Oceanic Regional Food
Food from the Islands of the Central and South Pacific Ocean
Countries / States: Australia / Micronesia / Fiji / Kiribati / Marshall Islands / Nauru / New Zealand / Palau / Papua New Guinea / Samoa / Solomon Islands / Tonga / Tuvalu / Vanuatu
Imagine a place where you can snorkel among colorful ocean reefs, teeming with strange and unimaginable sea life. Now, picture yourself at the bottom of a gorge, surrounded by bright orange sandstone stretching stories high. Suddenly, you’re transported to a monsoon rainforest, and then to an endless expanse of desert as far as the eye can see. All this and more is what you’ll find when you journey across the diverse expanse of Oceania.
Oceania comprises thousands of islands, some familiar and others still relatively untouched. The largest island in Oceania is Australia, which is also the smallest and lowest continent in the world, as much of its land mass is swallowed up by the surrounding seas and oceans. The smallest nation in Oceania is the tiny island of Nauru, totaling only 8 square miles. Languages spoken in various countries include English, Fijian, Hindi, Maori, and Samoan.
“You can’t just eat good food. You’ve got to talk about it too. And you’ve got to talk about it to somebody who understands that kind of food.” ~ Kurt Vonnegut
Top Oceania Dishes
- Pavlova
- Poi
- Hangi
- Meat Pies
- Pasties
- Sausage Rolls
- Damper
- Curried beef pie
- Scallop pie
- Shepherd’s pie
- Bully beef and rice
- Creamy prawns
- Apricot chicken
- Curried prawns
- Semur chicken
- Devilled sausages
- Sop sop
- Sausages
Top Fijian Dishes
- Laplap
- Fish Suruwa
- Kokoda
- Love
- Palusami
Top Papua New Guinean Dishes
- Mumu
- Chicken Pot
- Kokoda
- Saksak
- Dia
- Poi
- Paniki
- Kelaguen
- Tama
The Diversity of Oceania Cuisine
If you’re intrigued by the wild, remote landscapes of Oceania, then you’ll love the wide variety of culinary influences you’ll find as you hop between islands.
Feast on kokoda in Fiji, a citrusy dish of raw fish marinated in lime juice, served in a bowl with coconut milk, chilies, onions, tomatoes, and crunchy spring onions.
In Australia, you can enjoy a juicy sausage cooked “on the barbie,” complete with grilled onions, chutney, and a thick slice of traditional Damper bread.
Or, how about a palusami? It’s a Polynesian delicacy made by mixing beef, coconut cream, and onion together, wrapping it in leafy greens, and baking the bundle to savory perfection.
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