10 Must Try Foods in Croatia
Croatian food is awesome! Traditional Croatian cuisine is wide and varied, yet it’s hard to distinguish dishes that are exclusive to Croatia. Because, Croatian food has been influenced by tastes and traditions from neighbouring countries, and different nations that ruled Croatian territory throughout history.
Goveđa Juha (Beef Soup)
Goveđa Juha is a great tasty starter for a meal. A number of restaurants will serve homemade soups with a number of different flavours. Not only tasty but also very hearty. Croatians love to start a meal with soup all year round.
Octopus Salad
Perfect for the summer months due to its light, refreshing nature. What makes this meal so good is the availability of fresh octopus in Croatia. Fresh out of the Adriatic, the octopus is boiled, chopped up into small pieces, and then tossed with a dressing (olive oil, garlic, vinegar, salt, pepper, lemon) and combined with finely chopped tomatoes, onions and parsley. Finger-licking good.
Pršut / Kulen & Pag Cheese
These hors-d’oeuvres are so good that they could almost be a main. The home-cured ham pršut, which is perhaps Croatia’s most famous hors-d’oeuvre, is a must-try. Preparation is key to a good pršut. After washing, salting and flattening under rocks, the hams are then hung out to dry.
The unique taste and texture are thanks to the cold bura winds which sweep down to the coast which dries the ham. Croatia is also home to a number of award-winning cheeses and if you get a chance you need to try some Paški sir — which is cheese from the island of Pag.
The cheese is made solely from milk produced by sheep which are left to graze freely on local grass, and aromatic plants and herbs.
Peka
‘Ispod peke’, or ‘under the bell’, is something you need to try at least once when in Croatia. Usually lamb, veal or octopus is placed with vegetables inside a dish with a metal lid. The dish is then cooked in an open fireplace by the hot coals and embers which are placed over the lid. The dish is left to cook slowly in its own juices until the meat is tender. This dish is a winner.
Lamb on the Spit
Rarely a big occasion will go by in Croatia without lamb being cooked in this delicious way. Lamb on the spit, or ‘Janje na ražnju’ in Croatian, has according to some local experts been a favourite method of cooking in Croatia for thousands of years.
Apart from the slow method of cooking, what makes this meal so good is the quality of lamb in Croatia — especially from the islands. Lambs from Cres and Pag are world-renowned. Best served simply with bread and spring onions.
Fuži with Truffles
If you are in Istria then you will not be able to escape truffles. The ‘home of truffles’ even has a restaurant where everything on the menu, including dessert, includes truffles. One dish you must try is fuži, a traditional Istrian pasta with truffles.
Fritule
Fritule are little Croatian doughnuts which can be made with apples, raisins or coated with chocolate sauce. They are commonly found at stands on the coast or at market stalls, particularly over the festive period.
Kremšnita
In Croatia, the two most popular variants are Samoborska kremšnita from the town of Samobor and Zagrebačka kremšnita from the capital, Zagreb. The Samoborska kremšnita is characterized by having a puff pastry top, predominantly custard cream filling (less whipped cream) and is finished with powdered sugar. Zagrebačka kremšnita has a characteristic chocolate icing instead of the puff pastry top while maintaining the puff pastry base.
Paprenjaci
Paprenjak is a traditional Croatian biscuit made of a unique mix of honey and black pepper. The main ingredients are also sugar syrup or honey, butter or fat, eggs, nuts, pepper and various spices.
Breskvice
Breskvice, or peach-shaped sweets are jam/walnut filled biscuits rolled in sugar. They are coloured to give the appearance of little peaches and are very tasty.
To try out these amazing foods, book your tickets to Croatia on XcelTrip to make memories that last a lifetime.
If you like these articles follows us on Instagram and join us on telegram.
