Croatian Appetizers

Salata od hobotnice is a traditional octopus salad originating from Dalmatia, but it's very popular throughout the country, especially on Christmas Eve and during the summer. Although there are many versions, it's usually made with a combination o... READ MORE

Dagnje na buzaru is a traditional dish of the Croatian coast prepared with mussels as the main ingredient. The shells are scrubbed, placed into a pot with lukewarm water, covered, and lightly heated until all of them crack open. Olive oil, garlic,... READ MORE

This Croatian specialty hailing from Međimurje emerged as a clever way to preserve meat. Top-quality pork cuts are first salted, then either cooked or baked, and lastly dunked in lard seasoned with bay leaves and peppercorns. Prepared in that way,... READ MORE

Viška pogača is a savory Croatian pie originating from the island of Vis. The dough is quite similar to that of focaccia, consisting of flour, salt, yeast, and warm water. The pie is filled with a combination of olive oil, onions, anchovies... READ MORE

Zapečeni štrukli is a Croatian dish that is especially popular in the Zagorje and Međimurje regions, as well as Zagreb. The dough for these štrukli is made with flour, oil, lukewarm water, and salt, while the filling consists of fres... READ MORE

Sir i vrhnje is a favorite food of many Croatians, made by simply mixing fresh cottage cheese with sour cream. There are plenty of variations, so some like to add smoked paprika powder, salt, pepper, or minced garlic to make it taste even better. ... READ MORE

Štrukli are a traditional Croatian delicacy that hails from the Zagorje region. In addition to the more common baked štrukli, this cooked variety starts with a similar preparation in which the dough is thinly rolled, then fi... READ MORE

Pašteta od čvaraka is a Croatian spread made with pork rinds as main ingredients. The spread is a specialty of Slavonija and Baranja region, but in recent years, it has started to appear on the menus of restaurants throughout the country. A... READ MORE

Budla, goranski nadjev, crnoluški želudac, budel, or nadelo are just some of the names for this delicacy hailing from the Croatian region of Gorski Kotar. There are as many names as there are recipes for this meat product ... READ MORE

During the Easter holidays in Bribir, Croatia, people prepare a special dish known as bribirski prisnac. It is a savory cake consisting of eggs, flour, yeast, bacon or ham, spring onions, and a local squeaky cheese made from cow’s milk - READ MORE

Though it is incorrectly translated as Istrian soup, this unusual combination of ingredients does not have much in common with the traditional concept of what constitutes a classic soup. The dish is prepared in a clay jug called bukal... READ MORE

Mydia or dagnje na crvenu buzaru is a popular Greek and Croatian appetizer consisting of fresh mussels that are steamed in red wine along with fresh herbs, garlic, and a variety of garden vegetables. The dish is usually doused in a Medite... READ MORE

Also known as quince cheese and kitnkez, this traditional Croatian product is made with a base of cooked and puréed quinces, sugar, and lemon. When cooked, the mixture is usually left to set in various decorative molds, an... READ MORE

Hobotnica na novaljski is a traditional dish originating from Novalja on the island of Pag. The dish is made with a combination of octopus, potatoes, olive oil, garlic, parsley, and seasonings. The octopus is cooked in boiling water (the water sho... READ MORE

Samaštrani jezik is an old Croatian dish originating from Split. It's prepared with fresh beef tongue which is combined with a mixture of salt, coriander, and garlic, and it's then left pressed under a weight for a few days up to a week. Af... READ MORE

Bećarska satrica is a Croatian salad originating from the region of Slavonija and Baranja. It consists of fresh cheese, sour cream, scallions, parsley, salt, and sweet paprika. In order to prepare it, all ingredients should simply be stirred toget... READ MORE

Pašteta od fazana is a Croatian dish that is especially popular in the region of Slavonija and Baranja. This pâté is made with pheasant as the key ingredient, and due to the fact that every household has their own recipe, other... READ MORE

Srdele na savor is a traditional Istrian variation on the classic Venetian dish called sarde in saor. The dish consists of fried and marinated sardines. Although each cook prepares the dish with different ingredients, it's usually made with a comb... READ MORE

Roasted dormouse (or pečeni puh in Croatian) is a Croatian meat delicacy that has been traditionally prepared in various parts of the country, especially on the islands of Hvar and Brač, and in the Rijeka hinterland. Dormice are cleaned t... READ MORE

Fuži na pastirski način is a traditional dish originating from Istria. The dish is usually made with a combination of fuži pasta, asparagus, prosciutto, onions, button mushrooms, garlic, parsley, white wine, meat stock, salt, pepper, and olive oil... READ MORE

Pane e olio is an Italian phrase meaning bread and oil, referring to a simple yet classic Italian dish that highlights the quality of its basic ingredients: bread and olive oil. Traditional Italian bread such as ciabatta, focaccia, or a rustic cou... READ MORE

Artičoke s bižima is a traditional dish originating from Dalmatia. The dish is usually made with a combination of artichokes, breadcrumbs, peas, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. The artichokes are shortly boiled in salted... READ MORE

Palenta s koprivom is a simple Croatian dish that can be served either as an appetizer or as a side dish. There are a few varieties of the dish throughout Croatia. When made in the Kvarner area, it usually consists only of polenta and nettle leave... READ MORE

Fritule od tikvica are traditional Croatian fritters originating from Istria. They're made with a combination of flour, grated zucchini, eggs, white wine, salt, oil, and grated cheese. The flour, egg yolks, wine, cheese, salt, and grated zucchini ... READ MORE

Benkovački prisnac is an authentic local delicacy from a small Croatian town called Benkovac. The dough for this flavorful bread-like pie consists of flour, eggs, sour cream, salt, oil, and fresh cheese. Traditionally, it is baked under a lid cove... READ MORE

This light and healthy Croatian dish consists of large tomatoes filled with a combination of onions, pickles, olives, and canned fish. However, there are many variations, and almost every family has their own recipe. In order to prepare it, tops s... READ MORE

Lunice, rupice, or gunjci is a traditional fish dish originating from the Kvarner area. The dish is usually made with a combination of sardines or anchovies, eggs, breadcrumbs, cornflour, garlic, parsley, salt, and oil. There are many variations, ... READ MORE

Mljevena jetrica is a Croatian dish that is traditionally prepared in the city of Virovitica. It consists of chicken liver, potatoes, eggs, semolina, baking powder, and garlic. Ground liver is mixed with eggs, grits, grated potatoes, baking powder... READ MORE

Maneštra od koromača i svinjskog jezika is a traditional dish originating from Istria. This type of Istrian maneštra (soup-like stew) is made with a combination of beans, potatoes, fennel, pork tongue, bacon, garlic, parsley, salt, a... READ MORE

Planinski rižot is a traditional dish originating from the Gorski Kotar region. This mountain-style risotto is made with a combination of mushrooms, rice, dried sausage, garlic, tomatoes, parsley, white wine, vegetable stock, butter, olive oil, an... READ MORE

Štokalj s jajima or kajgana sa suhom hobotnicom is a traditional dish originating from the Kvarner area, and it's especially popular on the island of Rab. The dish is made with a combination of štokalj (wind-dried octopus), eggs, oni... READ MORE

Artičoke u ulju is a traditional dish originating from Dalmatia. The dish is usually made with a combination of artichokes, vinegar, lemon juice, bay leaves, cloves, oregano, parsley, dry white wine, olive oil, and black pepper. The trimmed artich... READ MORE

Čepurke na plevu is a simple Croatian dish originating from the area around Gacka. In order to prepare it, the stems are picked from the mushrooms (usually button mushrooms), and they are then placed on a stovetop. Each mushroom is seasoned with a... READ MORE

Mikeška pašteta is a Croatian pâté that is especially popular in the area of Virovitica. It is made with a combination of ground pork rinds, hard-boiled eggs, onions, mustard, sweet paprika powder, fennel or dill, salt, ... READ MORE

Virovitički sataraš is a Croatian appetizer originating from the city of Virovitica, hence the name. It consists of vegetables such as onions, pumpkin, tomatoes, and bell peppers that are sautéed in lard and flavored with garlic and ... READ MORE

Kašnjaki is a traditional dish originating from the Podravina area. The dish is usually made with a combination of flour, salt, buckwheat, pumpkin seed oil, salt, and pumpkin seeds. The dough is made with a combination of flour, salt, and l... READ MORE

Pašteta od kopuna is a traditional spread originating from the Zagorje region. The pâté is usually made with a combination of rooster meat, sour cream, bread rolls, milk, eggs, sardine paste, pickles, mustard, salt, and pepper.... READ MORE

Salata od kokošjeg mesa na slavonski način is a traditional salad originating from Slavonija. This meat salad is served as an appetizer and it's usually made with a combination of hen meat, celery, carrots, potatoes, cauliflower, peas, pars... READ MORE

Orzo kažerma is a Croatian dish originating from the Rogoznica and Split area of Dalmatia. The dish is made with a combination of barley, scampi, dried tomatoes, zucchini, garlic, white wine, fish stock, olive oil, salt, and pepper. The garlic, pr... READ MORE

Filovani krumpir is a Croatian dish that is especially popular in the Virovitica area. It consists of large potatoes that have been peeled, cut in halves, hollowed out, then filled with a combination of boiled and chopped pork or veal, onions, par... READ MORE

Leber pašteta is a pâté that is especially popular in the area of Virovitica. It is made with a combination of lard, onions, dried bacon, liver, hard-boiled eggs, and mustard. In order to prepare it, onions and pieces of bacon ... READ MORE