Croatian cuisine is heterogeneous and is known as a cuisine of the regions, since every region of

Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...

has its own distinct culinary tradition. Its roots date back to ancient times. The differences in the selection of foodstuffs and forms of cooking are most notable between those in mainland and those in coastal regions. Mainland cuisine is more characterized by the earlier Slavic and the more recent contacts with Hungarian and

Turkish cuisine Turkish cuisine () is the cuisine of Turkey and the Turkish diaspora. It is largely the heritage of Ottoman cuisine, which can be described as a fusion and refinement of Mediterranean, Balkan, Middle Eastern, Central Asian and Eastern Eur ...

, using lard for cooking, and spices such as

black pepper Black pepper (''Piper nigrum'') is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, known as a peppercorn, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit is a drupe (stonefruit) which is about in dia ...

, paprika, and garlic. The coastal region bears the influences of

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

and

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

cuisine, as well as of the later

Mediterranean cuisine Mediterranean cuisine is the food and methods of preparation used by the people of the Mediterranean Basin. The idea of a Mediterranean cuisine originates with the cookery writer Elizabeth David's book, '' A Book of Mediterranean Food'' (1950 ...

, in particular

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

(especially Venetian). Coastal cuisines use olive oil, herbs and spices such as

rosemary ''Salvia rosmarinus'' (), commonly known as rosemary, is a shrub with fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves and white, pink, purple, or blue flowers, native to the Mediterranean region. Until 2017, it was known by the scientific name ''Rosmar ...

sage Sage or SAGE may refer to: Plants * ''Salvia officinalis'', common sage, a small evergreen subshrub used as a culinary herb ** Lamiaceae, a family of flowering plants commonly known as the mint or deadnettle or sage family ** ''Salvia'', a large ...

, bay leaf, oregano,

marjoram Marjoram (; ''Origanum majorana'') is a cold-sensitive perennial herb or undershrub with sweet pine and citrus flavours. In some Middle Eastern countries, marjoram is synonymous with oregano, and there the names sweet marjoram and knotted marj ...

, cinnamon, clove,

nutmeg Nutmeg is the seed or ground spice of several species of the genus ''Myristica''. ''Myristica fragrans'' (fragrant nutmeg or true nutmeg) is a dark-leaved evergreen tree cultivated for two spices derived from its fruit: nutmeg, from its seed, an ...

, and lemon and orange rind. Peasant cooking traditions are based on imaginative variations of several basic ingredients (cereals, dairy products, meat, fish, vegetables, nuts) and cooking procedures (stewing, grilling, roasting, baking), while bourgeois cuisine involves more complicated procedures and use of selected herbs and spices.

Charcuterie Charcuterie ( , also ; ; from french: chair, , flesh, label=none, and french: cuit, , cooked, label=none) is a French term for a branch of cooking devoted to prepared meat products, such as bacon, ham, sausage, terrines, ''galantines'', ''ballo ...

is part of the Croatian culinary tradition in all regions. Food and recipes from other

former Yugoslav countries The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, commonly referred to as SFR Yugoslavia or simply as Yugoslavia, was a country in Central and Southeast Europe. It emerged in 1945, following World War II, and lasted until 1992, with the breakup of Yugo ...

are also popular in Croatia.

Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...

n cuisine can be divided into several distinct cuisines ( Dalmatia,

Dubrovnik Dubrovnik (), historically known as Ragusa (; see notes on naming), is a city on the Adriatic Sea in the region of Dalmatia, in the southeastern semi-exclave of Croatia. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterran ...

, Gorski Kotar, Istria, Lika, Međimurje,

Podravina ''Podravina'' (in Croatian) or ''Podravje'' (in Slovenian) are Slavic names for the Drava river basin in Croatia and Slovenia. History Between 1929 and 1941 a province of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia known as the ''Drava Banovina'' (Drava province) ...

Slavonija Slavonia (; hr, Slavonija) is, with Dalmatia, Croatia proper, and Istria, one of the four historical regions of Croatia. Taking up the east of the country, it roughly corresponds with five Croatian counties: Brod-Posavina, Osijek-Baranja, ...

Zagorje Hrvatsko Zagorje (; Croatian Zagorje; ''zagorje'' is Croatian for "backland" or "behind the hills") is a cultural region in northern Croatia, traditionally separated from the country's capital Zagreb by the Medvednica Mountain. It compris ...

) each of which has specific cooking traditions, characteristic of the area and not necessarily well known in other parts of Croatia. Most dishes, however, can be found all across the country, with local variants.

Meat and game

* Specialities from the grill are called ''s roštilja'', those roasted on the spit ''s ražnja'' * ''pečeno'' means roasted * ''prženo'' means fried * ''pod pekom'' means that the dish has been put into a stone oven under a metal cover. The cook puts hot coals on the cover so that the meal is cooked slowly in its own juices. Specialties cooked ''pod pekom'' include lamb, veal, and octopus. * ''na lešo'' means boiled in broth or water (lamb, beef, fish) Meso z tiblice - servirano (Croatia)

Croatian meat-based dishes include: *Pork *Miješano meso or Ražnjići (

skewer A skewer is a thin metal or wood stick used to hold pieces of food together. The word may sometimes be used as a metonym, to refer to the entire food item served on a skewer, as in "chicken skewers". Skewers are used while grilling or roasting ...

s) *Zagrebački odrezak ( Veal steaks stuffed with ham and cheese, breaded and fried) *Šnicle (schnitzel) – breaded veal, pork or chicken cutlets * – pork ham from

Međimurje County Međimurje County (; hr, Međimurska županija ; hu, Muraköz megye) is a triangle-shaped county in the northernmost part of Croatia, roughly corresponding to the historical and geographical region of Međimurje. Despite being the smallest C ...

*Janjetina – roasted lamb garnished with Mediterranean herbs * Odojak – roasted suckling pig *Fresh game from Dalmatia * Visovačka begavica *

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...

with mlinci (flat pasta, soaked in roast juices) * Buncek – smoked pork hock, used in bean, sauerkraut or kale stews *Leg of lamb à la Pašticada *Leg of

venison Venison originally meant the meat of a game animal but now refers primarily to the meat of antlered ungulates such as elk or deer (or antelope in South Africa). Venison can be used to refer to any part of the animal, so long as it is edible, ...

the count's way *Wild

duck Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfamilies, they are a form ...

with sauce *Polpete, ćufte, faširanci –

Frikadeller A frikadelle (plural frikadellen) is a rounded, flat-bottomed, pan-fried meatball of minced meat, often likened to the German version of meatballs. The origin of the dish is unknown. The term is German but the dish is associated with German, ...

*Roasted

pheasant Pheasants ( ) are birds of several genera within the family Phasianidae in the order Galliformes. Although they can be found all over the world in introduced (and captive) populations, the pheasant genera native range is restricted to Eurasia ...

*Kotlovina from

Samobor Samobor () is a city in Zagreb County, Croatia. It is part of the Zagreb metropolitan area. Administratively it is a part of Zagreb County. Geography Samobor is located west of Zagreb, between the eastern slopes of the Samobor hills ( hr, Samo ...

(kettle with knuckle of pork and other meat and sausages) *Boiled

fillet Fillet may refer to: *Annulet (architecture), part of a column capital, also called a fillet *Fillet (aircraft), a fairing smoothing the airflow at a joint between two components *Fillet (clothing), a headband *Fillet (cut), a piece of meat *Fille ...

of beef

haunch Squatting is a versatile posture where the weight of the body is on the feet but the knees and hips are bent. In contrast, sitting involves taking the weight of the body, at least in part, on the buttocks against the ground or a horizontal object. ...

with

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 ferm ...

Escalope An escalope is traditionally a piece of boneless meat that has been thinned out using a mallet or rolling pin or beaten with the handle of a knife, or merely butterflied. The mallet breaks down the fibres in the meat, making it more tender. The ...

à la Baron Trenk (spicy-rolled

Schnitzel A schnitzel is a thin slice of meat. The meat is usually thinned by pounding with a meat tenderizer. Most commonly, the meat is breaded before frying. Breaded schnitzel is popular in many countries and is made using veal, pork, chicken, mutt ...

) * Međimurje

Goose A goose ( : geese) is a bird of any of several waterfowl species in the family Anatidae. This group comprises the genera ''Anser'' (the grey geese and white geese) and '' Branta'' (the black geese). Some other birds, mostly related to the ...

(stuffed with

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 ''Fagopy ...

) *

Turopolje Turopolje () is a region in Croatia situated between the capital city Zagreb and Sisak. The administrative center of the region Turopolje is the town of Velika Gorica. Geography Turopolje forms a part of Posavina, a region to the south of Za ...

(with corn

semolina Semolina is coarsely milled durum wheat mainly used in making couscous, and sweet puddings. The term semolina is also used to designate coarse millings of other varieties of wheat, and sometimes other grains (such as rice or corn) as well. Ety ...

as a side dish) * Purgerica Turkey (

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 from the bordering region to

Zagreb Zagreb ( , , , ) is the capital and largest city of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb stands near the international border between Croatia and Slov ...

, turkey filled with chestnuts, apples, bacon, lemons, etc.) * Krvavice, or čurke, blood sausages, made of blood and kaša * Hladetina, a particular type of

head cheese Head cheese (Dutch: ''hoofdkaas'') or brawn is a cold cut terrine or meat jelly that originated in Europe. It is made with flesh from the head of a calf or pig (less commonly a sheep or cow), typically set in aspic, and usually eaten cold, ...

* Brački vitalac *

Edible dormouse ''Glis'' is a genus of rodent that contains two extant species, both known as edible dormice or fat dormice: the European edible dormouse ''(Glis glis'') and the Iranian edible dormouse (''Glis persicus''). It also contains a number of fossil spec ...

– eaten on the

Dalmatian coast Dalmatia (; hr, Dalmacija ; it, Dalmazia; see #Name, names in other languages) is one of the four historical region, historical regions of Croatia, alongside Croatia proper, Slavonia, and Istria. Dalmatia is a narrow belt of the east shore of ...

according to

Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern Bizarre may refer to: *Bizarre (rapper) (born 1976), an American rapper and member of hip hop group D12 * Bizarre (band), a Spanish rock band * ''Bizarre'' (TV series), a Canadian sketch comedy television series * ''Bizarre'' (magazine), a siste ...

Seafood

Croatian seafood dishes include: * Squid – Croatian: ''lignje'', grilled, fried, stuffed or prepared as stew and served with polenta * Octopus salad – Croatian: ''salata od hobotnice''; octopus can also be prepared

brudet Brudet, brodet or brodeto is a fish stew made in Croatian regions of Dalmatia, Kvarner and Istria, as well as along the coast of Montenegro; the brodetto di pesce, or simply brodetto (''broeto'' in Lingua veneta, ''Brudèt ad pès'' in Roma ...

style, with red wine, or baked ''pod pekom'' * Cuttlefish risotto – Croatian: '' Crni rižot' *

Tuna A tuna is a saltwater fish that belongs to the tribe Thunnini, a subgrouping of the Scombridae ( mackerel) family. The Thunnini comprise 15 species across five genera, the sizes of which vary greatly, ranging from the bullet tuna (max len ...

* Scampi – Croatian: ''škampi'' *Common mussels – Croatian: ''dagnje'' *Salted

cod Cod is the common name for the demersal fish genus '' Gadus'', belonging to the family Gadidae. Cod is also used as part of the common name for a number of other fish species, and one species that belongs to genus ''Gadus'' is commonly not call ...

is imported, but dishes are very popular for Christmas Eve or on Good Friday. It can be prepared either as ''bakalar na bijelo'' (

, Dalmatia and Istria, with olive oil and garlic, with or without potatoes), or as ''bakalar na crveno'', in tomato-based stew, with potatoes. *

Fish Fish are aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct related groups. Approximately 95% of ...

stew – Croatian ''brodet'' or

(Dubrovnik and Dalmatia), best made with several type of fish (red rascasse, European conger, monkfish, European hake) *

Clam Clam is a common name for several kinds of bivalve molluscs. The word is often applied only to those that are edible and live as infauna, spending most of their lives halfway buried in the sand of the seafloor or riverbeds. Clams have two shel ...

s *Sea spider salad *Breaded

catfish Catfish (or catfishes; order Siluriformes or Nematognathi) are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the three largest species alive ...

or carp *Grilled

sardines "Sardine" and "pilchard" are common names for various species of small, oily forage fish in the herring family Clupeidae. The term "sardine" was first used in English during the early 15th century, a folk etymology says it comes from the Ital ...

or other fish (''na gradele'') *Salted

anchovies An anchovy is a small, common forage fish of the family Engraulidae. Most species are found in marine waters, but several will enter brackish water, and some in South America are restricted to fresh water. More than 140 species are placed in 1 ...

sardine "Sardine" and "pilchard" are common names for various species of small, oily forage fish in the herring family Clupeidae. The term "sardine" was first used in English during the early 15th century, a folk etymology says it comes from the It ...

(''slana riba'') are served as hors d'oeuvres or as a part of light supper with ''povrće na lešo'', salads etc. *''Buzara'' (shellfish sautéed in garlic, olive oil, parsley & white wine) * Date shells or '' prstaci'' are part of the traditional cuisine, but in the 20th century their extraction was banned as a measure of ecological protection

Stews

Stewed vegetables with a small amount of meat or sausages (''varivo'' or ''čušpajz'') is perceived as a healthy, traditional meal. Sour cream (in Northern Croatia) or olive oil (on the coast) can be added to the plate just before serving. Stewed meat dishes are often prepared by men in open spaces, following hunting and shepherding traditions. In Dalmatian urban cuisine, spices such as cinnamon and clove, dried plums, dried figs, apples and other fruit are sometimes added to meat stews. Gulyas080

Goulash Goulash ( hu, gulyás) is a soup or stew of meat and vegetables seasoned with paprika and other spices. Originating in Hungary, goulash is a common meal predominantly eaten in Central Europe but also in other parts of Europe. It is one of the n ...

(Croatian: ''gulaš'', see also Hungarian '' gulyás'') * Grah – pork hock bean stew (often done as ''grah i zelje'' – with sauerkraut, or ''grah s kiselom repom'' – with pickled turnip strings) *

Gregada Gregada is a Croatian dish from the island Hvar Hvar (; Chakavian: ''Hvor'' or ''For'', el, Φάρος, Pharos, la, Pharia, it, Lesina) is a Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea, located off the Dalmatian coast, lying between the islands of Br ...

- seafood stew * Varivo od mahuna – green beans stew * Riblji paprikaš – also called ''fiš-paprikaš'' (spicy fish stew from

Slavonia Slavonia (; hr, Slavonija) is, with Dalmatia, Croatia proper, and Istria, one of the four historical regions of Croatia. Taking up the east of the country, it roughly corresponds with five Croatian counties: Brod-Posavina, Osijek-Baran ...

, see also Hungarian ''

halászlé Fisherman's soup or halászlé () is a hot, spicy paprika-based fish soup. A folk item of Hungarian cuisine, it is a bright-red hot dish prepared with generous amounts of hot paprika and carp or mixed river fish. It is native to the Pannonian P ...

'') *Slavonska riblja čorba (fish stew from Slavonia) *

Brudet Brudet, brodet or brodeto is a fish stew made in Croatian regions of Dalmatia, Kvarner and Istria, as well as along the coast of Montenegro; the brodetto di pesce, or simply brodetto (''broeto'' in Lingua veneta, ''Brudèt ad pès'' in Roma ...

(or ''Brodet'') – fish stew * Chicken stew * Rabbit goulash * Ričet, also known as ''jačmik'', ''orzo'' * Istrian stew ( Jota) * Pašta fažol – bean stew with small pasta * Game Čobanac ( Shepherd's Stew) *Feines Venison goulash with prunes * Hunter's stew * Wine goulash * Sauerkraut stew * Zelena menestra – traditional cabbage and meat dish –

and surrounding area * Pašticada – Dalmatian beef stew with prunes and dried figs *

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 st ...

stew (''tripice'', ''fileki'')

Pasta

Pasta is one of the most popular food items in Croatian cuisine, especially in the region of Dalmatia. ''Manistra na pome'' (pasta with tomato sauce) is a staple. The other popular sauces include creamy mushroom sauce, minced meat sauce and many others. Fresh pasta (, ) is added to soups and stews, or prepared with cottage cheese, cabbage, even with walnuts or poppy seed. Potato dough is popular, not only for making (gnocchi), but also for making plum or cheese dumplings which are boiled, and then quickly fried in breadcrumbs and butter. * Žganci – cornmeal dish in Slovenian and Northern Croatian cuisine, also known as polenta (''palenta'', ''pura'') in Istria and Dalmatia *

Gnocchi Gnocchi ( , , ; singular ''gnocco'') are a varied family of dumpling in Italian cuisine. They are made of small lumps of dough most traditionally composed of a simple combination of wheat flour, egg, salt, and potato. Variations of the dish sup ...

, often served with pašticada or

goulash Goulash ( hu, gulyás) is a soup or stew of meat and vegetables seasoned with paprika and other spices. Originating in Hungary, goulash is a common meal predominantly eaten in Central Europe but also in other parts of Europe. It is one of the n ...

* Fuži, a typical pasta from Istria * Needle macaroni * Štrukli – baked or cooked filled pastry from Zagorje, Zagreb area. * Krpice sa zeljem – pasta with stewed cabbage * Šporki makaruli – traditional pasta with cinnamon-flavored meat sauce, from Dubrovnik and surrounding area File:Mlinci.jpg, Mlinci File:Kuhane_strukle_0210_1.jpg, Zagorski štrukli File:Ajdovi_zganci.JPG, Žganci

Soups

Soup is an integral part of a meal in Croatia and no Sunday family meal or any special occasion will go without it. The most popular soups are broth-based, with added pasta or semolina dumplings. They are usually light in order to leave space for the main course and dessert to follow. However, cream or roux-based soups are also popular, and there are many local variations of traditional soups. In Dalmatia, fish soup with fish chunks, carrots and rice is commonly served. * Maneštra * Veal soup with smoked meat * Beef broth with vermicelli pasta * Mushroom soup, especially with

porcini ''Boletus edulis'' (English: cep, penny bun, porcino or porcini) is a basidiomycete fungus, and the type species of the genus ''Boletus''. Widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere across Europe, Asia, and North America, it does not occu ...

* Dill soup * Zagorska juha with porcini mushrooms, bacon, sweet pepper * Prežgana juha *

Chicken soup Chicken soup is a soup made from chicken, simmered in water, usually with various other ingredients. The classic chicken soup consists of a clear chicken broth, often with pieces of chicken or vegetables; common additions are pasta, noodles, ...

Side dishes

* Sataraš (sliced and stewed summer vegetables) * Mlinci (typical northwest Croatian, roasted flatbread, similar to Caucasian flatbreads) * Đuveč (baked summer vegetables, similar to

Ratatouille Ratatouille ( , ), oc, ratatolha , is a French Provençal dish of stewed vegetables which originated in Nice, and is sometimes referred to as ''ratatouille niçoise'' (). Recipes and cooking times differ widely, but common ingredients include ...

)

Other

* Zagrebački odrezak – breaded escalope stuffed with ham and cheese, type of cordon bleu * Punjena paprika – peppers filled with minced meat (Turkish: ''dolma'') * Sarma –

rolls filed with minced pork meat and rice * Arambašići from Sinj – similar to Sarma, but made with finely diced beef and without rice * Lepinje – flat bread *Wild

truffles A truffle is the fruiting body of a subterranean ascomycete fungus, predominantly one of the many species of the genus ''Tuber''. In addition to ''Tuber'', many other genera of fungi are classified as truffles including '' Geopora'', '' Pe ...

, served on pasta, risotto, or fried eggs ( fritaja) *Croatian olive oil ''(Maslinovo ulje)'' * Paški baškotin – aromatic

zwieback Zwieback is a form of rusk eaten in Germany, Poland, Scandinavia, Austria, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, Slovenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Greece, and Turkey. It is a type of crisp, ...

(rusk) from the Island of Pag *Potatoes from the region of Lika ''(Lički krumpir)'' – high-quality, large, red potatoes *

from the

Varaždin ) , image_photo = , image_skyline = , image_flag = Flag of Varaždin.svg , flag_size = , image_seal = , seal_size = , image_shield = Grb_Grad ...

region * Cabbage (''zelje'') from the region of Zagreb *

Artichoke The globe artichoke ('' Cynara cardunculus'' var. ''scolymus'' ),Rottenberg, A., and D. Zohary, 1996: "The wild ancestry of the cultivated artichoke." Genet. Res. Crop Evol. 43, 53–58. also known by the names French artichoke and green artich ...

s with

pea The pea is most commonly the small spherical seed or the seed-pod of the flowering plant species ''Pisum sativum''. Each pod contains several peas, which can be green or yellow. Botanically, pea pods are fruit, since they contain seeds and d ...

s or broad beans * Fritaja with

asparagus Asparagus, or garden asparagus, folk name sparrow grass, scientific name ''Asparagus officinalis'', is a perennial flowering plant species in the genus '' Asparagus''. Its young shoots are used as a spring vegetable. It was once classified in ...

* Gorski kotar filling (pieces of ham with eggs and bread) *

Čvarci Čvarci (singular čvarak, sr-Cyrl, чварци / чварак, , , sl, ocvirki, ro, jumări, pl, skwarki, cz, škvarky, sk, škvarky, oškvarky, german: Grammeln, uk, шкварки, shkvarky, hu, töpörtyű, mk, Џимиринки) is ...

Sausages and ham

Kulen Kulen () is a type of flavored sausage made of minced pork that is traditionally produced in Croatia (Slavonia) and Serbia (Vojvodina). A regional festival of Kulen is held annually in Bački Petrovac. A kind of kulen from Syrmia has had its d ...

(Kulin) – spicy pork sausage from

* Češnjovka – spicy pork sausage with a harmonious garlic taste from

* Kobasica – spicy, air-dried or smoked sausage (Hungarian: ''kolbász'') *

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 days ...

from

* Švargl from

*Istrian and Dalmatian Pršut –

dry-cured ham Ham is pork from a leg cut that has been preserved by wet or dry curing, with or without smoking."Bacon: Bacon and Ham Curing" in ''Chambers's Encyclopædia''. London: George Newnes, 1961, Vol. 2, p. 39. As a processed meat, the term "ham" ...

* Ćevapčići * Panceta from Dalmatia * Špek from continental Croatia * Kaštradina – smoked mutton or goat meat * Ombolo

Cheese (''sir'')

* Paški sir – famous sheep's milk cheese from island of Pag *Farmers' cheese ( škripavac) and curd cheese from the regions of

Kordun The Kordun () region is a part of central Croatia from the bottom of the Petrova Gora (Peter's mountain) mountain range, which extends along the rivers Korana and Slunjčica, and forms part of the border region to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Within ...

and Lika *Cheese from the

Cetina Cetina () is a river in southern Croatia. It has a length of and its basin covers an area of . From its source, Cetina descends from an elevation of above sea level to the Adriatic Sea. It is the most water-rich river in Dalmatia.Naklada Naprijed ...

region '' Cetinski sir'' *Cheese from the Island of

Krk Krk (; it, Veglia; ruo, Krk; dlm, label= Vegliot Dalmatian, Vikla; la, Curicta; grc-gre, Κύρικον, Kyrikon) is a Croatian island in the northern Adriatic Sea, located near Rijeka in the Bay of Kvarner and part of Primorje-Gorski Kot ...

'' Krčki sir'' *Cheese from Međimurje '' Turoš'' *Cheese from

'' Prga'' *Cottage cheese (eaten with cream, '' vrhnje'') from

(''sir i vrhnje'', often seen as quintessential Croatian traditional food) Poğaça bread

Savoury pies

*'' Viška pogača'' is a salted sardine-filled

focaccia Focaccia ( , , ; lij, fugassa ; nap, label= Barese, fecazze ) is a flat leavened oven-baked Italian bread, similar in style and texture to pizza; in some places, it is called ("white pizza"). Focaccia can be served as a side dish or as san ...

from the island of Vis. *''

Soparnik Soparnik (plural: ''soparnici'') is a traditional List of Croatian dishes, Croatian dish. It is usually a savoury pie with a filling of Swiss chard. Other names are soparnjak, zeljanik or uljenjak. It is the most famous speciality of the Dalmatia ...

'' is a Dalmatian chard-filled pie. *'' Duvanjska pita'', made from thin phyllo dough wraps filled with potato and meat.

Pastry

* Pita * Pogača (farmers' bread) * Povitica Strudel

* Bučnica (summer squash and cottage cheese pie, can be savory or sweet) * Štrukli (made with cottage cheese, sour cream and eggs, can be savory or sweet, boiled or baked) * Zlevanka, simple baked cornmeal pastry with various fillings (e.g. cheese, sour cream, cherries, plum jam, walnuts, nettle) * Varaždinski klipići

Sweets and desserts

Palačinke Palatschinke (or palaccinka, plural palatschinken) is a thin crêpe-like variety of pancake of Greco-Roman origin. While the dessert is most common in South and West Slavic countries, it is also generally known in other parts of Central and Easte ...

(crepes) with sweet filling (Hungarian: ''palacsinta'') * Baklava * Kremšnita – *Šaumšnita – * Zagorski štrukli – sweet pastry from

northern Croatia Northern Croatia or North Croatia ( hr, Sjeverna Hrvatska, ) refers to the northern parts of Croatia, encompassing Zagreb, Varaždin, Međimurje, Zagorje and Koprivnica-Križevci counties, including the cities of Zagreb, Varaždin, Čakovec, ...

* Uštipci *

Fritule is a Croatian festive pastry made particularly for Christmas. They resemble little doughnuts, the Italian ''zeppole'', Venetian ''frìtole'', and the Dutch Christmas snack ''oliebollen'' ('balls of oil'). However, they are usually flavored with ...

Knedle Knedle (from German ''knödel'', "dumpling"), is a dish of boiled potato-dough dumplings filled with plums or apricots, originating in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Popular in Central and Eastern European countries, the dish is eaten as desser ...

– potato dough dumplings, usually filled with plums and rolled into buttered breadcrumbs *

Strudel A strudel (, ) is a type of layered pastry with a filling that is usually sweet, but savoury fillings are also common. It became popular in the 18th century throughout the Habsburg Empire. Strudel is part of Austrian cuisine but is also comm ...

(Croatian: or ) with

apple An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple trees are cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, where its wild ancestor, ' ...

or curd cheese fillings * Orahnjača and Makovnjača – sweet breads with walnut or poppy seeds *Croatian

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 ...

Bear's paw Hanging Rock, also known as Bear's Paw (Yonah‑wayah in Cherokee), is a mountain in the North Carolina High Country, next to the town of Seven Devils. It is along the Avery and Watauga border. Its elevation reaches . The mountain genera ...

*Farmer's cheese (quark) cakes (cream cake) * Krafne, pokladnice – a type of doughnut * Croatian pancakes (with wine and egg sauce) * Šnenokli, paradižot (meringue in custard cream,

floating island (dessert) A floating island or ''île flottante'' () is a dessert consisting of meringue floating on crème anglaise (a vanilla custard). The meringue is prepared from whipped egg whites, sugar, and vanilla extract and baked in a bain-marie. The crème an ...

) *Almond filled

ravioli Ravioli (; singular: ''raviolo'', ) are a type of pasta comprising a filling enveloped in thin pasta dough. Usually served in broth or with a sauce, they originated as a traditional food in Italian cuisine. Ravioli are commonly square, tho ...

() *Homemade

fruit preserves Fruit preserves are preparations of fruits whose main preserving agent is sugar and sometimes acid, often stored in glass jars and used as a condiment or spread. There are many varieties of fruit preserves globally, distinguished by the met ...

, jams, compotes * Čupavci (lamingtons)

Cakes (''kolači'')

*'' Rožata'' or ''Rozata'' (flan, creme caramel) *Easter pastry ''

Pinca Pinca (also pogača, sirnica or pinza) is a traditional Dalmatian, Istrian and Bay of Kotor Easter sweet roll. It is also popular in the Goriška region of Slovenia, the Slovenian Littoral, western Croatia and in parts of the Province of Triest ...

'' *'' Kroštule'' (crunchy, deep-fried pastry) *''

'' (deep-fried dough, festive pastry, particularly for

) * Bishop's bread *'' Guglhupf'' ring cake (Croatian ''kuglof'') *'' Rapska torta'' (Rab cake) *''

Međimurska gibanica Međimurska gibanica(; Medjimurian layer cake) is a type of gibanica or layer cake originating from Međimurje County, Croatia. It is made of puff pastry and four fillings: nuts, fresh cheese, poppy seeds and apples, as well as of many additional ...

'' (

layer cake with apple, poppyseed, walnut and cottage cheese fillings) *''Makarana torta'' *''Imotska torta'' *''Mađarica'' (Croatian layer cake)

Drinks

Wines

Croatia has two main wine regions: Continental (Kontinetalna) and Coastal (Primorska), which includes the islands. Each of the main regions is divided into sub-regions which are divided yet further into smaller vinogorje, (literally wine hills) and districts. Altogether, there are more than 300 geographically defined wine-producing areas in Croatia. In parts of Croatia, wine, either red or white, is sometimes consumed mixed in approximately two thirds wine and one third of mineral water.

Dessert wines

*Sweet

Malvazija Malvasia (, also known as Malvazia) is a group of wine grape varieties grown historically in the Mediterranean region, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands and the island of Madeira, but now grown in many of the winemaking regions of the world ...

* Muškat Ottonel (see:

Muscat grape The Muscat family of grapes includes over 200 grape varieties belonging to the ''Vitis vinifera'' species that have been used in wine production and as raisin and table grapes around the globe for many centuries. Their Wine color, colors range ...

) *

Prošek Prošek is a sweet dessert wine that is traditionally from the southern area of Dalmatia, Croatia. It is made using dried wine grapes in the passito method. Good quality Prošek is usually much more expensive by volume than other wines due to a ...

White wines

* Rajnski Rizling * Žlahtina *

* Graševina

Red wines

* Babić *

Plavac Mali Plavac Mali (), a cross between Crljenak Kaštelanski ( ancestral Zinfandel) and Dobričić grapes, is the primary red wine grape grown along the Dalmatian coast of Croatia. The name refers to the small blue grapes that the vines produce: in C ...

* Postup

Beers (''pivo'')

Apart from imported beers (

Heineken Heineken Lager Beer ( nl, Heineken Pilsener), or simply Heineken () is a pale lager beer with 5% alcohol by volume produced by the Dutch brewing company Heineken N.V. Heineken beer is sold in a green bottle with a red star. History On 15 Feb ...

Tuborg Tuborg is a Danish brewing company founded in 1873 on a harbour in Hellerup, an area North of Copenhagen, Denmark. Since 1970 it has been part of the Carlsberg Group. The brewery's flagship, the Tuborg pilsner, was brewed for the first time ...

Gösser Gösser () beer is the main brand of Göss Brewery in Leoben, one of the largest and most-well known in Austria. The brewery is part of Brau Union, the largest Austrian brewer, whose majority shareholder is the Dutch brewing company Heineken. His ...

Stella Artois Stella Artois ( ) is a pilsner beer, first brewed in 1926 by Brouwerij Artois in Leuven, Belgium. In its original form, the beer is 5.2 per cent ABV, the country's standard for pilsners. The beer is also sold in other countries like the UK, Ir ...

, etc.), there are home-brewed and locally brewed beers in Croatia. A brewery based in

Split Split(s) or The Split may refer to: Places * Split, Croatia, the largest coastal city in Croatia * Split Island, Canada, an island in the Hudson Bay * Split Island, Falkland Islands * Split Island, Fiji, better known as Hạfliua Arts, entertai ...

produces

Bavaria Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...

n ''Kaltenberg'' beer by licence of the original brewery in

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

. * Karlovačko: brewed in Karlovacbr>
* Ožujsko: brewed in

''(the name refers to the month of March)'' * Pan * Favorit: from Buzet, Istria * Vukovarsko: from Vukovar * Osječko: from Osijek (oldest brewery in Croatia) * Tars pivo: from the seaport city of Rijeka *Tomislav: dark beer from

* Velebitsko pivo: brewed near

Gospić Gospić () is a town in the mountainous and sparsely populated region of Lika, Croatia. It is the administrative centre of Lika-Senj County. Gospić is located near the Lika River in the middle of a karst field ( Ličko Polje). Gospić is the ...

on the

Velebit Velebit (; it, Alpi Bebie) is the largest, though not the highest, mountain range in Croatia. The range forms a part of the Dinaric Alps and is located along the Adriatic coast, separating it from Lika in the interior. Velebit begins in the nor ...

mountain, the dark beer has been voted best beer by an English beer fan website.

Liqueurs and spirits

Maraschino Maraschino ( , ) is a liqueur obtained from the distillation of Marasca cherries. The small, slightly sour fruit of the Tapiwa cherry tree ( ''Prunus cerasus'' var. ''marasca''), which grows wild along parts of the Dalmatian coast in Croatia, ...

Rakija Rakia, Rakija, Rachiu or Raki (), is the collective term for fruit spirits (or fruit brandy) popular in the Balkans. The alcohol content of rakia is normally 40% ABV, but home-produced rakia can be stronger (typically 50%). Etymology Fruit sp ...

(Croatian name for spirits), commonly made from: ''Lozovača'' / ''Loza'' (grapes) (it.: Grappa),''Travarica'' (Loza with herbs), ''

Šljivovica Slivovitz is a fruit spirit (or fruit brandy) made from damson plums, often referred to as plum spirit (or plum brandy). If anyone else has a dictionary of some Slavic language that translates your word for slivovitz as "plum brandy", please a ...

'' (plums), Kruškovac (pears), Drenovac (cherries) *

Pelinkovac Pelinkovac is a bitter liqueur based on wormwood ( Croatian and Slovenian: ''pelen'' or ''pelin''), popular in Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Bulgaria as well as in Slovenia, where it is known as pelinkove ...

Orahovac Rahovec ( sq-definite, Rahoveci) or Orahovac (Serbian Cyrillic: Ораховац) is a town and municipality located in the District of Prizren in western Kosovo. According to the 2011 census, the town of Rahovec has 15,892 inhabitants, while the ...

(walnut liqueur) * Medovina (honey) *Gvirc (as Medovina, only more alcohol).

Coffee

Croatia is a country of

coffee Coffee is a drink prepared from roasted coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content. It is the most popular hot drink in the world. Seeds of ...

drinkers (on average 5kg per person annually), not only because it was formerly part of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire, but also because it bordered the former

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

. Traditional coffee houses similar to those in

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

are located throughout Croatia.

Mineral water

Regarding its water resources,

Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capit ...

has a leading position in Europe. Concerning water quality, Croatian water is greatly appreciated all over the world. Due to a lack of established industries there have also been no major incidents of water pollution. * Jamnica – Winner of the Paris AquaExpo for best mineral water of 200

*Lipički studenac * Jana (mineral water), Jana – also belongs to Jamnica, best aromatized mineral water (Eauscar 2004)

Juices and syrups

* Badel * Jamnica * Maraska * Dona * Vindija juices – ''Vindi sokovi'' *Cedevita * Zvečevo

Meat and game

Seafood

Stews

Pasta

Soups

Side dishes

Other

Sausages and ham

Cheese (''sir'')

Savoury pies

Pastry

Sweets and desserts

Cakes (''kolači'')

Drinks

Wines

Dessert wines

White wines

Red wines

Beers (''pivo'')

Liqueurs and spirits

Coffee

Mineral water

Juices and syrups

See also

References

Further reading