Food Trends 2027: The Flavors and Recipes I’m Excited About

If there’s one thing I love almost as much as cooking, it’s seeing where food is headed next. 

I’ve always believed that food should be exciting. I love taking inspiration from cuisines around the world and turning those flavors into recipes that everyday home cooks can actually make.

Food trends 2027 are moving beyond simply asking, “Is this healthy?” and toward bigger questions like What do I want to eat? What is this food for? Where did it come from? And, most importantly, does it taste amazing?

So, let’s take a peek at some of the food trends in my kitchen — and, of course, talk about what you can cook right now.

1. Big, Bold Global Flavors Are Here to Stay

One of my favorite things about food is that you don't need a plane ticket to experience another culture.

A bowl of Vietnamese noodle soup, a spicy Korean-inspired dish or a plate of Thai food can transport you somewhere completely different — and that love of global flavors isn't slowing down.

This is one area where I can help you out.

Try something like Vietnamese Noodle Salad with Lemongrass Beef when you want something fresh, fragrant and packed with flavor.

Or turn up the heat with Thai Basil Pork Stir-Fry, where savory pork, fresh basil and chilies come together in one seriously craveable meal.

And if noodles are your love language, Beef Curry Udon is basically comfort food with an international passport.

I’m predicting plenty more adventurous flavor combinations in 2027. And I'm definitely not complaining.

2. Comfort Food Is Getting a Flavor Upgrade

Comfort food isn't going anywhere. But we're not necessarily talking about the same old casserole every night. Today's comfort food can be nostalgic and exciting at the same time.

Think familiar dishes with bold sauces, unexpected spices and ingredients borrowed from cuisines around the world.

That’s exactly why recipes like Creamy Vegetarian Lasagna, Chili Cheese Macaroni Casserole and Braised Beef Short Ribs never really go out of style.

They're cozy, satisfying and the kind of food that makes you want to grab a second helping before you've even finished the first.

For something with a little more international flair, try Nyonya Curry Chicken. It's rich, aromatic and packed with the kind of warm spices that make the entire kitchen smell incredible.

3. Vegetables Are Becoming the Main Event

Vegetables have officially graduated from side dish status. And I am completely on board.

Rather than treating vegetables as something you should eat, more recipes are making them the food you want to eat.

A few favorites to try:

• Spicy Korean Cauliflower Wings
• Indian Butternut Squash Curry
• Warm Curried Chickpea Salad
• Spicy Zucchini Curry
• Curry Tomatoes
• Air Fryer Baby Potatoes

The fun part is that vegetables don't have to be boring to be wholesome.

Give them a crispy coating. Toss them with curry spices. Add a spicy sauce. Roast them until caramelized.

Basically, make vegetables taste so good that nobody at the table asks, “Where's the meat?”

4. Fermented and Tangy Flavors Keep Bringing the Drama

Fermented foods aren't exactly new, but the love for complex, tangy and savory flavors continues to influence cooking.

And one of my favorite ways to use those flavors is kimchi.

A bubbling-hot pan of Kimchi Bacon Fried Rice is the perfect example of how a bold ingredient can completely transform an everyday meal.

You get spicy, sour, salty, savory and smoky flavors all in one bowl.

That's what I love about ingredients with personality. You don't need twenty different ingredients when one or two really good ones can do the heavy lifting.

5. Provenance and Knowing Where Food Comes From

Another theme in finding tomorrow’s next food trend, is provenance — knowing what something is, where it came from and what makes it special.

This is something I especially appreciate when cooking international food.

A spice blend can hint at a particular region. A cooking technique can have generations of history behind it. A noodle dish can tell you something about a culture before you even take the first bite.

That's one reason I love exploring food while traveling.

Living in Budapest has made me even more interested in connecting food with place, whether that's enjoying Hungarian chimney cake in Budapest or bringing those flavors into my own kitchen.

If you want to experience that yourself, try making Hungarian Chimney Cake (Kürtőskalács) at home.

Just be warned: once you smell that buttery dough and cinnamon sugar, your kitchen may suddenly become the most popular place in the house.

6. Convenience Still Matters — But Flavor Comes First

Most of us don't want to spend three hours cooking dinner on a Tuesday. But convenience doesn't have to mean boring.

That's where tools like the Instant Pot and air fryer really shine.

Some of my favorite easy options include:

Instant Pot Shrimp — quick, flavorful and perfect for busy nights.

Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thighs — crispy outside, juicy inside and incredibly easy.

Easy Instant Pot Chicken Curry — because sometimes you need curry without spending the entire afternoon in the kitchen.

And when I want something ridiculously easy and comforting, an Instant Pot soup is hard to beat.

Convenience is the baseline. Flavor is what makes us come back.

7. Sauces, Spices and Condiments Are Doing the Heavy Lifting

One of my favorite food trends is actually less about a specific dish and more about the things that make dishes exciting.

• Sauces.
• Spices.
• Condiments.

A great sauce can take a simple protein, vegetable or grain from “meh” to “WHERE HAS THIS BEEN ALL MY LIFE?”

Try Red Chimichurri with grilled meats, spoon a spicy sauce over crispy vegetables or add a flavorful curry sauce to chickpeas or squash.

You can also play around with international condiments like kimchi, chili crisp, curry pastes, gochujang and fresh herb sauces.

A little jar of something exciting in the refrigerator can turn leftovers into a completely new meal.

8. Food Should Still Be Fun

This might be my favorite trend of all.

Food doesn't always need a purpose.

Sometimes dinner is dinner because you really, really want pizza.

Sometimes you want something crispy.

Sometimes you want noodles.

And sometimes you want dessert after dinner even though you just announced that you were “too full for dessert.”

I support all of these decisions.

Try Thai Chicken Pizza when you're craving pizza but want something a little different.

Make Crispy Thai Fried Chicken and Waffles when regular fried chicken just isn't exciting enough.

Or go straight to dessert with Chocolate Ganache Tart, Hotteok or No-Bake Strawberry Tiramisu.

Because at the end of the day, food is supposed to bring us joy.

9. My Take on Food Trends for 2027

If I had to sum up where food is headed, I'd say we're moving toward more flavor, more personality and more intentional choices.

We're embracing vegetables without sacrificing indulgence.

We're looking globally for inspiration.

We're making comfort food more interesting.

We're using sauces, spices and condiments to transform simple ingredients.

And we're paying more attention to why we're eating something rather than simply putting a “healthy” label on it.

Ready to Eat Your Way Into 2027?

You don't have to wait until 2027 to start experimenting. Pick a recipe you've never tried before. Next time at the store grab a spice you next cooked with. Try a dish from a new cuisine. Try making your next sauce from scratch or turning your vegetable into the main course. Or simply cook something that makes you ridiculously happy.

That's what food is all about in my kitchen, big flavors, international inspiration and recipes that are fun enough to make you want to get into the kitchen.

And if 2027 is bringing us more bold flavors, cozy food, global inspiration and delicious vegetables, then I think we're going to have a very tasty year ahead.