The following highlights some of the popular Traditional Serbian Foods. If you manage to be in an Serbian restaurant or you are visiting Serbia, I recommend the following:
1. Punjena Paprika
Punjena Paprika means stuffed pepper, and that is exactly what it is. The stuffing is the same as in Sarma, minced meat with rice. It is then cooked in a pot. The bigger the paprika, the tastier the dish.
2. Prebranac
Prebranac is a dish made of beans. It is a simple dish, but it is a Serbian winter favourite. It can be naked, with bacon or grilled sausages. You will love every bite.
3. Karađorđeva šnicla
Karadordeva šnicla is also known as ‘Devojacki san’, which means ‘A young woman’s dream’ and, yes, it has to do with the shape, possibly the size. It is prepared from pork or beef stuffed with kajmak, and is fried with a coating of flour, dipped in beaten eggs and rolled in breadcrumbs. Usually served with tartar sauce.
4. Ćevapi
Cevapi is a plural of Cevap and is usually served in portions of 10. It is grilled minced meat in the shape of a sausage. It is served with chopped onions and Serbs believe it to be the best combination in the world.
5. Čvarci
Cvarci (or just Cvarak in the singular) are something like pork fat fries (cracklings), and they taste much better than they sound. They are best with something spicy and some dairy products. They are mostly homemade, and completely organic.
6. Burek
According to connoisseurs of Balkan cuisine, this dish remained as a trace of the Turkish domination of the Balkan Peninsula. Burek is actually a savoury pastry made of puff pastry and filled with cheese, spinach or minced meat. During your stay in Serbia you will see many small shops on the street selling many varieties of burek.
7. Ajvar
Ajvar is considered a salad. It is made from red pepper and can be neutral or spicy. Ajvar can be eaten with everything, even if you spread some on a piece of bread, it is a worthy meal for all Serbs. You can get Ajvar in any grocery shop, and it is also acceptable as a gift.
8. Sarma
Sarma is possibly one of the best and definitely the favourite dish of all Serbs. It is prepared with pickled cabbage, minced meat and rice, but there are some variations and it can be prepared with grape leaves or minced fish meat. This Sarma is called Sarmica, which is just a diminutive, but for an average Serb there can only be one dish worthy of the name ‘Sarma’.
9. Gibanica
Gibanica is a cheesecake that Serbs eat as a snack, or for dinner, sometimes for breakfast, and if the mother works late, it will also go well for lunch. Basically they can eat it at any time, and it rarely lasts long in a Serbian household, because they eat it in an instant.
10. Kajmak
Kajmak is a side dish made from milk. It looks like cheese, but it is not, it is much better. Serbs eat Kajmak with many dishes, but it is a perfect accompaniment to any grilled meat.
If you found this list useful, here are some more Traditional European Foods to try out on my Pinterest channel.