The following highlights some of the popular Traditional Lithuanian Foods. If you manage to be in an Lithuanian restaurant or you are visiting Lithuania, I recommend the following:
1. Fried Bread Sticks
This dish is quite simple, Lithuanian dark rye bread fried in oil. The bread is seasoned with generous amounts of salt and garlic, before being served with a cheese sauce. It is typically eaten as a snack or appetizer rather than as a meal on its own, but it definitely goes well with other Lithuanian dishes such as soups.
2. Potato Croquettes
This is a standard meal that is eaten all over the country. You usually get potato croquettes as a side dish. They are fried potato dumplings. The croquettes are addictive because they are sweet and, depending on the region you visit, they have extra ingredients that make everything amazing.
3. Cold Beetroot Soup
This chilled beetroot soup is sure to provide some relief during the hot summer months. It is made with beetroot (of course) as well as green onions and greens. Sour milk, also known as kefir locally, is then added to give it a little kick. Seasoned with salt and pepper to taste and sprinkled with a little dill, it is Lithuania’s most popular summer dish. It is served seasonally, during the summer months, with hot boiled potatoes or hard-boiled egg.
4. Cepelinai
Cepelinai or potato dumplings are the national dish of Lithuania. They are dumplings usually filled with boiled or raw potatoes. Another popular variant is stuffed with boiled pork. The boiled dumplings are sprinkled with a generous portion of sour cream and bacon, or with more fried potatoes. In some restaurants you will also find vegetarian options where the pork is replaced by curd.
5. Balandeliai
Vegetables are not usually very popular, but this dish will be an exception. Balandeliai is a dish made of rice, ground meat, onions and other vegetables, all wrapped in cabbage leaves and bathed in a sauce made from tomato puree and the broth of the meat used, either beef or pork. The exact recipe varies from family to family, you can get different variations in different places where this dish is served. This appetising dish is served during festivals, usually at Christmas dinners and weddings.
6. Potato Pancakes
Potatoes are a staple of Lithuanian cuisine and this dish is proof of that. This simple but delicious dish is made from grated potatoes, eggs and onions, which are then fried until golden brown and wonderfully crispy. Different places have their own version of this simple homemade dish, with more vegetables or even with the addition of the aforementioned famous curd. Whatever the case, you are sure to love this dish and it will become one of the best potato dishes you have ever eaten in Lithuania.
7. Lithuanian Bread
One of the treasures of Lithuanian cuisine is its bread, unique in the world, black rye bread is simply wonderful. It is hard to believe that such a basic food can be such a pleasurable experience. In Lithuania, too, bread is both emblematic and sacred, a symbol of great celebrations, a welcome gift and one of the flagships of its unique flavours.
8. Herring
Herring is one of the best options for eating in Lithuanian restaurants. It is quick to prepare, inexpensive and also healthier than most other things on the menu. It may seem strange to you that there is such a strong herring tradition in Lithuania, even though this is not a nation with strong fishing traditions, but the quality of herring dishes here can sometimes be surprisingly high.
9. Kibinai
Kibinai is a handmade cake, which is the traditional dish of the Karaite people. They are an ethnic minority who have lived in Lithuania for centuries. These cakes may contain meat, vegetables or the famous cheese curd wrapped in a wonderfully soft pastry dough. They are usually served as a snack, or as an accompaniment to soups. It is also a good starter to whet your appetite before you start eating.
10. Lithuanian Cheese With Honey
Another of Lithuania’s delicacies is its dairy products, especially its cheeses. From the Protected Geographical Indication white cheese, which together with fresh honey forms a perfect combination of flavours, to the intense Džiugas, an extraordinary, world-famous mature cheese that is matured for 12 to 48 months.
If you found this list useful, here are some more Traditional European Foods to try out on my Pinterest channel.