Ukrainian Food - 23 Popular and Delicious Recipes Recommended by a Local (2024)

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Ukraine is home to many internationally known popular dishes, from pierogi dumplings to delicious buttery chicken Kyiv.

While Ukrainian cuisine is lesser-known, if you are a curious foodie and eager for new culinary experiences, you have come to the right place.

Gear up for a truly magical culinary journey, guided by Kate, a food expert and writer from Kyiv, as we discover 23 popular Ukrainian foods, their history, and what makes them so delicious.

Introduction to Ukrainian Food

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Ukraine is the second-largest European country – and one of the most diverse. The Carpathian Mountains boast Hungarian culinary influence, and Lviv’s multicultural palette includes Jewish, Austrian, and German cooking traditions.

The capital, Kyiv, represents the classics of Ukrainian cuisine, while Odesa brings in the seafood goodies.

Many Ukrainian dishes include meat, but vegetarians will find plenty of options too.

Potatoes, cabbage, pickles, and carrots prevail in savory foods, while cottage cheese is often used in desserts.

Now that we are a little more acquainted with the cuisine, here are 23 mouth-watering traditional Ukrainian dishes that are not to be missed during your trip to Ukraine.

23 Traditional Ukrainian Dishes To Try

1. Paska (Easter Bread)

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Paska is a special dish prepared in Ukraine for Easter. This sweet bread is usually taken to church to be blessed on Easter morning.

The classic paska shape is cylindrical, with creamy frosting and sprinkles on top. It is made with yeast, milk, eggs, butter, and sugar.

Cheese paska is made from cottage cheese, and its shape imitates the Tomb of Jesus.

2. Chicken Kyiv

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Chicken Kyiv is one of the most famous dishes in Ukrainian cuisine, known far beyond the country’s borders.

While in the classical version, the chicken bone is retained, nowadays, the boneless version is more popular.

To prepare this Ukrainian dish, the chicken fillet is first flattened and wrapped around cold butter.

Then, the chicken is first coated with a mix of grated cheese, parsley, dill, mushrooms, and pepper, dipped in beaten egg yolk, and fried. It is traditionally served as a main dish.

Read more: Chicken Kyiv Recipe

3. Olivier Potato Salad

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The staple cold appetizer of the Ukrainian New Year celebration, the Olivier Salad, is a pretty old dish: the first documented recipe dates back to 1894.

Nowadays, the salad includes five key elements: meat (usually boiled sausages), eggs, potatoes, pickles, and mayonnaise.

Eggs and potatoes are boiled and cut into cubes. Meat and pickles are cut into cubes as well and then mixed in with mayonnaise. The dish can be stored in the fridge or served immediately.

Read more: Rustic Olivier Salad (Potato Salad) Recipe You Need to Try

4. Kapusniak (Sauerkraut Soup)

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Kapusniak is one of the oldest and most significant dishes in Ukraine. It used to be prepared for weddings, funerals, and Christmas dinners. Nowadays, Ukrainians enjoy this soup throughout the year.

The key ingredient of kapusniak is sauerkraut, which is thoroughly washed before cooking to give the soup its transparent color.

It is cooked in meat or mushroom broth with potatoes, onions, carrots, and bay leaves. Traditionally kapusniak is served with sour cream and chopped parsley.

Read more: Ukrainian-Inspired Sauerkraut Soup Recipe (Kapusniak) for a Nourishing and Earthy Dish

5. Varenyky (Stuffed Dumplings)

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Ukrainian varenyky are commonly known as “pierogi,” which originates from Poland.

Varenyky dumplings are usually made with savory fillings, like meat, potatoes, mushrooms, and cabbage. Cottage cheese or cherries are typically served for sweet varenyky.

Cherry varenyky are considered a classic of Ukrainian cuisine. They are commonly served with sour cream and sugar on top.

Read more: Varenyky Recipe (Dumplings from Ukraine with a Surprise Sweet and Sour Filling)

6. Piroshki (Stuffed Pies)

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Also known as “pyrizhky,” these patties are often considered Ukrainian comfort food.

The boat-shaped pastries have an impressive range of fillings, from sweet fillings such as cherries or apples to savory fillings such as ground meat and mushrooms.

Piroshki are typically baked, though some families in Ukraine opt for frying. The preparation includes making the dough, which is then flattened, filled with a preferred filling and pinched around the edges.

After about 25 minutes in the oven, the piroshki batch is ready. People from all walks of life enjoy this delightful Ukrainian food.

7. Holubtsi (Stuffed Cabbage Rolls)

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Holubtsi are traditional Ukrainian cabbage rolls, especially popular in the Carpathians region.

While holubtsi are usually stuffed with minced meat, the dish can be made vegetarian with plain rice or buckwheat.

Cabbage is boiled to soften the leaves, which are then filled with minced pork or beef, browned onions and carrots, mushrooms, and cooked rice.

Afterward, holubtsi are braised and served garnished with dill. The serving usually includes 2 to 3 pieces, as holubtsi are very filling.

8. Holodets (Aspic)

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Along with the Olivier salad, holodets is a staple New Year dish for Ukrainians. The name of the dish derives from the Ukrainian word cold, “holodnyii.”

Holodets is usually made of pork with retained bones, but meat can be substituted with fish, such as pike. Onions, garlic, carrot, bay leaves, and black pepper are added to the meat broth and boiled.

Meat is then cut, added back to the mixture, and the holodets is put in the fridge to congeal.

9. Deruny (Potato Pancakes)

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Deruny, or potato pancakes, are an extremely popular dish in Ukrainian cuisine restaurants across the country. These small pancakes are very filling and easy to make.

First, the potatoes are grated into a homogenous mass. Then, the egg, flour, salt, and pepper are added to the mix, and the resulting mixture is fried in oil.

Deruny are traditionally served with sour cream. While the dish is not seasonal, it tastes the best when the temperature drops.

Read more: Deruny Potato Pancakes Recipe

10. Walnut-Stuffed Prunes

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Prunes are a common filling in Ukrainian desserts. Especially beloved in western Ukraine, walnut-stuffed prunes are easily prepared and often served as a summer dessert.

First, the prunes are soaked in water for a couple of hours to make them soft. Then, they are stuffed with toasted walnuts.

The next step is adding the whipping cream with sugar. Finally, the prunes are mixed with heavy cream and sprinkled with crushed walnuts and chocolate.

Read more: Walnut-Stuffed Prunes Recipe

11. Nalysniki (Crepes)

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Nalysniki are the Ukrainian version of crêpes. These thin pancakes are traditionally prepared during Maslenitsa, Orthodox Cheesefare Week.

Nalysniki can be filled with meat, salted fish, caviar, pâtés, or cottage cheese. The latter is considered the classic dessert of Ukrainian cuisine.

After stuffing the crêpes, the nalysniki are fried with butter or baked in the oven with sugar, oil, or sour cream to taste.

Read more: Nalesniki Recipe

12. Kasha (Buckwheat Porridge)

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While the Ukrainian word “kasha” can mean any porridge, it usually is used for a specific dish – buckwheat porridge.

The flavors are versatile. This dish can be sweet when served as a main dish, or savory as a side dish served with meat or fish.

The classic buckwheat kasha recipe is simple. Buckwheat is boiled for 10 minutes and mixed with milk. Kasha is then boiled for another 10 minutes.

A slice of butter and sugar are added at the very end for an extra creamy texture.

Read more: Buckwheat Recipe (Kasha)

13. Kutia (Christmas Porridge)

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One of the most well-known Ukrainian foods is kutia. This Ukrainian Christmas porridge is served as the first of twelve traditional Christmas Eve dishes.

To make kutia, wheat is boiled for a couple of hours, and poppy seeds are ground either with a mortar and pestle or in a coffee grinder.

Afterward, the ground poppy is added to the softened wheat, along with honey, walnuts, and raisins.

14. Salo (Traditional Snack with Pork Fat)

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This unusual snack is often considered one of the main symbols of Ukraine. It is made of fatback slabs, salted with spices.

While usually the skin is retained, many Ukrainians prefer to eat salo without the skin.

The slabs are rubbed with salt and spices, such as black pepper, garlic, dried dill, bay leaf, marjoram, cardamom, and cumin.

The meat is then placed in a Tupperware sprinkled with spices and put in a fridge for 3-4 days.

Salo is traditionally served with rye bread, borscht, and the Ukrainian alcoholic drink horilka.

15. Polenta

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Polenta is a dish with many names – in central Ukraine, this porridge is commonly known as Mamalyga, while in the Carpathians, it is often called “Kulesha.” The recipe for this Ukrainian cuisine dish, however, stays the same.

Polenta is made with cornflour, water, butter, and salt. The corn flour is slowly boiled with butter and salt until thick.

The dish is considered ready for consumption once it can be cut with a knife. Hearty polenta is typically served with pork rind, bryndza cheese, mushrooms, or bacon.

Read more: Mamaliga Recipe

16. Garlic Pampushki

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Pampushki are small, round buns made from yeast dough. These shiny pastries are traditionally served with Ukrainian borscht but can also be a small snack.

Before baking pampushki in the oven, the batch is greased with whipped egg to give it extra shininess and a crunchy brown top.

After the pastry is baked, the pampushki are covered with olive oil, parsley, and garlic sauce. The latter gives it spiciness and complements borscht.

17. Borscht

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Borscht is the original staple of Ukrainian cuisine. This hearty soup is made from meat broth, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, and beets, which give borscht its signature red color. Traditionally borscht is served with sour cream on top.

Every region and nearly every family in Ukraine has its own spin on the classic recipe. There is also a summer version of borscht, called “green” for its distinctive color.

In this case, the broth is thickened with fresh sorrel, potatoes, carrots, and boiled eggs.

Read more: Borscht Recipe

18. Lazy Dumplings

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Linyvi varenyky, or lazy dumplings, are a quick version of Ukrainian varenyky.

Thanks to its easy preparation that got this dish its peculiar name, lazy dumplings are incredibly popular with Ukrainians even nowadays.

To make the dough, fresh cottage cheese is mixed with egg, sugar, vanilla powder, and flour. The dough is then cut into small slices, sprinkled with flour, and boiled for a couple of minutes.

Lazy dumplings can be served with sour cream, yogurt, honey, condensed milk, jam, or fresh berries.

Read more: Lazy Dumplings Recipe

19. Syrniki

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Syrniki (syrnyky) is a staple Ukrainian dessert that you can try in most cafes and restaurants of the country. The recipe dates back to the 18th century and remains much unchanged.

The key ingredient is cottage cheese, which should be fresh and fragrant.

Cheese is mixed with egg, salt, sugar, and flour. Sometimes raisins and poppy seeds are added for a grainier texture. Syrniki are then shaped in small circles, sprinkled with flour, and fried. This dessert is often served with raspberry jam.

Read more: Sweet or Savory Farmer’s Cottage Cheese Pancakes Recipe (Syrnyky)

20. Salted Fish

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Thanks to access to the Black Sea, Ukrainian cuisine is abundant in fish dishes. Salted herring is by far one of the most popular dishes.

The recipe demands boiling fish with bay leaves, black pepper, cardamom, and carnation. Afterward, the herring is cured with the spiced marinade in the fridge for two days.

Salted herring can serve as a main dish or an ingredient for Forshmak. This classic Jewish-Odesan dish is a paste made from minced herring, bread, eggs, sour cream, and onions.

The Forshmak can be served hot or cold, usually on top of rye bread.

21. Kyiv Cake

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Ukrainian food is plentiful with the country’s capital namesakes. Unlike Chicken Kyiv, Kyiv cake is a sweet dish.

This dessert cake was first made in 1956 and, ever since, gained undying popularity in the post-Soviet countries.

The origin of the classic recipe is still debated to this day. However, the key ingredients that are mostly agreed upon include meringue, hazelnuts, buttercream, eggs, sugar, and cocoa.

The Kyiv cake is known for its airy texture and colorful flower ornaments on top of multiple meringue layers.

22. Varenye (Jam)

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Varenye or varennya is a Ukrainian homemade jam. Its name originates from “varyty,” the Ukrainian word for “boil.”

To make varenye, fruits are boiled in homemade sugar syrup. Common flavors include apricot, quince, viburnum, strawberry, and gooseberry.

Another popular type of varenye is called “dried jam” or candied fruit. The snack used to be a Kyiv brand delight that received numerous awards back in the 19th century.

Berries or cut fruit were covered with sugar syrup, boiled, and chilled. The process was repeated until the jam got its chewy and juicy consistency.

Read more: Varenye Recipe

23. Homemade Sausages

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A traditional recipe of the Ukrainian Carpathians, the homemade sausage demands patience and accuracy. The ingredient list includes pork, Ukrainian fatback salo, garlic, black pepper, and a casing made from a pig’s small intestine.

The meat and the salo are mixed with garlic and spices, minced, and stuffed inside the pig’s small intestine casing, which is thoroughly cleaned beforehand.

The sausage can be separated into smaller parts with a thread. Afterward, the sausage is boiled and fried.

This dish is commonly sold on Ukrainian food markets and served in national cuisine restaurants all over the country.

Traditional Ukrainian Food Summary

We’ve come to the end of our list of Ukrainian cuisine classics. Most Ukrainian dishes are best when they are homemade, so making friends or sampling hearty borscht at your host’s house will become an authentic Ukrainian experience of its own.

Hopefully, this article has shown you the beauty, diversity, and humbleness of Ukrainian food and inspired you to make some of it at home.

There are so many wonderful dishes to choose from, you could spend a lifetime sampling it and not try everything.

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  • Nomad Paradise

    Hey there! We are Dale and Doina, the founders of Nomad Paradise. We traveled full-time for over three years, and while we now have a home base in the U.K., continue to take trips abroad to visit new places and try new cuisines and foods. Our food guides are curated with the guidance of local foodies, and their contribution is indicated under each article. We also cook the foods we try abroad, and you can discover how to make them in our 'recipes from around the world' category.

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  • Kate Pryliuk

    Kate Pryliuk is a content writer and translator from Kyiv. She has written for various Ukrainian publications and is eager to share more about Ukrainian cuisine and cooking with the rest of the world.

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Ukrainian Food - 23 Popular and Delicious Recipes Recommended by a Local (2024)

FAQs

What is the most popular food in Ukraine? ›

The national dish of Ukraine is red borscht, a well-known beet soup, of which many varieties exist. However, varenyky (boiled dumplings similar to pierogi) and a type of cabbage roll known as holubtsi are also national favourites, and are a common meal in traditional Ukrainian restaurants.

What is Ukraine local meal? ›

The most famous traditional Ukrainian dishes are borshch, varenyky, holubtsi, Chicken Kyiv, banosh, and syrnyky, and it surely is not an exhaustive list. Borshch (sometimes written as borsch, borsht, bortsch, or borshch) is a sour soup with distinctive red colour.

What is Ukrainian comfort food? ›

Dumplings are a comfort food all over the world and particularly in Eastern Europe. Known as pierogi in Poland, they're called varenyky in Ukraine. They can be filled with savoury and sweet stuffings, which range from mashed potatoes and sauerkraut, to sweet curd cheese and fresh berries.

What is a typical Ukrainian breakfast? ›

Ukrainian people eat a lot of cereals for breakfast. For example, in cities, a common breakfast will include boiled buckwheat, rice, or oats. In Western Ukraine, corn porridge is also quite popular and is commonly eaten with white cheese. Bread with salo (pork fat) is a common addition for any meal.

What meat do Ukrainians eat? ›

Pork is the most common type of meat used for kruchenyky, but beef, chicken, or even fish can be used instead of it.

Which dish is an absolute must have at Ukrainian Christmas Eve dinner? ›

Traditional Ukrainian kutia

1. Kutia is the most important dish at the Christmas dinner. It is usually prepared from boiled wheat and generously seasoned with honey, poppy seeds, nuts, and dried fruits. Eating this dish on Christmas Eve programmed the following year for a good harvest, livestock, and procreation.

What are the traditional spices in Ukraine? ›

Local herbs such as chives, thyme, celery leaves, garlic, dill, caraway seeds, and parsley, and imported spices such as pepper, cinnamon, bayleaves, and cloves, are used for seasoning. Bread kvas (or syrivets), fruit or dill-pickle brine, and birch sap (in the spring) are popular folk beverages in Ukraine.

Why do Ukrainians eat kutia? ›

After dinner, the kutia is left on the table for the whole night with spoons for the dead ancestors, "so that our relatives would have dinner and not be angry with us." The religious nature of the dish is emphasized by an ancient custom, when the head of the family approached the window or went out into the yard with a ...

What do they drink in Ukraine? ›

Local special circumstances: The Alcoholic Drinks market in Ukraine is also influenced by local special circumstances. One such circumstance is the country's rich tradition of vodka consumption. Vodka has long been the preferred alcoholic beverage in Ukraine, and it continues to hold a significant share of the market.

What snacks are in Ukraine? ›

Ukrainian Snacks
  • Golden Chips Wasabi. Can you handle Ukraine's spiciest chip? ...
  • Choco Shocks. Ukraine's take on cookies & cream hits different. ...
  • Crostata with Black Currant. ...
  • Bonny Fruit Summer Mix. ...
  • Jaivir Halva Sunflower. ...
  • Polus Big Bar. ...
  • Sponge Cake with Condensed Milk. ...
  • Homemade Bread Chips with Adjika.

What is the difference between Russian and Ukrainian food? ›

Ukrainian cooks will often add lard to accentuate the flavour of their meals. Furthermore, Ukrainian cuisine is centered around specific proteins, including duck, goose, and pig, whereas Russian cooks will primarily use poultry and fish.

What food do Ukrainians love? ›

7 TASTY FOODS TO TRY IN UKRAINIAN CUISINE
  • Borsch. VARENIKI. Another must-try dish in Ukraine is vareniki. ...
  • Ukrainian dumplings with cabbage, cheese and cherries. SALO. Salo (bacon, lard) occupies a special place in the Ukrainian cuisine. ...
  • Salo. HOLUBTSY. ...
  • Holubtsy. CHICKEN KIEV. ...
  • Chicken Kiev. DERUNY. ...
  • Deruny. UZVAR.

What is the most eaten food in Ukraine? ›

Borscht. Ask any Ukrainian to choose a few dishes to represent their cuisine, and borscht will be at the top of their list. The traditional dish includes meat, broth, vegetables, and beets. It comes in different forms, though, and each Ukrainian family has its own recipe.

What is Ukraine famous for? ›

Ukraine is often called the “Breadbasket of Europe” because it boasts the ideal conditions for growing wheat, and is a major producer of the stuff. 9. One of the most unique tourist attractions in Ukraine is the so-called 'Tunnel of Love'.

What food does Ukraine produce the most? ›

Ukraine is normally the world's top producer of sunflower meal, oil, and seed and the world's top exporter of sunflower meal and oil. Sunflowers are sown in April and May, with harvest typically beginning in September.

Is borscht Russian or Ukrainian? ›

borscht, beet soup of the Slavic countries. Although borscht is important in Russian and Polish cuisines, Ukraine is frequently cited as its place of origin.

Are Russian and Ukrainian food similar? ›

Russia and Ukraine may share the same border, but they don't share the same cuisine. Russia and Ukraine's history are interwoven as both nations share cultural and social commonalities. For example, in Russian and Ukrainian households, all guests are offered food and drink to express hospitality and well-being.

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