Beyond Baguettes: 20 International Breads You've Never Heard Of
Which Of These International Breads Sounds The Most Delicious?
Bread is one of humanity's earliest food staples, with each region having its own culturally significant variety. From sweet, spiced flatbreads to dense, dark rye loaves cooked by geothermal activity, breads around the world offer unique flavors, textures, and glimpses into the histories of their countries of origin. Here are 20 international breads you've probably never heard of.
1. Bolani
Bolani is an Afghan flatbread that's thin, pan-fried, and typically stuffed with fillings like potatoes, leeks, scallions, or lentils. It's often served with yogurt or chutney and eaten as a snack.
2. Paratha
Paratha is like naan's cooler cousin. It's an Indian flatbread rolled with oil or ghee, which makes it irresistibly flaky, then it's pan-fried until crisp on the outside and soft inside.
3. Damper Bread
Damper bread is an Australian bread associated with early European settlers. It's dense and crusty on the outside, typically cooked over an open campfire.
4. Marraqueta
Marraqueta is a traditional Chilean bread roll with a crisp, golden crust and a soft, airy interior. It's a staple in Chile, typically eaten with butter, avocado, or pebre, a spicy condiment similar to Argentinian chimichurri.
5. Shaobing
Shaobing is a traditional northern Chinese flatbread. It's usually topped with sesame seeds and can be filled with sweet or savory fillings, like braised beef, scallions, or red bean paste.
6. Pai Bao
Pai Bao, also known as Hong Kong sweet bread, is a traditional Chinese milk bread. Soft, fluffy, and slightly sweet, it's used for sandwiches, toast, or simply pulled apart and devoured.
7. Dökkt Rúgbrauð
Dökkt Rúgbrauð is an Icelandic rye bread that's dense, dark, and slightly sweet. It's slow-baked for several hours, traditionally using geothermal heat in the ground near hot springs and geysers.
8. Roti Gambang
Roti gambang is an Indonesian bread flavored with palm sugar and cinnamon. It's dense, aromatic, slightly sweet, and dark in color. It's commonly eaten as a snack with coffee or tea.
9. Melonpan
Melonpan is probably the cutest bread in the world. The Japanese specialty is made up of sweet and fluffy dough covered in a cookie-like crust with a cross-hatch pattern on top, so it resembles a melon. It comes in a variety of colors and flavors, from matcha to sweet red bean.
10. Bammy Bread
Bammy bread is a traditional Jamaican flatbread made from cassava. Naturally gluten-free, it's a staple that is most often enjoyed with fried fish, jerk chicken, or stews, but also by itself as a snack.
11. Roti Canai
Roti canai is a crispy, flaky Malaysian flatbread that descended from Indian roti. The dough is repeatedly kneaded, oiled, and folded before being stretched paper-thin, creating its distinctive flaky texture.
12. Fry Bread
Fry bread is a deep-fried flatbread created by the Navajo after they were forced to use basic rations like flour, water, and salt, sent to them by the US government after being forcibly displaced. Despite the tragic origin story, it's become a staple of Navajo cuisine, used in dishes like the Navajo taco.
13. Tijgerbrood
Tijgerbrood is a visually striking, soft, white Dutch sandwich bread with a crackly, crunchy crust. The distinctive crust is made from rice flour paste, which dries and cracks during baking, giving it its "tiger" appearance.
14. Lefse
Lefse is a traditional Norwegian flatbread that proves flatbreads aren't just an Eastern thing. Made from potatoes, flour, butter, and milk, rolled thin, and cooked on a griddle, it's a soft, slightly sweet holiday favorite.
15. Broa de Milho
Broa de milho is a Portuguese bread made from cornmeal. It's a dense bread with a crumbly interior and a slightly nutty, sweet flavor commonly served with soups or stews.
EcoTrilhaPortugalTours on Wikimedia
16. Karavai
Nowhere does bread play such a central role at weddings and holiday gatherings quite like in Russia. Karavai is a decorative, rich, sweet, round bread symbolizing prosperity. More than just a side, it's the centrepiece at special occasions across the country.
Харківська обласна військова адміністрація on Wikimedia
17. Limpa Bread
Limpa bread is a Swedish rye bread flavored with molasses, orange zest, and spices. It's slightly sweet, aromatic, and soft, often served with butter or cold cuts.
18. Non
Non is a traditional bread baked in tandoori ovens in Uzbekistan. It's distinct for its beautiful patterned top, which is stamped on before baking.
Benjamin Goetzinger on Wikimedia
19. Cesnica
Cesnica is a Serbian bread traditionally baked on Christmas Eve. It's round or oval, often decorated with religious symbols, and sometimes has a coin hidden inside for good luck.
20. Borsok
Borsok is a fried bread found in Central Asia, particularly Kazakhstan and Mongolia. It's a simple dough of flour, water, milk, and yeast, deep-fried to golden-brown, fluffy perfection.
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