Food fusion. Is it as complicated as it sounds?

From Tex-Mex to American Sushi, chances are you’ve already experienced the wonderful world of fusion food.

What is fusion food?

Fusion food is the art of combining elements from different cultures or recipes to make a brand new dish. This approach allows you to create new and unique flavour combinations.
Food fusion has been going on for centuries. Just take one popular recipe from one culture. Add a generous dollop of another recipe from another culture, and voila, you have your very own fusion dish. Obviously, it’s not always quite as easy as it sounds. There’s actually a fair amount of skill and experimentation involved in getting some recipes right, but you get the idea.

Fact is much of the food that we think belonged to one culture, actually originated somewhere else entirely. Take pasta as an example. That life started in the kitchens of China. So, it’s no surprise that cultural culinary mash-ups have led to some pretty exciting and popular recipes.

Fusion food examples

Whether you’re a seasoned foodie or just love trying new dishes, these five popular cultural food fusions will tickle your taste buds and leave you craving more.

Indian fusion food (India meets Italian)

Combining two of the world’s most popular takeaway foods, Curry Pizza doesn’t disappoint. With spicy delights like curried lamb or chicken tikka and vegetarian toppings like paneer and spinach grace a crispy pizza crust. The result? A delightful taste sensation that marries aromatic spices with melty cheese and doughy goodness.

Indonesian meets Japanese 

There’s no easier way to create a tasty fusion dish than a simple stir fry. Combining Tilda Indonesian Fried rice with chicken, veggies, plus a perfect balance of savoury and aromatic flavours, Hibachi style rice is fusion food at its best. It’s also dead easy to whip up for a tasty midweek meal in minutes. Get the full recipe here.

Korean meets Mexican

Hold on to your taste buds, when Korean Tacos are on the menu. This fusion combines the bold and fiery flavours of Korean cuisine with the portable goodness of a taco. Tender marinated meats, spicy kimchi, and tangy sauces all nestled in a warm tortilla.

American meets Japanese

For the ultimate comfort food mash-up, it has to be Ramen Burgers. Instead of a regular bun, a succulent beef patty is sandwiched between two crispy ramen noodle buns. The noodles soak up all the juicy goodness of the burger and add a delightful crunch to every bite.

Food Fusion FAQs

Is fusion food healthy?

Fusion food can be healthy depending on the ingredients and cooking methods used. For example, sushi rice burritos can be made with items rich in vitamins like fresh fish and vegetables.

What are the benefits of fusion food?

One of the most significant benefits of fusion foods is adding more nutrients to your dish while enjoying new flavours that you may not have experienced before.

Why do people like fusion food?

Fusion food is popular with many because it allows them to try something new while enjoying familiar flavours.

What are the most popular fusion foods?

Sushi rice burritos (Japanese-Mexican fusion)

Curry pizza (Indian-Italian fusion)

Korean tacos (Korean-Mexican fusion)

Ramen burgers (American-Japanese fusion)

What is the oldest fusion food?

Macanese food is recognised as the oldest fusion food, a fusion of Portuguese and Chinese. One of the most popular dishes is minchi or minchee. This is a stir-fried dish using beef or pork, with fried cubed potatoes, diced onions, garlic and soy sauce and finished with a fried egg.

What is considered Asian fusion food?

Asian fusion food is anything which uses traditional Asian food or cooking techniques and combines them with different elements from other cultures or recipes.

Food fusion recipes

Sushi rice burrito

Sushi Rice Burritos are an easy and healthy way of trying food fusion!

1. Lay a sheet of nori, shiny side down, on a bamboo sushi mat or a clean surface.
2. Spread a thin, even layer of sushi rice over the nori, leaving about 2cm at the top edge.
3. Arrange your protein, avocado, cucumber, and carrot in a line across the centre of the rice. Drizzle with mayonnaise or spicy mayo.
4. Using the bamboo mat, carefully roll the nori from the bottom edge, keeping the fillings tight inside. Seal the edge with a bit of water.
5. Wrap the sushi burrito in wax paper or cling film to hold its shape. Slice it in half, or enjoy as is.

Korean beef tacos

Combine flavours from Mexico and Korea to create your new favourite weeknight dish.

1. Mix 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and a pinch of ginger in a small bowl.
2. Sweat off two (or more if desired) garlic cloves in a pan for around a minute, before adding 250g of minced meat. Cook until brown.
3. Stir in your brown sugar mixture until well combined.
4. Prepare your tacos, adding the beef mixture, red onions, kimchi and top with sriracha mayonnaise. Enjoy!

So what will you try next? There’s a world of delicious food fusion recipes old and new, just waiting to be discovered.