Culinary Specialities Bulgaria

Breakfast

In Bulgaria, breakfast is nowhere near as highly valued as lunch and dinner. Nevertheless, there are a few dishes that are considered typical options for breakfast.

Mekitsa (vegetarian)

Mekitsa is a flatbread made from kneaded dough that is deep-fried in hot oil. The breads are usually finished off with something sweet, such as powdered sugar.

Lyutenitsa (vegetarian)

This is not a finished dish, but a spread that is often eaten on bread or crackers. The spread consists of peppers, chili peppers, tomatoes, onions, salt, sugar and oil. The peppers are diced, fried and then cooked with the other ingredients in oil and water. The spread is also often served as a dip with meat dishes.

Banitsa (vegetarian)

For this dish, puff pastry pieces made from buttered phyllo pastry are layered with a mixture of eggs, yogurt and cheese as well as feta. During baking, the dough rises and becomes fluffy. The cheese melts, and together the ingredients create a kind of airy cheese bread.

Starters (salads)

Starters usually consist of bread or mixed platters with various small bites. Salads are also popular as a starter.

Shopska Salad (vegetarian)

This salad is quick and easy to prepare and consists of cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and onions, over which grated Bulgarian sirene cheese is sprinkled. The salad is enjoyed not only as a starter, but also as a side dish with the main course.

Ovcharska Salad

This salad is "just" another variation of the Shopska salad, but the addition of other ingredients changes the flavor quite a bit. In addition to the original ingredients (cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, onions and cheese), mushrooms, eggs and ham are added. The salad is especially popular in summer, as it makes a great snack on hot days thanks to its fresh ingredients.

Snezhanka Salad (vegetarian)

This salad would probably be more accurately described as a dip. It is very similar to the typical Greek tzatziki. The creation, made mainly from yogurt, garlic and cucumber, is garnished with dill, ground walnuts, oil and salt, and is light and refreshing.

Soups and stews

There is a wide variety of different soups in Bulgaria. Since some of the soups are very rich and filling, many of them can also be eaten together with bread as a main course. In winter, warm, hearty soups are served, and in summer, cold soups are served.

Bob Chorba (vegetarian)

This soup is often referred to as Bulgaria's national dish. Beans are the main ingredient in this dish. They are soaked in water overnight. The water is then drained, and the beans are slowly cooked in a pot. They are cooked with diced peppers, onions, spices and salt until the desired consistency is reached.

Ribena chorba

Ribena chorba is a fish soup. It is prepared with various types of fish or fish heads. In addition, vegetable pieces cooked in fish broth are used. Typical vegetables for this soup are potatoes, carrots, onions, peppers and tomatoes.

Shkembe Chorba

This soup is often eaten as a hangover cure after a long night. It consists of tripe, water, flour, milk, red wine vinegar, garlic, paprika and hot chili peppers.

Guvech

This stew consists of vegetables, meat and spices. Potatoes, zucchini, tomatoes, peppers and other vegetables are cooked for a long time together with meat and spices. This gives the stew its own unique flavor. The stew can also be prepared vegetarian, as well as with fish. There are many variations of this stew.

Main dishes

Kavarma

We're listing this dish first among the main courses, since it closely resembles a stew and could just as easily be listed in that category. It is a mix of various types of meat and vegetables that is cooked for a long time in a clay pot before being served. This dish is often served in a loaf of bread.

Drusan kebab

For this traditional dish, pork is diced and fried with tomatoes, dried peppers and onions. Sometimes it is served with fried eggs as a side dish.

Kashkaval Pane (vegetarian)

Kashkaval Pane is particularly well suited for vegetarians. The dish consists of deep-fried and pan-fried kashkaval cheese, which is then served as a kind of schnitzel with salad or fries.

Chushki Burek (vegetarian)

To cook this recipe, peppers are the main ingredient needed. Chushki Burek is a stuffed and then fried pepper. The pepper is filled with a mixture of cheese, eggs and fresh herbs. It is then coated in flour, eggs and breadcrumbs and fried until crispy. It is usually served with a sour garlic-yogurt sauce or a fresh salad.

Patatnik (vegetarian)

Patatnik is a potato dish. To make it, sliced potatoes, onions, salt, pepper, eggs, sirene cheese and diced peppers are simply mixed together and baked in the oven.

Desserts

Often, plenty of fruit is simply eaten, but there are also very well-known desserts, such as chocolate mousse. In this section, we present two typical desserts.

Garash Cake (vegetarian)

This chocolatey cake is a very popular dessert. Five delicate layers of dough are coated with dark chocolate. These are then stacked on top of each other, so that the dough and chocolate alternate. The entire cake is also coated with chocolate or a creamy ganache. It is then decorated with walnuts, coconut, almonds and chocolate.

Tikvenik (vegetarian)

This pastry consists of thin, filled sheets of dough. The most common filling consists of grated pumpkin, nuts, sugar and cinnamon. Whether sliced or cut into smaller pieces, the dish is finished with powdered sugar. This dish is also often served for breakfast. Yogurt is an ideal accompaniment to this dish.

Drinks

Above all, alcoholic beverages produced in Bulgaria itself are very popular and well-known. In particular, various types of wine and fruit brandies can be found everywhere there, and you should definitely give them a try!

Mavrud

This wine is made from a native and very popular Bulgarian grape variety. This grape ripens particularly well in warmer climates and is then used to produce varietal wines and blends.

Rakia

Rakia is considered the national drink. It is a fruit brandy made from many different fruits, such as peach or apricot. The drink is produced in most parts of the country and is very popular.

The Europamaut team wishes you a pleasant trip!

We wish you a pleasant trip to Bulgaria and lots of enjoyment on your culinary exploration of this diverse country. You can find more information on the toll in Bulgaria in our guide. Feel free to also use our route planner to plan your trip optimally and see the suitable toll products displayed. If you have any questions, we're happy to help at any time via email.