The Bulgarian cuisine is full of heavenly tastes and flavors. In the next few paragraphs, I will walk you through some of the most traditional Bulgarian dishes that will leave you completely speechless. The Bulgarian food is a mixture of various Balkan flavors and that is what makes it rich and yummy.
Before you start your gastronomic journey, you should bear in mind that Bulgarians “hold in high esteem” their traditional brined white cheese. Thus, you will find it in most of the traditional Bulgarian dishes. Let me introduce to you some of the most popular traditional Bulgarian dishes.
1. Шопска салата (Shopska salad)
I can assure you that this is definitely Bulgarian’s number one traditional food. It is fast, easy, and extremely tasty. Whether you choose to have it as a starter or as a side dish, you will not make a mistake. It is an excellent choice for the hot summer days when you feel like having something refreshing.
This is a salad that is made from tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, oil, cheese (if you want to have an authentic shopska salad then you need the traditional Bulgarian white cheese), peppers, olives, and parsley. It is so amazing, that one Bulgarian artist has even written a song about it (Радо Шишарката – Шопската салата).
2. Баница (Banitsa)
This is one of Bulgaria’s most popular dishes. It not only looks like a piece of art, but it also tastes like a piece of heaven. It is in the shape of a spiral and is made using a special technique of arranging the filo pastry in a certain way. Another essential ingredient is the white cheese. As it is such a popular dish in Bulgaria, you can find many different recipes out there. The best one, in my humble opinion, is with whisked eggs, yogurt, and cheese.
Another variation of the banitsa is the so-called “тиквеник”(tikvenik). Instead of cheese, the main ingredient is squash. Bulgarian people make it usually on New Year and they put small papers with wishes and blessings for the coming year.
3. Кебапче и кюфте (kebapche and kyufte)
If you want to have a proper Bulgarian meal, then in addition to the Shopska salad you should definitely have one kebapche and two kyufte.
These two dishes are basically made out of almost 100% meat. The main difference is that the kebapche is in the shape of a roll, while the kyufte is round and looks like a ball.
You can also check the “Татарско кюфте” (Tatar kyufte) which is much bigger than the normal one and has also cheese in it (this time I am talking about the yellow cheese which in Bulgarian is called kashkaval).
4. Гювече (Guveche)
This is a stew that is prepared in a special clay pot. It is relatively easy to make but if you want it to taste good, then you should cook it longer. It is made with meat, vegetables, and cheese.
There are two main types of guveche in Bulgaria – the Shopski style and the Thracian style. These are two main regions in Bulgaria which have had a huge impact on the Bulgarian culture and history.
5. Пълнени чушки с ориз (Stuffed peppers with rice)
I would highly recommend this one. Peppers stuffed with rice, vegetables and sometimes mince is an excellent combination. Especially, if you try it in September when the Bulgarian red peppers taste like heaven. They are full of the sweetness which has been accumulated during the hot summer days and will make your taste buds experience great pleasure. In some places, they also make them with different sauces. A good match is with some yogurt on top.
6. Сарми (Stuffed cabbage/vine leaves)
One of the preferred choices for the winter when it the cold days and we do not have access to fresh fruit and vegetables.
In Bulgaria, a lot of people make “зимнина” (zimnina). This is basically food that they have prepared in the summer or in the autumn and have preserved for the winter. One of them is sauerkraut. Soak cabbage in brine (water and salt) and after a few months, you will get some really really sour and salty cabbage leaves. When you stuff them with rice and boil them, hmm… the end result might be quite surprising. This is a typical food for the winter.
Variation for the summer or the autumn is instead of cabbage leaves to use vine leaves. You can also have them with yogurt on the side.
7. Пататник (Patatnik)
This is a traditional dish from the Rhodopе Мountains. It is made from grate potatoes and is later baked in the oven. With the right amount of herbs, this dish can leave a long-lasting taste in your mouth.
8. Мекици (Mekitsi)
This would be a typical choice for breakfast. They are made out of dough that is left to rise. Then, you need to make small balls, spread them and deep fry them. They taste amazing with home-made jam, icing sugar or cheese.
9. Боб чорба (Bean soup)
This is one of the dishes that you will find as a starter on most menus in the Bulgarian restaurants. A traditional soup of beans, spices, and sausages (optional). A hot soup that will warm you up in the cold winter days or that will cool you down during the hot summer afternoons.
10. Таратор (Tarator)
This is a cold soup that is quite popular in the spring or the summer. It is extremely easy to make and is an excellent choice for a starter. You need yogurt, cucumbers, dill, oil, water, salt and voila – you have a fabulous dish.
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See you next time and until then smile, have fun and learn Bulgarian.
