Explore the Top 10 Slovenian dishes before travelling to Slovenia. From creamy desserts to the most amazing bread you will taste. We have gathered a fine selection of top 10 Slovenian dishes that one must try while in Slovenia.
Slovenian gastronomy offers a delicious blend of flavors, showcasing the country’s rich culinary heritage and its commitment to quality, seasonal ingredients. Whether you’re exploring the bustling streets of Ljubljana or the tranquil countryside, you’re sure to encounter a diverse array of dishes that will tantalize your taste buds.
1. Belokranjska pogača – Bela Krajina Flat Bread
Belokranjska pogača is a delicious savoury and traditional type of round bread that hails from the Bela Krajina region in the southeastern part of Slovenia. It’s a type of flatbread with a rich cultural significance and a distinctive appearance and flavor. It has also been granted the European Union’s Traditional Specialty Guaranteed designation. Before it is baked, it is coated with egg, cumin seeds and salt. Served warm, it is similar in taste to freshly baked bread.
2. Blejska kremšnita – Bled Cream Cake
Bled cream cake is one of the most famous Slovenian traditional dishes and a symbol of town Bled. Bled Cream Cake, or Kremšnita in Slovenian, has been served since 1953, and is a veritable orgy of flaky crust, whipped cream, icing sugar and vanilla custard that is made using a recipe from the early 20th century.
Bled cream cake is often served in square or rectangular portions, with each piece showcasing the distinct layers of pastry, custard, and cream. Its elegant presentation adds to its appeal, making it a favorite dessert for special occasions and celebrations.
Bled cream cake has also contributed to the growth of culinary tourism in Slovenia, attracting visitors from around the world who come to savor its exquisite taste and explore the country’s vibrant food scene. Many tourists make a pilgrimage to Bled specifically to indulge in this iconic dessert and soak up the ambiance of its picturesque surroundings.
Learn more about Blejska kremšnita HERE.
3. Idrijski Žlikrofi – Idrija-style Žlikrofi
Idrija is famous for many things, and since the middle of the 19th century one of these things has been Idrijski Žlikrofi. Žlikrofi are little pasta pockets, often filled with potato, bacon, onions and spices, and are served with various sauces.
They are boiled until tender and served with various accompaniments such as melted butter, breadcrumbs, or a savory sauce. Idrijski žlikrofi hold cultural significance in Slovenia and are often enjoyed as a hearty and comforting meal, especially during holidays and special occasions.
Idrija’s famous dumplings gained protected status in 2010, the first Slovenian speciality to do so.
4. Kranjska klobasa – Kranjska Sausage
This heavily smoked sausage is traditionally eaten with mustard, horseradish, bread, sauerkraut and fermented turnip. First mentioned in writing in 1896, legend has it that Emperor Franz Josef once famously proclaimed that it is ‘no ordinary sausage’, and we tend to agree.
4. Kranjska klobasa – Kranjska Sausage
Traditional Slovenian sausage with a distinctive flavor and cultural significance. It is made from high-quality pork meat, seasoned with garlic, salt, and pepper, and encased in natural pork intestines. The sausage is typically smoked and air-dried, giving it a rich, smoky flavor and a firm texture.
Kranjska klobasa holds a special place in Slovenian culinary heritage and is recognized as a symbol of Slovenian cuisine. It has even been granted Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status by the European Union, which ensures that only sausages produced in Slovenia according to traditional methods can bear the name “Kranjska klobasa.”
This sausage is versatile and can be enjoyed in various ways. It is often grilled or pan-fried and served as a main course alongside sauerkraut, potatoes, and mustard. It is also commonly sliced and added to soups, stews, or pasta dishes to impart its delicious flavor.
Whether enjoyed at a family gathering, a local festival, or a traditional Slovenian restaurant, Kranjska klobasa is a beloved delicacy that delights locals and visitors alike with its savory taste and cultural significance.
Learn more about it HERE.
5. Prekmurska Gibanica – Prekmurje Layered Pastry
A layered pastry traditionally filled with apples, poppy seeds, walnuts, cottage cheese and sometimes raisins. Originating out of the Prekmurje region, this dish is often thought to be a national culinary speciality and is often served at festive occasions.
Due to its uniqueness, it has received the EU’s Traditional Speciality Guaranteed designation.
6. Slovenska Potica – Slovene Potica
Potica is a traditional Slovenian dish. Slovenians also refer to potica s the queen of Slovenian holiday dishes. It’s a rolled pastry made of leavened dough filled with any of a great variety of fillings. It’s not easy to make one. You need just enough filling and just enough dough. More than 80 various types of fillings are known.
The traditional Slovenian fillings for potica can be made with walnut, hazelnut, walnut with raisins, tarragon, poppy seed, or cottage cheese. You will, however, come across another filling as well. Among them is also chocolate.
Read more about potica HERE.
7. Soška postrv – Soča River Trout
Slovenia’s coast is full of excellent fresh fish, but it is possibly the gorgeous Soča valley and Bohinj lake that provide the tastiest. River trout from the Soča valley are wonderfully prepared in a variety of ways, including being fried covered in buckwheat or corn flour, and being prepared with pršut and cherries.
8. Šelinka – Celery Hot Pot
Delicious, hearty stews or thick soups made from celery, beans, rice, potato and sometimes meat, are popular all over Slovenia. Šelinka, however, is traditional to Kras and Vipava Valley. A spoonful of dry wine or vinegar is added, which adds some acidity and sours the stew. This dish is perfect for Slovenia’s cold winters.
9. Skutni štruklji – Curd Cheese Štruklji
Known all over Slovenia, štruklji is made from different kinds of dough and over 100 different sweet and savoury fillings, with the most popular being cottage cheese. Štruklji is often made for festive occasions and is finished by either boiling, baking, frying or steaming this delicious doughy dessert.
10. Zgornjesavinjski želodec – Stuffed Pig´s Stomach
A cured meat cold cut made from chopped pork thighs, shoulders and bacon that is then stuffed into a pig’s stomach and bladder. The meat is then left to dry for 5 – 6 months. Some claim that when King George VI visited the Logar Valley, he ate zgornjesavinjski želodec and enjoyed it so much that he occasionally asked for it to be sent to his court.
