Food from Puzata Hata restaurant in Lviv

Ukrainian cuisine is the collection of the various cooking traditions of the people of Ukraine, one of the largest and most populous European countries. It is heavily influenced by the rich dark soil ('' chernozem'') from which its ingredients come and often involves many components. Traditional Ukrainian dishes often experience a complex heating process – "at first they are fried or boiled, and then stewed or baked. This is the most distinctive feature of Ukrainian cuisine". The national dish of Ukraine is '' borscht'', the well-known beet soup, of which many varieties exist. However, ''varenyky'' (boiled dumplings similar to

pierogi Pierogi are filled dumplings made by wrapping unleavened dough around a savory or sweet filling and cooking in boiling water. They are often pan-fried before serving. Pierogi or their varieties are associated with the cuisines of Central, Ea ...

) and a type of

cabbage roll A cabbage roll is a dish consisting of cooked cabbage leaves wrapped around a variety of fillings. It is common to the cuisines of Central, Northern, Eastern and Southeastern Europe and much of Western Asia, Northern China, as well as parts o ...

known as'' holubtsi'' are also national favourites and are a common meal in traditional Ukrainian restaurants. These dishes indicate the regional similarities within Eastern European cuisine. The cuisine emphasizes the importance of wheat in particular, and grain in general, as the country is often referred to as the " breadbasket of Europe". The majority of Ukrainian dishes descend from ancient peasant dishes based on plentiful grain resources such as rye, as well as staple vegetables such as potato, cabbages, mushrooms and beetroots. Ukrainian dishes incorporate both traditional Slavic techniques as well as other European techniques, a byproduct of years of foreign jurisdiction and influence. As there has been a significant

Ukrainian diaspora The Ukrainian diaspora comprises Ukrainians and their descendants who live outside Ukraine around the world, especially those who maintain some kind of connection, even if ephemeral, to the land of their ancestors and maintain their feeling of Uk ...

over several centuries (for example, over a million Canadians have Ukrainian heritage), the cuisine is represented in European countries and those further afield, particularly Argentina, Brazil, and the USA.

Soups

* '' Borscht'' is a vegetable soup made out of beets, cabbage, potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, onions, garlic, dill."Cuisine – Flavors and Colors of Ukrainian Culture."Ukraine.com
Accessed July 2011."Ukraine National Food, Meals and Cookery."Ukrainetrek.com
Accessed July 2011. There are about 30 varieties of Ukrainian borscht. It may include meat or fish. * '' Zelenyj borshch'' (green borscht) or ''shchavlevyj borshch'' (sorrel soup): water or broth based soup with

sorrel Sorrel (''Rumex acetosa''), also called common sorrel or garden sorrel, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the family Polygonaceae. Other names for sorrel include spinach dock and narrow-leaved dock ('dock' being a common name for the genus '' ...

and various vegetables, served with chopped hard-boiled egg and sour cream. It is to note the word "borscht" is not implying beet's presence. * '' Kapusnyak'': soup made with pork, salo, cabbage, beans, and served with smetana (sour cream). * '' Rosolnyk'': soup with pickled cucumbers. * '' Solyanka'': thick, spicy and sour soup made with meat, fish or mushrooms and various vegetables and pickles. * '' Yushka'': clear soup, made from various types of fish such as

carp Carp are various species of oily freshwater fish from the family Cyprinidae, a very large group of fish native to Europe and Asia. While carp is consumed in many parts of the world, they are generally considered an invasive species in parts of ...

, bream, wels catfish, or even ruffe.

Salads and appetizers

* '' Kovbasa'': various kinds of smoked or boiled pork, beef or chicken sausage. * '' Salo'': cured fatback. * '' Kholodets'': aspic ('' Studenetz or richcake'') made with meat or fish (''zalyvna ryba''). * ''

Olivier Olivier is the French form of the given name Oliver. It may refer to: * Olivier (given name), a list of people and fictional characters * Olivier (surname), a list of people * Château Olivier, a Bordeaux winery * Olivier, Louisiana, a rural po ...

'': salad made out of cooked and chopped potatoes, dill pickles, boiled chopped eggs, cooked and chopped chicken or ham, chopped onions, peas, mixed with mayonnaise. * '' Vinigret'': salad with cooked and shredded beets, sauerkraut, cooked and chopped potatoes, onions, and carrots, sometimes pickles mixed with some sunflower oil and salt.

Bread and grain

Bread and wheat products are important to Ukrainian cuisine. The country has been considered one of the traditional "breadbaskets" of the world. Decorations on the top can be elaborate for celebrations. * '' Babka'': Easter bread, usually a sweet dough with raisins and other dried fruit. It is usually baked in a tall, cylindrical form. * '' Bublik'': ring-shaped bread roll made from dough that has been boiled before baking. It is similar to bagel, but usually somewhat bigger and with a wider hole. * '' Kolach'': ring-shaped bread typically served at Christmas and funerals. The dough is braided, often with three strands representing the

Holy Trinity The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God th ...

. The braid is then shaped into a circle (circle = ''kolo'' in Ukrainian) representing the circle of life and family. * '' Korovai'': a round, braided bread, similar to the kalach. It is most often baked for weddings and its top decorated with birds and periwinkle. * '' Palianytsia'': regular baked bread (famously difficult to pronounce for non-Ukrainian speakers). * '' Pampushky'': soft, fluffy bread portions topped with garlic butter. * '' Paska'': traditional rich pastry.

Main courses

* '' Banush'': a cornmeal stew. *''

Varenyky Pierogi are filled dumplings made by wrapping unleavened dough around a savory or sweet filling and cooking in boiling water. They are often pan-fried before serving. Pierogi or their varieties are associated with the cuisines of Central, Easte ...

'' (also called ''pyrohy'' in some regions of Western Ukraine): dumplings made with fillings such as mashed potatoes and fried onions, boiled ground meat and fried onions, liver and fried onions, fried cabbage with fried onions,

quark A quark () is a type of elementary particle and a fundamental constituent of matter. Quarks combine to form composite particles called hadrons, the most stable of which are protons and neutrons, the components of atomic nuclei. All commonly ...

, cherries, and strawberries. Served with sour cream and butter or sugar, when filled with fruits. * '' Pyrizhky'': baked buns stuffed with different fillings, such as ground meat,

liver The liver is a major organ only found in vertebrates which performs many essential biological functions such as detoxification of the organism, and the synthesis of proteins and biochemicals necessary for digestion and growth. In humans, it i ...

, eggs, rice,

onions An onion (''Allium cepa'' L., from Latin ''cepa'' meaning "onion"), also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus '' Allium''. The shallot is a botanical variety of the on ...

, fried cabbage or

sauerkraut Sauerkraut (; , "sour cabbage") is finely cut raw cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria. It has a long shelf life and a distinctive sour flavor, both of which result from the lactic acid formed when the bacteria ...

cherries A cherry is the fruit of many plants of the genus '' Prunus'', and is a fleshy drupe (stone fruit). Commercial cherries are obtained from cultivars of several species, such as the sweet ''Prunus avium'' and the sour ''Prunus cerasus''. The ...

etc. * '' Pyrih'': a big pie with various fillings. * '' Holubtsi'': cabbage or vine leaves (fresh or sour) rolled with rice filling and may contain meat (minced beef or bacon), baked in oil and caramelized onions and may contain as a baking sauce tomato soup, cream or sour cream, bacon

drippings Dripping, also known usually as beef dripping or, more rarely, as pork dripping, is an animal fat produced from the fatty or otherwise unusable parts of cow or pig carcasses. It is similar to lard, tallow and schmaltz. History It is used for ...

or roasted with bacon strips on top. * '' Mlyntsi'' or ''nalisnyky'': thin pancakes usually filled with

, meat, cabbage, fruits, served with sour cream. * Stuffed duck or goose with apples. * Roast meat (''pechenya''): pork, veal, beef or lamb roast. * Fish (''ryba''): fried in egg and flour; cooked in oven with mushrooms, cheese, and lemon; marinaded, dried or smoked variety. * ''Guliash'': refers to stew in general, or specifically Hungarian goulash. * ''Kotlety/Sichenyky'' ( cutlets, meatballs): minced meat or fish mixed with eggs, onions, garlic, breadcrumbs, and milk, fried in oil and sometimes rolled in breadcrumbs. * '' Kotleta po-kyivsky'':

Kyiv Kyiv, also spelled Kiev, is the capital and most populous city of Ukraine. It is in north-central Ukraine along the Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2021, its population was 2,962,180, making Kyiv the seventh-most populous city in Europe. Ky ...

-style chicken cutlet. * ''Kruchenyky'' or ''Zavyvantsi'': pork or beef rolls with various stuffing: mushrooms, onions, eggs, cheese, sauerkraut, carrots, etc. * ''

Kasha In English, kasha usually refers to pseudocereal buckwheat or its culinary preparations. In various East-Central and Eastern European countries, ''kasha'' can apply to any kind of cooked grain. It can be baked but most often is boiled, either ...

hrechana zi shkvarkamy'':

buckwheat Buckwheat (''Fagopyrum esculentum''), or common buckwheat, is a flowering plant in the knotweed family Polygonaceae cultivated for its grain-like seeds and as a cover crop. The name "buckwheat" is used for several other species, such as ''Fagop ...

cereal with pork rinds and

onion An onion (''Allium cepa'' L., from Latin ''cepa'' meaning "onion"), also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus '' Allium''. The shallot is a botanical variety of the on ...

. * Potato (''kartoplia'', also ''barabolia'' or ''bulba''): young or peeled, served with butter, sour cream, dill; a more exclusive variety includes raw egg. * '' Deruny'': potato pancakes, usually served with rich servings of sour cream. File:Potato pancakes.jpg, Deruny in a traditional crockery dish. File:Chicken Kiev - Ukrainian East Village restaurant.jpg, '' Kotleta po-kyivsky'' (Kyiv-style chicken)

Desserts

* ''

Kutia Kutia or kutya is a ceremonial grain dish with sweet gravy traditionally served by Eastern Orthodox Christians and Byzantine Catholic Christians predominantly in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia during the Christmas - Feast of Jordan holiday seas ...

'': traditional

Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year ...

dish, made of poppy seeds, wheat, nuts,

honey Honey is a sweet and viscous substance made by several bees, the best-known of which are honey bees. Honey is made and stored to nourish bee colonies. Bees produce honey by gathering and then refining the sugary secretions of plants (primar ...

, and delicacies.Recipe: Kutia, Star of the Ukrainian Christmas Eve Supper
. Sovabooks.com.au. Retrieved on 2016-12-17. * '' Pampushky'': sweet dough similar to

doughnut holes A doughnut or donut () is a type of food made from leavened fried dough. It is popular in many countries and is prepared in various forms as a sweet snack that can be homemade or purchased in bakeries, supermarkets, food stalls, and fran ...

. Frequently tossed with

sugar Sugar is the generic name for sweet-tasting, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. Simple sugars, also called monosaccharides, include glucose, fructose, and galactose. Compound sugars, also called disaccharides or do ...

. Traditionally filled with rose preserve, but can also be filled with poppy seed or other sweet fillings. * '' Syrnyky'': fried

fritter A fritter is a portion of meat, seafood, fruit, vegetables or other ingredients which have been battered or breaded, or just a portion of dough without further ingredients, that is deep-fried. Fritters are prepared in both sweet and savory v ...

s, sometimes with raisins, served with sour cream, jam ('' varennya''), honey or apple sauce. * Torte: many varieties of cakes, from moist to puffy, most typical ones being Kyivskyi, Prazhskyj, and Trufelnyj. They are frequently made without flour, instead using ground walnuts or

almonds The almond (''Prunus amygdalus'', syn. ''Prunus dulcis'') is a species of tree native to Iran and surrounding countries, including the Levant. The almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree. Within the genus ...

. * '' Varennya'': a whole fruit preserve made by cooking berries and other fruits in sugar syrup. * '' Zhele'': (plural and singular) jellied fruits, like cherries, pears, etc. or '' Ptashyne moloko'' (literally ‘birds' milk’)—milk/chocolate jelly. * '' Kyiv cake'': creamy dessert consisting of two soft (soaked) cakes and a nut-chocolate cream. File:Holy Eve cooking. Kutia.jpg, ''

'' File:Syrniki6.jpg, '' Syrniki'' with raisins

Beverages

Alcoholic

Horilka Horilka ( uk, горілка, be, гарэлка, ro, horincă) is a Ukrainian alcoholic beverage. The word ''horilka'' may also be used in a generic sense in the Ukrainian language to mean vodka or other strong spirits and etymologically ...

(''горілка''): strong spirit of industrial production or its home-made equivalent – ("самогон" or moonshine) is also popular, including with infusions of fruit, spices, herbs or hot peppers. One of the most exotic is flavoured with honey and red pepper. *

Beer Beer is one of the oldest and the most widely consumed type of alcoholic drink in the world, and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches, mainly derived from ce ...

(пиво, ): the largest producers of beer are Obolon,

Lvivske Lvivske ( uk, Львівське) is a brand of Ukrainian beer produced by the Lviv brewery since 1715 (currently PJSC Carlsberg Ukraine, part of the Carlsberg Group Carlsberg A/S (; ) is a Danish multinational brewer. Founded in 1847 by J ...

, Chernihivske, Slavutych, Sarmat, and Rogan, which partly export their products. *

Wine Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from Fermentation in winemaking, fermented grapes. Yeast in winemaking, Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different ...

(вино, ): from Europe and Ukraine (particularly from

Crimea Crimea, crh, Къырым, Qırım, grc, Κιμμερία / Ταυρική, translit=Kimmería / Taurikḗ ( ) is a peninsula in Ukraine, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, that has been occupied by Russia since 2014. It has a p ...

), mostly sweet. See Ukrainian wine. * Mead (мед, , or медуха, ): a fermented alcoholic beverage made from honey, water, and yeast. Its flavour depends on the plants frequented by the honeybees, the length of time and method of aging, and the specific strain of yeast used. Its alcohol content will vary from maker to maker depending on the method of production. * (наливка): a homemade wine made from cherries, raspberries, gooseberries, bilberries, blackberries, plums, blackthorns and other berries. Berries were put into a sulija (a big glass bottle), some sugar was added. After the berries fermented, the liquid was separated from the berries, and put into corked bottles. The berries were used to make (baked or fried pastry). The wine has about 15% of alcohol.

Non-alcoholic

* Mineral water: well-known brands are Truskavetska, Morshynska, and Myrhorodska. They usually come strongly carbonated. * '' Kompot'' (компот): a sweet beverage made of dried or fresh fruits or berries boiled in water. * '' Uzvar'' (узвар): a specific type of kompot made of dried fruit, mainly apples, pears, and prunes. * '' Kvass'' (квас): a sweet-and-sour sparkling beverage brewed from yeast, sugar, and dried rye bread. * '' Kefir'' (кефір): milk fermented by both yeast and lactobacillus bacteria, and having a similar taste to

yogurt Yogurt (; , from tr, yoğurt, also spelled yoghurt, yogourt or yoghourt) is a food produced by bacterial fermentation of milk. The bacteria used to make yogurt are known as ''yogurt cultures''. Fermentation of sugars in the milk by these bac ...

. Homemade kefir may contain a slight amount of alcohol. * '' Pryazhene moloko'' (пряжене молоко): baked milk, a milk product having a creamy colour and a light caramel flavour. It is made by simmering milk on low heat for at least eight hours. * '' Ryazhanka'' (ряжанка): fermented baked milk.