Cookbook Author Priya Krishna Shares Tips For Bringing Global Cuisine To Family Breakfast

From a “riff-able” British breakfast to gelato-stuffed brioche rolls, these breakfasts from around the world are sure to introduce your family to a literal world of exciting new flavors — and all before the kids are even off to school (or soccer practice).

The breakfast dishes featured come from celebrated food writers, bloggers, and parents just like you who are interested in discovering new ways of bringing a global vibe to the family breakfast table. Not only are they mouthwateringly delicious, but they also prove that you don’t have to leave your kitchen to experience the world around you.

And even if “chef” is the most contradictory term possible to describe your culinary skills, Priya Krishna — food reporter for The New York Times and bestselling author of multiple cookbooks, including the soon-to-released globe-trotting adventure through her childhood called Priya’s Kitchen Adventures — says checking out your local eateries is a fun way to incorporate international flavors into the first meal of the day, without any of the heavy lifting.

"Take your kids out for breakfast [once in a while]. There are so many great restaurants across the country serving Turkish breakfast, Vietnamese breakfast, Japanese breakfast, Indian breakfasts — the variety is amazing," says Krishna. "I love visiting these places and getting a taste for different countries' breakfast cultures. And many of these places now have shops where they sell ingredients, so you can get inspiration for different flavors to add to your pantries."

When asked to name her all-time favorite breakfast, Krishna enthusiastically replied, "Dosa!" Kids can dip their feet into the world of South Indian cuisine by filling the savory crepe with ingredients they recognize and enjoy. "I eat dosa at all times of the day, but it feels especially great at breakfast time served with a warming bowl of sambhar. I love ripping pieces of dosa and dipping them into coconut chutney. Give me a side of chai, and that's a perfect breakfast to me," says Krishna.

With a diverse spread of breakfast options to explore ahead, the list kicks off with a traditional English breakfast that Krishna calls "endlessly riff-able."

Dad's English Breakfast

You can find this English breakfast in the England chapter of Priya’s Kitchen Adventures. It’s as comforting and filling as it is versatile. In fact, Krishna grew up eating her parent’s version, which took an Indian twist. “My parents both love a traditional English breakfast (toast, baked beans, mushrooms, tomatoes, and all that), but when we were growing up, they would make an Indian-ish version of it in which they would sprinkle chaat masala and chopped cilantro onto the beans,” says Krishna.

Huevos Rancheros

This popular Mexican breakfast traces its origins all the way back to the 1500s when cattle ranchers fired up their cast iron skillets and cracked eggs over lightly fried corn tortillas. Top them with salsa, cilantro, and a few avocado slices, and add a side of pinto beans for a quick and healthy breakfast that the kids will love, too.

Brioche con Gelato

Ice cream for breakfast is a real thing on the Italian island of Sicily. The gelato is stuffed into soft brioche buns, sometimes topped with nuts and whipped cream, and the result is often eaten on the go, making this sweet Southern Italian breakfast perfect for rushed mornings. Cookies are also part of a typical Italian breakfast. Shhh… don’t tell the kids.

Mannaya Kasha

This porridge is very similar to what you might know as Cream of Wheat and is an especially popular breakfast for kids in Russia and Ukraine. It’s made with semolina flour, sweetened with sugar, and topped with a pat of butter. Fruit and a piece of toast make it a complete meal.

Changua

Adding to the list of surprising breakfast dishes is a soup (yes, soup) from Columbia called changua. It’s an easy-to-come-by breakfast in the capital city of Bogotá and consists of eggs poached in warm milk, topped with garnishes including cilantro, and is usually served with bread and butter for scooping.

Jianbing

Unlike dosa, which are made with fermented rice and lentil dough, these Chinese street food-style breakfast crepes are made from wheat-based dough. You can think of jianbing as a crunch wrap in that it features layer upon layer of flavor and texture by way of fried eggs, crispy wonton wrappers, black sesame seeds, savory sauces, and fresh herbs.

Espageti Ayisyen

If there are two foods that almost any kid will eat, they’re pasta and hot dogs. This typical Haitian breakfast combines these two kid favorites in one easy-to-make dish also known as Haitian Spaghetti. For less adventurous eaters, leave out the diced peppers and onions, as well as any mention that the savory base, called epis, is packed with vegetables.

Vitumbua

You can finally break out the mini pancake maker you got as a gift five Christmases ago! Vitumbua are doughnut-like mini pancakes made with ingredients including rice flour, coconut milk, and cardamom. They’re served with a coconut-based syrup and are widely found at breakfast tables all over East Africa.

Rizogalo

Your family is in for a real treat when you serve up this Greek rice pudding for breakfast. It’s sweet with a creamy texture and has notes of vanilla and tangy lemon. It’s also incredibly filling and versatile as the topping options here are endless — though the traditional topping of choice is a dash or two of ground cinnamon.