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What to eat in Europe? Top 25 European Blood Sausages

Last update: Fri Feb 14 2025
Top 25 European Blood Sausages
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01

Blood Sausage

PROVINCE OF BURGOS, Spain
4.1
Morcilla de Burgos
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Morcilla de Burgos are blood sausages that are traditionally made in the province of Burgos. This is one of the many varieties of blood sausage, or black pudding, present all around the world. The recipe for this delicacy is fairly simple and uses only a few humble ingredients.


An interesting fact about this recipe is that it doesn't actually involve any meat, since morcilla de Burgos is made by chopping and sautéing the onions with butter, then combining them with rice, lard, blood, and spices. The mixture is then used to fill the sausage casings before being cooked. 

MOST ICONIC Morcilla de Burgos

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02
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As the name suggests, this Spanish sausage originates from Granada. It is made with a combination of pork belly, jowl, fat, blood, onions, salt, and spices such as oregano and paprika. This blood sausage variety is often used for tapas or consumed as a snack with bread and asparagus.

03
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Sângerete is a type of traditional Romanian blood sausage, which is typically boiled. It consists of a mixture of pork blood combined with ground pork meat, fat, and spices. Often seasoned with garlic, thyme, allspice, coriander, or nutmeg, the sausage can also contain boiled rice as a filler.


Romanian blood sausages are also called cârnaţi cu sânge, from the Romanian sânge, meaning blood in English. Due to the pork blood, the sausages are very juicy and have an exquisite flavor. Although each region in Romania has its own version of blood sausages, they are especially popular in Transylvania. 
04

Blood Sausage

LEWIS AND HARRIS, Scotland
3.7
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This sausage-shaped pudding has a rich, deep red to deep brown color when raw, and the ingredients used in preparing it are top quality beef suet, oatmeal, onions, blood (sheep's, cow's, or pig's), water, salt, pepper, and sausage casings. Absolutely no other seasonings are allowed.


The texture is moist, firm, and rough - the roughness is a result of the oatmeal used in the process. When the pudding is cooked, it is almost black and retains its shape. The meat inside is moist, full, savory, and non-greasy, without lumps of fat that can be seen in the Irish and English versions.

MOST ICONIC Stornoway Black Pudding

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05
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Botifarra de ceba or morcilla de cebolla is a Spanish sausage originating from Alicante. In Valencian, the word ceba means onion. The sausage consists of blood, fat, and onions that are seasoned and flavored with salt, pepper, pimentón, oregano, and cloves before the concoction is stuffed into casings.


It can be consumed fresh, fried, grilled, or boiled.

06
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Bahur is a traditional sausage made with a combination of rice and trimmings and blood of pork (but sheep and beef offal can also be used). Onions, bay leaves, cumin, and allspice are also added to the mixture. The ingredients are sautéed before they're stuffed into thick pork intestines.


The sausages are pierced with needles a few times to let the air out, then boiled, drained, and either consumed straight away or left to dry in a cold and dry place.

07

Blood Sausage

UNITED KINGDOM and  one more region
3.3
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Black pudding is a famous British delicacy made from animal blood (usually from pigs), oats, and fat. The combined ingredients are stuffed into a casing, and the sausage can then be fried, grilled, boiled, sliced, or crumbled. In Manchester, it is traditionally boiled and served with vinegar, while in other parts of the country, it is often a part of the traditional full English breakfast.

MOST ICONIC Black pudding

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08
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Even though there are numerous regional varieties of this famous Polish blood sausage, it typically consists of pork offal, animal’s blood, barley or buckwheat, and a variety of spices and fresh herbs. Kaszanka was probably created under the influence of German and Danish culinary traditions and was primarily enjoyed by the noblemen.


The modern variety of kaszanka appeared later, and today, it is one of the most commonly consumed Polish sausages. Whether grilled, fried, or cooked, it is usually served alongside caramelized onions, potatoes, or sauerkraut.

09
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Jelito is a traditional blood sausage. Prepared with pig’s blood and ground pork meat (mainly head, belly, and offal) it incorporates lard and various spices such as marjoram and cumin. Many jelito variations also consist of grains or plain white buns, which provide a more compact consistency.


Since it is a non-smoked sausage, it is traditionally boiled or fried before it is served alongside pungent mustard, horseradish, and cabbage.

10
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Mustamakkara is a blood sausage consisting of pig’s blood, pork meat and fat, crushed rye, and flour. Characterized by its dark color, juicy center, and a crisp casing, it comes in various sizes. Consumed throughout the country as a late breakfast or a nutritious lunch, it is especially favored in Tampere, the city which allegedly produces the best mustamakkara.


Even though it is found on the menus of many traditional restaurants, it is best enjoyed at local markets where the freshest varieties are often served with traditional lingonberry jam as a perfect accompaniment.

MOST ICONIC Mustamakkara

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Blood Sausage
SILESIAN VOIVODESHIP, Poland
3.2
13
Blood Sausage
ZAGORJE, Croatia
3.1
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Blood Sausage
SILESIAN VOIVODESHIP, Poland
2.4
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Blood Sausage
CANARY ISLANDS, Spain
n/a
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25

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. For the “Top 25 European Blood Sausages” list until February 14, 2025, 1,180 ratings were recorded, of which 857 were recognized by the system as legitimate. 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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European Blood Sausages