Bulgarian food means a lot of fresh vegetables, warm soups, juicy meats and slow-cooked dishes. Our cuisine has been influenced by the greek, ottoman and middle-eastern culture, which now translates in a rich variety of fascinating flavors and aromas.
The best part is that the food is cheap and there are literally hundreds of dishes to try
So, without further ado, here is my list of the top 19 tastiest foods you MUST have when you visit Bulgaria.
*the description is below the photos
The all time favorite Shopska salata ( Salad the Shopsky style ) is a flavourful mix of tomatos, cucumbers, sweet, raw or roasted peppers, onions, white cheese, parsley and a vinegar dressing. According to the know-it-all wikipedia ‘It is a product of early socialism in Bulgaria, the only survivor of five or six recipes, written in the late 1950s, whose aim was to impress the foreigners to visit the country.'( I can tell you that it still impresses them). It is named after an ethnic group of people, called shopi, who live in and around the capital of Bulgaria, Sofia.
Tarator is our answer to the Spanish gazpacho. This is a refreshing cold yogurt soup, very popular in the hot summer days. It is made with diluted plain yogurt, chopped cucumber, garlic, fresh dill, salt and olive oil.
Supa topcheta ( meatball soup ) – a classic, cooked in every Bulgarian home
Pileshka supa – chicken soup, full of goodness and flavour. Fresh parsley and a bit of freshly squeezed lemon take it to the next level. Plus it is well known that it is not good only for the soul but for soothing both cold and flu symptoms too.
Kurban chorba ( kurban soup ). The word ‘kurban’ comes from turkish/arabic and means sacrifice. In the past it included the killing of a sacrifical animal, the meat of which was boiled and then shared in a communal feast. Bulgarians made kurban on great holidays, family gatherings, big festivals, to thank for the fulfilment of a wish, to ask for a divine help,to honour a vow, etc. Now it can be found in most restaurants around the country.
A must try is a mixed plate of Bulgarian salami, especially Lukanka and Sudjuk ( the darker ones in the photo). The recipe has been passed down by generations for centuries and it is unique to Bulgarian cuisine
Sirene po shopski ( Cheese the Shopsky style ) is a traditional dish made with tomatoes,white Bulgarian cheese and egg on the top, baked in small earthware pots. If you want to try the non vegetarian version, you should ask for Sirene po Trakiiski ( Cheese the Tracian style) which includes the Lukanka salami.
Chushki burek ( Peppers burek ) is another hot appetizer, prepared with peeled and roasted peppers, filled with cheese, dipped in beaten egg and flour and then deep-fried. Usually served with yogurt garlic sauce.
Pulen patladjan sus sirene – roasted aubergine with tomato sauce, filled with creamy garlic cheese and topped with parsley
Kashkaval panè ( Bulgarian fried cheese ) is a hot deep-fried appetizer typically made with sheep’s milk ‘kashkaval cheese’
Purjeni tikvichki – sliced fried courgettes served warm, covered with mixed natural yoghurt with little pressed garlic and salt and sprinkled with chopped dill
Agneshka drob sarma ( lamb liver with rice ) is a popular tasty dish made with chopped liver, rice, spring onions, aromatic spices, covered with a mixture of eggs and yogurt. Served with fresh cold yogurt on the side.
Kavarma is a delicious dish made with chicken or pork, sweet peppers, onions, carrots and mushrooms. It is prepared in a clay pot and must be slow-cooked.
Agneshko po Gergiovski ( Oven-roasted lamb in the Saint Georges style ) served with fresh green salad and ‘drob syrma’. There are no words to describe how sublime the taste is. It is a seasonal dish that you can find around Easter and Saint Georges’s day which is on the 6th of May.
Kiufte – meatballs that are usually made of a mixture of beef and pork with breadcrumbs, sliced onions and local spices. If you prefer it spicy ask for ‘nervozno kiufte’.
Purjeni kartofi sus sirene – fried potatoes topped with white cheese (yummyyy)
Banitsa is a breakfast or dessert pastry which appears in both sweet and salty forms. It can be made with many different fillings, including white cheese, spinach, leeks, or pumpkin and walnuts.
Boza is made with fermented wheat or rye. It has thick consistency, slightly acidic sweet flavor and a low alcohol content ( 1% ). I, personally, don’t know any foreigner who managed to drink even one sip, but I think it is more due to the not-so-inviting look than the taste itself. However, ladies can be motivated by the fact that it is a common believe in Bulgaria that drinking boza regularly can enlarge women’s breasts.
Ayran is a cold yogurt beverage, perfect to accompany any meal of the day, from breakfast to dinner.
In case you were wondering, yes, we put yogurt and cheese anywhere we can 🙂
19 thoughts on “19 Tantalizing Bulgarian Foods You Must Try”
No I have not had any of those dishes up there and I want it! So far far far away! It all looks so good!
There are Bulgarians everywhere, so you might have a Bulgarian restaurant closer than you think 😀
Oh, never thought of it! Going to find out!
Wow… I’d like to write “nice post” but I can… The title, the order and at some places you wrote about meat, but for meatball soup or salami you didn’t write about the type of meat used. The post is chaotic. If you had worked a bit on polishing it, it would be a great post, so far it’s so-so… tho you tried to work hard for it.
What will happen if I go to Bulgaria and don’t try those things? Will I get killed by an angered God, fanatic, I’ll be put to jail or I’ll have to pay a fine?
It’s nice that you put a guide, but did you even think for a minute some people may have allergy (milk, eggs), special diet (like gluten-free) or religion-motivated diet (like Muslims not eating pork)? I guess not. Will you still claim that everybody MUST try those foods you selected? Why couldn’t you “recommend” or “suggest” but you’re giving orders?
Hi,
thank you for your comment even though it quite surprised me. This is my personal blog where I share my personal opinions and tastes. The dishes above are some of my favorite representatives of our culinary tradition and since I often get asked about examples of typical Bulgarian food I think this might be useful to get an idea of what is it like. I never claimed that this is an exhaustive food guide for people with special diet needs.
And nothing will happen if you don’t try, I’m sorry if you felt being ordered to do something against your will. ‘Must’ just gets the attention, this is it.
Molto interessante! Grazie! Vorrei provare tutto! 🙂
No I have not had any of those dishes up there and I want it! So far far far away! It all looks so good!
There are Bulgarians everywhere, so you might have a Bulgarian restaurant closer than you think 😀
Oh, never thought of it! Going to find out!
Wow… I’d like to write “nice post” but I can… The title, the order and at some places you wrote about meat, but for meatball soup or salami you didn’t write about the type of meat used. The post is chaotic. If you had worked a bit on polishing it, it would be a great post, so far it’s so-so… tho you tried to work hard for it.
What will happen if I go to Bulgaria and don’t try those things? Will I get killed by an angered God, fanatic, I’ll be put to jail or I’ll have to pay a fine?
It’s nice that you put a guide, but did you even think for a minute some people may have allergy (milk, eggs), special diet (like gluten-free) or religion-motivated diet (like Muslims not eating pork)? I guess not. Will you still claim that everybody MUST try those foods you selected? Why couldn’t you “recommend” or “suggest” but you’re giving orders?
Hi,
thank you for your comment even though it quite surprised me. This is my personal blog where I share my personal opinions and tastes. The dishes above are some of my favorite representatives of our culinary tradition and since I often get asked about examples of typical Bulgarian food I think this might be useful to get an idea of what is it like. I never claimed that this is an exhaustive food guide for people with special diet needs.
And nothing will happen if you don’t try, I’m sorry if you felt being ordered to do something against your will. ‘Must’ just gets the attention, this is it.
Molto interessante! Grazie! Vorrei provare tutto! 🙂
Cuántos sabores! Buen post!
Saludos
Meli
Gracia Meli! Feliz dìa ?
So cool, love your pics!
Alice Cerea,
BABYWHATSUP.COM
Thank you, lovely Alice <3
Very interesting post. I tried more or less all of that..but my favourite it is always fried potatos with cheese ???
A far cry from the Balkan Air in flight food of the ’90s!
Mmmmm, I had an unforgettable green pees and veal stew on one of their flights. Still can’t forget it ? Now you can have three cookies
Wow interesting! Would never really think of Bulgarian food, thanks for the tips!
Danika Maia
http://www.danikamaia.com
The food looks appetising.
направо угладнях 🙂 супер!
Da, nqma po-vkusna ot bylgarskata hrana ???
Hi Gabi, Loved your amazing and beautiful blog. Lots of information and vibrant images. Thanks for liking my blog. Cheers!
Thank you, dear! I love Asia, food and asian food ?