10 Wonderful Foods of Croatia

Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a small yet highly geographically diverse country situated at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe. Regarded as one of the best places to visit in Europe, Croatia is blessed with over 1,000 islands, lowland plains, alpine peaks, deep caves, and spectacular waterfalls. Besides, this crescent-shaped country is well known for its sumptuous cuisine, which has absorbed multiple influences, both local and from neighbouring countries such as Italy, Austria, Hungary, and Turkey. From delicious seafood to refined charcuterie, sweet Croatian desserts to hearty meat stews, gourmet restaurant cuisine to tasty Croatian street food, there are so many mouth-watering dishes. If you’re planning a trip to Croatia and enjoy trying new foods, this post will help you know what to look for in different regions of Croatia as part of your Europe tour packages

Istrian Yota

Istrian Yota or Jota is considered as the national dish of Croatia, one of the scenic offbeat places to visit in Europe. Jota is an ancient stew made of sauerkraut, dried borlotti beans, potatoes, and some kind of pork cuts. It is popular in the region of Istria, hence the name Istrian Yota. Influenced by both Central European and Mediterranean cuisine, Jota is filling and makes a perfect choice for comfort food when the first cold starts as it will warm your body and soul. It is really easy to make, healthy, and inexpensive, and it has become a staple and much-loved dish in Slovenian households. It is served in nurseries, schools, care homes for the elderly, and family-run informal restaurants, as well as being one of the most requested dishes from hikers and skiers in mountainside restaurants as it is very nutritious.


Black Risotto

Known locally as “crni riot,” black risotto is the staple dish on the Dalmatian menu. usually prepared with cuttlefish or squid, which gives the traditional Italian dish an extreme seafood twist. It has olive oil, red wine, garlic, and squid ink, which turns the whole dish black, giving it the unusual appearance for which it is known. Popular all along Croatia’s coastline, this dish will turn your mouth and teeth black, but it is absolutely delicious and worth trying while in Croatia.


Peka

Ispod Peke, literally translated as “under the bell,” boasts the country’s long-lived customs and heritage. This traditional dish can be found on most Dalmatian menus. Peka is not a dish but a cooking vessel with a bell-shaped lid made from cast iron or clay. Peka is used to prepare a variety of seafood, meat, and vegetable dishes with potatoes, spices, salt, and olive oil. It involves slow cooking over an open fire with hot charcoal placed over the lid, which allows steam to recirculate so dishes are cooked evenly. It’s often served with some Croatian bread to mop up the delicious sauce. Due to the time-consuming process, one should order a Peka meal from the restaurant that morning or even a day in advance.


Fuzi

The Croatian region of Istrian peninsula is known for its pasta. Pljukanci, ravioli, lazanje, and pasutice are among the most common though the best known is Fuzi.Fuzi is a traditional Istrian pasta shaped like a tube. It is made with thin, diamond-shaped sheets of pasta dough that are folded and pinched together to resemble small flutes or spindles. The name fuži is derived from fusus, which means “spindle”. It is usually served with traditional truffle cream sauce, or red sauced that have boskarin, beef, chicken, or even wild game. This yummy pasta you can taste in many Istrian restaurants. 


Fritule

Commonly found on the Adriatic coast, fritule are sweet, round Croatian fritters that are made especially for Christmas. These are miniature doughnut balls filled with rum and raisins and fried in butter or oil. After frying, the fritters are traditionally dusted with powdered sugar for extra sweetness, but they can also be coated with other toppings like melted chocolate, whipped cream, or caramel. Although these traditional and extremely tasty Croatian dessert pastries owe their origin to coastal regions, they are very popular throughout the country. However, the ingredients vary across regions and usually include egg yolk, lemon or orange peel, rakija or rum, citrus zest, and other things. If you are a sweet lover, then you must try this dish when you are in Croatia.


Brodetto / Brudet

Brodetto, also called Brudet, is a traditional Croatian fish stew popular in the regions of Dalmatia, Istria, and Kvarner. It is believed that this fisherman’s stew hails from Marche region in Italy, among the best cultural destinations in Europe. It was likely invented by fishermen who made the stew using fish that were either damaged by fishing nets or had little to no commercial value. They would add ample vinegar to the pot to preserve the stew for a couple of days. Similar to the Italian brodetto or Greek bourdetto, it can be made with a variety of fish like forkbeard, conger, and monkfish, which are stewed together in a pot with seafood stock, vegetables, tomato sauce, red or white wine, vinegar, and different Mediterranean herbs and spices like bay leaves, rosemary, and fresh parsley. It is one of the most common dishes found in coastal Croatia and is usually served with polenta.


Pasticada

Pasticada is one of the popular Croatian dishes and also called as the ‘Queen of Dalmatia Cuisine’. Pasticada is a marinated beef stew, often made with prunes or figs, bacon, nutmeg, and red wine, and usually served with gnocchi or homemade pasta. The meat for this dish is salted and marinated in vinegar overnight, and is then roasted and cooked in a rich red sauce for 4 to 6 hours to make it very flavorful. If you are looking for a slow-cooked Croatian beefy food with a very creamy sauce, then try this flavorful dish in Dalmatia during your trip to Croatia.


Istrian Truffles

Istrian Truffles have become quite a rage in global haute cuisine. These Istrian truffles are grown only in the belt of forest between Motovun and Buzet. The mildly flavored black truffles are found throughout the year, but the white truffle only occurs between September and January. Truffles are garnished in everything from starter to dessert, and seafood to steak. But truffle omelettes or truffle-garnished pasta dishes are frequently the best way to enjoy them.


Buzara

Popular all along the Croatian coast, Buzara is a simple dish made of mussels. Buzara means stew, and the dish is similar to the French delicacy of moules mariniere. Buzara is traditionally made in white wine broth and olive oil, using garlic, and tomatoes which is best served with traditional white bread. At the end, the dish is sprinkled with breadcrumbs for great appearance and taste. It is one of the must-try dishes in Croatia.


Croatian Octopus Salad

Croatian Octopus Salad is a classic and refreshing dish of Croatia. In this dish, the Octopus is initially cleaned and cooked in water until tender. Once it cooled, the octopus cut into bite-sized chunks which is then sprinkled with olive oil, vinegar and is garnished with capers, diced onions, and parsley. Available in almost all the restaurants along the Croatian coast, it is the perfect lunch on a hot summer day. Some restaurants also add potatoes, whilst others go for cherry tomatoes that makes your dish even more delicious. It is one of the must-try typical Croatian dishes.


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