A great way to travel around the world without physically being in a different country is by trying and learning about different culture’s foods. The best way to experience these foods is at local restaurants that prepare authentic meals from that specific country. Following a recipe made by someone of that culture is also great as it allows you to really understand the process that goes into making a dish. However, the easiest way to learn fast facts is with these food trivia questions. Travel through a wide range of cultures from a broad list of regions around the globe. Here you can test how much you already know about the world’s dishes and/or discover new foods that you are interested in trying. 

54 Food trivia questions

Food Staples Around the World

Question: What is the main ingredient in the Japanese dish miso soup?

Answer: Fermented soybean paste (miso).

Question: Which country is known for the traditional dish called paella?

Answer: Spain.

Question: What is the staple food of Ethiopia, often served with stews and made from teff flour?

Answer: Injera.

Question: In which country did the dessert tiramisu originate?

Answer: Italy.

Question: What type of pastry is used to make traditional Greek baklava?

Answer: Phyllo dough.

Question: Which popular Indian dish is characterized by its use of a thick, creamy tomato sauce with chicken?

Answer: Chicken tikka masala.

Question: What is the name of the popular Brazilian snack made from deep-fried dough filled with various ingredients, often cheese or meat?

Answer: Coxinha.

Question: What fermented cabbage dish is a staple in Korean cuisine?

Answer: Kimchi.

Question: What is the name of the Vietnamese soup consisting of broth, rice noodles, herbs and meat, usually beef or chicken?

Answer: Pho.

Question: Which Middle Eastern dip is made from chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice and garlic?

Answer: Hummus.

Question: What is the name of the spicy, fermented fish sauce that is commonly used in Thai cooking?

Answer: Nam pla.

Question: Which French dish is made by cooking meat, typically duck, goose or pork, slowly in its own fat?

Answer: Confit.

Question: What is the traditional Ukrainian/Russian soup made with beets called?

Answer: Borscht.

Foods Throughout the Continent of Africa

Question: What is the name of the West African dish made with rice, tomatoes, onions, and various spices?

Answer: Jollof rice.

Question: What is the staple grain used to make the Moroccan dish couscous?

Answer: Semolina.

Question: What is the name of the Ethiopian and Eritrean sourdough flatbread made from teff flour?

Answer: Injera.

Question: Which North African dish is a stew of meat and vegetables, typically cooked in a conical clay pot of the same name?

Answer: Tagine.

Question: What is the traditional South African dish consisting of minced meat baked with an egg-based topping?

Answer: Bobotie.

Question: In Nigeria, what is the popular street food made from deep-fried bean cakes called?

Answer: Akara.

Question: What is the name of the thick porridge made from maize (corn) that is a staple food in many parts of Southern Africa?

Answer: Sadza (Zimbabwe) / Ugali (Kenya) / Pap (South Africa).

Question: Which West African country is known for its spicy peanut stew, also called “maafe”?

Answer: Mali (also popular in Senegal and Gambia).

Question: What is the name of the spicy Tunisian chili paste used as a condiment and ingredient in many dishes?

Answer: Harissa.

Question: What is the name of the Ghanaian dish made from boiled and pounded starchy vegetables like yams or plantains?

Answer: Fufu.

Question: In Somalia, what is the name of the thin, pancake-like bread often eaten with stews?

Answer: Canjeero (or Injera).

Question: What is the name of the Egyptian dish made from beans and served as a staple breakfast item?

Answer: Ful medames.

Question: What is the name of the South African dried meat snack, similar to beef jerky?

Answer: Biltong.

Food Trivia Questions All About Asian Foods

Question: What is the Japanese dish consisting of raw fish slices served without rice called?

Answer: Sashimi.

Question: What is the name of the Vietnamese sandwich made with a French baguette and filled with various ingredients like meats, vegetables and herbs?

Answer: Banh mi.

Question: Which Chinese dish consists of bite-sized portions of food served in small steamer baskets or on small plates?

Answer: Dim sum.

Question: What is the name of the thick, wheat-based noodles commonly used in Japanese cuisine, often served in a hot broth or stir-fried?

Answer: Udon.

Question: In which country is the dish “bibimbap,” a bowl of warm white rice topped with sautéed vegetables, gochujang, soy sauce and usually a raw or fried egg, popular?

Answer: South Korea.

Question: What is the name of the spicy Southeast Asian noodle soup often made with coconut milk, curry paste, and various toppings?

Answer: Laksa.

Question: What is the popular Chinese dish made with marinated, stir-fried meat and vegetables served with rice or noodles, named after a mythical figure?

Answer: General Tso’s chicken.

Question: Which Indian bread, often used to scoop up curry, is cooked in a tandoor oven?

Answer: Naan.

Question: In Thailand, what is the name of the green papaya salad that is both spicy and sour, often served with peanuts and dried shrimp?

Answer: Som tam.

Question: What is the name of the Filipino dish that typically consists of marinated meat, usually chicken or pork, cooked in vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, and bay leaves?

Answer: Adobo.

European Food Trivia

Question: What is the Italian dish made of thinly sliced raw meat or fish, typically served as an appetizer with lemon, olive oil and capers?

Answer: Carpaccio.

Question: Which French dish is a rich, slow-cooked casserole originating from the south of France, typically containing meat, pork skin and white beans?

Answer: Cassoulet.

Question: In Germany, what is the name of the grilled sausage often served with sauerkraut or potato salad?

Answer: Bratwurst.

Question: Which British dessert consists of layers of sponge cake, fruit, custard and whipped cream?

Answer: Trifle.

Question: What is the Greek dish made from layers of eggplant, minced meat, and béchamel sauce?

Answer: Moussaka.

Question: In Sweden, what is the name of the fermented Baltic Sea herring that has a very strong smell and is traditionally eaten with thin flatbread and potatoes?

Answer: Surströmming.

Question: What is the name of the Austrian dessert made from thinly rolled dough filled with apples, sugar, and cinnamon?

Answer: Apfelstrudel (Apple Strudel).

Question: In Hungary, what is the name of the spicy soup made from paprika-seasoned meat and vegetables, often served with bread or noodles?

Answer: Goulash.

Question: What is the name of the Portuguese egg tart pastry dusted with cinnamon, famous in Lisbon?

Answer: Pastel de nata.

Staple Middle Eastern Food Trivia Questions

Question: What is the name of the Middle Eastern dish made from chickpeas or fava beans that are deep-fried into balls or patties, often served in pita?

Answer: Falafel.

Question: What is the name of the traditional Iranian rice dish often flavored with saffron and served with meat, vegetables or nuts?

Answer: Chelow or Persian rice.

Question: In Lebanon, what is the name of the salad made from finely chopped parsley, mint, tomatoes, onions, bulgur and seasoned with olive oil and lemon juice?

Answer: Tabbouleh.

Question: Which Middle Eastern dessert is made from layers of filo pastry filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with honey or syrup?

Answer: Baklava.

Question: What is the name of the Egyptian dish made with rice, lentils and pasta, topped with spicy tomato sauce and fried onions?

Answer: Koshari.

Question: What is the popular Levantine dip made from roasted eggplants, tahini, olive oil and garlic?

Answer: Baba ghanoush.

Question: What is the name of the Arabic dessert that features shredded filo pastry soaked in syrup and layered with cheese or nuts?

Answer: Kunafa.

Latin American Food Trivia

Question: What is the traditional Peruvian dish made from raw fish marinated in citrus juices, usually lemon or lime, and spiced with chili peppers?

Answer: Ceviche.

Question: In Mexico, what is the name of the dish made of corn tortillas rolled around a filling and covered with a chili pepper sauce?

Answer: Enchiladas.

Question: Which Argentinian dish consists of a variety of grilled meats, typically served with chimichurri sauce?

Answer: Asado.

Question: What is the name of the Brazilian dish made with black beans and a variety of salted pork or beef products, typically served with rice?

Answer: Feijoada.

Question: In Venezuela and Colombia, what are the cornmeal cakes often filled with cheese, meats or other fillings called?

Answer: Arepas.

Question: What is the name of the popular Cuban dish made with shredded beef cooked in a tomato sauce base with bell peppers, onions and garlic?

Answer: Ropa vieja.

Question: Which dessert, popular throughout Latin America, is made from caramelized sweetened condensed milk and is often used as a filling for cakes and pastries?

Answer: Dulce de leche.

Question: In El Salvador, what is the name of the thick, hand-made corn tortilla filled with cheese, beans, or pork?

Answer: Pupusa.

Question: What is the traditional Chilean corn pie made with ground meat, onions and topped with a layer of sweet corn mixture called?

Answer: Pastel de choclo.

Question: What is the name of the popular Mexican street food made with corn on the cob, typically served with mayonnaise, cheese, chili powder, and lime?

Answer: Elote.