Traditional Eastern European Recipes
By Barbara Rolek, About.com Guide to Eastern European Food
Eastern European food has two sides -- traditional, Old World recipes reminiscent of the glory days of the aristocracy, and hearty and delicious comfort food designed to fill the ravenous appetites of hard-working farmers. These authentic recipes reflect the culinary diversity of Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine.
- Traditional Appetizer Recipes
- Traditional Soup Recipes
- Traditional Salad Recipes
- Traditional Main Course Recipes
- Traditional Vegetable Recipes
- Traditional Starch Recipes
- Traditional Noodles, Dumplings, Pancakes Recipes
- Traditional Fruit Recipes
- Traditional Bread Recipes
- Traditional Dessert Recipes
- Traditional Beverage Recipes
Traditional Appetizer Recipes
Eastern Europeans believe in gracious hospitality and a "meal before the meal" is a given in most homes. Savory strudels, smaller versions of stuffed cabbage or homemade sausage all have a place on the Eastern European buffet table.
- Mushroom Strudel Recipe
- Bulgarian Fried Bell Peppers with Cheese Recipe
- All About Caviar
- Bulgarian Cheese Turnover Recipe - Banitza
- Russian / Ukrainian Stuffed Potato Dumplings Recipe - Pampushki
- Romanian Stuffed Polenta Balls Recipe - Mamaliga
- Polish / Russian Salmon Turnover Recipe - Kulebiak
- Serbian Cheese Spread Recipe - Kajmak
Traditional Soup Recipes
Many of these traditional Eastern European soup recipes can be served warm and cold. They are so hearty, they can be the main course, but most cooks use them to stimulate the appetite for the delights that are to follow.
- Oxtail Soup Recipe
- Polish Mushroom-Barley Soup Recipe - Zupa Grzybowa
- Serbian White Bean Soup Recipe - Pasulj
- Serbian Lamb-Vegetable Soup Recipe - Chorba od Janjetina
- Hungarian Creamed Kohlrabi Soup Recipe
- Hungarian Sweet-and-Sour Cabbage Soup Recipe - Cukros Ecetes Kaposztaleves
- Polish White Borscht Recipe - Bialy Barszcz
- Polish Pumpkin Soup Recipe - Zupa z Dyni
- Polish Beet Borscht Recipe - Barszcz Czysty Czerwony
- Polish Dill Pickle Soup Recipe - Zupa Ogorkowa
Traditional Salad Recipes
Eastern European cuisine is based on fresh, seasonal ingredients and nowhere is that seen more clearly than in their salads. They can be hot or cold, lettuce based or a medley of brined vegetables.
- Polish Cucumbers in Sour Cream Recipe - Mizeria
- Bulgarian Salad Recipe - Shopska Salata
- Serbian Potato Salad Recipe
- Polish Ham and Fruit Salad Recipe - Surowka z Szynka i Owoce
Traditional Main Course Recipes
Eastern European main courses place a heavy emphasis on comfort food. These traditional recipes may take a little time, but they are well worth the effort. You'll be channeling your grandmother in no time!
- Polish Stuffed Cabbage Recipe - Golabki
- Polish Hunter's Stew Recipe - Bigos
- Polish Breaded Pork Cutlets Recipe - Kotlety Schabowe
- Serbian Barbecued Shish Kebab Recipe - Raznjici
- Serbian Cheese Pie Recipe - Burek
- Spit-Roasted Pig
- Spit-Roasted Lamb
- Croatian / Serbian Stuffed Cabbage Recipe - Sarma
- Hungarian Beef Goulash Recipe - Marhas Gulyas
- Hungarian Steaks Esterhazy Recipe - Esterhazy Rostelyos
- Polish Kielbasa Sausage Recipe - Bialy Kielbasa
- Romanian Sausages Recipe - Mititei
Traditional Vegetable Recipes
Eastern European cooks pride themselves on cooking with the seasonal bounty, whether from their own garden or the farmers' market. Cabbage, mushrooms, kohlrabi, cucumbers and peppers are all favorites.
- Czech Creamed Brussels Sprouts Recipe - Kapoustova Poupata Na Smetane
- Czech Braised Cabbage Recipe - Dusene Zeli
- Czech Green Beans Recipe - Fazolove Lusky na Paprice
- Hungarian Tomato-Pepper Stew Recipe - Lecso
- Polish Horseradish Recipe - Chrzan
- Polish Braised Red Cabbage Recipe - Czerwona Kapusta Zasmazana
- Polish Split Peas and Cabbage Recipe - Kapusta z Grochem
- Polish Cucumbers in Sour Cream Recipe - Mizeria
- Polish Pickled Beets Recipe - Buraczki Marynowane
- Polish Rhubarb Compote - Kompot z Rabarbaru
Traditional Starch Recipes
Starches go beyond potatoes and rice in the Eastern European kitchen. Discover wonderful grains from bulgur wheat to buckwheat groats and how easy they are to prepare.
- Kasha with Mandarin Oranges and Raisins Recipe
- Fat-Free Potato Pancakes Recipe - Latkes
- Potato Pancakes Recipe - Placki Kartoflane
- Lithuanian Savory Bread Pudding Recipe - Kugelis
- Savory Mushroom Bread Pudding Recipe
- Russian / Ukrainian Fried Stuffed Potato Balls Recipe - Pampushki
Traditional Noodles, Dumplings, Pancakes Recipes
While noodles, dumplings and pancakes (crepes or blintzes) are technically considered starches, they play such a huge role in Eastern European cooking, they deserve special treatment. And "traditional" doesn't necessarily translate into "difficult."
- How to Make Polish Pierogi
- How to Make Lazy Polish Pierogi
- Bohemian-Czech Bread Dumplings Recipe - Houskove Knedliky
- Croatian Plum Dumplings Recipe - Knedle s Sljivama
- Croatian / Serbian Sweet Cheese Blintzes - Palachinke
- Potato Knish Recipe
- Hungarian Pinched Noodles Recipe - Csipetke
- Hungarian Crepes Recipe - Palacsinta Teszta Hushoz
- Hungarian Plum Dumplings Recipe - Szilvas Gomboc
- Lithuanian Meat and Cheese Filled Potato Dumplings - Cepelinai
- Polish Egg Noodles Recipe - Kluski
- Polish Blintz or Crepe Recipe - Nalesniki
Traditional Fruit Recipes
Fruit is the preferred dessert in Eastern Europe and recipes abound for elaborate cordials to fresh fruit served au naturel with, perhaps, a dollop of sweetened whipped cream. Fruit compotes are very popular.
- Polish Cranberry-Currant Sauce Recipe - Sos Zurawinowo-Porzeczkowy
- Brandied Fruit Recipe
- Hungarian Prune or Apricot Butter Recipe - Lekvar
- Polish Plum Buter Recipe - Powidla Sliwkowe
- Pickled Peaches Recipe
- Polish Dried Fruit Compote Recipe - Kompot
Traditional Bread Recipes
Bread is indispensable to Eastern Europeans and is served at just about every meal. Russians, Poles, Ukrainians, Hungarians and Lithuanians love their sourdough rye breads. Serbians, Bulgarians and Romanians prefer corn flour breads. But nearly every Eastern European country has its standby white bread. All breads are easy to prepare, they just take a little time. But you can multitask while the dough is rising!
- Polish Sourdough Rye Bread Recipe
- Polish Easter Baba Recipe - Babka Wielkanocna
- Easter Bread Recipes Across Eastern Europe
- Serbian Slava Bread Recipe - Slavski Kolach
- Serbian Christmas Bread Recipe - Cesnica
- Black Bread Recipe
- Hungarian Fried Bread Recipe - Langos
- Bohemian / Czech Braided Egg Bread Recipe - Hoska
- Romanian Easter Bread with Cheese Recipe - Pasca
- Russian Sourdough Dark Rye Bread Recipe
- Sloak Christmas Eve Bread Recipe - Pagach
- Slovak Bread Balls Recipe - Bobalki
Traditional Dessert Recipes
No Eastern European host would consider letting a guest leave the house without some type of dessert and coffee or tea, not to mention a little plum brandy or fruit cordial. Desserts range from simple butter cookies to strudels to nut rolls to elaborate tortes and other cakes. Many traditional dessert recipes are very easy to prepare, and some take a dedicated slot of time, so plan accordingly before beginning a recipe.
- Hungarian Esterhazy Torte Recipe - Esterhazy Torta
- Hungarian Stacked Pancakes Recipe - Rakott Palacsinta
- Hungtarian Dobosh Torte Recipe - Dobos Torta
- Bulgarian Cherry Strudel Recipe
- How to Make a Gingerbread House
- Polish Crullers or Angel Wings Recipe - Chrusciki
- Hungarian Sweet Cabbage Strudel Recipe
- Rustic Strawberry Tart Recipe
- Bulgarian Apple-Walnut Banitza Recipe
- Croatian Quince Candy Recipe - Kotonjata
- Croatian Bajadera Torte Recipe
- Nut Roll Recipe - Walnut Potica
- Roski Cookie Recipe
- Polish Christmas Cookie Recipes
- Polish Christmas Dessert Recipes
- Polish Kolaczki Recipe
Traditional Beverage Recipes
Whether with a strong demitasse of coffee, sweet tea, ice-cold vodka, mulled wine or plum brandy, Eastern Europeans believe in toasting to your good health, good wealth, good life! Some cordials require long aging periods and others do not. Here are some traditional recipes that require aging.
