31 Easy and Flavorful Asian Recipes

Easy Asian recipes offer endless variety, as Asia boasts some of the most vibrant and incredible cuisines.

From the spicy nature of Indian food to a more seafood-focused Japanese culinary world, this cuisine is a whole universe that can take you a lifetime to uncover. And that universe just keeps on expanding with new and mind-blowing creations.

While I can’t bring you all the delicacies, I can show you the most amazing recipes in my Aisian food collection. The food is relatively easy to replicate if you closely follow the instructions. It’s no better time than now to get out of your comfort zone when it comes to food.

Easy Asian recipes provide diverse cooking methods and ingredients, making them ideal for a group with varied tastes below:

1. Vietnamese Sour Soup (Canh Chua)

Thailand is not the only nation to have a signature sour soup. To the east, a little country named Vietnam also has a sour soup called Canh Chua. The name literally translates to “sour soup” in Vietnamese.

In this delectable Vietnamese recipe, the foundation of the broth comes from a combination of tamarind soup base, chicken powder (chicken bouillon), and, most importantly, fish sauce. The soup base has a unique zing that kicks up your appetite.

This delicacy also has many other ingredients that contribute to the taste, like grouper (a type of fish), bean sprout, and okra. The fat of the fish will infuse into the stock to make it richer. The bean sprouts and okras have the freshness to balance out the richness.   

2. Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup (Pho)

If you ask an average person which Vietnamese dish they like the most, nine out of ten would answer Pho. That’s how big of an influence this simple bowl of Vietnamese noodle soup has achieved. And if you get a chance to taste the delicacy, you will understand why.

The cooking process requires a lot of care and effort, but the result is undeniably out of this world. For the stock, it’s all about boiling the oxtail and beef brisket until you extract most of the meaty essence. The flavors get even better when adding fish sauce, cloves, and star anise.

Apart from the stock, the presentation of the whole dish also increases the delectability, with the chewy rice noodles and aromatics (cilantro, red chilies, and Thai basil). Just one spoonful, and your mind can go into overdrive.    

3. Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup

Total time: 55 minutes

There is nothing better than having a delectable bowl of Asian soup to warm up your entire body for a long winter period. And one of the best options is this Korean recipe called Ginseng Chicken Soup. The herbal nature of this dish might be what you need to feel better.

The thing that will catch your attention immediately is the use of many different medicinal plants from Asia, including ginseng, jujube, and ginkgo nuts in this Korea-based soup. These ingredients exude a very pleasant fragrant that can relax your body and mind.

Apart from the previous components, you also have the whole chicken, which is relatively nutrient-rich. The meat can be very tender and flaky, while the broth contains so much goodness, from proteins to vitamins. This soup can charge you up after just one sip.  

When you’re cold, just make this Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup.

4. Korean Seaweed Soup

Total time: 1 hour 50 minutes (Including 40 minutes of resting time)

For many Koreans, seaweed soup is an inseparable part of their lives. Aside from being easy to make, seaweed soup is also a celebratory meal during a person’s birthday. Many people in the country have a fond memory of the dish.

If you’re interested already, let me show you how to make this Korean specialty. You can buy dried seaweed and soak it in water until the seaweed doubles in size. This method allows the texture to become slightly chewy and gelatinous.

The best base for this recipe is beef broth since it’s vibrant, and the flavor blends rather well with the more fishy seaweed. If the saltiness is not your liking, you can always drizzle soy sauce into the soup, increasing the umami level.   

5. Kimchi Stew

Total time: 30 minutes

Speaking of an iconic Korean delicacy with a huge cultural impact, Kimchi stew is one name that I always have to mention. The dish, also known as Kimchi Jigae by locals, contains so much of that richness that it can make you ascend to a higher culinary dimension.

The most significant factor in a good bowl of stew from Korea is the kimchi or Korean pickled cabbage. The spiciness and sourness from the fermentation process will give the stew its signature zing and increase your appetite.

The other ingredients are pork belly, chicken stock, and tofu. The pork belly offers the usual savoriness that contrasts nicely with the acidity. The chicken broth contains the nutritious chicken essence to make you feel good. Finally, tofu is excellent at giving the nuttiness.     

6. Korean Fried Chicken

Total time: 30 minutes

Everybody loves the good old fried chicken. The crunchiness you get from biting into the skin is divine. However, plain fried chicken can be pretty bland, so how can you make it more flavorful? Luckily for you, Korea can fix that problem with its special fried chicken recipe.

The cooking process is simple for this Korean-style recipe since you coat the chicken with flour to get a crispy outer layer. This step keeps the moisture inside so you can feel that succulent meat. However, what sets this version apart is the inclusion of a very heavenly glaze.

The flavors come from ketchup, soy sauce, and Gochujang (Korean red chili paste). Just add them to a saucepan and stir until the sauce thickens up. The final step is to fold the chicken with the mixture. The taste goes from sweet to tangy, with a spicy note at the end.   

7. Japanese Egg And Chicken Bowl (Oyakodon)

Total time: 15 minutes

Oyakodon is one of Japan’s most popular lunch and dinner staples because it’s affordable and easy to make. The name of this delicacy means “parents and child rice bowl,” which references the core ingredients of chicken and eggs.

The preferred cut of meat for the recipe from Japan is chicken thighs, as they have the juiciest and most tender texture. Traditionally, the chicken meat simmers in a sauce consisting of soy sauce, sake (Japanese rice wine), and dashi stock (kombu kelp and bonito flakes).

The liquid is quite umami-heavy, so the flavor can seep into the chicken to increase its savoriness and sweetness. The final step is to crack two eggs into the simmering mixture. The best consistency is when the eggs are still half runny-half solid.

The usual you would serve Oyakodon is with a rice bowl. Just plop the omelet-like dish on top and enjoy your heart’s content.   

8. Teriyaki Chicken

Total time: 20 minutes

Are you trying to change your lifestyle for the better? If you do, let me make your diet plan a little easier with this simple Japanese chicken-based delicacy called Teriyaki chicken. This dish has everything, from nutritious chicken meat to refreshing cucumber salad.

Cube up the chicken breasts before sauteing the meat in a heated pan. The caramelization will do its job of browning the chicken exterior. In the meantime, combine soy sauce, sake, and honey to create the Teriyaki sauce. Pour the sauce into the frying pan.

The heat will thicken up the consistency of the liquid, which will help the sauce cling to the poultry meat much more effortlessly. This coating gives a more savory and sweet flavor to the specialty. When you can smell a lovely fragrance, everything is ready to serve.

This dish goes very well with fluffy white rice and a side of cucumber salad, which is just cucumber marinated in vinegar.

Teriyaki chicken doesn’t take a long time to make.

9. Miso Soup

Total time: 20 minutes

If you ever get a chance to experience typical meals in Japan, you will notice a small bowl of soup. That particular Japanese delicacy is Miso soup, one of the core staples of Japanese cuisine. And you can easily recreate it at home with this recipe.

The two base components that form the foundation of Miso soup are dashi stock and miso paste. The stock comes from boiling bonito flakes and kombu kelp until you get a very umami-forward liquid. Miso, or Japanese black bean paste, contributes nuttiness to the taste.

Of course, the recipe also requires a few more ingredients like tofu and seaweed to enhance the texture. You can feel that crunch whenever you bite the seaweed. The slightly fishy after-taste can be pretty interesting. And the soft tofu is very creamy and has a mild sweetness.

10. Japanese Rolled Omelet (Tamagoyaki) 

Total time: 20 minutes

The thing about Japanese cuisine is that when you look past dishes like sushi or sashimi, you will be able to get a clearer picture of what an average Japanese usually eats. One of the most notable examples is the Tamagoyaki or Japanese Rolled Omelet.

This pretty-looking delicacy is a prevalent Japanese side dish that most people can make at home. And the taste is even more surprising since it’s not as savory as you think. The traditional recipe requires a generous amount of sugar.

But once you get used to the strange sensation, the authentic delights of Tamagoyaki will shine upon your taste buds. The sweetness compliments the spongy and fluffy texture rather well. The experience of eating this omelet is like you’re chewing on a creamy cake.  

11. Sichuan Spicy Noodles (Dan Dan Mian)

Total time: 20 minutes

Regarding regional Chinese cuisines, nowhere is as infamous as Sichuan food due to its mind-numbingly spiciness. And the most well-known representative of Sichuan delicacies is the Dan Dan Mian, simply Sichuan Spicy Noodles.

If you can’t handle spice, don’t worry since this Chinese-style noodle dish receives some adjustments to make it more palatable for most people. The secret to a good Dan Dan Mian is in the sauce from soy sauce, chili oil, and Sichuan peppercorn.

These condiments might make you break a little sweat, but they can stir up your appetite to the point where you just can’t stop eating.

You can add other ingredients like ground beef, bok choy (Chinese cabbage), and egg noodles to ease the spiciness. The meat is very savory, which blends snugly with the freshness of the cabbage and the richness of the noodles.   

12. Chinese Scallion Oil Noodle

Total time: 30 minutes

For those who can’t eat spicy food, let me give you this Chinese-themed recipe as a way to appease you guys. Scallion Oil Noodle is also something quick that you can whip up in no time. The best thing about the recipe is finding the ingredients quickly at an Asian grocery store.

For the noodles, you can choose either instant ramen or soba. But I highly suggest ramen since it has a pleasant chewiness that you can’t find in the other options. Plus, that noodle is quite absorbent, so that you can feel the flavors from the sauce.

The rest of this delicacy includes soy sauce, chili flakes, and scallion oil (which comes from infusing scallion aroma with hot oil). The soy sauce provides the necessary umami to make the dish more delectable. The scallion oil’s fragrance is just fantastic alongside the chili flakes.

13. Chicken Stir-Fried Noodles (Chicken Chow Mein) 

Total time: 25 minutes

Chow Mein, or Stir-Fried Noodles, is one of the most common menu items in any Chinese restaurant worldwide. This particular egg noodle-based dish originated from the Guangdong region, south of China. I want to show you how to make the chicken version in this entry.

This basic recipe splits this specialty from China into two parts. The first part consists of solid ingredients like egg noodles, chicken breasts, and cabbage. The balance between meat and vegetables is suitable for people who want a healthier diet.

The second part is about the stir-frying sauce mixture, including oyster sauce, soy sauce, and brown sugar. The sweetness of the oyster sauce and brown sugar will act as a base flavor. After that, you can feel the umami start spreading all over your taste buds.

Your dinner will be quick and tasty with this Chick Chow Mein recipe.

14. Pork Tossed Noodles (Pork Lo Mein)

Total time: 15 minutes

Lo Mein, or Tossed Noodles, shares many similarities to Chow Mein, like origin and the type of noodles used. But the most significant difference that separates Lo Mein from Chow Mein is that the tossed version has a more substantial amount of sauce.

I will show you how to make this Chinese delicacy with an instant pot. The preparation is simple: you just cut the pork and vegetables (red bell peppers and carrots) into thin slices. This method will help the seasonings penetrate much more quickly.

And it’s time to make the real winner of this dish. The glaze comes from mixing hoisin sauce, dark soy sauce, and sriracha sauce. This mixture will coat the eggs noodles’ exterior, creating a lovely and savory sheen that can suck you in.

15. Stir-Fried Pork With Vegetables (Moo Shu Pork)

Total time: 1 hour

Summer is always a good time to enjoy a pleasant, healthy meal. There are countless options for you to choose from, but one of my, and soon to be yours, favorite delicacies to cook up is the Moo Shu Pork.

You have to marinate the pork chops in hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, and brown sugar to get started. This mixture can tenderize the meat tissues and force the flavors inside. This process can improve both the savoriness and texture of the meat.

The other ingredients for this pork-based dish from China include eggs, mushrooms, and coleslaw (chopped cabbage, onions, and carrots). The freshness of the vegetables and the creaminess of the eggs will keep the meatiness from being too overwhelming.

Moo Shu Pork usually comes with a side of Mandarin pancakes. But if you can’t find it, tortilla might be a suitable replacement since it’s similar taste-wise.  

16. Sweet And Sour Pork

Total time: 10 minutes

The “sweet and sour” cooking style originated in the Tang dynasty (7th-10th century A.D). There have been many variations across China during the style’s long existence. Today’s entry will introduce you to the most popular version, the Sweet And Sour Pork.

One of the biggest reasons people love this delicacy is the genius use of two contrasting flavors. The sweetness, which comes from sugar, reduces the acidity of pineapple juice and tomatoes. The sourness also keeps the sweetness from being too intense.

But to keep people coming back for more, there is also a third secret factor: the pork tenderloin. The cooking requires meat to go through an egg and flour bath so the exterior will crisp up, trapping the moisture inside. This process allows the pork to be super juicy and savory.       

17. General Tso’s Chicken

Total time: 40 minutes

General Tso’s Chicken has an interesting origin story. Many people claim that the delicacy came from Hunan, the birthplace of General Tso (or Zuo Zongtang), a military leader of the Qing dynasty (17th-20th century A.D). However, none of the locals have heard of the dish before.

Despite that fact, this Asian chicken-based staple is still trendy across North America. At its core, the specialty is just crispy chicken covered with a sticky and savory brown sauce. The meat stays juicy since the flour coating keeps the moisture and steam inside.

As for the sauce, you combine soy sauce, hoisin sauce, and honey. This mixture usually goes in a heated pan until it thickens up to a suitable consistency. The process will make the sweetness and savoriness more concentrated.     

18. Cashew Chicken

Total time: 30 minutes

Cashew Chicken is one of the easiest Asian-style recipes that you can make at home without the need for a complicated list of ingredients. The central theme of this delicacy is simplicity that hides a more complex set of flavors.

Before cooking begins, you must marinate the chicken with oyster sauce, flour, and cornstarch. This process improves the texture of the meat by letting the skin brown more quickly, so you feel the fantastic fragrance alongside a flaky core.

There is also a stir-frying sauce, consisting of soy sauce, white vinegar, and chicken stock, that’s important to the overall flavor. The mixture will coat the chicken meat with its signature savoriness and tanginess. The addition of cashew gives a good amount of nuttiness to the dish.  

This tutorial for cashew chicken is quite easy to follow.

19. Orange Chicken

Total time: 50 minutes

When you look further into Chinese cuisine, you will realize how diverse it is. Not just mainland Chinese but many overseas communities also contribute their creations to enrich this side of Chinese culture. One of the most notable examples is this dish called Orange Chicken.

The best way to achieve perfection for the chicken is to marinate it with orange juice, sugar, and chicken broth. This process is where the meat will get most of its sweetness and acidity, and you can feel the flavors coursing through your taste buds with each bite.

For the cooking process, dip the chicken pieces in an egg and flour bag before frying them for the cooking process. In the meantime, heat the orange marinade in a saucepan. When the details crisp up, take them off the fire and drizzle the sauce on top. This exotic dish goes nicely with rice.       

20. Chinese Roasted Duck (Peking Duck)

Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes (With 1 day 2 hours of preparation time)

Peking Duck is the epitome of high-class Chinese cuisine since this dish originated as an imperial meal during the Yuan dynasty (13th-15th century A.D). Now, with the help of this recipe, you can feel like a  true emperor/empress whenever you prepare this dish.

The main focus is to get the skin as crispy as possible. You want to get a lovely and fatty sheen to coat the outside of the roasted duck. Not just that, but the texture is also just as crucial because the crunch makes the whole thing even tastier.

Most of the flavors in Peking Duck come in a mix of bay leaf, anise, and cinnamon. That’s why the meat can taste quite herbaceous and peppery. The heart is tender and juicy. You can experience that fat oozing out with each bite.

21. Beef And Broccoli Stir-Fry

Total time: 20 minutes

In Chinese cuisine, nothing is more accessible than a plate of Beef And Broccoli Stir-Fry. The preparation and cooking process for this Chinese-style beef recipe is very easy. And the result is a delicacy that you can enjoy yourself or with many family members.

Submerge the beef in a sherry wine and soy sauce liquid to get the meat to tenderize. Next, you prepare the stir-frying sauce by combining soy sauce, brown sugar, and chicken broth. The sauce further enhances the savoriness of meat and vegetables.

When it’s time to cook, just toss the beef and then the broccoli. The final step is to drizzle the sauce and stir until you see the sauce reduces in volume, which will enable the flavors to concentrate and fuse with the solid ingredients.    

22. Fried Dumplings (Potstickers)

Total time: 55 minutes

Chinese dumplings, or potstickers, are versatile whenever you want a quick meal to satisfy your stomach. This type of delicacy has many variations, but the best way to experience the incredible texture is through a version called Fried Dumplings.

The reason why it has the name “potstickers” is due to the wrappers being quite doughy and sticky. The wrapper can be somewhat chewy if you steam it, but if you pan-fry the dough, it will harden and form a very crunchy bottom layer.

However, you will be pleasantly surprised when the inside is not tough. Thanks to the wrapper keeping the steam inside, the filling, including cabbage, mushrooms, and ground pork, can stay very moist and provide a different sensation to the crunchiness of the skin.

23. Wonton Soup

Total time: 30 minutes

Wonton is another type of dumpling that you can find in most Chinese eateries. The most significant difference that separates wonton from the standard version is its wrapper, which is thinner and creamier. I’ll show you how to make wonton soup in today’s entry.

The Chinese soup-based specialty can make you feel  better instantly. Making the wonton dumplings is relatively easy since you can buy premade wrappers in many grocery stores. The filling consists of shrimp, ground pork, and seasonings (oyster sauce and garlic powder).

You can just use chicken stock as the base to make the broth since it’s rich enough to flavor the whole delicacy. The addition of the dumplings with their meaty goodness is just icing on the cake. The taste of wonton soup will take your mind to a new culinary dimension.      

This is a different version of wonton soup (with chicken) that you might like.

24. Scallion Pancake

Total time: 1 hour 45 minutes (Including 1 hour of resting time)

Instead of spending a lazy afternoon with a bag of chips, which might not be good for your body, why don’t you try making this Taiwanese-themed dish called Scallion Pancake? It’s much better for both your health and your palate.

The ingredient list for Scallion Pancake is relatively short, including flour, scallions (green onions), and a special oil paste. You make the paste by combining oil, flour, and salt until there’s a smooth mixture. This type of paste will enrich the texture of the pastry.

To make the pancake, you must form the dough before stuffing it with a particular paste. Since the inside of the pancake is very airy, the texture will become quite flaky after you fry the pastry. The overall flavor is somewhere between mild sourness and savoriness.   

25. Turnip Cake

Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes

As local Cantonese people call it, turnip cake, or Lo Pak Go, is a staple dish of dim sum (Guangdong-styled brunch). Turnip cake is relatively easy to replicate, and the flavor of this delicacy will not disappoint you.

The texture of Lo Pak Go is somewhere between gelatinous and doughy. The main ingredients include flour, daikon radish (white radish), and flavoring bits (Chinese sausage, dried scallops, and shrimps). Thanks to the combination, this dish is quite balanced in nutrients.

The preparation is mixing the three parts until you form a solid paste. Shape the paste into rectangles and then steam them. When you feel the cakes thicken up, it’s ready for serving.

With the addition of Chinese sausage, the overall flavor can be pretty savory and sweet thanks to the Chinese sausage.  

26. Hainanese Chicken Rice

Total time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Despite originating from Chinese immigrants, Hainanese Chicken Rice is one of the biggest Singapore delicacies. The influence of the dish is prevalent across the country when you can see many street food stalls, or hawkers, selling it.

So, what makes this delicacy taste so well? One most significant factor lies within the rice. You don’t use plain water for cooking it, but instead, you utilize chicken broth to increase the fluffiness and the richness of each rice grain.

Aside from the chicken essence, the broth also contains various seasonings like soy sauce, rice wine, and white pepper. You can feel the savoriness in the chicken meat and rice. The inclusion of bok choy (Chinese cabbage) also enhances the freshness in every bite.   

27. Indian Chicken Stew (Chicken Tikka Masala)

Total time: 30 minutes

Chicken Tikka Masala is an Indian-inspired dish that might make you drool just from its look alone. The creamy yellow sauce exudes an aura that keeps luring you in until you can’t take it anymore and just take a big bite.

It’s almost a rule that every good specialty from India needs to have incredible seasonings. For Tikka Masala, the condiments you have to use are garlic, chili powder, and turmeric. The yellow hue comes from a dash of turmeric, while the spiciness is the work of the chili powder.

The first step is to marinate the chicken in masala paste and yogurt. Next, brown the meat before adding tomato puree and coconut cream. The sauce’s richness is fantastic when you pair it with savory chicken meat.

This version of Chicken Tikka Masala just makes your mouth water.

28. Thai Omelet (Kai Jeow)

Total time: 5 minutes

The omelet is a versatile delicacy since you only use eggs as the main component. That’s why many countries have their interpretation of this versatile dish. In this entry, I want to show you the Thai version of the omelet called Kai Jeow.

This Thai dish is so simple that even a beginner can recreate it. Apart from eggs, the other ingredients you need are green onions and fish sauce. The sauce provides an excellent level of umami and saltiness to keep the eggs from being too bland.

The green onions make the Kai Jeow look better aesthetically and maybe add a bit of a crunch to the texture. The best way to serve the Thai Omelet is alongside white rice and Sriracha sauce.     

29. Thai Hot And Sour Soup (Tom Yum Soup)

Total time: 35 minutes

No one can deny the influence of Tom Yum Soup on Thai culture in general and Thai cuisine in particular. Whenever you visit a Thai restaurant, there will always be an option for this particular delicacy. The excellent and quite exotic taste is what attracts people the most.

Although the Thai soup-based food might look simple, the flavor is an entirely different story. You can feel different layers of essences, including spiciness, sourness, and savoriness. They all work together to bring you a memorable experience.

The spiciness is from the red chilies; they can give quite a kick to the taste buds. The acidity consists of lime juice and tomatoes, which can excite your palate. The final sensation is the savoriness in the rich and flavorful chicken broth.   

30. Thai Green Curry

Total time: 57 minutes

Aside from Tom Yum, Thailand is also the home of some of the most distinctive curry specialties worldwide. However, one version might catch your attention with its exciting color called Green Curry.

The green hue of this Thai curry specialty comes from a unique paste (green chilies, lime leaves, and cilantro). With ingredients like that, the flavors are pretty spicy and herbaceous. The best type of protein to go along with the taste is chicken breast.

The cooking process is not too complicated; you have to cook the coconut milk to extract the creaminess. The next step is to toss the curry paste and chicken breasts. Stir and let the essences seep into the chicken. When the broth begins to bubble, it’s ready for serving.    

31. Thai Grilled Chicken (Gai Yang Chicken)

Total time: 2 hours

The arrival of summer signals two things: pool parties and the other is outdoor BBQs. Instead of grilling simple hotdogs or hamburgers, you can surprise your friends and family with this particular recipe called Gai Yang.

This chicken dish from Thailand is not just about the meat, but the marinade also plays an integral part in getting the flavors to explode in your taste buds. You have many ingredients like fish sauce, palm sugar, and soy sauce to provide enough savoriness.

Not only just that, but the grilling process is also even more essential as the direct heat will caramelize the skin, fortifying the taste even further. That means you bite into the chicken; the meaty essence will burst forward and overwhelm your mind.

30. Indonesian Grilled Chicken (Chicken Satay)

Total time: 34 minutes

Satay is one of the most beloved street foods in Indonesia. You’ll be surprised how prevalent Satay stalls are in the country, as every street corner has one. Many versions of this delicacy are, but I want to show you the chicken variant today.

At the start, make a marinade by combining soy sauce, brown sugar, and melted margarine. This sauce will keep the chicken from becoming too dry during the grilling process, and it also adds a layer of savoriness to the meat.

You dip the chicken skewers in a unique peanut dipping sauce as tradition goes. The mixture includes peanut butter, Indonesian sweet soy sauce, and red chilies. The blend of nutty and spicy will bring your chicken to perfection.    

Chicken Satay is easy to recreate, and the taste is magical.