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20 Mouthwatering Polynesian Recipes That'll Give You A Taste Of Island Life

If you weren't hungry before, you will be now.

Sweet, succulent, and fresh, Polynesian recipes represent the cuisine of the Pacific Islands known as Polynesia. 🌴

A number of distinct islands actually make up Polynesia, including Hawaii, New Zealand, Easter Island, Tuvalu, Tokelau, Wallis and Futuna, Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga, Niue, the Cook Islands, French Polynesia, and Pitcairn Island.

Each island has distinct cuisines, but many popular dishes are shared across the Pacific Ocean. Here, we've compiled some of the most delicious meals you can have in Polynesia. From ahi poke and Samoan chicken to coconut sweet rolls and dumplings in coconut caramel, there's something here for everyone!

1. Hawaiian-Style Slow Cooker Kalua Pork

2. Hawaiian-Style Ahi Poke

Bowl with poke, rice, and half of an avocado filled with soy sauce, with pair of chopsticks perched on top.

3. Lomi Lomi Salmon Salad With Avocado

Close-up of Lomi samon cubes mixed with cubed avocado, tomato, and pepper.

4. Moa Fa’Asaina (Samoan Chicken With Coconut Rice)

Plate with Samoan chicken on bed of coconut rice, all sprinkled with sesame seeds. A large coconut is placed next to plate

5. Alaisa Fa’apopo (Samoan Coconut Rice)

Metal spoon piled high with coconut rice

6. Faikakai Malimali (Dumplings in Sweet Coconut Syrup)

Spoon drizzling coconut caramel on top of five sweet coconut dumplings.

7. Pani Popo (Samoan Coconut Bread Rolls)

Single sweet bread roll with crunchy, darkened top

8. Hawaiian Meatballs

Large bowl of rice with Hawaiian meatballs piled high

9. Kiwi Meat & Cheese Pie

Mince-and-cheese pie with a single slice placed on a plate next to pie plate.

10. Whitebait Fritters

Flat whitebait fritters stacked on a plate, along with slices of lemon

11. Malasadas

Hand holds up a Malasada donut with a bite taken out of it, revealing the filling inside

12. Anzac Biscuits

Crunchy, white Anzac biscuits stacked on a plate

13. Tahitian Poisson Cru

A hand holds out a halved coconut shell filled with Poisson Riu drenched in coconut milk.

14. Kelaguen Mannok (Chamorro-Style Chicken Salad)

Plate with coconut-mixedchicken salad along with a scoop of rice

15. Huli Huli Chicken

Platter filled with sticky Huli Huli chicken on a bed of grilled pineapple slices

16. Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

A large bowl filled with creamy macaroni salad

17. Banana Po'e

Small bowl filled with cubes of Banana Po'e dessert, drizzled with banana cream

18. Samoan Spice Cake

Large slice of Samoan spice cake, with a spoon that's taken a big chunk out of it hanging out on the plate. The cake is drizzled with thick sweet custard

19. Firi Firi (Coconut Donuts)

Donuts in the shape of a twisty number 8 dusted with granulated sugar

20. Kapisi Pulu (Simmered Corned Beef)

A bowl filled with corned beef and a coconut milk soup

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