What Food is Popular in Bosnia (and you should definitely try it)!

Bey’s Stew – What Food is Popular in Bosnia

Just like it`s architecture, Bosnian`s cuisine has been shaped by various influences through history. It is very traditional, representing a mix of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. Since Austria ruled over this region during the late 1800s and early 1900s, it added a bit of central European influence to this magnificent mix.

Bosnian cuisine is based on many spices, but usually in moderate quantities. Most dishes are light, as they are cooked in lots of water; the sauces are fully natural, consisting of little more than the natural juices of the vegetables in the dish. Typical ingredients include tomatoes, potatoes, onions, garlic, bell peppers, cucumbers, carrots, cabbage, mushrooms, spinach, courgette, dried and fresh beans, plums, milk, paprika and cream called pavlaka and kajmak. Typical meat dishes include primarily beef and lamb. Some local specialties are ćevapi, burek, dolma, sarma, pilav (pilaf), gulaš (goulash), ajvar and a whole range of Eastern sweets. The best local wines come from Herzegovina where the climate is suitable for growing grapes. Plum or apple rakija is produced in Bosnia.

Here are some of our favorite Bosnian dishes you should try while you are in Bosnia:

Ćevapi – Bosnian kebabs: small grilled meat sausages made of lamb and beef mix; served with onions, sour cream, ajvar and Bosnian pita bread (somun). You can combine them with greek yogurt, tomatoes, or spicy sauces.

Cevapi is a popular Bosnian Food

Begova Čorba (Bey’s Stew) – a popular Bosnian soup (chorba) made of meat and vegetables

Sogan-dolma – onions stuffed with minced meat

Dolma is also a popular food in Bosnia

Meat under sač (meso ispod sača) – a traditional way of cooking lamb, veal, or goat under a metal, ceramic, or earthenware lid on which hot coals and ashes are heaped

Pilav (pilaf) – grain, such as rice or cracked wheat, browned in oil and then cooked in a seasoned broth

Klepe– traditional Bosnian pasta filled with minced meat or cheese.

Klepe – What Food is Popular in Bosnia

Burek – a meat-filled flaky pastry, traditionally rolled in a spiral and cut into sections for serving. The same dish filled with cottage cheese is called sirnica, one with spinach and cheese zeljanica, and one with potatoes krompiruša. All these varieties are generically referred to as pita (Bosnian for “pie”).