In modern times, the UK, especially London, has become a melting pot of cultures. And that made British cuisine varied, tasteful, and full of flavors you would not expect. However, if you ask an actual British person what their favorite traditional British dish is, they will probably name something cooked in the UK for generations.
Something they great grandmothers taught their grandmother, who led their mother who taught them. Globalization has its benefits, but sometimes we must return to our roots and taste the food our people have had for generations.
So if you are visiting the UK or even a local who wants a taste of authentic British cuisine, check out these ten mouth-watering traditional British dishes that you must try.
Full Breakfast
Ingredients: Eggs, bacon, mushrooms, sausages, tomatoes, black pudding (pork/beef blood & oatmeal), baked beans, and toast
It’s a new morning in the UK, and you feel like eating a hearty whole meal that will keep you going most of the day. A Full breakfast it is, then! The Full English Breakfast, locally called the “Fry up,” is a full platter that typically includes fried eggs, fried bacon, black pudding, sausages, mushrooms, baked beans, grilled tomatoes, and toast.
This breakfast platter is served in all areas across the UK, including England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Each site might sometimes add different ingredients, but they keep the breakfast as traditional as possible. Many pubs nationwide would even serve the Full Breakfast all day for you to enjoy whenever you stop by.
Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients: Potatoes, ground beef/lamb, vegetables (peas, carrots, corn & onion), and beef broth
Every country has this one dish that originated from people back in the day who did not have enough food, so they used what they had to make one dish that everyone could eat; for the British, that is Shepherd’s Pie. Shepherd’s Pie originated in Ireland in the 1700s and then made its way to become a staple dish all over the UK.
It is made of mashed potatoes and cooked ground beef or lamb mixed with vegetables that are usually a mix of peas, carrots, corn, and onions. The mashed potatoes are piled on top of the beef, and the vegetables are mixed and baked until a crust is formed. Sometimes the Shepherd’s Pie is called a Cottage Pie, but whatever the name you prefer, this dish is absolutely delicious.
Beef Wellington
Ingredients: Beef tenderloin, aka fillet, mushrooms or duxelles, and puff pastry
The word around the British street is that Beef Willington was named after the first Duke of Willington to celebrate his victory in the Battle of Waterloo. However, it is most likely that the French dish Filet de Boeuf en Croute, which was already very popular in the UK- was renamed Beef Wellington to celebrate the duke and annoy the French -win-win-.
With such an exciting history, Beef Wellington is a well-loved dish around the UK. It is made of a whole beef tenderloin that is well seasoned and covered in duxelles (a mix of mushrooms, onions, herbs, and black pepper). The beef is then wrapped in puff pastry and baked. The combination of tender meat and crusty puff pastry is to die for!
Bangers and Mash
Ingredients: Sausages and mashed potatoes
Bangers and mash are the ultimate British comfort food. It’s believed that the name Bangers originated in World War I when there was a meat shortage. Back then, people used to stuff the sausages with other components like water, sometimes making them explode while cooking.
The dish consists of pork, beef, or lamb sausages, whatever your preferences are, and mashed potatoes. Some people like adding onion gravy and peas to the dish to give it an extra kick, but without them, Bangers and Mash are still delicious. You can find Bangers and Mash in almost every single Pub across the UK.
Fish and Chips
Ingredients: Fish, batter, potato chips
When you think of British food, you think of Fish and Chips! A straightforward meal yet very tasty and never disappoints. It’s believed that Fish and Chips as a combined dish have been around since the 1860s. Separately, fish and chips existed before, but during the 1860s, an Eastern European Jewish immigrant opened the first Fish and Chips shop in Lancashire.
Shops use different kinds of fish for this dish, such as cod or haddock. However, some shops would even offer to fry your fish that you can bring to the Chippy. There are around 10,000 Fish and Chips shops across the UK, so you must try at least one!
Sunday Roast
Ingredients: meat (beef, lamb, pork or chicken), potatoes, side vegetables, onion for the gravy and eggs, flour and milk for the Yorkshire Pudding
Enough of Pub food, and let’s return to traditional home-cooked British meals. The Sunday Roast originated as a dish served on Sunday after returning from church. However, nowadays, you can find Sunday or just Roasts any day of the week (lucky you! ).
The dish consists of roasted meat that can be beef, lamb, pork, or chicken, with a side of mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, roasted or steamed Brussels sprouts, broccoli, carrots, or other vegetables, along with gravy and Yorkshire Pudding. It’s a less dazzling Christmas dinner but a full meal you can have all year. The best place to have Sunday Roast is at home, where it is cooked with love, but you can still get it from many restaurants across the UK.