3 International themed dinner ideas for a cultured night in

Some people would read that title and think, man that sounds like a lot of work.

Others might read it and get super excited, dreaming up ways to dress the part and decorate their house to match.

Don’t worry, if you’re the former – putting on an international themed dinner need not be a big production!

You can go as deep and authentic as you want. Or you can half-ass it by not going crazy with complicated recipes (or get takeout!) playing some international music, and watching a movie.

The point is, you can celebrate another culture without traveling anywhere! Whether you’re hosting a dinner party, a girl’s night in, or looking for a romantic night for two, I’ve put together a few internationally themed dinner night ideas that will get you feelin’ cultured.

Don’t worry, I’ve done all the work for you! From recipes with wine pairings, playlist ideas and movie ideas, you’re all set! So pour yourself a glass of vino, put on some music and get to cookin’ a tasty international meal! Afterwards…..have some dessert and watch a movie. Perfection.

Note: All of my playlist selections are from Spotify. If you do not have an account you can get one for FREE, just click here.

Italy

The land of amazing food – and I mean really amazing food. And not the Americanized version of Italian food we do in the States, (here’s lookin at you Alfredo sauce….) I’m talkin’ the good stuff. Freshly made homemade pasta, tomatoes bursting with flavor, olive oil to die for, delectable cheeses, and expertly cured meats. Ahhhhhhhhh….

Dinner ideas:

With so many options, its really easy to put together a fine Italian meal. Here’s some suggestions:

Appetizer: Go for a classic antipasti plate (via Homemade Italian Cooking) with fresh prosciutto, an Italian salami (like sopressata), cheese, olives and more. All the goodness!

Dinner: Get your hands on some fresh pasta (try your grocer’s refrigerated section) or a pasta shop in town (like Nicoletto’s if you’re a Nashville local).

Here’s some options for pasta variations:

Go simple and top the pasta with some fresh pesto. Make your own with this recipe: Original Pesto Genovese (via Recipes from Italy) or opt for a jar of pre-made pesto. Trofie or fusilli or other “twisted” pasta works well with this type of sauce.
For simple spaghetti or angel hair pasta, go for a lighter sauce like pomodoro with fresh tomatoes and basil. Try 5 Ingredient Pasta Pomodoro Sauce (via The Seasoned Mom)
Opt for bigger “fat” pasta (like fettuccine or pappardelle) to hold up a meaty sauce like ragù. (Ragù is actually the real name for what we call Bolognese sauce) Pick up some premade ragù sauce, or try this recipe, Authentic Ragù alla Bolognese (via Italian Food Forever) to make your own.
For stuffed pastas, it’s best to go with a simple sauce, since the stuffing holds the most flavor! A Pomodoro sauce would work, or just some simple olive oil and grated Parmesan cheese.

Watching your carbs? Why not go for a nice juicy Bistecca alla Fiorentina. Try this Florentine Steak recipe (via Curious Cuisiniere) with a side of Italian Oven Roasted Vegetables (via The Mediterranean Dish), heavenly!!

Some big ol’ juicy steaks on display at the market in Florence, Italy.

Dessert: Pick up some tiramisu or cannolis from your grocery store or try these recipes:

The Best Classic Tiramisu Recipe (via Pretty. Simple. Sweet.)
The Easiest Homemade Cannoli Recipe (via The Crumbly Kitchen)

But if you don’t feel like making something, you also can’t go wrong with some gelato!! Talenti is probably the most authentic store-bought variety. Perfetto!

Wine pairings

For pasta with pesto or simple sauces, try for some Italian white wine like a Pino Grigio. For a heartier pasta dish with red sauce (or steak), opt for some Chianti or a Zinfandel. Don’t like wine? Pick up some Italian Peroni beer!

Playlist ideas:

Cooking is more fun when you pour a glass of wine and dance around the kitchen. Here’s some Italian music playlists to get you in the mood.

Movie ideas

Classic: Roman Holiday, La Dolce Vita
Romance/ Drama/ beautiful scenery: Letters to Juliet, Under the Tuscan Sun, Call Me by Your Name
Mystery/ Thriller: Angels & Demons, The Talented Mr. Ripley, The Tourist

The gorgeous scenery in Under the Tuscan Sun

United Kingdom

Oooooh England….you’ll forever hold a piece of my heart. One thing I learned from my time spent there for grad school is that British food is NOT bland! Quite the contrary… there’s so much variety and diverse flavors involved!

Here’s my lineup for a classic British dinner:

Dinner ideas:

Starter: Get it all goin’ with a British favorite: Prawn Cocktail…. Try this Easy Prawn Cocktail Recipe (via All Recipes UK)

Main: You can’t go wrong with some good ol’ comfort food. One of my all-time favorite comfort foods from the UK is the pub classic: Bangers and Mash with Stout Onion Gravy (via Self Proclaimed Foodie) If you want to be legit, get yourself some HP Sauce to smother on top.

Side: Roasted Brussel Sprouts (via Fifteen Spatulas) Gotta have the sprouts!

Dessert: Sticky Toffee Pudding (via Nigella Lawson) Hands down my FAVORITE British dessert….it is a steaming sticky sponge cake smothered in warm rum toffee sauce and often topped with vanilla ice cream.

My lovely mama enjoying some Sticky Toffee Pudding in London.

It is so decadent, and so gooey…. I’m drooling. 😉

Wine/beer pairing:

A good beer goes best with some British pub grub. Try Boddington’s, a Guiness, or if you can get your hands on some, a good ol’ Fuller’s London Porter or ESB.

If beer’s not your thing, try a good red wine like Malbec or Old Vine Zinfandel. They both pair well with sausages.

None of this tickle your fancy? Get some more ideas here: Classic British Recipes (via Great British Chefs)

Playlist ideas:

While you’re cookin’ jam out to these Spotify playlists:

Movie Ideas:

Romantic: Notting Hill, Love Actually or Me Before You
Goofy: Hot Fuzz, Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Historical Drama: Kings Speech, The Queen
Gangsta-ish/ comedy: Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch, Layer Cake

Me Before You is romantic, funny, emotional and delightfully British

France

Oooh lala! A French-themed dinner night can be so romantic! Since my personal experience with France is limited to a very brief visit to Paris, I asked my best friend’s Frenchie husband what the REAL French people do for dinner parties. Here’s what we got:

Dinner ideas:

Appetizer: The French are really into “things on toast” or “toast toppers.” Start with sliced French bread and top with any variety of things. From pâté, to foie gras, to an olive tapenade, there’s so many options! Get some ideas from 50 Easy Toast Toppers (via The Food Network)

It is also customary to drink bubbly with the appetizer course. Real French champagne is of course ideal, but any white sparkling wine would do if you don’t want to shell out the cash for the real deal.

Main Entree: Go with the classic French dish made famous by Julia Child: Beef Bourguignon. This hearty and savory beef stew is sure to impress your taste buds, and your guests. Try this slow cooker version to save some time: Beef Bourguignon- Julia Child Version (via Café Delites).

Dessert: For dessert, skip the complicated Crème Brûlée recipes and opt for what the real Frenchies do: enjoy some fruit and cheese.

Check out Serving a Cheese Plate as a Dessert (via The Spruce Eats) for some cheese selection ideas.

A perfect cheese plate includes a creamy cheese, a hard cheese and a blue cheese, but you can skip any of those if you want! Pick a cheese you like, add a side berries, some fig jam, dried apricots or a drizzle of honey, and voilà! You have an authentic French cheese course.

Wine pairing:

With the hearty Beef Bourguignon, pair it with a wine from Burgandy aka Pinot Nior, you could also opt for a (more expensive) French wine like Cote du Rhône. And then just finish that bottle off with your dessert. If you’re wanting to switch it up for dessert, you could always go back to the bubbly, or open a fresh bottle of Reisling.