinese influences with the island’s tropical ingredients. Scotch bonnet chilli, allspice, thyme, coconut, plantain and slow-cooked or grilled meats create bold and aromatic food.
Colombian cuisine varies from Caribbean and Pacific coasts to Andean highlands, plains and Amazonian regions. Maize, rice, plantains, potatoes, beans, cassava, meat and tropical fruit form recurring foundations.
American cuisine is a collection of regional and immigrant food traditions rather than a single style. Barbecue, seafood, Indigenous ingredients, Southern cooking, diner culture and cuisines shaped by successive migration all contribute to its breadth.
Brazilian cuisine reflects Indigenous, African, Portuguese and later immigrant traditions across a vast country. Rice, beans, cassava, tropical produce, seafood and meat appear in highly regional combinations.
Argentine cuisine is strongly associated with beef and asado, but it also reflects Italian and Spanish migration, Indigenous traditions and regional ingredients. Empanadas, pasta, pizza, mate and dulce de leche are central to everyday food culture.
Peruvian cuisine brings together Indigenous Andean ingredients with Spanish, African, Chinese and Japanese influences. Potatoes, maize, chillies, seafood, quinoa and herbs support a culinary landscape stretching from the Pacific coast to the Andes and Amazon.
Mexican cuisine is rooted in Indigenous foodways built around maize, beans, chillies, squash and tomatoes, enriched over centuries by Spanish and regional influences. Nixtamalised corn, complex sauces, fresh salsas and highly local traditions make it one of the world’s most distinctive cuisines.
Kazakh cuisine developed from nomadic pastoral traditions and centres on meat, dairy, flour and tea. Horse meat, lamb, beef, fermented milk drinks and boiled or fried doughs remain important markers of traditional food culture.
Slovak cuisine reflects a mountainous Central European landscape and a strong tradition of dairy, potatoes, cabbage, flour, pork and sheep’s cheese. Dumplings, soups, potato dishes and hearty stews dominate traditional home cooking.
Emirati cuisine reflects Bedouin traditions, Gulf fishing communities and centuries of Indian Ocean trade. Rice, fish, lamb, dates, wheat and aromatic spices form the core of many traditional dishes.
Syrian cuisine is a rich Levantine tradition shaped by cities such as Aleppo and Damascus as well as rural and regional cooking. Bulgur, lamb, pulses, aubergines, yoghurt, nuts, olive oil and aromatic spices recur across savoury dishes and sweets.
Saudi Arabian cuisine reflects the landscapes of the Arabian Peninsula, from desert interiors to Red Sea and Gulf coasts. Rice, lamb, chicken, dates, wheat, dairy and warming spices underpin many traditional dishes.
Omani cuisine combines Arabian, Indian Ocean and East African influences. Rice, fish, lamb, dates, limes, coconut and warm spices appear in dishes that reflect the country’s long maritime trading history.
Jordanian cuisine is rooted in Bedouin hospitality and wider Levantine food traditions. Lamb, rice, yoghurt, flatbreads, pulses, olive oil and herbs form the basis of dishes served both at family tables and large communal gatherings.
Persian cuisine is distinguished by fragrant rice, herbs, fruit, nuts, saffron, yoghurt and slow-cooked stews. Sweet and sour flavours are carefully balanced, while rice preparation has been refined into an art with crisp tahdig and delicately steamed grains.
Israeli cuisine reflects the cooking traditions of Jewish communities from Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and elsewhere, together with Palestinian and wider Levantine food cultures. Vegetables, tahini, pulses, breads, grilled foods and spice-rich dishes are central.
Lebanese cuisine is one of the defining culinary traditions of the Levant. Olive oil, bulgur, pulses, yoghurt, herbs, vegetables, lamb and grilled meats are combined with bright acidity and a strong culture of mezze.