Poland is popular for its tempting range of food which often serves as the highlight of many travelers. Today we are going to take a look at ten of the most delicious dishes you need to try on your next visit to this European nation:
Pierogi
This popular Polish dish is a thinly rolled-out dough with sweet or savory fillings. If you are pondering over what to serve with cabbage rolls, then you can include Pierogi in the menu. Some popular filling options are sauerkraut with mushrooms, meat, potatoes with fried onions, buckwheat, spinach, sweet cottage cheese with seasonal fruit and raisins, etc. Traditionally Polish people eat the Pierogi boiled with butter and some onions on top. You can try it either baked, boiled, or fried as per your likings.
Barszcz
You can try out this beetroot soup which is served either hot or cold alongside ravioli-type dumplings filled with cabbage or meat and mushrooms. There is no standard recipe for Barszcz and it varies from family to family. Often vegetables like carrots or tomato are added which alters the soup consistency slightly.
Pączki
This Polish staple is a doughnut without a hole. It comes filled with chocolate, vanilla pudding, and rosehip jam after which the flattened sphere of dough is deep-fried and covered with powdered sugar before being sprinkled with freeze-dried orange zest.
Bigos
Polish people like to pickle their food. Their pickled cucumber tastes a bit sour and comes with a lot of dills making it similar to some kosher-style pickles. Cucumbers pickled just for a few days taste less sour than the ones pickled for longer. Then there is sauerkraut, whose preparation method is similar to wine. Bigos is a type of rich stew made from sauerkraut, different types of chopped meats, and shredded fresh cabbage. This recipe of this broth changes from house to house and is very filling for your tummy.
Oscypek
This smoked cheese is made using salted sheep milk curated from the Tatra Mountains area. You can consume it as a snack or use it as a chief ingredient in preparing various salads and meat dishes. While having it solo, Oscypek is grilled and served with cranberry sauce.
Gołąbki
Gołąbki is minced meat, rice, and chopped onions wrapped in a cabbage leaf and cooked in tomato sauce. You can have this dish for early dinner or lunch.
Żurek
Easter in Poland stands incomplete without Żurek which is a soup made from a hard-boiled egg and pieces of boiled pork sausages. Often this dish is served in an edible bread bowl which adds to its aesthetic appeal.
Placki Ziemniaczane
A combination of grated potatoes, eggs, and onion goes into making this classic potato pancake which is then fried in oil until it becomes crispy. You can serve the Placki ziemniaczane with different types of condiments ranging from sweet like sugar or apple sauce to savories like gravy or sour cream.
Kiełbasa
Kiełbasa is a popular Polish sausage made from different types of meat. They are prepared in different ways, come in different shapes, and with a variety of seasonings. Some popular types of kiełbasa are the thick smoked variant with garlic and pepper from the Cracow region, the thin dried variant with caraway seeds, and the white variant which is commonly used in soups.
Rosół
Make the most of cold Sundays with this common type of Polish soup which is served with homemade noodles. The main ingredients of this soup are small leek, green celery, onion, cabbage, parsley, salt and pepper, chicken, and water.
Conclusion
Though traditional Polish cuisine carries a high-calorie count, they feel irresistible to the tastebuds. The next time you are thinking of trying out some exotic dishes, you can choose from the traditional favorites listed above.
