Bulgarian cuisine ( bg, българска кухня , translit=bǎlgarska kuhnja) is part of the cuisine of Southeast Europe, sharing characteristics with other Balkan cuisines. Bulgarian cooking traditions are diverse because of geographical factors such as climatic conditions suitable for a variety of vegetables, herbs, and fruit. Aside from the vast variety of local Bulgarian dishes, Bulgarian cuisine shares a number of dishes with Persian, Turkish, and Greek cuisine. Bulgarian cuisine includes a significant contribution from Ottoman cuisine, and therefore shares a number of dishes with Middle Eastern cuisine, including '' moussaka'', '' gyuvetch'', '' kyufte'', '' baklava'', '' ayran'', ''

gyuvech Ghivetch ( bg, гювеч, , ro, ghiveci, , fa, دیزی٫ tr, güveç, bs, đuveč, , mk, ѓувеч, , sr, ђувеч, ) is a traditional Balkan autumn vegetable stew most closely associated with Romania, where it is a national dish, and Bulg ...

'', and '' shish kebab''. Bulgarian food often incorporates salads as appetizers and is also noted for the prominence of dairy products, wines, and other alcoholic drinks such as '' rakia''. The cuisine also features a variety of soups, such as the cold soup tarator, and pastries, such as the filo dough-based ''

banitsa Banitsa ( bg, баница, , also transliterated as banica and banitza) is a traditional pastry dish made in Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Southeastern Serbia (where it may also be referred to as gibanica), prepared by layering a mixture of wh ...

'', pita, and the various types of '' börek''. Main courses are very typically water-based

stew A stew is a combination of solid food ingredients that have been cooked in liquid and served in the resultant gravy. A stew needs to have raw ingredients added to the gravy. Ingredients in a stew can include any combination of vegetables a ...

s, either vegetarian or with lamb, goat meat, veal,

chicken The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated junglefowl species, with attributes of wild species such as the grey and the Ceylon junglefowl that are originally from Southeastern Asia. Rooster or cock is a term for an adu ...

, or

pork Pork is the culinary name for the meat of the domestic pig (''Sus domesticus''). It is the most commonly consumed meat worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BCE. Pork is eaten both freshly cooked and preserved ...

. Deep-frying is not common, but grilling—especially of different kinds of

sausage A sausage is a type of meat product usually made from ground meat—often pork, beef, or poultry—along with salt, spices and other flavourings. Other ingredients, such as grains or breadcrumbs may be included as fillers or extenders. ...

s—is prominent. Pork is common, often mixed with veal or lamb, although

fish Fish are Aquatic animal, aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack Limb (anatomy), limbs with Digit (anatomy), digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and Chondrichthyes, cartilaginous and bony fish as we ...

and chicken are also widely used. While most cattle are bred for milk production rather than meat, veal is popular for grilling meat appetizers (

meze Meze or mezza (, ) is a selection of small dishes served as appetizers in the Levant, Turkey, Greece, the Balkans, the Caucasus and Iran. It is similar to Spanish tapas and Italian antipasti. A mezze may be served as a part of a multi-course ...

) and in some main courses. As a substantial exporter of lamb, Bulgaria's own consumption is notable, especially in the spring. Similar to other Balkan cultures, the per-capita consumption of

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 ...

() among Bulgarians is traditionally higher than the rest of Europe. The country is notable as the historical namesake for ''Lactobacillus bulgaricus'', a microorganism chiefly responsible for the local variety of dairy products. (), a white brine cheese similar to

feta Feta ( el, φέτα, ) is a Greek brined white cheese made from sheep's milk or from a mixture of sheep and goat's milk. It is soft, with small or no holes, a compact touch, few cuts, and no skin. Crumbly with a slightly grainy texture, it ...

, is also a popular ingredient used in salads and a variety of pastries. Holidays are often observed in conjunction with certain meals. On Christmas Eve, for instance, tradition requires vegetarian stuffed peppers and cabbage leaves '' sarmi''. New Year's Eve usually involves cabbage dishes, Nikulden (Day of St. Nicholas, December 6) involves fish (usually carp), while Gergyovden (Day of St. George, May 6) is typically celebrated with roast lamb.

Traditional Bulgarian foods

Bulgarian breakfast

* ''

Banitsa Banitsa ( bg, баница, , also transliterated as banica and banitza) is a traditional pastry dish made in Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Southeastern Serbia (where it may also be referred to as gibanica), prepared by layering a mixture of wh ...

'' – baked pastry made of layered stuffing and phyllo. There are many varieties with different names, with arguably the most famous one being with eggs, sirene, and yogurt. * '' Börek'' – filled pastry of Turkish origin * ''Tutmanik'' – similar to pita, made with yeast dough and milk, but with white cheese. * ''Milinki'' (singular: ''milinka'') – bread roll type pastry with eggs and sirene * Princess with minced meat – open-faced baked sandwich with minced meat, and possibly some yellow cheese on top * Princess with yellow cheese – open-faced baked sandwich with yellow cheese on top * Princess with eggs and cheese – open-faced baked sandwich with egg and ''sirene'' mixture on top * ''Mekitsi'' (singular: ''mekitsa'') – deep-fried dough pastry, typically served with jam, honey, sirene, or icing sugar * French toast (Purjena filia) – bread dipped in eggs and milk (either cow's milk or yogurt) and fried in oil * Kazanlak Doughnuts – a specific type of doughnuts, from the town of Kazanlak * ''Buhti'' (singular: ''buhta'') – deep-fried dough balls, often served with jam, honey, or sirene * ''Langidi'' (singular: ''langida'') – somewhat similar to American-style pancakes, soft and eggy * ''Palachinki'' (singular: ''palachinka'') – Bulgarian-style pancakes that are thinner than American pancakes and sometimes rolled around some stuffing * ''Katmi'' (singular: ''katma'') – another variant of Bulgarian pancakes, which are bigger and thicker and are rolled around stuffing * ''

Popara Popara (Cyrillic: ''попара'', gr, παπάρα, ''papara'', tr, papara) is a dish made with bread. Typically the bread is old and has a thick crust, and is soaked in either hot tea, milk or water. Sugar, honey, butter, and cheese are ofte ...

'' – might be made from

rusks A rusk is a hard, dry biscuit or a twice-baked bread. It is sometimes used as a teether for babies. In some cultures, rusk is made of cake, rather than bread: this is sometimes referred to as cake rusk. In the UK, the name also refers to a whe ...

, bread, or kozunak with tea, milk, or sour milk (Bulgarian yogurt). Quite different from other Bulgarian breakfasts, this one was very popular during the 20th century, and many Bulgarians remember this dish with fondness and childhood nostalgia.

Cold cuts

* ''Banski starets'' (also ''banski staretz'') – spicy sausage,Bousfield & Willis, p. 232. native to the Bansko region * ''

Elenski but Elenski but ( bg, еленски бут or (more precisely but less commonly) , sometimes translated as ''Elena round'' or ''Elena leg'') is a dry-cured ham from the town of Elena in northern Bulgaria and a popular delicacy throughout the countr ...

'' – air-cured ham sausage, seasoned with herbs * '' Lukanka'' – spicy

salami Salami ( ) is a cured sausage consisting of fermented and air-dried meat, typically pork. Historically, salami was popular among Southern, Eastern, and Central European peasants because it can be stored at room temperature for up to 45 ...

of minced beef and pork * ''Pastarma'' – spicy beef sausage;Bousfield & Richardson, p. 40. a variant of

Anatolia Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...

n dried meat called ''pastırma'' in Turkish, ''pastourmas'' in Greek, '' bastirma'' in Azerbaijani, and '' basterma'' in Arabic * '' Sujuk'' (also ''soudjouk'', ''sukuk'', ''sukuk'', or ''sucuk'') – flat cured, dark red sausage, common in the Balkans, Eastern Mediterranean, and North Africa

Soups and stews

* ''Tarator'' – cold soup of cucumbers, garlic, yogurt, and dill * Vegetable soup – with various fresh vegetables and potatoes *

Nettle soup Nettle soup is a traditional soup prepared from stinging nettles. Nettle soup is eaten mainly during spring and early summer, when young nettle buds are collected. Today, nettle soup is mostly eaten in Scandinavia, Iran, Ireland, and Eastern Euro ...

– with rice and sirene *

Spinach soup Spinach soup is a soup prepared using spinach as a primary ingredient. A common dish around the world, the soup can be prepared as a broth-based or cream-based soup, and the latter can be referred to as "cream of spinach soup." In China, a spinac ...

– with sirene and eggs * ''Bob chorba'' – hot bean soup *

Lentil soup Lentil soup is a soup with lentils as its main ingredient; it may be vegetarian or include meat, and may use brown, red, yellow, green or black lentils, with or without the husk. Dehulled yellow and red lentils disintegrate in cooking, making a ...

– brown lentils soup * Mushroom soup – with forest mushrooms * Chicken soup – made with vermicelli, potatoes, and vegetables * ''Teleshko vareno'' – boiled veal, potatoes, and vegetables in consommé * ''Ribena chorba'' – a traditional spicy fish soup, made with

thyme Thyme () is the herb (dried aerial parts) of some members of the genus ''Thymus'' of aromatic perennial evergreen herbs in the mint family Lamiaceae. Thymes are relatives of the oregano genus '' Origanum'', with both plants being mostly indigen ...

and fresh lovage * ''Topcheta'' soup – a Bulgarian meatball soup thickened with egg yolks and yogurt * Lamb soup – made from lamb organ meats * ''Kurban chorba'' – lamb meat and lamb organ meats, eggs, and vegetables * ''Shkembe chorba'' – spicy soup made of

tripe Tripe is a type of edible lining from the stomachs of various farm animals. Most tripe is from cattle, pigs and sheep. Types of tripe Beef tripe Beef tripe is made from the muscle wall (the interior mucosal lining is removed) of a cow's ...

, reputed in Bulgaria to be a "

hangover cure Hangover remedies consist of foods, dishes, and medicines, that have been described as having a theoretical potential for easing or alleviating symptoms associated with the hangover. List of hangover foods Scientific * Asparagus: In a small c ...

" * ''Pacha'' – a sour pork's-trotter soup, with sour ingredients such as pickles, bitter fruit, or vinegar in the broth * '' Ghivetch'' – spicy vegetable stew with vegetables and sometimes different meats, often cooked in a clay potDeutsch, p. 87-88. * ''Smilyanski fasul'' – Smilyan bean stewRoss, p. 67. * Potato stew

Salads

* ''Ovcharska salata'' (shepherd's salad) – shopska salad, with the addition of grated egg, mushrooms, and sometimes hamSachsenroeder, p. 143. * ''Ruska salata'' (Russian salad) – salad with potatoes, carrots, gherkins, and mayonnaise * ''Shopska salad'' – a common salad of chopped cucumbers, onions, peppers, and tomatoes with white cheese * ''Snezhanka'' (" Snow White salad") – chopped cucumbers with yogurt, dill, garlic, and often walnuts * '' Turshiya'' (also ''torsi'') – pickled vegetables, such as celery, beets, cauliflower, and cabbage, popular in wintertime; variations are ''selska turshiya'' (country pickle) and ''tsarska turshiya'' (king's pickles)

Sauces, relishes, and appetizers

* '' Lyutenitsa'' (also ''lyutenitza'') – purée of tomatoes, red peppers, and carrots, often served on bread and topped with white cheese * ''Kyopulu'' (also ''kyopolou'') – roasted eggplant (aubergine) and bell peppers, mashed with parsley, garlic, and other ingredients * '' Lyutika'' – spicy sauce * ''Podluchen'' sauce or yogurt sauce – yogurt with garlic, oil, paprika, salt, and sometimes dill * ''Katino meze'' – hot starter with chopped pork meat, onion, and mushrooms with fresh butter and spices * ''Drob po selski'' – chopped liver with onion and peppers * ''Ezik v maslo'' – sliced tongue in butter * ''Sirene pane'' – breaded Bulgarian brine white cheese bites * ''Kashkaval pane'' – breaded ''kashkaval'' bites * Mussels in butter – with onion and fresh herbs; traditionally from Sozopol

Skara (grill)

* '' Kyufte'' – meatballs of minced pork meat, seasoned with traditional spices and shaped in a flattened ball * '' Kebapche'' – similar to meatballs, but seasoned with cumin and shaped in a stick * ''Parjola'' – pork steak, chop, or flank * ''Shishcheta'' – marinated pieces of chicken or pork and vegetables * ''Karnache'' – a type of sausage with special spices * ''Nadenitsa'' – a type of sausage with special spices * ''Tatarsko kyufte'' – stuffed meatballs * ''Nevrozno kyufte'' – very piquant meatballs * Chicken in caul * ''Cheverme'' – used in celebrations such as weddings, graduations, and birthdays; a whole animal, traditionally a pig, but also chicken or a lamb, is slowly cooked in an open fire, rotated manually on a wooden skewer from 4 to 7 hours * ''Meshana skara'' (mixed grill plate) – consists of ''kebapche'', ''kyufte'', ''shishche'', and ''karnache'' or ''nadenitsa'' * Grilled vegetables – usually a garnish or a side dish * Grilled fish (saltwater or freshwater)

Main dishes

* '' Ghivetch'' * ''Yahniya'' * ''Plakiya'' * ''Sarma'' * ''Drob Sarma'' * Wine, Tepsi, or Tas kebab * '' Kavarma'' * ''Kapama'' * ''Mish-mash'' – popular summer dish made with tomatoes, peppers, onion, white brine cheese, eggs, and fresh spices * Pilaf – rice with chopped meat, vegetables, or mussels * '' Moussaka'' * ''Chomlek'' * ''Mlin'' * Stuffed

courgettes The zucchini (; plural: zucchini or zucchinis), courgette (; plural: courgettes) or baby marrow (''Cucurbita pepo'') is a summer squash, a vining herbaceous plant whose fruit are harvested when their immature seeds and epicarp (rind) are s ...

* ''Pulneni chushki'' – Bulgarian stuffed bell peppers * Peppers ''börek'' * Roasted beans * Beans with sausage * Pork with rice * Roasted chicken with potatoes * Pork with cabbage * Chicken with cabbage * Roasted potatoes * Drusan kebab * Rice with chicken * Tatarian meatball * Meatball(s) with white sauce stew * ''Kjufteta po Chirpanski'' – meatballs with potatoes; a recipe from

Chirpan Chirpan ( bg, Чирпан, ) is a town on the Tekirska River in Stara Zagora Province of south-central Bulgaria. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Chirpan Municipality. As of 2021, the town had a population of 13,391 down fro ...

Meatloaf Meatloaf is a dish of ground meat that has been combined with other ingredients and formed into the shape of a loaf, then baked or smoked. The final shape is either hand-formed on a baking tray, or pan-formed by cooking it in a loaf pan. ...

'Rulo "Stephanie"' * Potato balls with sauce * Panagyurishte-style eggs * Fried

with yogurt sauce * Chicken in katmi – popular in a "Thracian" variety * Fish Zelnik – with sauerkraut and rice * Fish in pastry – usually in celebration of St. Nicholas * Stuffed carp or Nikuldenski carp – prepared for the feast of St. Nicholas

Breads and pastries

* Pita * Sweet pita * Pita with meat – variably with mushrooms or with tomatoes and onion * ''

Pogača Poğaça is a type of bread baked in the ashes of the fireplace, and later on in the oven, similar to focaccia. Found in the cuisines of the Balkans, it can be leavened or unleavened, though the latter is considered more challenging to make. It ...

'' (usual ritual bread) * ''Kravai'' (usual ritual bread) * ''Kolach'' (usual ritual bread) * ''

'' – the most popular pastry in Bulgaria with a number of varieties * ''Tikvenik'' – banitsa with pumpkins * '' Zelnik'' – banitsa with white brine cheese and cabbage, spinach, leek, scallion, parsley, or sorrel * '' Baklava'' * ''Saraliya'' * ''Parlenki'' * '' Patatnik'' * ''

Kačamak Kačamak is a kind of maize porridge made in parts of Western Asia and Southeastern Europe. Its name is derived from the Turkish word ''kaçamak'', meaning escapade. It is also known as bakrdan (бакрдан) in North Macedonia. History The dis ...

'' * ''Byal Mazh'' * ''Tutmanik'' * ''Milinka'' * '' Gevrek'' * '' Kozunak'' * ''Mekitsi'' – deep fried kneaded dough made with

and eggs * ''Marudnitsi'' * ''Katmi'' – a variety of pancakes * ''Palachinki'' – a variety of crêpes * ''Langidi'' * ''Tiganitsi'' (similar to Mekitsi) * ''Dudnik'' * ''

'' * ''Sulovar'' * ''Parjeni filii'' – "fried toasts" * ''Kiflichki'' with jam or white cheese * ''Solenki'' * ''Yufka'' * ''Trienitsa'' or ''skrob'' * '' Trahana''

Dairy products

Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedo ...

has a strong tradition of using

milk Milk is a white liquid food produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals (including breastfed human infants) before they are able to digest solid food. Immune factors and immune-modulat ...

and dairy products. Bulgaria even has a namesake strain of bacteria, ''Lactobacillus bulgaricus'', used to make many of its cheeses and

fermented food In food processing, fermentation is the conversion of carbohydrates to alcohol or organic acids using microorganisms—yeasts or bacteria—under anaerobic (oxygen-free) conditions. Fermentation usually implies that the action of microorganism ...

s which gives it a distinct in its flavor. * '' Sirene'' – soft and salty white brine cheese that appears in many Bulgarian dishes * '' Kashkaval'' – hard yellow cheese, often used in appetizers; ''kashkaval Vitosha'' is made from cow's milk, while ''kashkaval Balkan'' is made from ewe's milk * ''Kiselo mlyako'' () – Bulgarian

, produced using ''Lactobacillus delbrueckii'' subsp. ''bulgaricus''; used in many Bulgarian dishes * ''Smetana'' – sour cream * ''Izvara'' –

cottage cheese Cottage cheese is a curdled milk product with a mild flavor and a creamy, non-homogeneous, soupy texture. It is made from skimmed milk by draining the cheese, as opposed to pressing it to make cheese curd—retaining some of the whey and keep ...

, quark * ''Katak'' – a traditional fermented

curd Curd is obtained by coagulating milk in a sequential process called curdling. It can be a final dairy product or the first stage in cheesemaking. The coagulation can be caused by adding rennet or any edible acidic substance such as l ...

/ yogurt-like productTropcheva et al.
Antifungal activity and identification of Lactobacilli, isolated from traditional dairy product "katak"
''Anaerobe'' (2014), doi: 10.1016/j.anaerobe.2014.05.010.

Sweets

The name ''halva'' () is used for several related varieties of the Middle Eastern dessert. ''Tahan / tahini halva'' () is the most popular version, available in two different types with

sunflower The common sunflower (''Helianthus annuus'') is a large annual forb of the genus ''Helianthus'' grown as a crop for its edible oily seeds. Apart from cooking oil production, it is also used as livestock forage (as a meal or a silage plant), ...

and with sesame seed. Traditionally, the regions of

Yablanitsa Yablanitsa ( bg, Ябланица; also ''Jablanica'', ''Iablanica'', ''Yablanica'', ''Jablanitsa'', ''Iablanitsa'', ''Jablanitza'', ''Yablanitza'', ''Iablanitza'', ) is a small town in the westernmost part of Lovech Province, central-north Bulg ...

and Haskovo are famous manufacturers of halva. * Pumpkin dessert () * '' Baklava'' * ''Kadaif'' * ''Revane'' * ''Buhti'' with yogurt * ''Tolumbi'' () – fried choux pastry cakes soaked in syrup which is usually made with honey * Cookies "Peach" or Praskovki * Fruit bread * Biscuit cake * ''Torta Garash'' (Garash cake) * ''Katmi'' with jam or honey or cheese (today usually with added chocolate) * ''Skalichki'' * Kazanlak Donuts * ''Kazanlak Korabii'' () – a scone like pastry that is egg washed and sprinkled with sugar * ''Keks'' – similar to marble cake * '' Kompot'' * '' Kozunak'' * '' Kurabiiki'' * ''Lokum'' * ''Maslenki'' * Milk with rice * ''Oshav'' * Tart with cherries or sour cherries – traditionally from Bobov dol * Tart with different fruits * ''Tatlii'' * ''Tikvenik''

Spices and herbs

* Summer savory (Chubritsa) * Spearmint (Djodjen) * ''Sharena sol''

Other staples

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 ...

Traditional Bulgarian drinks

Wine

* Mavrud * Pamid * Gamza * Melnik wine * Dimyat * Misket * Muskat * Nohan or Lipa * Divachka * Shivka * Rubin * Tamyanka

Beer

* Ariana * Astika * Boliarka * Burgasko *Britos * Kamenitza * Ledenika * Lomsko *MM * Pirinsko * Plevensko *

Shumensko Shumensko is a Bulgarian beer brand ( bg, Шуменско пиво) from the town of Shumen. The brewery was founded in 1882 by merchants from Shumen and the Czech master brewer Franz Milde, who arrived in September and founded the Bulgarian ...

Stolichno Stolichno is a Bulgarian bock beer ( bg, Столично пиво) produced by the Zagorka Brewery since 2004. The beer was originally brewed at Sofia's Ariana Brewery (hence the name, which literally means "of the capital city"). It is a strong ...

* Zagorka

Distilled liqueurs

* '' Rakia'' ** '' Slivovitsa'' ** ''Gyulova rakia'' (rose rakia) ** ''Muskat rakia'' * '' Mastika'' * ''

Menta Menta is a sweet mint liqueur prepared from natural ingredients like spearmint oil. It is a refreshing drink popular in Bulgaria in the summertime. It is a component of some cocktails as the traditional "Cloud" (in Bulgarian - Облак) where i ...

'' * Pelin wine

Fermented beverages

* '' Boza'' – the most popular recipes are from Radomir and Lyubimets * '' Ayran'' (or ''ayryan'') – cold, yogurt-based beverage * ''Matenitsa'' – Bulgarian

buttermilk Buttermilk is a fermented dairy drink. Traditionally, it was the liquid left behind after churning butter out of cultured cream. As most modern butter in western countries is not made with cultured cream but uncultured sweet cream, most m ...

Hot beverages

* Tea – usually prepared with one or several herbs,

rose A rose is either a woody perennial flowering plant of the genus ''Rosa'' (), in the family Rosaceae (), or the flower it bears. There are over three hundred species and tens of thousands of cultivars. They form a group of plants that can be ...

, or fruits * ''Greyana rakia'' (boiled ''rakia'') – winter alcoholic beverage * ''Greyano vino'' ( mulled wine) – winter alcoholic beverage

Notes

References

*''DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: Bulgaria'' (DK: rev. ed. 2011). *Jonathan Bousfield & Matthew Willis, ''DK Eyewitness Travel: Bulgaria'' (DK: 2008). *James I. Deutsch, "Bulgaria" in ''Ethnic American Food Today: A Cultural Encyclopedia'' (ed. Lucy M. Long: Rowman & Littlefield, 2015). *Annie Kay, ''Bulgaria'' ( Bradt Travel Guides: 2nd ed. 2015), p. 57. *Fiona Ross, "Bulgaria" in ''Food Cultures of the World Encyclopedia'' (ed. Ken Albala: ABC-CLIO, 2011). *Agnes Sachsenroeder, ''CultureShock! Bulgaria: A Survival Guide to Customs and Etiquette'' (Marshall Cavendish: 2nd ed. 2011). {{DEFAULTSORT:Bulgarian cuisine Balkan cuisine