Ukraine

The iconic borsch is probably the most famous Ukrainian dish, also considered the country's national dish. It is a comforting soup made with beetroot, meat or bone stock, and sautéed vegetables. There are many variations - the broth can be made with beef, pork, chicken, or as a vegetarian ... Read more

Originating from the historical region of Red Ruthenia, these soft, crescent-shaped dumplings are filled with a combination of potatoes and cheese, which is occasionally modified with various seasonings or fried onions. Pierogi ruskie are usually boiled and shortly fried until they develop a cris... Read more

Kutia is a Ukrainian, Russian, Belarusian, and Polish sweet grain pudding that is traditionally served as part of a twelve-meal Christmas Eve supper. Interestingly enough, this festive treat is believed to have existed long before Christianity. It is made with wheat, berries, honey or sugar, nuts... Read more

The traditional Ukrainian paska–also known as kulich in Russia–is a sweet and fragrant Easter bread. This popular delicacy abounds in eggs and butter, and typically has a tall cylindrical shape with a rounded top. It is often enriched with citrus juice or zest, vanilla, rum, ... Read more

Chicken Kyiv consists of a boned, flattened chicken breast that is rolled around chilled herb butter, breaded, and then fried. Although the dish is very popular, no one knows where it came from or how it got its name, and there are numerous contradicting theories attributing its invention to Ukra... Read more

Syrniki is a dessert consisting of fried cottage cheese pancakes that are usually garnished with honey, fruit jam, sour cream, or applesauce. It is part of the Russian (where it's sometimes also called tvorozhniki), Belarusian, Ukrainian, Latvian and Lithuanian cuisine. Cottage cheese is... Read more

Bublik is a name that is commonly used in Eastern European countries, predominately Ukraine and Russia, when referring to a round, yeasted bun, in many ways similar to a bagel. Before baking, it is shortly poached in water and dusted with poppy seeds, sesame, or sugar. It is believed tha... Read more

Pampushki are small Ukrainian yeasted buns. They can be prepared in sweet or savory versions. The dough usually consists of milk, flour, eggs, sugar, butter, yeast, oil, and salt, and it is then shaped into small balls. The sweet version is often stuffed with ingredients such as fruit jam, berrie... Read more

Kyivski tort is a traditional Soviet cake originating from Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. Instead of common sponge cake, kyivski tort contains a nutty meringue with a crunchy and airy texture, a technique which was created in 1956 at the Karl Marx Confectionery Factory. Although walnuts were initi... Read more

Korovai is a traditional wedding bread that is also popular in countries such as Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, and Russia. Instead of a cake, Ukrainians bake this massive, lavishly decorated bread that is often made by seven married women from seven different places. Participation of widows in the b... Read more

Traditionally prepared over an open fire, this velvety Ukrainian corn porridge originated in the Carpathian highlands. It consists of corn flour cooked in a mixture of sour cream and Bryndza cheese. In the past, it was associated exclusively with the Hutsul minority, where the task of preparing t... Read more

Small, but packed with flavor, the batter for these famous Russian pancakes differs from those for traditional pancakes as it is prepared with kefir, a fermented milk product with a slightly sour taste. Aside from kefir, the remaining ingredients for oladyi are typical for any run-of-the-mill pan... Read more

Salo is a traditional pork product consisting of non-rendered pork fatback that goes through a process of curing that may involve dry-salting, brining, or boiling. The finished product is a creamy white or pale pink pork fat surrounded by a thin pork rind with a golden-yellow hue and rar... Read more

Čvarci or ocvirki is a traditional specialty that's popular in Southeastern Europe and the Balkans. This variety of pork rinds or cracklings is usually homemade, and it's made by thermally extracting fat from the lard. The lard is usually cut into blocks and fried in its own fat until it... Read more

Popular throughout Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia, ryazhenka is a dairy product that is made by fermenting milk after it has been baked for a long time at low temperature. The fermentation is achieved by the addition of sour cream, kefir, or buttermilk. Once prepared, ryazhenka has a thick... Read more

Uzvar is a traditional drink made by simmering dry fruit in water. It is a type of infusion made with various dry fruit, but apples, pears, prunes, and dry apricots are the most common option. Though only one type of fruit can be used, most variations will use a combination of different ... Read more

Beetroot (beet) kvass is a traditional fermented drink popular in Ukraine and Russia. It is a tangy and earthy drink commonly incorporated into savory dishes such as borsch. In its simplest form, it is made with beetroot, salt, and water, but variations often include spices, bread, or st... Read more

Kvass is an ancient, traditional Russian beverage made from buckwheat meal, wheat, rye, rye bread, or barley, but it can be made from any ingredient that can be fermented. It has a relatively low alcoholic content (from 0,7-2.0 %) as a result of the natural fermentation process, but it i... Read more