15 Delicious International Holiday Food Traditions

Hanukkah (or Chanukah, also referred to as the "Festival of Lights") is a Jewish holiday that celebrates a miracle documented in the Bible's Old Testament — one night's worth of oil lasted for eight nights. Because of this, many of the foods traditionally eaten during Hanukkah are fried in oil, like the ever-present potato latke, a potato cake fried until golden and crispy. In Israel, latkes are one of many food traditions — fried jelly doughnuts and other rich treats are also served — but potato latkes, sometimes served with applesauce or a similarly sweet topping, are one of the most beloved.

Recipe: Latkes

Sufganiyot — fried, jelly-filled doughnuts — are a popular Hanukkah treat in Israel and in Jewish communities around the world. Different countries may call desserts like these by different names (in Russia, ponchik; in Poland, pączki), but wherever they're found, sufganiyot are, like many other foods eaten during the Festival of Lights, deep fried in oil. They are a traditional and thoroughly indulgent holiday dessert.

Recipe: Sufganiyot

Mince pies have been enjoyed in England at Christmastime since the 13th century, according to BBC America. Fighters returning from the Crusades brought back new and exotic spices, like nutmeg and cinnamon, and British cooks used them in a variety of dishes, including pies filled with mincemeat and dried fruits. Their size and the type of fillings used have changed somewhat over time, but for many centuries now, mince pies have been a beloved Christmas treat. If you're looking to recreate a traditional English Christmas feast, or just want to try your hand at something new, test out our recipe.

Recipe: Quince Mince Pie

Christmas in Sicily and Southern Italy means the Feast of the Seven Fishes. Traditionally, Roman Catholics in the region fast on Christmas Eve, so a feast of seven (or even more) seafood dishes at the end of the day is a true celebration of the area's bounty. On the eves of special holidays, as well as on Fridays and during Lent, many observant Catholics refrain from eating meat or dairy, so these seafood dishes are usually fried or cooked in oil rather than butter. Baccalà, or salted cod fish, fried smelt, and calamari are all popular choices, but the healthier shrimp and cod dishes below, each bursting with classic Italian flavors, would fit in at any holiday table.

Recipes:
Italian Spiced Shrimp (pictured)
Cod with Warm Tomato-Olive Salsa

The Bûche de Noël, or branch of Christmas, is the French version of a Yule Log. A rich cake filled and rolled to resemble a log, it is often decorated with tiny merinque "mushrooms" or other edible treats made to look like items found on the forest floor. In France, it is traditionally served after the Christmas Eve midnight mass. One of the most common and classic flavors is chestnut, although today you can find them in many flavors at bakeries around France and around the world.

Recipe: Caramel Bûche de Noël

Christmas is a major affair in Greece, and there are many ways in which people celebrate. Many religious Greeks fast before Christmas. When feast day finally arrives, it's a time to go all out. One traditional sweet that still has a place at festive holiday tables is melomakarona, a sweet, honey-soaked cookie topped with ground walnuts and eaten on Christmas Day after breaking fast. If you don't have the time or skill to prepare traditional melomakarona, try our simpler recipe below, which uses the same beloved flavors.

Recipe: Honey Cookies

One of several popular holiday desserts in Poland, babka, a kind of sweet bread, is ubiquitous during the Christmas season. Other treats, like cookies made with honey and poppy seeds, are also common, but bread is essential to the Christmas meal in Poland. Traditionally this festive meal is eaten on Christmas Eve, starting with breaking bread after a long day of fasting. Many Polish families set an extra place for a lone wanderer who might happen to pass through during this special dinner, which is usually meatless and composed of other staples like beet soup, boiled potatoes, and herring with sour cream.

Recipe: Babka

On December 13, the official start of the Christmas season in many Nordic countries, citizens of Sweden and other Scandinavian nations celebrate St. Lucia's Day. Tradition dictates that the eldest daughter dress in a white gown tied with a red sash and a crown of lit candles, then wake her parents with hot coffee and a tray of saffron buns, like those pictured here. Swedes also elect a national Lucia every year, and many towns and villages across the country choose a Lucia to represent them as well. To give your holiday some true Swedish flavor, try our recipe for saffron buns this season.

Recipe: Saffron Buns

In Ukraine, adherents of the Ukrainian Orthodox church must stick to a strict diet during the Christmas holiday that excludes many items indulged in around the world, like those containing fat, sugar, and meat. Holiday dinner must adhere to those guidelines, including special foods like kutya (pictured), which is sweetened with honey and includes ingredients like wheat, poppy seeds, and nuts. The dish cannot be enjoyed until the first star appears in the night sky. To put a Ukranian-inspired twist on your holiday meal, try our recipe for wheat berries below, adding your favorite combination of natural sweeteners, nuts, and dried or fresh fruits.

Recipe: Cooked Wheat Berries

Brazil is a largely Catholic nation, but its inhabitants come from many different countries and cultures. Brazil is a true melting pot, and its cuisine reflects that. Though Brazil produces a large percentage of the world's beef, turkey is often the main course served on Christmas. Yet in such a huge nation there are bound to be regional differences, and in certain places fish or pork may be more prevalent. Colored rice is a popular side dish, no matter where in the country you are, and Brazil nuts are also usually served. Dessert is all over the map — everything from Italian panettone to Portuguese rabanada (fried bread sprinkled with sugar) could make an appearance on the holiday table.

Recipe: Pimentón-Roasted Whole Turkey Breast with Chorizo

In Peru, spiced hot chocolate is a Christmas tradition. In December, churches around the country take donations to make massive quantities of it, as well as panettone, a traditional Italian holiday bread. The bread and hot, sweet, spicy drink are served to the less fortunate in the weeks leading up to Christmas. On December 24, also called Noche Beuna, Peruvians have their big holiday meal, often featuring tamales or a roast turkey (as in Brazil), and many families celebrate with a champagne toast.

Recipe: Spiced Hot Chocolate

In the Philippines, a whole roasted pig is often the centerpiece of a fantastically elaborate Christmas meal. The Philippines are known around the world for Christmas festivities that are pretty much unmatched anywhere else. The season officially starts on December 16, when daily dawn masses begin, continuing through Christmas Day. The big holiday meal, served after mass on Christmas Eve, is full of delectable choices. Aside from a main pork dish, the meal often includes other Filippino favorites, like oxtail stew, queso de bolo (a kind of cheese), and flan.

Recipes:
Coffee-Cured Pulled Pork
Spice-Brined Pork Loin

In Italy, New Year's Eve is known as "La Festa di San Silvestro," or St. Sylvester's Feast. The celebration centers around a massive meal with family and friends, and one of the traditional items at the table is a big pot of lentils. Legumes are thought to symbolize money and prosperity, so Italians eat lots of them in hopes of bringing themselves wealth and success in the coming year. For an Italian twist on your New Year's Eve celebration, cook up a big pot of our lentil stew (below) on December 31.

Recipe: Italian Lentil and Vegetable Stew

Kimchi is a popular food in Korea at any time of year, but it's impossible to image a holiday feast without it. The New Year, or Soll, is also one of the biggest times of celebration in Korea, as it is in countries across Asia that follow the Chinese calendar. Kimchi is usually made with cabbage, but one of these more modern takes, made with cucumbers or turnips, could also be a fun way to mix a bit of the old with the new — the perfect theme for a New Year's celebration. For a fully festive Korean meal, serve it with rice cake soup (dduk gook) and an array of vegetable sides.

Recipes:
Turnip Kimchi (pictured)
Quick Cucumber Kimchi

One of the most important foods consumed during New Year's (or Tết) celebrations in Vietnam, bahn chung is a large rice cake with layers of pork, mung bean, and other ingredients encased in a thick layer of soft, sticky rice. The whole packet is usually wrapped in the leaves of a giant type of bamboo called lá dong, though banana leaves might also work well. Bahn chung are square in shape to represent the earth. Bánh dày is a similar type of rice cake eaten during the holidays, but it is round in shape to represent the sky. Often you'll find them served at New Year's celebrations with assorted pickled vegetables, like daikon or shallots. For a different take on a traditional food, try our Crisp Sushi-Rice Cakes as a side or an appetizer in your New Year's meal.

Recipe: Crisp Sushi-Rice Cakes