9 Ukrainian Recipes You Can Easily Repeat at Home
Written by Taisiia Dobrozorova
Taisiia Dobrozorova is a nutrition and fitness writer at Unimeal and a healthy lifestyle devotee. She has accomplished several courses on health, nutrition, dietology.
Ukrainian cuisine is famous around the globe. The local chefs, traditions, and recipes reflect the character of the Ukrainian nation. Try to feel Ukrainian national cuisine and different culture by cooking and tasting its local food!
What comes to mind when you hear "Ukrainian Cuisine"? Borscht, salo or, maybe, varenyky? You are totally right! But these dishes are only a drop in the Ukrainian gastronomical ocean. We'll explain why every foreigner falls in love with Ukrainian dishes from the first tasting of this rich and nutritious food.
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Ukrainian honey cake
Let's start with the sweet-toothed. This dessert dates back to Kievan Rus, but back in that time, it looked a bit different. The ancient Slavs prepared five crusts and soaked them with the cream filling. Many centuries later, the honey was replaced by a creamy topping. And the number of crusts increased to 8-10. Now Ukrainian homemakers are dedicated to their favorite, classic honey cake recipe.
Ukrainian buckwheat
Why did such a trivial and easy-to-cook product become a national dish? Buckwheat is the most popular grain crop in Ukraine, and the porridge can be served the same as a side or main dish. Nutritionists say you need to get used to eating boiled buckwheat from childhood. Only then can you enjoy its taste. But, with the right recipe, you'll feel the taste pallet of this beneficial grain. So, catch the canonical Ukrainian buckwheat cooking guide!
Borscht
Borscht in Ukraine is known, cooked, and loved in every, literally every corner of the country. It can be served both for dinner in the average family and at the luxury restaurant with High Ukrainian cuisine. There are three types of borscht: green, cold, and red. The green one is named after its color because the main ingredient is sorrel. The cold borscht is usually prepared on bread kvass or beet broth and served on hot summer days. But the red one is a classic recipe. It will take time to prepare it, but it's worth it!
Sirniki
Ukrainian Sirniki is believed to be the ancestor of American cheesecake. The recipe was brought by Galician settlers from Ukraine, where the dessert was later adapted to local tastes. The main ingredient of the dessert is cheese and eggs. Sirniki is prepared in many variations: with raisins, with the addition of cream, semolina, or orange peel. Our classic recipe you can also prepare with different additions. Advice: Before you serve sirniki add some sugar powder on top and fresh berries.
Varenyky
There is an exciting fact behind this national dish. In ancient times, young girls foretold varenyky. They took small pieces of paper and wrote men's names on them. The first dumpling that surfaces while boiling is cut, and the catcher finds out the name of her future fiancé! Nowadays, there are a thousand variations of fillings: from cabbage and potato to cherries and meat. But the main is always a well-done dough. Here's the authentic varenyky recipe. You don't need any additional skills to prepare them!
Kiev chicken
This famous cutlet - chicken breast with stuffing. It’s known, first of all, for its shape. It can be served with the attached chicken bone inside or just have an oblong shape. Some people may confuse Ukrainian cutlets with French because visually these cutlets are quite similar. In Ukrainian traditional recipe butter is used as a filling. Also some herbs, pepper, cheese and egg yolk can be added inside the butter.
Vinaigrette - beet salad
Look at the list of ingredients in the vinaigrette - beet salad recipe, and you'll see how valuable the salad is. Many years of experimenting established some cooking tricks. For example, all products must be at the same temperature. The salad will be tastier if the vegetables are not boiled for it but baked in the oven and then thinly cut into small cubes. Mix the prepared sauce or oil gradually into the chopped vegetables so that the dressing evenly soaks the ingredients and does not float to the bottom of the dish.
Holubtsi
Holubtsi as a full-fledged dish appeared at the turn of the 18th-19th century. In different regions, the recipe differed slightly depending on local tastes. For instance, in the central part of Ukraine, the stuffing was wrapped in young red beet leaves. In the South-West, young grape leaves were preferred. The classic recipe's main ingredients are rice, minced meat, and cabbage leaves.
Grechaniki
Grechaniki is such an ancient Ukrainian dish that it is difficult to determine the period when it was actually invented. The main ingredients are minced meat and boiled buckwheat —the last one is the most common groats in Ukraine. Grechaniki look like ordinary cutlets. But their taste is far from prosaic!
Final thought
Can't choose what to cook first? Try all the delicacies! We hope you liked the list of 9 best Ukrainian dishes and will cook at least one of them right today! There are many more exciting recipes from different countries and cultures on our Cooking Hub — Unimeal! Explore new cuisines with your family and friends. 🧑🍳🤗
Unimeal does not diagnose or suggest treatments. Any description of the diet, training plan or supplement should be discussed with your current physician or nutritionist. This article does not address specific conditions and is simply meant to provide general information on healthcare topics. Following any advice is at your own initiative and does not impose any responsibility on the blog authors for your health and safety.
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