Gołąbki is a traditional dish consisting of cabbage leaves stuffed with a combination of minced meat and rice. The whole concoction is then rolled and cooked in a mushroom or tomato-based sauce. Gołąbki means little pigeons in Polish, referring to their compact shape and size.

The dish is often served during the festive season, garnished with fresh herbs and sour cream, while mashed potatoes are typically served on the side. It is believed that King Casimir IV and the Grand Duke of Lithuania fed their troops with this comforting, hearty dish before they went into battle, which consequently ensured their victory. 

Considered to be a variation of the more famous Wiener schnitzel, the breaded pork cutlet known as kotlet Schabowy is one of the most popular Polish dishes. Even though it appeared in the 19th century under the influence of Austrian and German culinary tradition, it quickly became a mainstay in restaurants and households throughout the country.

It is typically prepared with a thin breaded pork chop or tenderloin, fried in lard, and served alongside cooked potatoes, sauerkraut, and various fresh and pickled salads.

An authentic Silesian dish, rolada z modrą kapustą is a beef roulade served with a side of cooked red cabbage and potato dumplings. Traditionally, the beef roulade is filled with pickled cucumbers, bacon, sausages, onions, and mustard. It is first fried and then cooked in a sauce with spices and onions.

Cooked modrą kapustą, or red cabbage, is lightly fried with onions and bacon, and then tossed with grated apples, vinegar, pepper, and salt. Also known as kluski śląskie, Silesian potato dumplings consist of boiled potatoes, flour, eggs, and salt.

The beef roulade is served on a large plate with the cooked red cabbage and potato dumplings on the side, all drizzled with the cooking sauce and topped with freshly chopped dill. 

This traditional Polish variety of the acclaimed Hungarian goulash is prepared with beef or pork that is slowly simmered alongside onions in a rich, paprika-spiced broth. It is often complemented by various vegetables and seasonings, resulting in a flavorful, satisfying dish with an incredibly thick consistency.

Gulasz is usually served with bread, rice, or pasta on the side, and it is traditionally enjoyed as a hearty main course.

Polish cuisine prides itself in hearty and comforting dishes, and bigos–a traditional Polish stew–is one of the classic representatives of their culinary tradition. Also known as hunter’s stew, bigos is highly versatile, and any meat can be used in its preparation.

Most commonly, the dish is made with pork, but the choice of meat typically depends on its availability and personal preferences. Sauerkraut, potatoes, bacon, and kielbasa are some of the additional ingredients which complete the dish. Although simple in preparation and ingredients, bigos is time-consuming because it is traditionally simmered for hours until all of the flavors are thouroughly combined. 

Roasted duck with apples is a traditional dish that is mainly served as a restaurant specialty or a festive, home-cooked meal. The duck is generously seasoned before it is stuffed with grated, sliced, or whole apples, and is then baked until crispy.

The stuffing is either left out or served together with the duck, while additional accompaniments include boiled or mashed potatoes, stewed cabbage, beets, or separately prepared apples that are generously doused in meat drippings.

Kotlet z piersi kurczaka is a Polish fried chicken breast cutlet, crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. The secret lies in pounding the chicken breast until it becomes very thin, which allows the meat to cook faster and to retain the moisture.

The chicken cutlets are usually coated with flour, then dipped in beaten eggs, and finally covered with breadcrumbs. Fried breaded chicken cutlets are typically eaten for dinner, accompanied by potatoes, vegetables, or rice.

Zrazy wołowe zawijane is a traditional beef roulade consisting of thin beef slices which are wrapped around a filling, and then browned and braised. Although the method of preparation and the filling may vary, the beef slices are usually smeared with mustard and stuffed with bacon, pickles, and onions.

Other variants of the dish call for stuffing the beef with sauerkraut, horseradish, breadcrumbs, or herbs, while an old variant of the dish calls for a filling of wild mushrooms and cream. Beef roulades are usually drizzled with the cooking sauce and can be served with a variety of accompaniments, including boiled rice, potatoes, beet salad, cabbage, buckwheat or barley kasha, Polish potato dumplings, or sour cream. 

The Polish version of popular breaded meat patties consists of ground pork, soaked bread, eggs, and a variety of spices and fresh herbs. Usually shaped into flattened round or oval shapes, the patties are pan-fried until they are dark brown and crispy on the outside.

They are traditionally served alongside boiled or mashed potatoes and fresh or pickled salads.