Best Croatian Food: 35 Traditional Things to Eat & Drink

Croatian cuisine is a complex concept because even the most knowledgeable experts on Croatia’s history and gastronomy struggle to define what constitutes an authentically Croatian dish. This is due to the country’s rich and turbulent history, which has left a profound mark on its culinary traditions.

Today, it is clear that many dishes considered traditional here are actually a legacy of Byzantine, Ottoman, or Austro-Hungarian influences, which have had the strongest impact on Croatian cuisine. While identifying an authentically Croatian dish might be challenging, pinpointing the region of Croatia where a dish originates is much easier!

Discover Croatia through its regional specialties, which have been geographically distributed across the entire country. Here, we present 35 of the most popular culinary delights that Croatian cuisine has to offer.

1. Pašticada (Dalmatian Beef Stew)

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs beef
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 2 carrots, sliced
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 1/2 cup prunes
  • 1/4 cup vinegar
  • Tomato paste and garlic

Instructions:
Marinate beef in vinegar and spices overnight. Sear the meat, then stew with onions, carrots, wine, prunes, and tomato paste for several hours until tender. Serve with gnocchi.

2. Sarma (Stuffed Cabbage Rolls)

Originally a traditional Turkish meal very popular in Croatia and Serbia. There is no event without Sarma on the table. It’s not easy to prepare and it looks like this once you make it.

Ingredients:

  • Cabbage leaves
  • 1 lb ground beef and pork mix
  • 1/2 cup rice
  • Sauerkraut
  • Tomato sauce

Instructions:
Mix meat and rice, roll into cabbage leaves, and layer with sauerkraut. Pour tomato sauce and water over the rolls and simmer for 2–3 hours.

3. Crni Rižot (Black Risotto)

I make this one at home often, just without an ink. It’s quite simple and easy to prepare.

Ingredients:

  • Squid or cuttlefish
  • 1 cup Arborio rice
  • Squid ink
  • Garlic, onion, and olive oil

Instructions:
Sauté onion and garlic, add squid and squid ink, and cook with rice, stirring in broth until creamy. Serve with a squeeze of lemon.

4. Peka (Meat and Vegetables Under the Bell)

I eat this all time while in Dalmatia and you can’t imagine how delicious potatoes are when prepared this way.

Ingredients:

  • Lamb, veal, or octopus
  • Potatoes, carrots, and onions
  • Olive oil, garlic, and rosemary

Instructions:
Place meat and vegetables in a dish, season with herbs, cover with a metal dome (peka), and bake under hot coals for several hours.

5. Soparnik (Chard Pie)

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 bunch Swiss chard
  • Olive oil and garlic

Instructions:
Roll out thin dough, fill with chopped chard, olive oil, and garlic. Seal with another layer of dough and bake. Brush with olive oil before serving.

6. Zagrebački Odrezak (Zagreb-Style Schnitzel)

This is a Croatian version of Cordon Bleu. Nothing special if you ask me.

Ingredients:

  • Veal or chicken fillets
  • Ham and cheese
  • Breadcrumbs, egg, and flour

Instructions:
Stuff fillets with ham and cheese, coat in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs, and fry until golden. Serve with potato salad.

7. Fritule (Mini Donuts)

Until recently, this was the only sweet treat made in villages, usually just twice a year—at Christmas and Easter.

I’m not sure why that was the case, but it’s likely because, in the rural areas of Dalmatia and Lika, sugar was extremely expensive, practically a luxury item. So much expensive that gifting a kilogram of sugar for various occasions was considered a thoughtful and valuable present.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup yogurt
  • 1 egg
  • Raisins and grated lemon zest

Instructions:
Mix ingredients, shape into small balls, and fry in oil until golden. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

8. Brudet (Fish Stew)

Ingredients:

  • Mixed fish (monkfish, seabass)
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • Garlic and parsley
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • Tomato paste

Instructions:
Layer fish with onions, garlic, and parsley in a pot, add tomato paste and wine, and simmer gently until fish is tender. Serve with polenta.

9. Gregada (Fish and Potato Stew)

Ingredients:

  • White fish fillets
  • Potatoes, sliced
  • Onion and garlic
  • Olive oil and white wine

Instructions:
Layer fish and potatoes in a pot with olive oil, onion, garlic, and wine. Simmer until potatoes are soft and flavors combine.

10. Palačinke (Croatian Crepes)

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 egg
  • Jam, Nutella, or cheese for filling

Instructions:
Whisk batter ingredients, cook thin crepes in a skillet, and fill with your favorite sweet or savory fillings.

Pro tip: I like to spread the filling on them and leave them overnight. That way, they absorb it better and turn out much juicier. P.S. Be warned—this way, you risk someone eating them before you get a chance. Don’t ask me how I know!

11. Čobanac (Shepherd’s Stew)

As you might guess, it’s best when prepared outdoors in a large cauldron.

Ingredients:

  • Beef, pork, and venison (if available)
  • Onions, garlic, and paprika
  • Potatoes and carrots
  • Tomato paste

Instructions:
Brown the meat, add onions and paprika, and simmer with vegetables and water for several hours. Serve with crusty bread.

12. Bakalar na Bijelo (White Cod Spread)

Ingredients:

  • Salted cod
  • Garlic
  • Olive oil
  • Parsley

Instructions:
Soak and boil cod until tender, mash with olive oil and garlic into a creamy spread. Serve with bread or crackers.

13. Strukli (Cheese-Filled Dough)

Ingredients:

  • Dough: flour, water, and oil
  • Filling: cottage cheese, sour cream, and eggs

Instructions:
Roll out dough thinly, spread cheese filling, roll it up, cut into pieces, and bake or boil. Serve with sour cream.

14. Dalmatian Pašta Fažol (Pasta and Bean Stew)

Ingredients:

  • White beans
  • Pasta
  • Bacon or pancetta
  • Garlic and olive oil

Instructions:
Cook beans with bacon, add garlic and pasta, and simmer until thick and hearty.

15. Rožata (Croatian Flan)

Ingredients:

  • Eggs
  • Milk
  • Sugar
  • Lemon zest and caramel

Instructions:
Whisk eggs, milk, and sugar, pour into a caramel-lined dish, and bake in a water bath until set.

16. Punjene Paprike (Stuffed Peppers)

Ingredients:

  • Bell peppers
  • Ground meat (beef and pork mix)
  • Rice
  • Tomato sauce

Instructions:
Stuff peppers with a mixture of meat, rice, and seasonings. Place in a pot, cover with tomato sauce, and simmer until tender.

17. Maneštra (Vegetable Stew)

Ingredients:

  • Beans or lentils
  • Potatoes
  • Carrot
  • Corn
  • Smoked meat (optional)

Instructions:
Cook beans and vegetables in a large pot with olive oil and spices. Add smoked meat for a heartier version.

18. Burek (Savory Pastry)

Ingredients:

  • Phyllo dough
  • Ground beef or cheese
  • Onion and olive oil

Instructions:
Layer phyllo dough with a seasoned beef or cheese filling, roll, and bake at 375°F (190°C) until golden.

19. Sopareni Kukuruzni Kruh (Steamed Cornbread)

Ingredients:

  • Cornmeal
  • Water
  • Salt

Instructions:
Mix cornmeal with water and salt, pour into a pot, and steam until firm. Serve with sour cream or sauerkraut.

20. Viška Pogača (Vis Island Pie)

Ingredients:

  • Bread dough
  • Salted anchovies
  • Onions and tomatoes

Instructions:
Roll out dough, layer with onions, tomatoes, and anchovies, fold over, and bake until golden.

21. Dalmatinski Pršut (Dalmatian Prosciutto)

Ingredients:

  • Thinly sliced prosciutto
  • Fresh bread
  • Olive oil

Instructions:
Serve thin slices of cured Dalmatian prosciutto with crusty bread and a drizzle of olive oil for a simple appetizer.

22. Orehnjača (Walnut Roll)

Ingredients:

  • Sweet yeast dough
  • Ground walnuts
  • Sugar and milk

Instructions:
Roll dough thin, spread with a walnut mixture, roll up, and bake. Slice and serve as a dessert or snack.

23. Fažol na Kiselo (Sour Bean Soup)

Ingredients:

  • White beans
  • Smoked sausage or bacon
  • Vinegar
  • Garlic and parsley

Instructions:
Cook beans with sausage, add garlic and parsley, and finish with a splash of vinegar for a tangy flavor.

24. Pečena Janjetina (Roasted Lamb)

Ingredients:

  • Whole lamb or lamb pieces
  • Olive oil
  • Garlic and rosemary

Instructions:
Season lamb with olive oil, garlic, and rosemary, and roast slowly until tender and golden. Serve with potatoes.

25. Hrvatska Juha (Croatian Soup)

Ingredients:

  • Chicken or beef broth
  • Carrots, celery, and parsley root
  • Noodles or dumplings

Instructions:
Simmer broth with vegetables, add noodles or dumplings, and serve warm.

26. Pinca (Easter Bread)

Ingredients:

  • Sweet yeast dough
  • Raisins
  • Lemon zest

Instructions:
Shape dough into a round loaf, score the top, and bake. Traditionally made during Easter celebrations.

27. Brodet od Jegulje (Eel Stew)

Ingredients:

  • Eel
  • Tomato sauce
  • Onions and garlic
  • Olive oil

Instructions:
Sauté onions and garlic, add eel and tomato sauce, and simmer gently until the fish is cooked.

28. Lignje na Žaru (Grilled Squid)

Ingredients:

  • Fresh squid
  • Olive oil
  • Garlic and parsley

Instructions:
Marinate squid in olive oil, garlic, and parsley, then grill until tender. Serve with lemon wedges.

29. Punjene Tikvice (Stuffed Zucchini)

Ingredients:

  • Zucchini
  • Ground meat
  • Rice
  • Tomato sauce

Instructions:
Hollow out zucchinis, stuff with a meat and rice mixture, and bake in tomato sauce until tender.

30. Kroštule (Fried Pastry Strips)

Ingredients:

  • Flour
  • Eggs
  • Sugar
  • Lemon zest

Instructions:
Make a stiff dough, roll and cut into strips, twist, and fry until golden. Dust with powdered sugar.

31. Rafioli (Sweet Almond-Filled Pastry)

Ingredients:

  • Pastry dough
  • Almond filling
  • Sugar and cinnamon

Instructions:
Fill pastry circles with almond mixture, fold, and bake. Sprinkle with sugar before serving.

32. Tripice (Tripe Stew)

Ingredients:

  • Beef tripe
  • Onions and carrots
  • Tomato paste
  • Bay leaves

Instructions:
Cook tripe with onions, carrots, tomato paste, and bay leaves until tender. Serve with bread.

33. Čvarci (Pork Cracklings)

Ingredients:

  • Pork fat
  • Salt

Instructions:
Render pork fat until crispy, drain, and season with salt. Serve as a snack or with bread.

34. Skradinski Rižot (Skradin Risotto)

Ingredients:

  • Veal or beef
  • Arborio rice
  • Onion and garlic
  • Parmesan cheese

Instructions:
Cook meat slowly until tender, then stir in rice and broth, simmering until creamy. Top with Parmesan.

35. Međimurska Gibanica (Layered Pastry)

Ingredients:

  • Phyllo dough
  • Cottage cheese, poppy seeds, walnuts, and apples
  • Sugar and cream

Instructions:
Layer fillings between phyllo sheets, bake, and serve warm with cream.