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 unmatched taste and unique recipes. So make a note of 10 Ukrainian dishes of traditional cuisine that every Ukrainian should know how to cook and that every gourmet in the world should try.

Ukrainian borshch

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

Banosh

If you are traveling through Western Ukraine, be sure to try the highlight of local Hutsul cuisine — banosh. An aromatic cornmeal porridge cooked in milk and finished with cream — a treat that is hard to refuse. The dish is served with cracklings, mushrooms, onion and sheep bryndza. If you want to experience the real 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 dressed with vegetable gravy! Just imagine a tender filling of rice and meat, seasoned with spices and fried onion and carrot, wrapped in thin vine leaves and stewed in a juicy gravy! Vine leaves can be replaced with white cabbage leaves or peppers. The dish is served with sour cream, which complements the incredible taste of Ukrainian holubtsi.

Varenyky

Probably every Ukrainian family knows how to cook or enjoys eating varenyky. It is no accident that in Evenings on a Farm near Dykanka Gogol depicted the colorful character Patsyuk, who could only just keep up with enjoying fluffy varenyky with sour cream. Ukrainian varenyky are prepared with the most varied fillings: cherries or strawberries, stewed cabbage, meat, potatoes, eggs with herbs, cottage cheese, or even mushrooms. Whatever the filling, varenyky are one of the surest Ukrainian dishes, popular both on 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 — with any version, the dish will be filling and tasty! Draniki are served with sour cream, which gives the dish unmatched flavor.

Homemade sausage

In every Ukrainian village people not only know how to make, but also know how to prepare an exceptionally filling and tasty dish — homemade sausage. It is made from pork intestines stuffed with minced meat, lard, salt and spices. The way sausages are prepared is hard to call aesthetic, but the finished dish is the 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 layer of filling differs in composition and taste.

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

Ukrainian salo

A very tasty dish of Ukrainian cuisine — salo — the product of Ukraine's long-lived people! The product is high in calories, but contains beneficial fatty acids that have a positive effect on health. Therefore, in small quantities 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 goes well with fresh or pickled cucumber, onion or tomatoes.

Kholodets

Kholodets is an old dish that is among the best dishes of Ukrainian cuisine. It is prepared simply, but takes a long time. Different parts of pork with bones are boiled for several hours, and then made into aspic. 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 tastiest uzvar is made with dried fruits: apples, pears, smoked prunes, cherries and raisins. The sweetness of the finished drink can be adjusted by adding honey. A warm drink in winter or a cold one in summer — at any time of year, uzvar will quench your thirst well!