Western Recipes
257 recipes
This category brings Western-style dishes — pasta, steak, risotto, gratin, and more — into the home kitchen. In Korea, "Western food" (yangsik) includes not only authentic European recipes but also Korean-adapted classics like donkatsu (pork cutlet) and hambak steak (Hamburg steak).
Olive oil, butter, cream, and cheese create the rich flavors these dishes are known for. From special-occasion dinners to quick weeknight meals, these recipes make Western cooking approachable.
Albondigas en Salsa (Spanish Meatballs in Tomato Sauce)
Tender, bread-softened meatballs simmered in a smoky paprika-tomato sauce until every bite soaks up the rich, glossy gravy -- Spain's ultimate weeknight comfort food. Ground pork and beef are mixed with soaked bread, egg, and garlic, then rolled small and browned in olive oil before simmering in a tomato-based sauce seasoned with smoked paprika and bay leaf. The bread in the mixture keeps the meatballs from turning dense, giving them a soft, almost spongy center that absorbs the sauce as they braise. The tomato sauce mellows over twenty minutes of gentle heat, losing its raw acidity and developing a concentrated sweetness that clings to each ball. Served with crusty bread to mop up the sauce, or spooned over plain rice, this is the kind of dish Spanish grandmothers make on weekday evenings without measuring anything.
Avgolemono Soup (Greek Egg-Lemon Chicken Rice Soup)
Avgolemono - from the Greek avgo (egg) and lemoni (lemon) - is a soup that has warmed Greek households for centuries, with roots reaching back to the Sephardic Jewish communities of the Byzantine Empire who brought egg-lemon sauces to the eastern Mediterranean. Chicken broth is simmered with short-grain rice until the grains swell and release their starch, thickening the liquid slightly. The defining step is tempering: beaten eggs and fresh lemon juice are whisked together, then a ladle of hot broth is stirred in slowly to raise the temperature without scrambling the eggs. This tempered mixture returns to the pot off heat, transforming the broth into a velvety, pale-yellow cream with a bright acidity that hits the palate before the warmth of the chicken stock settles in. The soup must never boil after the eggs go in - gentle heat is the only way to maintain the silky emulsion. Shredded chicken stirred in at the end makes it a complete meal. Greeks consider avgolemono the definitive comfort food for cold days and recovery from illness.
Bacalhau a Bras Recipe — Classic Portuguese Salt Cod with Eggs and Crispy Potatoes
Make classic bacalhau à brás at home - hand-shredded salt cod tangled with crispy straw potatoes and silky scrambled eggs in olive oil. Soak the cod 24-48 hours, sauté with onion, then stir in beaten eggs off the heat until they form creamy curds binding everything into a golden mound. Black olives and parsley finish this iconic Portuguese tavern dish.
Warm Melting Cheese (Whole Oven-Baked Camembert with Garlic and Honey)
Baked Camembert is a French-style appetizer in which an entire wheel of Camembert cheese is oven-roasted until its interior melts into a flowing cream. Shallow cuts scored across the rind allow garlic slivers and rosemary sprigs to infuse the cheese as it heats. After roughly fifteen minutes at 180 degrees Celsius, the firm center collapses into a dip-like consistency while the white-mold rind holds its shape as a natural vessel. Torn baguette pieces and toasted walnuts are the classic accompaniments, and a drizzle of honey bridges the mild funk of the cheese with sweetness. The preparation takes under five minutes of active work, making it one of the quickest warm appetizers to assemble. It pairs especially well with dry white wine or light-bodied reds.
Baked Lasagna
Baked lasagna stacks wide pasta sheets between layers of slow-cooked beef Bolognese sauce and a trio of cheeses: ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan. The assembly begins with a thin coat of tomato sauce on the bottom of the dish, followed by alternating layers of noodles, meat sauce, and cheese. Ricotta contributes a mild, creamy layer that tempers the acidity of the tomato base, while mozzarella melts into stretchy threads that bind the layers together. Parmesan scattered across the top develops a golden-brown crust after forty-five minutes in the oven. Making the dish a day in advance and refrigerating it overnight allows the sauce to absorb into the pasta for a more cohesive texture. Leftovers reheat well, which makes lasagna a practical choice for meal preparation.
Bananas Foster
Bananas Foster is a New Orleans dessert in which bananas are sauteed in a butter-and-brown-sugar caramel sauce and served over vanilla ice cream. The sauce starts by melting butter with brown sugar in a skillet until the sugar dissolves into a thick caramel. Halved bananas are placed cut-side down into the sauce and cooked just until they warm through and absorb some of the syrup. Ground cinnamon and a squeeze of lemon juice add complexity to the caramel. The traditional preparation involves igniting rum in the pan, though the alcohol step can be omitted at home without losing the core flavor. Spooning the hot caramelized bananas over cold ice cream creates a temperature contrast that defines the dish, and the whole process takes about ten minutes.
BBQ Ribs
BBQ ribs start with a rack of pork spare ribs rubbed generously with a blend of paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, and black pepper, then rested overnight so the seasoning penetrates the meat. Low-and-slow cooking at around 130 degrees Celsius for two or more hours dissolves the connective tissue until the meat slides cleanly off the bone. The dry rub caramelizes against the rendered fat into a sticky, darkened crust that carries most of the concentrated flavor. A final glaze of barbecue sauce adds smoky sweetness and a faint vinegar tang that keeps each bite from tipping into one-note richness. Served alongside coleslaw or grilled corn, the pairing offsets the deep, heavy character of the ribs.
Beef Barley Soup
Beef barley soup begins by searing cubed stew beef over high heat to build a caramelized fond, then simmering it with pearl barley, carrots, celery, and onion for well over an hour. The initial browning creates the savory backbone of the broth, and the barley gradually releases its starch to thicken the liquid into something between a soup and a stew. Celery and carrots soften and sweeten during the long cook, while bay leaf and thyme lay a quiet herbal layer through the broth. The result is a straightforward, filling soup - the kind that warms from the inside on a cold day and needs nothing more than crusty bread alongside it.
Beef Empanadas
Beef empanadas wrap a cumin-and-paprika-seasoned filling of ground beef, onion, olives, and boiled egg inside flour dough, which is folded into a half-moon shape and baked until the crust turns golden and flaky. The oven heat crisps the outer shell while the meat filling steams inside, staying moist against the dry crust. Cumin gives the beef an earthy warmth, olives add pockets of briny saltiness, and sliced boiled egg softens the texture of the interior. Compact enough to eat with one hand, each empanada delivers a burst of layered flavor the moment the crust breaks - making it both a convenient snack and a substantial one.
Beef Stroganoff
Beef stroganoff sears thin strips of sirloin over high heat just long enough to brown the surface while keeping the interior pink, then folds them into a pan sauce of sauteed mushrooms, onions, and sour cream. The mushrooms contribute their own meaty depth alongside the beef, and sour cream transforms the pan drippings into a sauce that is simultaneously creamy and subtly tangy. A touch of mustard sharpens the finish without announcing itself. Spooned over egg noodles or mashed potatoes, the cream sauce soaks into the starch below, pulling the whole plate together into a rich, cohesive meal.
Ground Beef Tacos
Ground beef tacos season the meat with chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and smoked paprika, cooking it down until the moisture evaporates and the spices coat every granule of beef. Spooned into crispy taco shells, the seasoned meat meets a textural snap on the first bite. Salsa brings tomato acidity and chili heat on top, while sliced avocado provides a cooling, fatty contrast that tempers the spice. Sour cream and a squeeze of lime pull the flavors together - spicy, tangy, and creamy arriving all at once in a handheld format that makes it easy to reach for a second and third shell.
Beef Wellington
Beef Wellington wraps a whole seared tenderloin in a layer of mushroom duxelles and prosciutto, then encases everything in puff pastry before baking. The initial sear locks a flavorful crust onto the beef surface, and the duxelles acts as a moisture barrier between the meat and the pastry, preventing the dough from going soggy as the tenderloin renders. In the oven, the pastry puffs into hundreds of golden, flaky layers while the beef inside cooks evenly to a pink medium-rare center. Slicing through the finished roll to reveal the clean cross-section - bronze pastry, dark mushroom layer, rosy beef - is the dramatic payoff of the careful assembly. A red wine reduction served alongside completes the dish for a formal occasion.
Blanquette de Veau (French Veal Stew in Creamy Egg-Lemon Sauce)
Blanquette de veau is a classic French white stew where veal shoulder is first blanched in cold water to remove impurities, then gently simmered with carrot and onion in fresh water for over an hour until the meat yields easily to a fork. The cooking broth is transformed into a sauce by building a butter-flour roux and whisking in the liquid, then finishing with tempered heavy cream and egg yolks to create a velvety coating that clings to every piece of meat. The sauce must never boil after the yolks go in - even brief overheating will cause it to break. A squeeze of lemon at the end lifts the cream's richness, and button mushrooms sauteed separately in butter add an earthy counterpoint when folded back in.
French Onion Tart
French onion tart starts with onions cooked low and slow in butter for over twenty minutes until they collapse into a deep amber mass with concentrated sweetness and no trace of their raw sharpness. The caramelized onions are spread over a blind-baked tart shell, covered with a custard of egg, heavy cream, and thyme, then topped with grated Gruyere cheese before baking at 190 degrees until the filling sets and the cheese browns into a salty crust. The onion flavor dominates every bite, and thyme provides an herbal note that keeps the sweetness from becoming heavy. This tart holds up well at room temperature, making it practical for brunch spreads or outdoor meals alongside wine.
Bouillabaisse (Provencal Saffron Seafood Stew)
Bouillabaisse is a Provencal seafood stew originating from Marseille fishermen cooking their unsold catch, distinguished by saffron's golden color and subtle floral aroma threaded through the broth. Fennel and tomatoes are first sauteed in olive oil to build an aromatic base, then saffron-infused fish stock is poured in and brought to a simmer. Firm-fleshed fish go in first, with shrimp and mussels added last to preserve their texture - overcooked shellfish turns rubbery and loses its snap. The broth derives its complexity from the layered contribution of multiple seafood varieties, each releasing a different aspect of ocean flavor into the pot. Traditionally, grilled baguette spread with garlicky rouille sauce is dipped into the broth alongside the stew.
Bubble and Squeak (Pan-Fried Mashed Potato and Cabbage Cake)
Bubble and squeak is a British kitchen staple that combines mashed boiled potatoes with blanched, chopped cabbage, presses the mixture flat in a hot pan, and fries both sides until a golden-brown crust forms. The name comes from the sound the cabbage moisture makes when it hits the hot fat. Sauteing diced onion in butter before folding it into the potato-cabbage mix adds a caramelized sweetness that lifts the otherwise plain ingredients. Pressing firmly with a spatula while cooking is essential for building a crisp shell, and adding a tablespoon of flour helps bind the mixture if the potatoes are too wet. This dish has been a staple of British households for generations, traditionally made from leftover Sunday roast vegetables.
Buffalo Wings
Buffalo wings coat chicken wings in baking powder and roast them at high heat for forty-five minutes, producing a crisp skin without deep-frying. The baking powder raises the skin's pH to accelerate the Maillard reaction and drives out moisture faster, yielding a crunch that rivals the fryer. Straight from the oven, the wings are tossed in a sauce of melted butter and hot sauce - the butter tempers the vinegar-based heat into something that coats the tongue rather than burning it, and a touch of white vinegar at the end sharpens the finish. Blue cheese dipping sauce and celery sticks served alongside provide a cooling, creamy contrast and a crisp palate cleanser between bites.
Butter Chicken
Butter chicken - murgh makhani - marinates chicken thighs in yogurt, garam masala, and cumin, grills or roasts them tandoori-style to build a smoky surface char, then simmers the pieces in a sauce of long-cooked tomato puree enriched with butter and heavy cream. The yogurt marinade tenderizes the meat by breaking down surface proteins, and the high-heat roasting adds a depth of flavor that plain poaching cannot achieve. The tomato base must cook down until its raw acidity mellows into a rounded sweetness before the dairy goes in. Butter and cream transform the spice blend's sharp edges into something velvety and rich, producing the mild, creamy character that sets this curry apart from hotter Indian preparations.
Caesar Salad
Caesar salad tears romaine lettuce into bite-sized pieces and dresses them in a sauce built from mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic, and anchovy. The anchovy dissolves into the dressing not as a fishy presence but as a deep umami backbone that makes the salad compelling, while garlic and lemon keep the rich dressing from feeling heavy. Croutons are made by cubing bread and toasting it in olive oil until the outside crisps but the interior stays slightly chewy - firm enough to hold the dressing without going soggy. Parmesan shaved into wide, thin curls adds salty intensity that contrasts with the romaine's watery crunch, turning a minimal set of ingredients into a composed, satisfying plate.
Caldo Verde (Portuguese Potato Soup with Kale and Sausage)
A classic Portuguese comfort soup with a velvety potato base, vibrant kale, and smoky sausage. Potatoes and onion are simmered until completely soft, then blended smooth to create a thick, starchy base, finished with shredded kale and sliced smoked sausage. Cooking the potatoes until they fall apart allows their natural starch to thicken the soup without any cream or roux, producing a velvety texture from just vegetables and water. The smoked sausage releases its rendered fat and smoky salt into the broth, transforming a plain potato soup into something with substantial depth. The kale is cut into thin ribbons and added for only the final eight minutes of cooking - this preserves its vivid green color and a slight chew, while overcooking turns it dull and stringy. Serving with crusty bread allows the thick soup to soak into the crumb, making it a complete meal.
Calzone
Calzone rolls pizza dough into a circle, fills one half with ricotta, mozzarella, diced ham, and basil, then folds into a half-moon shape, seals the edges with a fork, and bakes until golden at 220 degrees Celsius. Leaving a two-centimeter border free of filling is critical - overstuffing causes steam pressure to burst the seam during baking. Brushing a thin line of water along the edge before pressing with a fork creates a tighter seal. Fifteen to twenty minutes in a preheated oven produces a crisp, golden exterior while the interior heats the ricotta into a soft cream and melts the mozzarella into stretchy strings. Brushing olive oil on the surface before baking adds a richer color and a slight nuttiness to the crust. Tomato sauce served on the side for dipping provides an acidic counterpoint that cuts through the dense cheese filling.
Spaghetti Carbonara
Carbonara is a Roman pasta that relies on egg yolks, Pecorino Romano, and black pepper emulsified with hot pasta to form its sauce - no cream involved. Guanciale or bacon is rendered slowly over low heat to release its fat, which coats the drained spaghetti before the egg-cheese mixture is tossed in off the heat. The starch in reserved pasta water acts as the emulsifier that binds cheese protein and egg fat into a glossy, clinging sauce. Coarsely ground black pepper adds a sharp, aromatic edge over the rich base of cheese and cured pork. The dish must be served immediately because the sauce continues to thicken as it cools, losing the silky consistency that defines a properly made carbonara.
Chicago Deep Dish Pizza
Chicago deep dish pizza is a pie-style pizza where dough is pressed into a deep pan - covering the bottom and climbing the sides - then layered with mozzarella cheese and Italian sausage, and finished with crushed tomatoes and oregano on top. Placing the sauce on the uppermost layer shields the cheese from direct oven heat, preventing it from scorching while allowing the tomato to reduce and concentrate during the long bake. The sausage is pre-cooked with onion to drive off moisture, which keeps the thick crust from turning soggy under the weight of the filling. After 30 to 35 minutes at 220 degrees Celsius, the pizza must rest for at least ten minutes before slicing so the molten interior sets enough to hold its layered structure.
Chicken a la King
Chicken a la king is an American home-style dish where bite-sized chicken breast, sliced mushrooms, and diced bell pepper are simmered in a butter-roux cream sauce. The roux - flour cooked briefly in melted butter - is thinned gradually with milk and chicken stock, producing a smooth sauce free of lumps. Cooking the chicken separately and returning it only at the end prevents the meat from toughening in the extended simmer. Onion dissolves into the sauce with a quiet sweetness, and the mushrooms contribute an earthy depth that rounds out the mild chicken. The finished sauce is typically spooned over toast, rice, or split biscuits, where it soaks into the starch and turns a simple base into a filling meal.