World Flavors Cookbook

Bulgaria Recipes

Bulgarian cuisine blends Balkan, Ottoman, and Slavic traditions with a particular emphasis on dairy products (Bulgaria may have invented yogurt), fresh vegetables, and slow-cooked clay pot dishes. The Rose Valley produces the world's finest rose oil, which also flavors desserts.

Recipes from Bulgaria

• Shopska Salad

  Bulgaria's most famous salad — a refreshing mix of chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and onions, topped with a generous layer of grated sirene (white brined cheese). The colors of the ingredients mimic the Bulgarian flag.

• Banitsa (Cheese Filo Pie)

  A cherished Bulgarian pastry made by layering sheets of phyllo dough with a mixture of whisked eggs, yogurt, and sirene cheese.

• Kebapche

  Grilled minced meat sausages seasoned with cumin and black pepper, a staple of Bulgarian barbecues.

• Tarator (Cold Yogurt Soup)

  A refreshing summer soup made with yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, and walnuts.

• Mish Mash

  A delicious summer scramble of peppers, tomatoes, and sirene cheese.

• Kyufte

  Flavorful grilled or fried meat patties, a staple of Bulgarian cuisine.

• Bob Chorba (Bean Soup)

  A traditional and hearty white bean soup, considered a national dish.

• Mekitsi

  Deep-fried dough pieces, a beloved Bulgarian breakfast treat.

• Tikvenik (Pumpkin Pastry)

  A sweet version of banitsa filled with grated pumpkin, walnuts, and cinnamon.

• Shkembe Chorba (Tripe Soup)

  A spicy and creamy tripe soup, famous as a hangover cure.

• Lukanka

  A traditional Bulgarian dry-cured salami, often served as an appetizer.

• Gyuvech (Clay Pot Stew)

  A hearty meat and vegetable stew slow-baked in a traditional clay pot.

• Kapama

  A rich and festive layered meat and sauerkraut stew, a specialty of Bansko.

• Patatnik (Potato Pie)

  A traditional potato dish from the Rhodope Mountains, made with grated potatoes and mint.

• Kavarma

  A slow-cooked dish of meat and vegetables, traditionally baked in small individual clay pots.

• Lyutenitsa

  A legendary Bulgarian spread made from roasted red peppers, tomatoes, and carrots.

• Sarmi (Cabbage Rolls)

  Sauerkraut leaves stuffed with a savory mixture of minced meat and rice.

• Sarmi (Vine Leaf Rolls)

  Tender vine leaves stuffed with rice and herbs, often served with yogurt.

• Musaka (Bulgarian Style)

  A comforting baked dish of cubed potatoes and minced meat, topped with a thick yogurt and egg glaze.

• Sirene po Shopski

  A simple and delicious clay pot dish of baked white cheese with tomatoes and eggs.

• Teleshko Vareno (Boiled Beef Soup)

  A rich and healthy boiled beef and root vegetable soup.

• Pileška Supa (Chicken Soup)

  A comforting chicken soup thickened with a mixture of yogurt and egg yolks.

• Snezhanka Salad (Snow White Salad)

  A creamy salad made with thick strained yogurt, cucumbers, and garlic.

• Kyopolou

  A delicious roasted eggplant and pepper relish with garlic.

• Parlenka (Flatbread)

  Traditional Bulgarian flatbread grilled over an open flame, often flavored with garlic or cheese.

• Garash Cake

  A famous and decadent Bulgarian chocolate cake made with five layers of walnut sponge and chocolate cream.

• Baklava (Bulgarian Style)

  Sweet layers of filo filled with walnuts and cinnamon, soaked in a thick sugar syrup.

• Kozunak (Easter Bread)

  A sweet, braided yeast bread traditional for Orthodox Easter, often filled with raisins or walnuts.

• Kurabii (Honey Cookies)

  Traditional Bulgarian honey cookies, often decorated with a walnut.

• Medenki

  Soft honey cookies often dipped in chocolate or sandwiched with jam.

• Katmi

  Thick Bulgarian pancakes made with yeast and baked on a special clay griddle (sach).

• Skumriya na Skara (Grilled Mackerel)

  Fresh mackerel grilled over charcoal, a coastal favorite.

• Pastarma

  Dry-cured beef or lamb, heavily seasoned with a spicy spice paste.

• Yahniya (Slovak Stew)

  A traditional thick meat and vegetable stew.

• Chushki Palneni (Stuffed Peppers)

  Peppers stuffed with minced meat and rice, a domestic classic.

• Bob Chorba

  Bulgaria's national bean soup — a thick, paprika-spiced white bean soup with carrots, tomatoes, and spearmint.

• Gulyás (Hungarian Goulash)

  Hungary's iconic paprika-spiced beef and potato stew — a rich, russet-red soup-stew that is the soul of Magyar cuisine.