Ukrainian Traditional Food: Tasty, Fun, with a Twinkle!

Ukrainian Traditional Food

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Ukraine has always been known for its hospitality. And what is the best way to show hospitality? Well, of course, set the generous table for dear guests! If you ever happen to be invited to dinner with a Ukrainian family, never miss this opportunity.

Trust me! Ukrainian traditional hospitality: tasty, fun, with a twinkle! Superb Ukrainian cuisine is complemented by subtle Ukrainian humour, full of irony and grotesque.

1. Most Popular Ukrainian Dishes

• Borsch – the Iconic Vegetable-Based Soup
  Who doesn’t know borsch? There are dozens of types of borsch recipes, and even if two cooks make it out of the same ingredients, it will end up tasting a little varied. Borsch is a vegetable-based soup made of beetroot, cabbage, tomatoes, potatoes, and dill. Most often, it is cooked with meat, fish, or beans.
  
  It is deeply valued as a symbol of cultural heritage and tradition. In 2020, it was recognized and included in Ukraine’s list of intangible cultural heritage elements. Ukrainian borsch is now being considered for inscription on UNESCO’s Representative List in 2023, further preserving and celebrating its importance for future generations.

• Varenyky – Filled Dumplings
  It’s hard to imagine Ukrainian food without varenyky. Varenyky, known more commonly in the English-speaking world by the name of their Polish “Pierogi”, are small dumplings stuffed with a wide variety of fillings. The most traditional filling is sauerkraut or mashed potatoes, which are usually topped with sour cream or fried onions.

• Kovbasa – Home-made Sausage
  The savoury homemade Ukrainian sausage, known as “kovbasa”, is extensively better than store-bought sausage. Thin casings are stuffed with pork ground meats, fats, and spices to cook it. Afterwards, it’s traditionally either baked in the oven or fry it on a pan.

• Kholodets – Aspic or Jelly Meat
  This cold dish is made of meat gelatin. Meat broth has to boil for a very long time, complemented with onions, carrots, and bay leaves. The broth is ready when it is sticky. After that, the bones are removed from the broth, and meat sliced into small pieces is added inside. When refrigerated, the broth hardens into a tasty gelatin with mustard or horseradish.

• Holubtsi – Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
  Holubtsi is cabbage rolls stuffed with minced meat (as a rule, a mixture of pork and beef mince is used) and rice. The dish is usually topped with a tomato-based sauce. Cabbage rolls can differ in fillings and be served with various sauces.

• Deruny – Potato Pancakes
  They say that these potato pancakes come from Belarus where they are called ‘draniki’. Belarusian potato pancakes are different from Ukrainian ones in that they contain meat. On the other hand, traditional Ukrainian potato pancakes, also known as deruny, are made only with potatoes
  
  In Ukraine, they are prepared from mashed raw potatoes and onion mixed with eggs and flour. The pancakes are fried in a well-oiled skillet and are usually served with sour cream.

• Pechenya – Pot Roast
  A homemade pot roast is usually cooked with meat (beef, pork, chicken, turkey, rabbit or lamb). Still, it can also be a vegetarian dish if you roast vegetables or substitute meat for mushrooms. The meat is fried with onions in a pan, then stewed in a pot with roots and spices.
  
  Also, in some recipes, meat is roasted with potatoes. The dish can be cooked on the stove or in the oven. In the latter case, using a rondel or a ceramic pot is possible, but the most popular option is cooking in pots.

• Salo – Pork fat – the Famous Ukrainian Delicacy
  One of the most famous products in Ukraine is pork fat called “salo”. There are many variants to eat: raw, salted, baked, smoked, or fried. It is mainly eaten in varied forms as an appetizer with garlic, onions, and pickles and often comes with the meal.

Indulge in the Ukrainian cuisine on a delicious Private Kyiv Food Tour! Visit the spots frequently visited by locals and discover flavourful dishes led by your local Kyiv tour guide.

www.bestkievguide.com

2. Ukrainian Beverages

Alcoholic drinks are served with food in Ukraine, and here “gorilka” (Ukrainian vodka) plays an important role. It is considered a universal drink because it is suitable for any event and feast. A heart-warming and friendly conversation, whether it’s a business lunch or a family holiday.

But it goes especially well with loyal friends and with the right snack. Who else knows this better than the hospitable Ukrainian? Ukrainians especially make horilka – with herbs, honey, or fruits – then this kind of alcoholic drink is called “nalyvka”, horilka made with honey is called “medovukha”.

When it comes to beverages, Ukrainians go for tea, coffee; “kvas” – a fermented drink made from black rye or rye bread, it contains up to 1,2% of alcohol, though it is not considered an alcoholic beverage; “compot” – a soft drink based on berries or fruit. Different kinds of fruit juices are popular as well. Also, traditional for Ukraine is the self-squeezed fruit juices, made from their fruit harvest.

3. Bread on the Table – God in the House

For Ukrainians, bread is a shrine, an object of worship, a talisman, a sacrificial meal, or even the deity itself. In Ukraine, people meet honoured guests with bread and salt, which is associated with well-being.

French writer Honore de Balzac, in his trip to Ukraine in 1848, wrote in a letter to Mrs. Shirkovich: “… when you come to Ukraine, this earthly paradise, where I have noticed 77 ways of making bread..”

The common types of bread produced in Ukraine is sour rye and white-wheat. Aside from ordinary brea,d Ukrainians bake various loaves of bread from special doughs: braided bread (kalach), bread with a filling (knysh), French baguette, wedding bread (korovai), sweet bread (babka), Easter bread (paska).

4. The Unique Blend of Nature and Culture in Ukrainian Cuisine

Ukrainian cuisine boasts an exceptional fusion of flavors, nutrition, and cultural heritage. Ukrainian culinary traditions include meat, potatoes, mushrooms, vegetables, berries, and herbs. Among the meats, pork stands out as a favourite, accompanied by beef, mutton, poultry, and rabbit. Popular spices are mustard, horseradish, dill, and parsley. Each meal is a testament to the country’s cultural heritage and culinary prowess.

About the author:

Hello and welcome! My name is Victoria, and I’m a private tour guide in Kyiv. Since 2016, I have been offering private tours on various topics for visitors to the capital of Ukraine. I love sharing stories. When not guiding, I write about Ukraine on my blog and my travel experiences and insights in Sweden and the Baltics.