25 Balkan Dishes You Need To Try At Least Once

In the geographical context, the Balkans is usually described as a region nestled on the Balkan peninsula bounded by the Adriatic on the west and the Black Sea on the east, with the Mediterranean making its southernmost point. In the cultural context, the Balkans have always been a point of contact between the East and the West. Though this provided a fertile ground for conflict, the region also became an epicenter of cultural pluralism. At least ten countries call the Balkan peninsula their home, and this cultural patchwork is heavily translated into the culinary narrative. Though it was strongly influenced by imperial Austria and the Ottomans, Balkan cuisine developed into a unique entity, creating a cuisine with a polyamorous character where dishes are shared and adopted rather than being restrained by borders.

Gastronomy-wise, the Balkans are the European underdog. Balkan food sticks to the no-nonsense approach. These dishes are simple, hearty meals that speak of home, comfort, and fantastic cultural diversity. This was a frugal cuisine, where locally sourced ingredients were transformed into filling meals with sheer ingenuity and imagination, so expect rustic meals with a lot of soul.

All these must-tries should be an invitation to delve deeper into the Balkans and its limitless culinary potential. Greece was intentionally left out as it is generally analyzed outside the Balkan context and has its separate list of must-try Greek foods.

Sarma or sarmale, a combination of fermented cabbage filled with a mix of ground meat and rice, seems to be the unquestionable regional favorite. As it is quite heavy, sarma is better suited for colder months. 

Cabbage leaves are stuffed and wrapped in tight, compact rolls that simmer in a flavorful broth, usually with tomato sauce and smoked meat that imparts subtle smokiness. Though sarma is universal to most Balkan countries, there is no one-fits-all recipe, and you'll find variations across the region. Sarma is a typical homemade specialty, usually prepared for various wintertime festivities, but you'll find it in most traditional restaurants, usually as a part of the seasonal winter offer.

Ćevapi are small, sausage-like ground meat rolls traditionally prepared on a grill. A standard order includes ten pieces, usually served inside or with lepinja, a regional flatbread similar to pita bread, and a hefty dose of raw, chopped onions.

Ćevapi come in four regional varieties, but don't try to find out which is the best, as everyone has a firm favorite. The only rule that should be followed is that they are prepared on a charcoal grill to attain some smokiness. You will usually find ćevapi at specialized eateries serving grilled delicacies, but they have become ubiquitous on most restaurant menus. Ćevapi know no borders, and you will have no trouble finding them in Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Montenegro, or Romania.

Gravče na tavče is best described as a pot of baked beans. Though traditionally associated with North Macedonia, a similar dish, better known as prebranac, is also found in Serbia.

There are many different recipes for this rustic classic, but the best are made with white beans from Tetovo. The dish is always made with dry beans, preferably cooked with smoked meat. Before they are baked, the beans are doused in a thick, roux-like mix of flour and paprika, giving this dish an incredibly creamy texture. The spices here are big and bold, involving paprika, garlic, and some herbs to balance out the flavors. The dish is baked and served in earthenware pots and usually accompanies grilled meat.

Cicvara is a rustic dish best described as a corn flour porridge. It's typical in many Balkan regions and is often described as one of those humble, universal dishes that helped feed generations. There are several ways to make cicvara, but the preparation usually entails fine corn flour cooked into a creamy porridge enriched with clotted cream or cheese. The dish calls for some skill and has to be continuously stirred until the fat partially separates from the creamy blend.

As it is such a heavy, fat-laden, and calorie-dense dish, cicvara was mainly eaten as breakfast. It was especially popular in mountainous regions where milk, cheese, and cream were abundant, and it represented an affordable, everyday meal. It is always served warm, on traditional wooden plates.

Shopska salad combines tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers, all assembled in a dish and topped with grated or crumbled sirene, a local salty white cheese. Though it was once believed that shopska had a long history in Bulgaria, probably relating to the Shopi people, the truth is more straightforward. It seems that its invention goes back to the Communist era when the biggest Bulgarian tour operator decided that there was a need for a dish to show off some national character. The creation was this simple salad with red, green, and white elements — the colors that would represent the Bulgarian flag.

The locals especially like to pair it with grilled meat as the freshness and cheesy creaminess help to balance out all those heavy, smoky flavors.

Stuffed peppers is another dish that pops up all across the region, albeit in several different forms. The prevalent version is filled with a blend of ground meat, spices, herbs, and rice, which are slowly simmered in a subtly spicy broth. This version generally appears in the summer when peppers are in season and typically replaces sarma as a somewhat lighter summer alternative. In most cases, the order will come served with a hefty amount of creamy mashed potatoes and a spoonful of the flavor-packed broth. 

Though the peppers are mostly boiled, they can be baked in the oven, such as Bulgarian palneni chushki, to get a nice, smoky char. Vegetarian versions are also common.

Palačinke are best described as close relatives to French crêpes. These are thin, round pancakes that come packed with various fillings.

Palačinke are usually paired with jams or a generous layer of chocolate spread. Sometimes, you'll even find the baked versions packed with a mix of sweetened fresh cheese. Most traditional restaurants carry this simple dessert on the menu, usually accompanied by a walnut filling, honey, fruit jam, or whipped cream, while the Serbian favorite also includes a light sprinkle of crumbled cookies. In the recent decade, many specialized restaurants have popped up across the region, but they usually whip up less traditional and more lavish versions. The Balkans is probably the only region that makes savory, deep-fried versions of these pancakes.

Štrukli or štruklji are often described as the Balkans' unique take on Austrian strudel. Though the names reflect this similarity, in reality, these Balkan treats are distinctively unique.

You will find štruklji in Slovenia. They appear in many different varieties but mostly incorporate rolled dough and a sweet or savory filling, and they can be boiled, baked, or steamed. Though similar, štrukli are a Croatian specialty. They are always made with phyllo pastry and are mostly filled with savory cottage cheese. When the dough is rolled, it is cut into smaller pieces that can be baked or boiled. The baked version is the absolute favorite as it is typically smothered in copious amounts of cream, which takes this dish to a different level.

Kremšnita is a tall, elegant cake ideal for fans of ultimately creamy desserts. This dessert has several regional variations, all built with crispy puff pastry and a thick layer of vanilla-flavored custard.

The two most popular versions come from Slovenia and Croatia. Slovenian take, locally called kremna rezina, originates from Lake Bled, where it was first whipped up sometime in the 1950s. It is assembled with puff pastry sheets holding a generous layer of custard and feather-light whipped cream. The Croatian version is mainly associated with Samobor, a picturesque city in the north where kremšnita has a cult status. This version skips the whipped cream and packs the cloud-like custard between the two layers of puff pastry.

Black risotto is one of the staple dishes on the Adriatic coast that is mainly associated with Croatia. This unusual-looking dish is a true homage to cuttlefish as it uses the ink and the tender meat to create flavor-packed and utterly creamy risotto.

The dish starts with sautéed onions and rice and follows the classic risotto technique. Preserved ink is added towards the end of the cooking, which turns this pristine risotto into a unique, pitch-black dish. Black risotto gains most of its character from the compact Adriatic cuttlefish, but it is also enriched with olive oil, herbs, stock, and a splash of wine, creating an aromatic, well-balanced dish. Black risotto is a staple in seafood restaurants but is also commonly prepared for Christmas Eve.

Trilece is a milky Balkan dessert with an unusual origin. This is the local take on tres leches, the classic South American specialty consisting of a thick sheet cake drenched in three types of milk. It is believed that the cake appeared due to the massive popularity of South American soap operas in the Balkans.

The Balkan trilece starts with a thick sponge cake, sometimes enriched with semolina, and pastry chefs use different dairy products to soak the cake to create that seriously juicy texture. Most varieties are topped with a thick layer of gooey, sticky caramel that contributes to the creamy texture and amps sweetness. Trilece can also pass as a sweet breakfast. You'll find it in several Balkan countries, and it has even become popular in Turkey.

Flija is a unique baked pie that you will mostly find in northern Albania and Kosovo. The pie is usually assembled in large round trays, and it is traditionally baked over an open fire, usually protected by a dome-shaped lid covered in coals that will give this pie charred and crispy top crust.

Flija starts with a thick pancake-like batter that is spread into thin layers. Each layer is baked and set before another is added on top. Traditionally, each layer is repeatedly coated with a creamy mix of clotted cream, butter, milk, or yogurt. The process is replicated until all the batter is used up, and the result is a unique, layered pie brimming with creaminess and subtly smoky notes.