Craziest Ice Cream Flavors From Around The World

1. Wasabi

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Personally, I feel like this is just totally wrong. Ice cream and spice should be kept separate. The taste has been described as “sensational tingling and sweet relief in one cooling, warming scoop.” It seems like there is way too much going on here. Ice cream isn’t supposed to be complicated. Check your local supermarkets and give it a go if you’re brave enough, they sell it in the States, Japan and Australia.

2. Squid Ink

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Believe it or not, squid ink ice cream is highly sought after in Japan! The ice cream is black or brown in color and has a salty, fishy taste. I don’t know about you, but I don’t fancy trying this! However, there is also supposed to be a hint of vanilla flavor in there too, so it doesn’t sound like it’s all bad after all! If you like the sound of this, give squid ink pasta a go, too.

3. Garlic

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Now, I’m a big lover of garlic. Truly, I believe it makes almost any savoury dish significantly better! But, there’s an emphasis there on the savoury. As much as garlic is a superfood, I do strongly think that it should stay as far away from ice cream as possible. The brave tasters say that this flavor ice cream tastes like vanilla at first, but then you get a garlicky kick in your throat. If you're game, head down to the Gilroy Garlic Festival in California.

4. Black Sesame

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This is another flavor that’s mostly popular in Japan. Black sesame ice cream is usually black or grey in color, with a sweet and nutty flavour. Because of the oiliness of the seeds, this ice cream is very creamy and smooth - which is just how I believe ice cream should be! It’s one of the most popular flavours in Japan, so I won’t knock it until I’ve tried it.

5. Lavender

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Made from the flowers of a lavender plant, this ice cream is said to have a subtle floral taste. Often, this flavor is made with additions of honey or sugar, so it's usually quite sweet. Unsurprisingly, it's purple in color, but it can sometimes be pink or even white. If you're keen, you can find this flavor in some parts of Europe, particularly France and Italy.

6. Balsamic Vinegar

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I usually trust the Italians when it comes to food. But since I heard that they're fans of balsamic vinegar ice cream, I'm not so sure. Supposedly, this is a delicious dessert. The taste test says it is still as sweet as any old ice cream, but has a unique twist of tangy richness from the vinegar. Some ice cream is more strongly flavored with the vinegar than others, so you might want to go for a more subtle batch the first time.

7. Corn on the Cob

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Mainly found in South Korea, we have the corn on the cob ice cream. Yep, you heard that right - corn! Apparently, this flavor is usually served with caramel sauce, so there is some saving grace. There's a deep, earthy flavor combined with a sweet refreshing taste. I think I'd be able to at least give this one a go, although I'm not overly confident I would like it!

8. Caviar

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Sometimes, I feel like people create flavors simply just because they can. This is one of those flavors. Caviar is associated with the rich and wealthy, and I guess they wanted to invent a dessert that was high enough up their standards? Well, if you're sophisticated enough to have tasted caviar, then you can probably picture how this tastes - salty, fishy and a little creamy. Sound up your street? It can be found in Russia and Japan!

9. Fish Sauce

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Ice cream parlour Salt & Straw in Portland, Oregon is where the fish sauce flavor ice cream was born. The people crazy enough to try out this concoction were pleasantly surprised, or mostly anyway. The fish sauce taste is definitely there, but isn't supposed to be too overpowering. Meaning you can still enjoy the creamy, sweetness of the ice cream, but just with a hint of earthy, saltiness.

10. Goat Cheese and Beet Swirl

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Okay, hear me out, I can kind of get behind this one. Mixing dairy with dairy doesn't seem to offensive to me, and I love cheesecake. If you're up for a taste of this too, you'll find this flavor at Sweet Action Ice Cream in Denver, Colorado. Goats cheese is a powerful flavor, so I do hope they tone it down a little bit when they're adding this ingredient. As for the beetroot, this adds an earthy dimension to the ice cream.

11. Curry

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Found in Asia, mainly Japan and Thailand, is the curry ice cream. I think I'd personally have to pass on this one, it would ruin curry for me for the rest of my life. Curry powder is added straight into the mixing bowl, making the finishing result a combination of sweet, savoury and a little bit spicy! Each to their own, but I don't feel like spice and ice cream should be combined.

12. Avocado with Mint

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We've all had mint ice cream at some point in our lives. Now, swap the chocolate chips for some avocado. What do you think? Would this make a good replacement? Mexico seems to think so, as this flavor can be purchased over there! People have described this ice cream as incredibly creamy and rich, and even better, it's supposed to be super easy to make.

13. Red Bean

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Asian countries, especially China and Japan, like to eat red bean ice cream. The adzuki beans are cooked and mashed into a red bean paste, which is then added into the ice cream recipe. The paste makes the texture significantly creamier and smoother, with a sweet earthy taste. Usually, there are toppings added to this ice cream, such as cornflakes, condensed milk and mochi.

14. Durian

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If you're anything like me and have no idea what a durian actually is - it's a fruit! The durian fruit seems to be a love it or hate it type of thing. Some people swear it to be similar to caramel, vanilla, custard and cheesecake. Whilst others can't stand it, complaining of rotten eggs, garlic and onions. In fact, the fruit is so pungent in smell that it's banned in some hotels and public transport! But, the ice cream flavor is popular in Southeast Asia, mainly in Thailand and Malaysia.

15. Sweet Potato

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You're most likely to find this flavor ice cream in Japan or Korea. Made from varied amounts of sweet potato puree, sometimes the taste is strong, whilst other times it is subtle. The result is said to taste a little bit nutty and earthy. In places where it's popular, it's usually eaten with various different toppings. Which suggests that maybe people are trying to mask the flavor?

16. Blue Cheese

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Now, this one is definitely controversial. I mean, blue cheese alone is pretty controversial as it is, but when you stick it in ice cream? Things have just gone too far. There is the sharp, tangy flavor of the blue cheese which I can't imagine is too pleasant in a dessert. Although, it's not far from home as it's found in some parts of the United States and Canada.

17. Saffron and Rosewater

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I mean, the name sounds fancy that's for sure. Saffron and rosewater. popular in Iran, it sounds like something that is fit for an Iranian queen! As for the taste, it's been described as floral and honey-like. Compared to some of the other flavors we've come across, it doesn't sound too bad. Rosewater is frequently added to desserts due to its sweet flavor.

18. Beer

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I don't know about you, but this didn't surprise me in the slightest. Whilst I've never heard of beer ice cream before, it was only a matter of time before somebody decided to combine the two. After all, beer and dessert are two of the best pleasures in life, right? Generally, darker beers are used as an ingredient as they have a more distinct flavor. Again, by no surprise, it's found in the United States!

19. Bacon and Egg

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In case you want to try this out for yourself, you can make this ice cream by combining bacon with egg custard and then putting the mixture in your freezer. What you're left with is bacon and egg flavor ice cream! This idea was actually born on a British comedy sketch called The Two Ronnies. Then, in New York, it became a reality in 1982! It's a sweet and salty combination, but it's said to be delicious.

20. Pickled Mango

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Now, pass me normal mango ice cream any day of the week! But, why would anybody ruin this flavor by making the mango pickled? It was fine just how it was! With this added pickling aspect, it gives the ice cream a sour and salty kick. This flavor is most popular in Hawaii, where they usually serve with a side of dried plum called li hing mui. This is supposed to add more sweet and salt to the ice cream.

21. Tomato

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Popular mostly in Italy, where they call this flavor gelato al pomodoro, is the tomato ice cream. It's supposed to be a highly unique taste which is difficult to come by in any other combination. If you were to try it, you should expect a sweet, tarty and savoury taste. Luckily, there is a lot of cream and sugar involved, which helps to balance out the strong flavor.

22. Licorice

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This ice cream is made using licorice extract. Now, whether you like this ice cream or not will of course depend on how you feel about licorice to begin with. Me personally, I love licorice. So, I wouldn't have any issues trying this at all! But, if you can't even stomach a small licorice allsort, then you're probably best giving this one a miss. Mostly, this flavor is purchased in the Netherlands and Scandinavia.

23. Charcoal

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Combining the simple ingredients of activated charcoal, cream, and sugar, you've got charcoal flavor ice cream. Now, charcoal flavored anything doesn't really sit right with me, if I'm being honest. But, in some parts of Asia, they love it! More specifically, it's enjoyed in the Philippines and Thailand. The taste is bitter, but still smooth and creamy.

24. Kimchi

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Kimchi is a Korean fermented cabbage dish. So, already, it doesn't sound all that appetizing when it comes to putting this in ice cream. But when it's done, you're left with a flavor of salt, sour and spice. Sounds crazy to me! The added sugar does help to balance out the wild flavors. This ice cream is growing more and more popular in Korea, and is catching on in other parts of the world, too.

25. Green Tea

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Green tea is associated with health. But, when this is combined with ice cream, it seems to defeat the point! If you're one of those people who genuinely enjoy the taste of green tea, and don't just force it down during a health kick - good for you! You might want to give this a go, it's found mainly in Japan and other parts of East Asia. Just be careful not to mistake this for mint ice cream.

26. Buffalo Wing

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I love buffalo sauce, so much so I cover all my chicken wings in this whenever I get the chance. But, can I see this being a good idea with ice cream? As a die hard buffalo sauce fan I’d have to say I’ll try it. This creation was first invented by The Lost Bread in Manila, Philippines in 2016. Now, it's recognised as a collaboration with Frankie's New York Buffalo Wings.

27. Horse Flesh

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This one caught me by surprise, what about you? I know all kinds of meat is eaten in different parts of the world, and yep, even horse meat has its place on a lot of dishes. But horse flesh ice cream?! It's found in Found in Japan and Italy, where someone really should have stood up and said let’s stick to vanilla, chocolate and strawberry. Maybe it’s me, but I imagine the horse flesh flavoured ice cream even comes with hairs in it. This one is a neigh for me!

28. Miso

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Have you tried miso paste on its own? Then you’ll know how terrible of an idea this is. Once it’s mixed in with foods ( mainly Asian dishes) it starts to come together but on its own…no thank you! This is one of those moments where it’s like the people who either love or hate marmite. I bet there will be people who love miso and everything that tastes like it. And then the normal people who know that miso ice cream is an abomination.

29. Cheddar Cheese

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A popular flavor in the Philippines, we've got cheddar cheese ice cream. I know dairy comes in many different forms, so it doesn't seem that crazy - albeit I don’t think the rich flavours of cheese quite has the same feeling as a smooth vanilla ice cream. I might be way off here, but sometimes halloumi has an ice cream like flavour, so I can kind of see where they're coming from.

30. Hot Dog

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This is a very new one. In fact, it was only made in 2022 by Oscar Mayer as a limited time only offer. Before this, I’ve heard of hot dog flavours being used in a lot of different things, but ice cream is pushing it. Then again, add some strawberry sauce and I'm willing to give this thing a go! Some people love the sweet and savoury combination with this flavor, whilst others say it's just weird.