Traveler’s Introduction to Must-Try Traditions Foods in Croatia

Top 10 Must-Try Traditional Croatian Food

Have you ever tried Croatian food?  Did you know that Croatia is becoming one of the most visited destinations in Europe? It is not just the sea that attracts people to this country.  Travelers are also attracted by the relaxed lifestyle and delicious Mediterranean cuisine.  If you are planning a trip to Croatia, you will want to know which are the best Croatian traditional dishes to sample while you’re there.  Here you will find the list of the best ten Croatian foods. You will not be disappointed.

Best 10 Must-Try Traditional Croatian Dishes

1. Sarma

Croats love this dish, and you will too! It is usually prepared during the winter. Also, sarma is often the main dish of Christmas lunch. People prepare it with sauerkraut and minced meat. This dish is not usually on the restaurant menu, so you will need to look around. Sarma must cook for two hours. It is served with mashed potatoes and sour cream.

2.Čobanac

This specialty comes from Slavonija, eastern Croatia. People make it with several types of meat. It has to be made on an open fire, in a cauldron. People need to add a lot of spices. In the end, you will taste spicy meat soup. It has to be cooked longer and is traditionally eaten only with bread.

3.Štrukli

If you are visiting Hrvatsko Zagorje, you must try this delicacy. It is a type of cake. People make it with homemade dough, which rolls well. Usually, women stretch it all over the table and then put the cheese on. Then it goes in the oven. This dish belongs to the original Croatian cuisine and is part of the Croatian cultural heritage.

4.Soparnik

Wikimedia Commons by: Moje Ciovo – Ciavka

This dish is the most known in Dalmatia. It has EU protection status. It is a bit like pizza. Between two layers of dough are onion, parsley, and Swiss chard. This savory pie is known for a long time. Traditionally, people made it under a baking bell. During baking, the embers must be withdrawn from the pie. That way, it would not burn and will be tastier.

5.Fis-paprikas

Slavonia has many delicious recipes, and Fis- paprikas is included. It is prepared with river fish because due to its location, the sea fish is not possible. At least two types of fish are needed for this dish. From the spices, you need sweet, hot peppers, pepper, garlic, and wine. It cooks for about an hour.

6.Fritule

You can find this dish all over Croatia. It is simple and quick to prepare. It is serving as a dessert. It is made from flour, eggs, lemon peel, a little rakija, or rum. They are usually prepared during the holidays. This dish is served with powdered sugar or chocolate topping.

7.Lika Bread

Peka, or under the bell, is a type of preparation. Croatian women mostly make homemade bread under peka. The most famous is Lika bread. Cereals are first grounded in a mill. The cornbread was the favorite type of bread in Lika. Then, people mix ingredients and put bread in a hot peka. Make sure that the bread does not burn and that there is not too much heat.

8.Kukuruzna Zlevanka

You can find this dish in Podravina, Zagorje, and Slavonia. Zlevanka is made from corn flour. It is easy to prepare. You can add walnuts or apples to it. It is delicious even when it is cold, so you can save it for another day. For this dish, you need to mix flour, milk, sugar, and eggs. Pour the mixture into a mold and place it in the oven.

9.Black Risotto

This dish is popular in Dalmatia. So, if you are visiting, you must try it. It is preparing with cuttlefish and squid. Before finishing this meal, people add cuttlefish ink. This is why it gets black. You can find this dish in every Dalmatian restaurant menu. Black risotto may contain other seafood, for example, clams and mussels. Also, you need rice, garlic, onion, olive oil, salt, pepper, and white vine.

10.Paprenjaci

This recipe is a traditional Christmas cake. It is easy to prepare, so you can eat it when you want something tasty. First, put the fat in the flour, and mix it until the dough looks like crumbs. Then add sugar, nuts, egg, honey, and spices as you want. Mix everything for a couple of minutes. Let it stand in the fridge, and later take it out and make shapes as desired. Bake it for about 20 minutes.

Conclusion

Here you could read about the best ten traditional Croatian dishes. Some are more complicated to prepare but are worth the effort. If you are choosing a dessert, you must try strukle. They can be salty and sweet. It is filled with cheese. You will be delighted by the soft and crispy crust. Everybody loves sarma. So, you would be fascinated too. Some people do not like sauerkraut, but in combination with meat and rice, it is excellent.

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About The Author:  Linda loves to explore different cuisines. She has already tried a lot of recipes from different parts of the world. Linda has written many articles on the subject, and you can find them on the KitchenToast website. So, if you want to find out more information, visit this page.