Slovenia might not immediately spring to mind as a culinary destination but it has a remarkably vibrant food scene. Over the centuries, culinary influences from the neighbouring countries of Italy, Austria, Hungary, and Croatia have merged with local tastes and formed a very unique, diverse, and distinct Slovenian cuisine.
Slovenia is a tiny country located in the south of central Europe. It is situated between the Adriatic Sea and the Alps and surrounded by much more famous neighbours – Italy, Austria, Hungary, and Croatia. This unique placement means Slovenian cuisine has taken the best of its neighbouring countries’ cuisines. From the Austrian cuisine, Slovenia has borrowed sausage, Wiener Schnitzel and strudel. Italian cuisine has gifted the Slovenian cuisine with all kinds of pastas (fettuccine, spaghetti, lasagna, ravioli, tortellini, etc.), gnocchi (pillowy potato dumplings), pizza, and risotto. Among popular Hungarian dishes, which can be tasted in Slovenia, there’s goulash, braised chicken or beef and pancakes (filled with jam or nuts and chocolate is poured over them). Cevapcici (a grilled dish of minced meat, a type of skinless sausage) and burek (a sausage-shaped fried filo pastry filled most commonly with meat or soft white cheese or spinach) relate to the main Balkan dishes.
And don’t forget the fantastic Slovenian wines to accompany your meals, or Slovenia’s legendary pastries, from the delicious cremeschnitte to ‘prekmurska gibanica’ to strudel with a variety of fillings.
Many of the recipes for traditional Slovenian dishes have been passed down for generations, often without measurements or detailed instructions. In fact, the first cookbook in Slovenian language by Valentin Vodnk in 1799 merely listed ingredients and rarely quantities, forcing the home cook’s creativity to come into play. Fortunately, nowadays we can find many of these treasured recipes in cookbooks and online, but still, don’t be afraid to instill your own creativity.
Below is a collection of traditional recipes from Slovenia contributed by Spela Vodovc, the author of the Cook Eat Slovenia cookbook. If you’re fortunate enough to have been to Slovenia, or better yet, used to live there and now live elsewhere, these authentic and simple Slovenian recipes are for you. We hope these bring you a taste of home and help keep Slovenia close to your heart. New recipes in this section will be added regularly, so bookmark the page and come back for second helpings!
| Contributed by Spela Vodovc! |
Buckwheat porridge with porcini mushrooms is one of the most iconic dishes of the Gorenjska region of Slovenia and it is sure to impress you through its harmony of flavors. |
Grenadirmars is a comforting and very simple potato-and-pasta dish that dates back to the First World War, when soldiers in Kobarid fought on the Soca Front. It is a very handy dish because the ingredients are almost always in the pantry. |
Marinated sardines are one of the secrets from the Slovenian Coast. They can sit in the refrigerator for up to a week. This is an ideal dish for those who are always on the run and have no time to prepare and cook food daily but want to eat healthily and feel full. Prepare sardines like in this recipe and you’re good for a week! |
Gorenjska Prata or Budl, as it is also called, is a typical festive dish popular throughout the Gorenjska region of Slovenia. Usually served at Easter. A deliciously seasoned mixture of bread and meat is wrapped into pork caul, boiled and served hot or cold with salad, sauerkraut or horseradish. The dish has several local varieties. |
Everybody knows breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and even more so when you’re allowed to eat all sorts of things, 100% guilt-free! The best thing about Slovenian Easter breakfast is that it caters to everyone: the 'salty' people, the 'sweet tooths', and the lucky ones that sit on the fence and just eat everything! |
Potica is a typical Slovenian festive cake known all around the world. Potica's name derives from a Slovenian word meaning 'to wrap up' or 'to roll up'. It's made with a very thin yeast dough, and filled with a sweet walnut filling (or any other filling of your liking). |
Potica, translated loosely to mean 'wrap-up' or 'roll-up,' is a traditional Slovenian cake often served at celebrations and holidays. While most commonly known as a nut bread roll, the Potica has more than 80 possible fillings. One filling unique to Slovenia, and common in spring, is tarragon. |
We hope these authentic Slovenian recipes will bring back memories for those who miss Slovenia. All the recipes and many more are also available in the Cook Eat Slovenia cookbook. Order your copy HERE!
Cook Eat Slovenia is an award-winning cookbook by Spela Vodovc with a rich and very varied collection of traditional recipes from all over Slovenia.
Slovenian Dishes You Must Try
There are endless reasons to visit Slovenia, a country which boasts one of the most dramatic landscapes in the world. A great reason to add Slovenia to your itinerary is to sample the local cuisine. Comforting, hearty, and satisfying, Slovenian cuisine is unique and diverse, yet all 24 regions share many common foods.
Buckwheat Kasha with Porcini Mushrooms.
A traditional Slovenian Easter breakfast.
Spela Vodovc, the author of Cook Eat Slovenia, posing with a classic Slovenian walnut potica.
Food photography: Mateja Jordovic Potocnik
Cooking and food styling: Branka Vodovc and Spela Vodovc
Design: Gregor Zakelj