International Weeknight Dinner Ideas

Take your taste buds on a trip around the world with globally inspired meals from Food Network chefs.

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Cauliflower Tikka Masala

Turn tikka masala into a vegetarian dinner with cauliflower, chickpeas and peas. Sour cream or yogurt replaces traditional cream in this Indian-inspired recipe for something on the lighter side.

Get the Recipe: Cauliflower Tikka Masala

Fried Rice with Bacon

Thick-cut bacon gets a salty-sweet glaze made with sugar and soy sauce. Use the crispy slices to top your bowl of veggie fried rice.

Get the Recipe: Fried Rice with Bacon

Shakshuka with Chickpeas

Middle Eastern shakshuka is popular on many restaurant brunch menus. Adding canned chickpeas turns it into a hearty weeknight dinner.

Get the Recipe: Shakshuka with Chickpeas

Thai Dumpling Soup

This creamy, comforting soup comes together in just 35 minutes with the help of store-bought Asian-style dumplings.

Get the Recipe: Coconut Curry Dumpling Soup

Chicken Egg Rolls with Broccoli Slaw

Skip takeout and make your own egg rolls. Buy a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken to cut down on prep and cooking time.

Get the Recipe: Chicken Egg Rolls with Broccoli Slaw

Moroccan-Spice Burgers

If you don't have ras el hanout (a flavorful Moroccan seasoning) on-hand, substitute pumpkin pie spice in your burger for a similar flavor.

Get the Recipe: Moroccan-Spice Burgers

Beef Stir-Fry with French Fries

This recipe for lomo saltado, a classic Peruvian dish, combines French fries, steak, tomatoes and onion in a flavorful sauce.

Get the Recipe: Beef Stir-Fry with French Fries

Adobo-Style Cornish Hens

Two Cornish game hens can become dinner for four in less than an hour with this simple Filipino-inspired recipe.

Get the Recipe: Adobo-Style Cornish Hens

Cauliflower Fried Rice

Turn takeout on its head by swapping traditional rice for trendy riced cauliflower. This lightened-up version of Chinese fried rice is a crowd-pleaser and ready in just 30 minutes.

Get the Recipe: Cauliflower Fried Rice

Chorizo-Potato Stew

Chorizo adds a salty, spicy flavor to creamy potatoes and bitter Swiss chard in this Spanish-style stew.

Get the Recipe: Chorizo-Potato Stew

Korean Beef Tacos

Korean marinated beef known as "bulgolgi" is becoming a trendy taco filling. A spread of spicy mayo gives these tacos some heat.

Get the Recipe: Steak Tacos with Kimchi and Gochujang Mayonnaise

Caribbean Chicken Roti

Think of this dish as a weeknight chicken stew. Lavash bread thickens the broth made of water and coconut milk.

Get the Recipe: Spicy Coconut Curry Chicken

Pomegranate Turkey with Roasted Vegetables

Pomegranates are commonly found in Turkish cuisine and the seeds add a pop of color and bright flavor to roasted turkey and vegetables.

Get the Recipe: Pomegranate Turkey with Roasted Vegetables

Pork with Apple Cream Sauce

A blended cream sauce with cider and prunes compliments the sweet pork chops in this French-inspired dish.

Get the Recipe: Pork with Apple Cream Sauce

Thai Shrimp Stir-Fry with Tomatoes and Basil

This lightened-up version of shrimp stir-fry is big on flavor and clocks in at less than 400 calories per serving.

Get the Recipe: Thai Shrimp Stir-fry with Tomatoes and Basil

Thai Beef with Peppers

Ree Drummond's version of Thai takeout is a flavorful family dinner that's ready in just 16 minutes.

Get the Recipe: Thai Beef with Peppers

Thai Coconut Chicken Soup

There's nothing more comforting than a bowl of chicken soup and Tyler Florence's spin is ultra-homemade. Make the stock ahead to make this main-dish soup weeknight-dinner friendly.

Get the Recipe: Thai Coconut Chicken Soup

Shrimp Pad Thai

Chances are you can find everything you need for this classic noodle dish right in your local grocery store. Serve it with a lime wedge for a bright citrusy finish.

Get the Recipe: Shrimp Pad Thai

Pad Thai

Make extra helpings of Trisha Yearwood's pad thai with fried tofu for dinner tonight so you can eat it for lunch tomorrow.

Get the Recipe: Pad Thai

Slow-Cooker Indian Butter Chicken

You'll find butter chicken on most Indian restaurant menus around the world. This low-and-slow version of the dish is easy to make at home.

Get the Recipe: Slow-Cooker Buttery Chicken and Potato Stew

Vietnamese Noodle Soup

Pho is a Vietnamese noodle soup that's traditionally simmered for hours, but this version is simpler than it seems. Just simmer thinly sliced beef and veggies in stock before adding noodles for the ultimate cold weather comfort food.

Get the Recipe: Vietnamese Noodle Soup

Miso Soup

Classic Japanese miso soup requires few ingredients and is ready in just 15 minutes.

Get the Recipe: Miso Soup

Pork Tonkatsu

Breaded and deep-fried Japanese-style pork is a comforting meal that's ready in 30 minutes. Serve it with store-bought tonkatsu sauce, which is essentially a blend of ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and spices.

Get the Recipe: Pork Tonkatsu

Chicken Bahn Mi with Apple-Kale Slaw

Almond mayo and and apple-kale slaw take this Vietnamese-inspired sandwich to another level.

Get the Recipe: Chicken Bahn Mi with Apple-Kale Slaw

Udon with Chicken and Scallions

When you need something comforting that's simple to make, this Japanese chicken noodle soup is ready in just 30 minutes.

Get the Recipe: Udon with Chicken and Scallions (Tori Nanba Udon)

Chicken Shawarma with Tomato Cucumber Relish and Tahini Sauce

This traditional Middle Eastern street food needs no reinvention and Jeff Mauro's version stays true to its roots with crunchy veggies atop flavorful chicken.

Get the Recipe: Chicken Shawarma with Tomato Cucumber Relish and Tahini Sauce

Shrimp Lo Mein

You'll find this saucy noodle dish on just about every Chinese takeout menu, but thanks to this easy recipe you'll want to make it at home from now on.

Get the Recipe: Shrimp Lo Mein

Hot and Sour Thai Soup: Tom Yum Goong

To make Tyler's hot and sour Thai soup, it's worth making a trip to your nearest Asian marketplace for ingredients like kafir lime leaves and galangal. From there, this dish comes together with ease.

Get the Recipe: Hot and Sour Thai Soup: Tom Yum Goong