Top 10 Must-Try Dishes in Croatia

Head to the Adriatic Sea coast! Croatia is an Eastern European country known for its local gastronomy, a rich and varied cuisine that consists mainly of seafood, cold cuts, and cheeses. By the way, here's an interesting fact: the olive oil that we love so much that accompanies many of our dishes like salad, is produced in a large part of Croatia. Today, Croatian olive oil receives all the votes. For example in 2016, at the New York International Olive Oil Competition, there were nine Croatian extra virgin olive oils that won gold and silver medals.

What are the 10 best Croatian culinary specialties?

1. Sarmas

We start strong with an essential dish of Croatia that can be found everywhere on dining tables, the sarmas. It's impossible not to love them, as these stuffed sauerkraut cabbage leaves are unanimous among the Croatian people. We generally like to taste them. Why? Because the cabbage used in the recipe is of much better quality at this time of year. That's all! The leaf rolls contain minced meat and rice, cooked in broth. A tasting experience to try urgently!

2. Peka

You'll love tasting Peka prepared over a wood fire in the open air. Traveling and discovering new flavors necessarily involves putting your senses in turmoil! Using a clay bell, Croatians love to cook peka with veal and octopus meat with fresh potatoes, picked the day before. Cooked for several hours, you'll get a pure delight in your mouth!

3. Pag cheese

We all love this little white square similar to a piece of cloud that came down from the sky to arrive straight into our taste buds. Pag cheese is THE most appreciated cheese in all of Croatia. Its unique flavor gives it its place among the best cheeses in the whole country. Its rather singular origin, namely sheep's milk, gives it a rather salty taste that many adore. In general, it is left to rest for a year before being consumed!

4. Istrian Fuži or traditional pasta

It will be difficult for you to pronounce the name of this dish correctly, but it will be easy for you to eat it, it's so succulent! Fuži are traditional pasta from Istria, and very appreciated in Croatia. They owe their name to their somewhat amusing shape, little flutes or spindles. In the mouth, they will delight your taste buds, accompanied by a succulent truffle sauce, some pieces of meat, and a glass of red wine.

5. Cuttlefish ink risotto or Crni rižot

Admittedly, visually, the dish doesn't necessarily make you want to eat it, we grant you that. But how do you know you don't like it, as long as you haven't tasted it? Croatia's "black risotto" will make you discover the flavors of the coast, since cuttlefish is very present in the Adriatic Sea. Served with rice, cuttlefish ink gives the dish this very atypical black color from the dishes we are used to consuming, which makes all the originality of this meal, delicious according to reports!

6. Grilled squid or Lignje na žaru

You can't leave Croatia without having tasted grilled squid, it's unimaginable! Most Croatians use their little boat to fish for this marine animal with a soft body, equipped with tentacles. Just like Peka, they are cooked over a wood fire which makes them even better than in a traditional oven. Served with a little rice and some fries, the diet can wait until the return from vacation.

7. Octopus salad or Salata od hobotnice

If you love all sea products, it's clear that you'll have a crush on Croatian cuisine! This little salad, accompanied by pieces of octopus freshly caught in the Adriatic Sea, constitutes a light and refreshing meal. Add some tomato slices, fine parsley herbs, and onions, then drizzle with vinaigrette made from olive oil (yes, the famous Croatian olive oil). For this, a glass of local white wine is a must. Enjoy your meal!

8. Brudet

Among our readers who claim to be pescatarians, you'll be delighted to discover Brudet. Popular on the Dalmatian coast, brudet is a fish soup that can also be composed of eels or mussels. Its pretty red color is due to crushed tomatoes, with a little garlic and onions, as well as a few drops of olive oil. By the way, little tip: in order not to detach the fish flesh during cooking, it is advised not to stir the soup. It's free!

9. Štrukli sa sirom or Strukli with cheese

Inherited from Zagorje, located north of Zagreb known for being one of the regions with the coldest winters in all of Croatia, this comforting dish is enjoyed near a fireplace. "Štrukli sa sirom" have the shape of little cushions, which are pleasant to savor after a hard winter day. Stuffed with fresh cheese and baked in the oven, the dish is very traditional, and has even been inscribed as "protected culinary cultural heritage in Croatia".

10. Plum dumplings or knedle sa šljivama

We know what you're thinking internally. All this lacks a bit of sugar, doesn't it? Plum Knedle to the rescue! Made from ripe plums hidden in a ball-shaped dough that is rolled in grilled and sweetened breadcrumbs, you'll have the impression of discovering a hidden treasure. Only downside, you have to wait for plum season from August until October to taste this delicious dessert.

Your succulent dishes will be even better when accompanied by superior wines, which admittedly, are not lacking in Croatia, since there are many international grape varieties cultivated in Croatian wine regions. On your marks, get set... Taste!