10 Ukrainian National Dishes You Need to Try

Ukrainian culture is rich not only in its traditions, but also in a variety of culinary dishes. Traditional Ukrainian dishes have become known in many countries around the world thanks to their unsurpassed taste and unique recipes. So write down 10 Ukrainian dishes of traditional cuisine, which every Ukrainian should be able to cook and which every gourmet in the world should try.

 

Ukrainian Borshch

Borshch is a symbol of Ukrainian cuisine, a dish with a distinctive rich red-purple color thanks to the use of beetroot and tomato. Essential ingredients include cabbage, onion, potatoes and carrots. For flavor, it is recommended to use garlic and fatty meat. The dish is served with sour cream, garlic and pampushky.

 

Banosh

If you travel through Western Ukraine, be sure to try the highlight of local Hutsul cuisine — banosh. An aromatic cornmeal porridge cooked in milk and enriched with cream — a dish it is hard to refuse. It is served with cracklings, mushrooms, onion and sheep's brynza. If you want to experience the true taste of banosh, make sure it is cooked in a cast-iron cauldron over an open fire.

Holubtsi

Holubtsi are one of the dishes of true Ukrainian cuisine. It is hard to resist delicious Ukrainian holubtsi topped with vegetable gravy! Just imagine a tender filling of rice and meat, seasoned with spices and fried onion and carrot, wrapped in thin grape leaves and stewed in a juicy gravy! Grape leaves can be replaced with white cabbage leaves or peppers. Sour cream is served with the dish, complementing the incredible taste of Ukrainian holubtsi.

 

Varenyky

Probably every Ukrainian family knows how to cook or enjoys eating varenyky. No wonder in Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka Gogol depicted the colorful character Patsyuk, who did nothing but enjoy fluffy varenyky with sour cream. Ukrainian varenyky are prepared with a wide variety of fillings: with cherries or strawberries, with stewed cabbage, with meat, potatoes, eggs with greens, cottage cheese, or even mushrooms. Regardless of the filling, varenyky are one of the fail-safe Ukrainian dishes, popular both at everyday and festive tables.

 

Potato draniki

One of the simple and popular dishes is potato draniki. They are made from grated potatoes, which are fried like pancakes in a pan. If desired, you can add a cottage cheese, meat or mushroom filling — whichever version you choose, the dish will be filling and tasty! Draniki are served with sour cream, which gives the dish an unsurpassed taste.

 

Homemade sausage

In every Ukrainian village, not only do people know how to make, but they also know how to prepare an extremely filling and tasty dish — homemade sausage. It is made from pork intestines stuffed with minced meat, fatback, salt and spices. The way sausages are made is hardly aesthetic, but the finished dish is a highlight of every generously laid Ukrainian table. Fried homemade sausage goes well with any side dish and fresh vegetables.

 

Perekladanets

Perekladanets is one of the tastiest Ukrainian desserts, resembling a layered pie in which each filling layer differs in composition and taste.

Usually poppy seed filling, nut filling and jam are used in perekladanets. The finished dish is topped with fondant and, if desired, decorated with dried fruit, chocolate or simply powdered sugar. Incredibly delicious!

 

Ukrainian Salo

A very tasty dish of Ukrainian cuisine — salo — a product of Ukraine's long-lived people! The product is high in calories, but it contains beneficial fatty acids that have a positive effect on health. Therefore, in small amounts it is not only filling and tasty, but also healthy. Salo is eaten cut into pieces. Salo ground with garlic or dill is spread on bread. Such a snack tastes good with fresh or salted cucumber, onion or tomatoes.

Kholodets

Kholodets is an ancient dish that is among the best dishes of Ukrainian cuisine. It is prepared simply, but over a long time. Different parts of pork with bones are boiled for several hours, and then aspic is made from them. To make the dish tastier, it is served chilled with horseradish or mustard.

 

Uzvar

Uzvar is one of the tastiest drinks in traditional cuisine. There are many recipes, but the most delicious uzvar is made using dried fruit: apples, pears, smoked prunes, cherries and raisins. The sweetness of the prepared drink can be enhanced by adding honey. Warm in winter or cold in summer — at any time of year, uzvar will quench your thirst well!