5 Easy Street Food Recipes You Must Try At Home

Last Updated on December 15, 2023 by Jason Nguyen

Street food culture is absolutely magical. Grabbing sensational food on the go that hits your taste buds hard is something that we often find ourselves giving in to. The value for money and ready-made tummy fillers is what makes street food the first choice for foodies.

But we know that it’s probably not the most hygienic deal out there. So how about we present to you a list of mouthwatering street food recipes that you can just whip up at home?  We promise you’ll never miss a food truck ever again!

1. Mexican Corn on the Cob

This traditional Mexican dish can be served as a starter, served on the side of the main dish, or enjoyed as a snack.

This dish can also be cooked on the grill and served as Mexican street corn, which is traditionally called Elote. You can simply grill the corn and sprinkle the dried spices on them.

Interestingly, you’d be glad to know that the same ingredients that you need for this item can be used to make spiced popcorn at home. Indeed, it’s a delicious and healthy snack choice for everyone. Oh, and we know how much kids love popcorn, so buying the best stovetop popcorn maker is a worthy investment that you should also consider. 

Let’s get back to the Mexican corn-on-the-cob recipe that can be used in many other corny dishes.

Ingredients

• 6 large-sized corn cobs, cut in half
• ½ cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 lime, cut into 6 wedges
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika

Instructions

1. Boil a large pot of water over high heat. Add the corn, and boil it for roughly 7 minutes until it’s softened. Drain and cool it down.
2. Take the mayonnaise, add smoked paprika to it, and mix well. Set it aside.
3. Combine the spices in a bowl and keep aside.
4. Take the corn pieces, dip them in the mayonnaise, and sprinkle the dried spice mix on top. Give it a roll in cheese, squeeze in lime, and serve.

2. Malaysian Satay

Malaysian satay does not need any introduction. All you need is a frying pan or a barbeque grill to make this delicious street food at home. It also helps if you own a backyard or indoor herb garden. Saves you both money, and time. Coming back to it, this particular Malaysian satay recipe is simple, and perfect to feed the whole family.

Ingredients

• 500g beef rump steak sliced thinly
• 2 tbsp peanut oil
• 2 garlic cloves chopped finely
• 2 eschalots peeled and chopped
• 2 lemongrass stalks chopped finely (only the white part)
• 1.5cm piece fresh ginger peeled and chopped
• 1.5cm piece galangal peeled and chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 2 ½ tablespoon palm sugar
• 1 ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup roasted peanuts (unsalted)
• 2 teaspoon sambal belacan
• 2 teaspoon tamarind paste
• 2 teaspoon lime juice
• Lime wedges, to serve

Instructions

1. Take the lemongrass, galangal, ginger, eschalot, garlic, and roughly chop them up, and put them in the food processor to make a smooth paste.
2. Pour half of the mixture into a bowl, and add 1 tablespoon of sugar, ¼ teaspoon of salt, turmeric, coriander, and cumin. Give it a good stir.
3. Add the beef and stir into the marinade. Keep the beef mixture covered.
4. Take the remaining mixture and put it in the refrigerator.
5. Process the peanuts in the food processor in the meantime.
6. Take a pan, add oil, and heat on medium heat. Take the mixture out from the refrigerator and put it on the hot oil. Stir it for 2 minutes. Add sambal belacan, and cook for 1 more minute.
7. Add chopped peanuts, lime juice, sugar, and salt, along with ¾ cup of water. Cook it for 20-25 minutes. Wait for the mixture to thicken, if it becomes too thick, add extra water to it.
8. Take 12 skewers, and now thread the beef onto them.
9. Take a non-stick pan and heat it on medium heat. Place the skewers in batches for at least 1 minute on each side, until they cooked properly. Serve with rice and satay sauce.

3. Poutine

Poutine is the ultimate comfort food with origins in Quebec, Canada. Good old fries melted in cheese and dipped in meat sauce. Yum!

Ingredients

• 1kg potatoes, cleaned, peeled, and cut into fries shapes
• 30g butter
• 100g bacon, cut into small strips
• 1 onion (chopped)
• 1 garlic clove (minced/smashed)
• 4 sprigs thyme, chopped
• 1 tablespoon plain flour
• ¾ cup of chicken stock
• ⅓ cup red wine
• Rice bran oil for deep-frying
• 50g mozzarella (grated)
• 100g cheddar (grated)

Instructions

1. Place the peeled and cut potato pieces in a bowl full of cold water.
2. Take a large pan, and melt the butter on medium heat. Add bacon, and cook it until it’s golden brown. Set aside.
3. Take the same pan, add flour and stir it gently every 30 seconds until it’s cooked. Add in the stock, and wine until it is mixed properly. Bring it to a boil over high heat. Once the sauce is thick enough, reduce the heat.
4. Drain the potatoes from the cold water, and pat dry using a paper towel.
5. Take a large saucepan to fry the potatoes. On high heat, add the oil and heat it until it’s hot enough for a bread piece to sizzle. Deep fry the potatoes for about 6-8 minutes until it’s crispy and golden in color.
6. Take it out, and again pat it dry with a paper towel.
7. Transfer the fries to a serving dish. Add the cheese and bacon on top. Lastly pour over the hot gravy. And serve!

4. Chicken and Tofu Pad Thai

Classic stir-fried street food that wins hearts every single time. To get maximum flavors, prepping a day early is highly recommended.

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breast pieces, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• ⅓ cup Kecap Manis (sweet soy sauce)
• 200g packet Pad Thai noodles
• 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
• 2 eggs beaten lightly
• ½ red onion, sliced into wedges
• 1 carrot, sliced diagonally
• 1 red capsicum, sliced
• ½ head broccoli, cut into florets
• 1 tablespoon tamarind puree
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 2 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon palm sugar, grated
• 1 tablespoon tomato sauce
• 1 bunch Gai Lan (Chinese broccoli) cut into 5cm
• 300g firm and cubed tofu
• 2 tablespoons salted peanuts, chopped and roasted
• ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn (leave extra for garnish)
• ¼ cup fresh coriander leaves
• 1 cup bean sprouts, trimmed
• Red chilies sliced for garnish

Instructions

1. Take a glass or ceramic bowl. Add chicken, garlic, and half of the Kecap Manis. Mix well. Marinade for 4 hours at least in the refrigerator.
2. Cook the noodles following the instructions on the package. Set aside
3. Take a wok, add 2 teaspoons of oil and cook on high heat. Add egg, and spread it on the wok. Take it out when cooked. Slice it into small pieces.
4. Add the remaining oil to the wok, and stir-fry the marinaded chicken in batches. Transfer to a separate bowl.
5. Pour onions and carrots into the hot wok, stir-fry for 2 minutes, and add the capsicum and broccoli until everything in the wok is cooked and charred.
6. Combine the remaining items – fish sauce, Kecap Manis, tamarind, tomato sauce, and lime juice and stir fry for 30 seconds. Add the Gai Lan and noodles and cook for 1 minute until it’s all combined.
7. Lastly, add the tofu, peanuts, coriander egg, bean sprouts, basil, and chicken to the mixture. Stir fry for another 30 seconds.
8. Garnish with remaining basil and chopped red chili. Serve!

5. Baked Churro Bites

Deep-fried Mexican street food for sweet lovers. Turn up your dessert game at home with these easy-to-make baked churro bites.

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 2 medium-sized eggs
• ⅓ cup butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• A pinch of salt
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Cinnamon sugar to coat
• 1 cup melted chocolate

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In the meantime, take a saucepan, and melt the butter over medium heat. Add the brown sugar to the water, and bring it to a boil.
3. Turn the heat off, add the flour, and stir it.
4. Transfer the mixer into a bowl, and add the vanilla extract, and eggs. Add one egg at a time to the mixture.
5. Pour the mixture into a piping bag with a star tip.
6. Take the baking pan, covered in parchment paper, and start piping the mixture out (3 inches for each strip)
7. Bake for 10-12 minutes until it’s golden brown.
8. Take the churros out, and dip them in melted butter and cinnamon sugar.
9. Serve with melted chocolate or any chocolate sauce of your choice.

6. Grilled Chicken Street Tacos

Once you try your hands on these homemade grilled chicken street tacos, you’ll officially say goodbye to a taco food truck forever. This one is a definite must-try for taco lovers, especially if you have kids who enjoy eating tacos.

Chicken thighs marinated in a blend of spice mix, garnished with lime juice, and stuffed in hard taco shells are bound to hit your taste buds. A quick tip: don’t hold yourself back with the toppings, trust us, the more, the merrier.

Ingredients

• 1.5 pounds chicken thighs (boneless and skinless)
• 20-22 mini white corn tortillas
• ½ cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
• Pico de Gallo
• Mexican hot sauce
• Sour cream
• Fresh lime juice

For the Marinade

• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1½ tablespoons Chipotle chili powder or ancho chili powder
• 2 teaspoons oregano leaves (dried)
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 4 tablespoons orange juice
• 1½ tablespoons lime juice

Instructions

1. First, take a large ziplock bag to prepare the chicken marinade by combining all the spices together. Add the chicken thighs, and seal it.
2. For maximum flavors, refrigerate it overnight. You can also marinate it for an hour before mealtime, but overnight marination works best.
3. Preheat your grill over medium to high heat. Sprinkle oil on your grill top generously, or use canola cooking spray.
4. Take out the chicken from the refrigerator and place it on the grill. Make sure they are all flattened on the grill.
5. Cook each side for about 5 minutes tops before flipping. Some pieces may take longer than others, so remember to allow extra time for all the chicken to be grilled perfectly.
6. Once cooked, take it out from the grill and transfer the grilled chicken to a plate. Rest it for a few extra minutes
7. Cut the chicken into small pieces.
8. Take the corn tortillas and warm them up in the microwave.
9. Take two corn tortillas together, layered on top of each other. Add chicken, hot sauce, and sour cream, and finally garnish with pico de gallo and lots of cilantro and lime juice.
10. Serve to eat immediately. 

Conclusion

Street food lovers are legends, and it’s fair to say that they are the ones who live to eat, while the rest eat to live. As a foodie, street food holds a deeper connection and takes most of us back to our childhood memories, and that’s the beauty of it. There’s no better feeling in the world for food lovers to recreate a fond memory of their favorite street food dishes by attempting to cook them at home for their friends and family. And, we hope you’ll try out some of our street food recipes too.

Feel free to try all the recipes you just learned here and share happiness with your loved ones. Good luck!