You eat differently by the sea than among the Alpine peaks.
The Pannonian Plain offers different flavors than the Karst. Wherever you go, you can discover how nature and culture have always come together here on a plate of typical local dishes. What nature offers is transformed in the kitchen into flavors that will surely make you remember Slovenia!
Kobariški štruklji
These cooked flour dumplings or pockets with a filling made of bread crumbs, raw butter, walnuts, raisins, and aromatic herbs is a typical holiday dish. A similar dish was mentioned by the cook of the Bishop of Aquileia as early as in the 15th century.
‘Jota’
There are three types of this hotpot, which is originally from Carnia, but has since been adapted to the dietary needs of locals from the Karst, the Vipava Valley, and the Slovenian Istria. ‘Kraška jota’ is made from sauerkraut and potatoes, ‘vipavska jota’ from sour turnip, also from sauerkraut, Savoy cabbage or beet leaves, and ‘istrska jota’ is made without potatoes.
Kraški pršut, kraški zašink in kraška panceta
These famous dried meat products with a European protected geographical indication are made through salting and drying procedures in the typical Karst ‘Burja’ wind. Traditionally preserved pork legs and other meat products are paired with excellent cheeses and red wines.
Dödöle
Potato mush which was established in Prekmurje in the 19th century as an everyday dish enjoyed for lunch or dinner. The name comes from Hungarian. The mush is topped with lard, pork crackling, ‘zaseka’ pork mash, pumpkin seed oil, or sour cream.
Ajdovi in koruzni žganci
The most widespread everyday dish in Alpine and Central Slovenia used to be ‘žganci’ (mush). It was said in the 19th century that this was the ‘pillar of the Land of Carniola’. ‘Žganci’, also known as ‘drobljenci’, can be the main course or a side dish to hotpots, sweet or sour milk, or yoghurt. They also taste great with eggs, sauerkraut, and turnip.
Piranski brancin
The branzino that meets the highest food standards, and which is farmed in Piran Bay using world-class expert knowledge, has become a staple in many world-class cuisines outside of Slovenia, too.
Idrijski žlikrofi z bákalco
Flour dumplings filled with potatoes, onions, pork crackling, and seasoning are a typical dish once enjoyed by miners in Idrija from the turn of the 19th to the 20th century. They are prepared with a sauce called ‘bákalca’ made from ram or hare meat, buttered or with goulash.
Kranjska klobasa, zaščiteno dobra od 1896
The most well-known Slovenian food product in the world, this originates from the rich heritage of pork processing to make semi-durable meat products. The oldest mention of this sausage, calling it ‘kranjska klobasa’, dates back to the second half of the 18th century.
Srna po bohinjsko
The vast forests in Triglav National Park provide a habitat for numerous wild animals. This is why venison is often represented in the locals’ food culture.
Prekmurska gibanica
The most recognisable and popular Slovenian holiday cake, it has a top and bottom layer of filo dough with layers of apple, ‘skuta’ curd cheese, walnuts, and poppy seeds in between. It was introduced in Prekmurje by seasonal labourers who used to go to work in Slavonija and Vojvodina.
