Are you looking for the best street food recipes? Then continue reading!
I love street food. In fact, one of the things I love most when traveling is trying local food and there is just something special about trying local street food.
The atmosphere, the feeling that you are doing what the locals do, it helps me feel like I am experiencing the country in a more authentic way…
But, when you’re not traveling, the next best thing is bringing that street food into your home!
So, thanks to some great food bloggers who let me share their street food recipes I managed to create a great list of street food from around the world that you can cook at home!
From dishes perfect for meat lovers to vegetarian and vegan-friendly recipes. Both savory and sweet, including a few recipes that are perfect to make with kids.
And the best thing is, most of these street food recipes are very easy to make!
So, follow me on a journey around the world through 35 delicious street food recipes.
1. Mexico: Street Tacos
Mexican tacos have become world-famous and while in other countries we often eat them in sit-down restaurants, in Mexico they are popular street food.
When I lived in San Diego I often took a day trip to Tijuana just to get some tacos! Ok, and maybe to have a couple of cheap beers too.
Here I want to share three street taco recipes: a steak, a chicken, and a vegetarian option.
Skirt Steak Street Tacos
tender grilled skirt steak wrapped in a charred corn tortilla and topped with a creamy cilantro lime sauce.
Chicken Street Tacos
Do you prefer your tacos with chicken?
These chicken street tacos are a healthy dinner that you and your family will love!
Vegetarian Tacos
These Roasted Cauliflower Tacos with quick slaw and avocado cream sauce are a quick and delicious Mexican-inspired recipe to load up on veggies!
2. Mexico: Elotes
This grilled Mexican sweet corn recipe (aka Elotes) is classic Mexican street food at its best.
Lightly charred corn on the cob slathered in a creamy chili, lime sauce and topped with cilantro and cotija cheese is a great side dish or snack.
3. India: Aloo Tikka
Indian street food is incredible and you can find it wherever you go in the country.
Aloo Tikki is a popular North Indian snack.
It is basically a crispy and spicy potato patty, and it’s a delicious recipe to make at home.
4. India: Masala Pav
Masala Pav is a popular Mumbai street food made using a pav (bread roll) slathered in butter and spicy bhaji (curry). It is served warm and soft, topped with some onions and cilantro.
This cheesy garlic masala pav sliders recipe is Shweta’s take on this classic Mumbai street food.
5. India: Frankie
The Veg Frankie of Mumbai is now so famous that you can find Frankie stalls all over India.
If you’ve never heard of a Frankie before, you’re missing out. It is Indian food in minutes!
A savory, spicy “Indian Burrito”, Frankies are great for using up leftovers. A great no-mess way to make Indian Breakfast Burritos that kids will love.
You can make this easy street food recipe vegetarian or with meat.
6. India: Chana Chaat
Chickpea chaat is a delicious, tasty, tangy and easy snack made from white chickpeas onions, tomatoes, lemon and spices.
It’s healthy and it’s vegan.
7. Thailand: Pad See Ew
Thailand is definitely my favorite country when it comes to street food.
Pad See Ew is a popular Thai street food made with flat rice noodles, fresh Chinese broccoli, chicken, and egg, stir-fried in a sweet and savory sauce.
Learn how to make this easy, 30-minute Pad See Ew Recipe right and enjoy all the wonderful flavors of Thailand right from home.
8. Thailand: Thai Iced Tea
Thai Iced Tea is a deliciously creamy, mildly spiced, slightly-caffeinated, and refreshingly sweet drink made from tea, milk, and sugar.
Popular in Southeast Asia and served in many Thai food restaurants, learn how to make Thai tea with this easy-to-follow guide and recipe.
9. Thailand: Karipap (Thai Curry Puffs)
This Thai snack consists of a flaky pastry crust filled with tender potatoes and plump green peas, with curry, onions, garlic, and sometimes ground meat.
10. Indonesia: Nasi Goreng
This is what I grew up on!
And no, I did not grow up in Indonesia but my mom did. And although she moved to the Netherlands as a child, she never lost her love for Nasi Goreng.
Nasi Goreng is a fragrantly spiced fried rice.
Traditionally it was a dish to use up yesterday’s leftovers. Nowadays you find it in restaurants and street food stalls around Indonesia.
Also Read: 15 Interesting Facts About Indonesia
11. Indonesia: Satay
Satay is a Southeast Asian dish of seasoned, skewered and grilled meat, served with a sauce.
It comes from Indonesia but is also popular in Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Brunei.
Satay is generally made with diced or sliced chicken, goat, mutton, beef, pork, fish, or tofu.
Here I want to share with you a pork and a chicken version of this popular street food.
Grilled Pork Satay Skewers
These grilled Pork Satay Skewers are cooked within minutes and no marinating is needed.
Moist grilled pork tenderloin cooked with a rich and flavorful homemade satay sauce.
Paleo Chicken Satay
Paleo Chicken satay with cashew sauce is a delicious and easy to make dinner, or appetizer.
Skewers of seasoned chicken paired up with a flavorful Asian cashew dipping sauce.
12. Vietnam: Chicken Pho
Chicken Pho is a refreshing and fragrant chicken noodle soup cooked in a delicious broth, topped by an abundance of fresh herbs.
Vietnamese Noodle Soup is a staple in Vietnamese Cuisine, you never need to go far to find a street stall or a sidewalk cafe selling Pho in Vietnam.
13. Vietnam: Banh Xeo
These Crispy Vietnamese Pancakes aka Banh Xeo are easy to make turmeric and coconut milk pancakes that are fried to crisp perfection.
Stuffed full of chicken and vegetables, crunchy bean sprouts and chilis and fresh cilantro, they make a great breakfast, brunch or lunch option.
14. Japan: Yakitori
One of Japan’s most popular street foods is Yakitori: grilled chicken skewers.
It’s classic street food that can be found near train stations around the country but at the same time, it’s also a popular item in many high-quality restaurants.
Also Read: The Best Food to Try in Japan and 40 Interesting Facts About Japan
15. Korea: Hotteok
Hotteok (Korean Sweet Pancakes) is a popular Korean street food made from a simple yeast dough with a sweet syrupy filling made with brown sugar, cinnamon, and walnuts.
It makes a tasty snack or dessert, and could even be enjoyed at breakfast!
16. Philippines: Turon
Before I traveled to the Philippines I was told not to expect too much from the food there…
And I have to admit, the street food scene is nothing compared to that of, for example, Thailand. But, the Philippines does have some really nice snacks and dishes!
Filipino turon (or banana lumpia) is a snack made of ripe plantain wrapped in spring roll wrapper then deep-fried to perfection.
17. Sri Lanka: Kottu Roti
Seriously, I would move to Sri Lanka just for the food! From their breakfast to their dinner and the street food… I LOVE Sri Lankan food!
Kottu Roti is Sri Lanka’s main street food and the most popular version is Chicken Kottu Roti, although I’d generally go for the vegetable Kottu Roti.
Kottu Roti is made from cut up roti mixed with vegetables, egg and/or meat and spices.
If you ever visit Sri Lanka, make sure you watch a street vendor make this dish because it’s such a fun, and authentically Sri Lankan experience!
18. Taiwan: Oyster Omelette
If you’ve heard anything about Taiwanese food, oyster omelette is probably one of them.
And even if not, this is a deliciously unusual dish you should try.
This recipe is quick to make and has lots of flavor.
19. China: Cong You Bing (Scallion Pancakes)
Scallion Pancakes are a popular street food from china served as breakfast or as a snack.
It’s a savory, unleavened flatbread with minced scallions (green onions). Unlike Western pancakes, it is made from dough instead of batter.
These have a crispy, flaky texture and taste delicious.
20. Latin America: Chocobananos
Sold by street vendors throughout Latin America, bananas are dipped in chocolate and topped with a variety of tasty treats from nuts to candy.
This recipe is vegan friendly and easy enough for kids to make.
21. Brazil: Coxinha
Coxinha is a very popular Brazilian street food consisting of chopped or shredded chicken covered in dough, molded into a shape resembling a teardrop, battered and fried.
They are super delicious and comforting!
22. Brazil: Pao de Quejio
Pao de queijo or Brazilian cheese bread is a gluten-free snack made with tapioca flour and a few other staple ingredients.
They are quick, easy, puffy and super addictive! They are also an iconic street food in Brazil.
23. El Salvador: Pupusas
A pupusa is a thick flatbread made with cornmeal or rice flour, similar to the Venezuelan and Colombian arepa.
In El Salvador, the pupusa has officially been declared the national dish and every year on the second Sunday of November, National Pupusa Day is celebrated.
24. Cuba: Papas Rellenas
Papas Rellenas are a traditional Cuban delicacy. They are crispy-coated, meat-filled, potato balls.
It’s an easy street food recipe for a delicious savory snack.
25. Germany: Currywurst
Authentic german currywurst has been a favored street food for decades.
It dates back to 1949, when a woman named Herta Heuwer started selling the cheap but filling snack at a street stand in Berlin, where it became popular with construction workers rebuilding the devastated city.
If you’re looking for cheap and easy street food recipes this is a great option.
26. Spain: Churros
Churros are well known the world over as a Spanish snack. And they are definitely one of the most popular snacks sold on the streets in Spain.
But, they might be less Spanish than we think. Although the history of churros is somewhat unclear, they were most likely a Portuguese snack before they made their fame in Spain, and one theory suggests they were brought to Europe from China.
Still, nowadays they are popular street food in Spain.
This Spanish Churros recipe is easy to make with a simple choux pastry recipe.
Sprinkled with sugar and served with a light and creamy Dulce de Leche dip, they make a great snack!
Also Read: Spanish Recipes That Are Easy to Make at Home and Famous Spanish Food You Should Try in Spain
27. Italy: Potato Pizza
When I lived in Rome, one of my favorite things to do was to grab a slice of pizza from one of the countless vendors, take it to one of the many piazzas or ancient steps of impressive buildings to take in the city while munching on delicious pizza.
And I have to admit, the first time I saw this potato pizza in I thought the Italians had gone crazy!
But, don’t judge this strange combination until you’ve tried it because you will have to bite your tongue.
28. The Netherlands: Stroopwafels
Ok, I had to include at least one recipe from my home country.
And although the Netherlands doesn’t have much of a street food scene, getting a stroopwafel at a local market is THE thing to do!
A stroopwafel is a thin, caramel-filled waffle cookie. And a stroopwafel that’s made for you on the spot so that the caramel is still soft and runny is just divine!
Or, just make them yourself.
29. France: Socca
Ok, let’s skip the crepes and go for an internationally less well-known snack.
Although it originally comes from Genoa, Italy, Socca has become a popular street food in the South East of France.
And even in Argentina and Uruguay it’s a popular snack which they call fainá.
Socca, also known as farinata, is a gluten-free, vegan bread recipe that uses 5 ingredients and can be made in minutes!
Made from chickpea / garbanzo bean flour, socca can be enjoyed as a quick snack, with a meal, or piled with toppings for a pizza fix.
30. Czech Republic: Trdelnik
Although Trdelnik has several origins and can be found in a number of countries, it’s especially popular in the Czech Republic.
It’s a delicious dessert that is sold by street food stalls all over Prague.
Trdelnik is made with a traditional pastry dough that’s wrapped around a stick, rolled in a cinnamon-walnut and sugar mixture and baked to a crispy perfection.
31. Africa: Puff Puff
Puff-puff, as it is called in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Cameroon, is a traditional African snack made of fried dough.
But, it is found in many other African countries under different names as well.
It’s a delicious, golden, sweet, fluffy snack.
32. South Africa: Pancakes
The most popular snack that food vendors sell at markets etc. in South Africa are pancakes.
And yes, anyone who has been to the Netherlands might recognize these types of pancakes.
The Dutch introduced these pancakes to South Africa and the ones you find in the Netherlands now are still very similar to South African pancakes.
It’s a simple street food recipe that kids love.
33. Nigeria: Akara
Akara is a popular street food and breakfast in Nigeria. It’s often served with pap (fermented corn pudding) or bread.
Akara is a deep-fried food made from puréed beans. It is usually made with just 4 ingredients; beans, salt, pepper and onions.
Akara is called akla or koose by Ghanaians. It is also found in Brazilian cuisine brought to Brazil by the West African Slaves. Brazilians call it acaraje.
34. Ghana: Kelewele
Kelewele is a sweet, spicy, succulent Ghana street food made from ripe plantains.
It’s soft with a bit of crunch on the outside due to the crusted spices.
This is one of the easy street food recipes anyone can make.
35. USA: Hot Dogs
New York‘s iconic street food of course had to be on this list.
In this recipe, an all-beef hot dog is topped with a homemade onion relish, sauerkraut, and brown mustard.
Enjoy Trying These Delicious Street Food Recipes!
If you are looking for more inspiration for things to do at home, check out my article Things to Do at Home When You Are Bored and for more cooking inspiration check out these Caribbean Food Recipes.
And if you love trying local food when you travel, then also read:
- Famous Spanish Food to Try in Spain
- Where to Eat in Vilnius, Lithuania
- Food to Try in Japan: 8 Things Not to Miss
- A Paella Cooking Class in Valencia, Spain
- Where to Find the Best Breakfast in Durban, South Africa
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