10 traditional Bulgarian meals you have to taste

If you want to learn more about a nation you have to taste its cuisine. That says one of the important rules for travelers, which must be respected if you want to feel the world diversity. If Bulgaria becomes one of your next travel points, you should be prepared with the top 10 traditional dishes you shouldn’t miss during your stay.

Sujuk

Sujuk is a sausage, made from beef and spices upon an old, traditional recipe. It can be more or less spicy. You can find it in the restaurants or in the food stores.
One of its kinds – Gornooryahovski Sudzhu – is protected Geographical Indication with a guarantee of high quality. Since June has its own exposition in Bulgarian town Gorna Oryahovitsa.

 

Tarator

This cold soup you can taste traditionally on the Balkans. The taste is a fresh and really good alternative of Gazpacho. Generally contains ground walnuts, garlic, and yogurt or tahini, and often cucumber, herbs. If you are adventurer you could try to prepare it by yourself. It’s easy. Otherwise, you can order it in every restaurant in Bulgaria.

 

Bob chorba (Bean Soup)

That is another delicious soup with specific Bulgarian flavour. You may have tasted somewhere else, but Bulgarian will take your heart. Seriously!

 

Shopska salad

You can already heard of it but we want to say once again – this salad is one of the best combinations of vegetables and cheese in the world. It is made of tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, peppers, sirene (white brine cheese), parsley and olive or sunflower oil. It fits best with rakia and “Nazdrave” (Cheers! In Bulgarian) but you’ll learn that once you’ve come here.

 

Gyuvech

The dish is oven-baked meat and vegetable stew similar to ratatouille. It’s one of the typical Balkan meals because you could taste different varieties in all the countries on the Peninsula. The dish can be prepared with all kind of meats and vegetables like onion, tomatoes, peppers, courgettes, eggplant, peas, potatoes, carrots, etc.

Kavarma

Another typical dish you have to taste during your visit in Bulgaria, especially in the winter season. Generally the kavarma includes meat and vegetables cooked slowly in a lidded clay pot (gyuveche). The best variety is homemade, but other delicious ones could be found in traditional restaurants.

 

Banitsa

The magic of Bulgarian banitsa is its simplicity. Just have to layer a mixture of whisked eggs and pieces of cheese between filo pastry and then baking it in an oven. Banitsa is traditional breakfast served with plain yogurt, ayran or boza. You can find it in little bakeries and is delicious, but the best banitsa is homemade by someone’s granny.

 

“Tikvenik” (Sweet Pumpkin Banitza)

This is a sweet variety of traditional banitsa. “Tikvenik” is it name in Bulgarian and it filled with shredded pumpkin. It is a popular dessert served with a strong coffee.

Pita

Pita is a soft, slightly leavened flatbread baked from wheat flour. The preparation is similar to the pizza’s dough but bake when is well-risen. In Bulgaria and other Balkan countries, Pita is made often for holidays like a part of folklore traditions. There are some varieties for daily use like purlenka. Them you could taste in the restaurants.

According the ancient tradition, Bulgarians welcome their guests with pita, sharena sol (mixed salt and spices) and honey to show their hospitality.

 

Yogurt

The yogurt is one of the most famous Bulgarian foods all over the world. But there is a difference between the local and the types in other countries. You can taste it for breakfast or in combination with banitsa. It is the main ingredient for tarator and for some desserts too. A nice one is a yogurt with honey or jam and walnuts.