Oceania · Traditional

Australian cuisine

A fusion of European and Asian influences, known for fresh seafood and barbecues.

Explore recipes Build a Australian menu Wine pairings

Food history

Why Australian cuisine is worth exploring

Australian food tells the story of geography, trade, agriculture and family cooking. The cuisine has been shaped by the ingredients people could grow, preserve, carry and share, as well as by markets, festivals, migration and regional identity.

Why it is famous

Australian cuisine is famous for dishes that feel strongly connected to place: everyday family recipes, celebration food, regional specialities and ingredients that give the cooking its recognisable character.

Regional food story

Australian cuisine is not one single style. Treat the country page as a gateway into regional dishes, local ingredients, family recipes and occasion-led cooking.

How to cook it

Flavours, ingredients and menu ideas

Signature ingredients

Look for the ingredients that define Australian cooking: staple grains or breads, seasonal vegetables, local herbs and spices, regional cheeses or dairy where relevant, preserved foods, seafood or meat traditions, and sweets linked to festivals or family gatherings.

Cooking style

The cooking style ranges from simple home dishes to more elaborate food for celebrations. Good Australian recipes usually balance staple ingredients with texture, seasoning and a clear sense of occasion.

Build a menu

Build a Australian menu by choosing a light starter, a signature main and a dessert that shows the country’s baking or sweet traditions. Add wine or drink pairings where the dish has enough richness, spice, acidity or sweetness to make the match useful.

Starters Mains Desserts

Cook by course

Australian recipes

Start with a starter, choose a main, then finish with a dessert to build a complete country-inspired menu.

Starters

Australian starters

Sydney Rock Oysters with Finger Lime

Fresh oysters finished with bright native finger lime pearls.

Starter 20 mins

Classic Prawn Cocktail

Retro Australian seafood starter with prawns and cocktail sauce.

Starter 23 mins

Salt and Pepper Squid

Crisp, tender squid with Australian-Chinese takeaway roots.

Starter 30 mins

Scallops Mornay

Tender scallops baked in a golden cheese sauce.

Starter 32 mins

Kangaroo Skewers with Bush Tomato Relish

Lean kangaroo skewers with a savoury native bush tomato relish.

Starter 33 mins

Moreton Bay Bug Salad

Sweet shellfish served as a clean coastal Australian salad.

Starter 33 mins

Barramundi Fish Cakes

Golden barramundi fish cakes with herbs, potato and lemon.

Starter 40 mins

Aussie Sausage Rolls

Flaky pastry rolls filled with savoury sausage meat.

Starter 50 mins

Damper with Wattleseed Butter

Bush bread with a soft crumb, served warm with nutty wattleseed butter.

Starter 50 mins

Damper with Bush Tomato Butter

Rustic Australian damper served warm with savoury bush tomato butter.

Starter 55 mins

Pumpkin and Feta Tartlets

Small flaky tartlets filled with roasted pumpkin, feta and herbs.

Starter 55 mins

Main courses

Australian main courses

Barramundi with Lemon Myrtle Butter

Crisp-skinned barramundi with fragrant native lemon myrtle butter.

Main 27 mins

Moreton Bay Bugs with Garlic Butter

Grilled Moreton Bay bugs with garlic butter, lemon and herbs.

Main 27 mins

Grilled Prawns with Bush Lime

Barbecued prawns lifted with sharp bush lime flavour.

Main 28 mins

Barbecue Snags with Onions

Classic Australian barbecue sausages in bread with onions.

Main 30 mins

Barbecued Lamb Chops

Simple Australian barbecue lamb chops with charred edges.

Main 30 mins

Kangaroo Fillet with Bush Pepper

Seared kangaroo fillet with native bush pepper and roasted vegetables.

Main 30 mins

Steak Sandwich

Australian steak sandwich with grilled steak, beetroot, salad and onions.

Main 30 mins

Crocodile Skewers with Mango Salsa

Lean crocodile skewers with bright tropical mango salsa.

Main 33 mins

Tasmanian Salmon

Tasmanian salmon fillets with greens, potatoes and herb sauce.

Main 33 mins

Kangaroo Steak with Pepperberry Sauce

Lean kangaroo steak with a native pepperberry pan sauce.

Main 35 mins

Tasmanian Salmon with Horseradish Cream

Rich salmon balanced with sharp horseradish cream.

Main 35 mins

Aussie Beef Burger with the Lot

An Australian-style burger with beetroot and classic salad fillings.

Main 37 mins

Macadamia-Crusted Barramundi

Barramundi baked under a crunchy macadamia crust.

Main 38 mins

Chicken Schnitzel with Slaw

A pub and club favourite: crisp chicken schnitzel with fresh slaw.

Main 40 mins

Lamb Chops with Peas and Mash

Grilled lamb chops served with creamy mash, peas and gravy.

Main 45 mins

Mushroom and Wattleseed Risotto

Creamy mushroom risotto with the nutty coffee-like note of wattleseed.

Main 45 mins

Beef Sausages with Onion Gravy

Grilled beef sausages with creamy mash, peas and rich onion gravy.

Main 50 mins

Curried Sausages

A nostalgic Australian family dinner of sausages in curry gravy.

Main 50 mins

Fish and Chips with Tartare Sauce

A seaside Australian favourite with crisp battered fish and chips.

Main 50 mins

Rissoles with Onion Gravy

Classic Australian beef rissoles with mash, peas and glossy onion gravy.

Main 50 mins

Tuna Mornay

Creamy baked tuna mornay with a golden cheesy top.

Main 50 mins

Chiko Roll Inspired Vegetable Rolls

A homemade version of the Australian takeaway-style savoury roll.

Main 55 mins

Surf and Turf with Moreton Bay Bugs

A celebratory Australian surf and turf using sweet bug tails.

Main 55 mins

Chicken and Macadamia Bake

Creamy baked chicken topped with a golden macadamia crust.

Main 1 hr

Chicken Parmigiana

Pub-style crumbed chicken topped with tomato, ham and melted cheese.

Main 1 hr

Curried Scallop Pie

A Tasmanian-style curried scallop pie with flaky pastry and golden sauce.

Main 1 hr

Apricot Chicken

A nostalgic Australian family dinner of chicken baked in glossy apricot sauce.

Main 1 hr 10 mins

Pumpkin Scones with Savoury Mince

Golden pumpkin scones turned into a hearty savoury meal.

Main 1 hr 10 mins

Shepherds Pie with Lamb

A lamb mince pie with a crisp mashed potato topping.

Main 1 hr 15 mins

Pie Floater

A South Australian meat pie floated in thick pea soup.

Main 1 hr 25 mins

Seafood Pie

A golden Australian seafood pie with creamy fish, prawns and scallops under crisp pastry.

Main 1 hr 25 mins

Australian Meat Pie

The classic Australian beef pie with rich gravy and crisp pastry.

Main 2 hr 5 mins

Roast Lamb with Rosemary and Mint Sauce

Australian roast lamb with rosemary, potatoes, carrots and mint sauce.

Main 2 hr 10 mins

Lamb Roast with Mint Sauce

A Sunday-style Australian lamb roast with mint sauce.

Main 2 hr 15 mins

Bush Tomato Kangaroo Stew

A rich kangaroo stew flavoured with native bush tomato and root vegetables.

Main 2 hr 25 mins

Corned Beef with White Sauce

Sliced corned beef served with vegetables and creamy white sauce.

Main 2 hr 50 mins

Slow-Cooked Beef and Vegemite Stew

A deep savoury beef stew using Vegemite for umami richness.

Main 2 hr 55 mins

Lamb Shanks with Root Vegetables

Slow-braised lamb shanks with carrots, potatoes and glossy jus.

Main 3 hr 25 mins

Slow-Cooked Beef Pot Roast

Tender Australian beef pot roast with carrots, potatoes and rich gravy.

Main 3 hr 25 mins

Desserts

Australian desserts

Fairy Bread

A nostalgic party treat of buttered bread and sprinkles.

Dessert 10 mins

Anzac Biscuits

Oaty golden syrup biscuits with a chewy-crisp texture.

Dessert 30 mins

Peach Melba

Poached peaches with vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce.

Dessert 30 mins

Tim Tam Cheesecake

A no-bake cheesecake built around iconic Australian chocolate biscuits.

Dessert 30 mins

Wattleseed Ice Cream

Creamy Australian wattleseed ice cream with nutty coffee-like flavour.

Dessert 35 mins

Golden Syrup Dumplings

Soft dumplings cooked in a rich golden syrup sauce.

Dessert 45 mins

Caramel Slice

An Australian bakery favourite with biscuit base, caramel centre and chocolate top.

Dessert 50 mins

Sticky Date Pudding

Moist date sponge with rich butterscotch sauce.

Dessert 1 hr 5 mins

Vanilla Slice

Crisp pastry layered with thick vanilla custard.

Dessert 1 hr 5 mins

Lamingtons

Sponge squares dipped in chocolate icing and coconut.

Dessert 1 hr 10 mins

Pavlova

Crisp meringue with marshmallow centre, cream and fruit.

Dessert 1 hr 55 mins

Wine and drink pairings

What to drink with Australian food

When pairing wine with Australian food, match the structure of the dish first: fresh whites for seafood and herbs, medium reds for tomato, spice or roast meat, sparkling wines for fried or salty starters, and sweet or fortified wines for desserts.

Red

Cabernet Sauvignon

Structured red wine with cassis, cedar and firm tannin, ideal for roast lamb and beef.

Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon Region: Australia, New Zealand, France, Italy, Spain, Germany

Red

Chianti / Sangiovese

Savoury, high-acid Italian red with cherry, dried herbs and firm but food-friendly tannins. Built for tomato, olive oil…

Grape: Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Colorino Region: Tuscany, Umbria, Emilia-Romagna

Red

Pinot Noir

Light to medium red with red fruit, savoury earth and gentle tannin; excellent with lean meats and salmon.

Grape: Pinot Noir Region: Australia, New Zealand, France, Italy, Spain, Germany

Red

Rioja / Tempranillo

Spanish red with red fruit, vanilla, leather and spice. Good with garlic chicken, lamb, roast meat, paprika and grilled…

Grape: Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano Region: Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Navarra

Red

Shiraz

Full-bodied red with blackberry, pepper and spice; strong with lamb, beef, barbecue and rich gravies.

Grape: Shiraz Region: Australia, New Zealand, France, Italy, Spain, Germany

Red

Syrah / Shiraz

Peppery, dark-fruited red with savoury spice and medium-to-firm tannins. Great with grilled meat, pepper, smoke, sausag…

Grape: Syrah, Shiraz Region: Northern Rhône, Barossa, South Africa

White

Albariño / Vinho Verde

Fresh coastal white wine with citrus, peach, sea-spray minerality and bright acidity. Excellent with seafood, salt cod…

Grape: Albariño, Alvarinho, Loureiro, Arinto Region: Rías Baixas, Minho, Vinho Verde

White

Chablis / Unoaked Chardonnay

Lean Chardonnay with citrus, apple, chalk and shell-like minerality. Perfect with white fish, butter sauces, shellfish…

Grape: Chardonnay Region: Chablis, Mâcon, Margaret River, Limarí