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What to eat in Southeastern Europe? Top 5 Southeastern European Herbs and Spices

Last update: Mon Dec 16 2024
Top 5 Southeastern European Herbs and Spices
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01
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Sharena sol is the most popular Bulgarian spice mix that has been used in Bulgarian cuisine for centuries. It has a pleasant, mild, and aromatic flavor that enhances the taste of many meals. The key ingredients in sharena sol include paprika, salt, thyme, cumin, basil, dried fenugreek leaves, and summer savory.


It is recommended to put sharena sol on bread, potatoes, fries, vegetables, or cheese. Interestingly, although sharena sol is translated as colorful salt, salt isn't a required ingredient and can be omitted from the spice mix.

02
Krokos Kozanis
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Krokos kozanis is a spice taken from the bulb stigmas of the saffron plant, part of the Iridaceae family. It is produced within the various municipal areas of Kozani, in the region of West Macedonia in the northern part of Greece.


The exclusive rights for the collection, distribution and packing of Greek Saffron is held by the Cooperative de Safran. Annual production depends upon weather conditions and ranges from 6 to 12 tons of pure red saffron per year. It takes 150,000 flowers to produce 1 kilogram of dried crocus stigmas and about 50,000 stigmas to obtain 100 grams of red saffron which makes saffron the most expensive spice in the world. 
03

Spice Blend and Seasoning

STARA ZAGORA PROVINCE, Bulgaria
3.9
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Samardala salt is a traditional Bulgarian spice mix originating from Stara Zagora. The spice mix consists of only two ingredients – salt and samardala (Nectaroscordum siculum bulgaricum or Allium siculum), also called Bulgarian honey garlic, a spice that belongs to the allium family and is endemic to the Balkans.


This spice mix is often used on sandwiches with butter or minced meat, pizza, bread, potatoes, or hard-boiled eggs, and it adds a specific and slightly bitter and salty layer of flavor to the foods that it's used with. The ratio of samardala to salt should be 1:1.

04

Spice

GREECE and  2 more countries
3.4
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Mahleb or mahlepi is a unique spice made from the seed kernels of the Prunus mahaleb (mahaleb cherry) tree, native to the Middle East and Southeastern Mediterranean.


The soft and chewy seed kernels are ground to a powder and used as a spice in various regional kinds of bread, cookies and cakes, meat stews, and pilafs. The taste can be described as sweet and slightly bitter, with a hint of almond and cherry. It is also believed that mahleb has medicinal properties, helping with digestive issues, respiratory problems, and inflammations.

05
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Bukovska paprika refers to a spice that is indigenous to the Bukovo region of North Macedonia.


It is a ground red pepper seasoning esteemed in Balkan cuisine for its distinctive flavor profile, which can range from mildly spicy to moderately hot. The process involves sun-drying the peppers before they are ground into a fine flakes. This spice is known for its deep red color, smoky aroma, and ability to add both heat and depth of flavor to various dishes.

TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.

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Southeastern European Herbs and Spices