Those Ukrainian recipes include traditional dumplings, buckwheat, sochniki, shuliki, potapki, priskanki, pancakes, ceremonial – loaf, korochun, lezhen, mandryky, Easter cake, geese, and cones. Fish, berries, milk and dairy products, oils, and, less commonly, meat were the mainstays of flour for our ancestors. In everyday life, meat was used mainly in the form of lard, sausages, and other meat products that could be seen on the table only on holidays – the meat was eaten occasionally.
Ukrainian traditional cuisine originated from easy-to-prepare rural dishes based on cereals and vegetables such as potatoes, cabbage, beets, and mushrooms. Therefore, most of Ukrainian recipes are rich in a wide variety of vegetable dishes. Those Ukrainian dishes included borsch, cooked and pickled cabbage, stuffed cabbage, sauerkraut, pickles, and pumpkin porridge. Ukrainians also loved a variety of egg dishes, especially scrambled eggs with lard and sausage. So, let’s start our virtual tasting tour. I advise you not to read on an empty stomach!
Ukrainian Recipes from North Ukraine
They cook heartily, deliciously, and thoroughly in the northern regions of Ukraine. These regions are famous for their potato harvest, which has been reflected in local cuisine features.
Ukrainian Recipes from Zhytomyr Region: Potato Pancakes
In Polissya, one of my favorite dishes is pancakes made of grated potatoes – potato pancakes, or draniki. In Korosten, Zhytomyr region, a dish has been made from this: the International Potato Festival is held annually, where chefs from all over Ukraine and beyond gather to show their art. And in the park where it passes, a monument to the potato pancake was erected. And, of course, local restaurants are ready to offer you the best variations of this dish. Potato pancakes with stuffing: traditionally, they were made with cheese and stewed in the oven. Now famous potato pancakes with mushrooms, meat, and grated cheese.
Potato Pancakes
Photo source: kulinarki.com.ua.
Ukrainian Recipes from the Chernihiv Region: Roasts in Pots and Pies With Viburnum
In the Chernihiv region, they love to make dishes in pots; it includes potatoes, sauerkraut, and meat. Their dishes are very hearty and appetizing. Because the Chernihiv region is rich in berries, as for sweets, they make pies with viburnum.
Roasts in Pots And Pies with Viburnum
Photo source: pirozochki.com.
Ukrainian Recipes from the Sumy Region: Sumy Roast and Borscht On Beet Kvass
Another traditional Ukrainian recipe that is prepared in pots, usually prepared in the Sumy region, is original in that both meat and liver are laid with potatoes. All this is prepared with bell peppers, sour cream, and cheese. Another variation: meat, beans, mushrooms, and sour cream.
The Sumy Roast and Borscht On Beet Kvass
Photo source: graffin.com.ua.
And borsch is prepared here with pork and beet kvass.
Ukrainian Recipes from the Kiev Region: Cutlets in Kyiv Style
The multicultural capital of Ukraine is rich in restaurants for different tastes in Ukrainian dishes. Here you can try the menus of many countries world,wide including traditional Ukrainian recipes. Vitaly traveled to Ukraine many times and tried delicious Ukrainian recipes there. One well-known Ukrainian recipe worldwide is the ancient Kyiv style cutlets: it is a chicken fillet cutlet stuffed with a piece of butter, cheese, and greens, coated with eggs, and then breaded and deep-fried. The cutlet is surprisingly juicy and tasty. Vitaly tasted this dish for the first time when he spent his time in London England for two years serving people. Vitaly will share this story in the upcoming publications, which are extensions of the Vitaly book.
Cutlets in Kyiv Style
Photo source: pro-ukraine.com.
In Kyiv, a few restaurants and cafes serve cherished cutlets.
Ukrainian Recipes from South Ukraine: Fish and Meat Dishes
Traditional Ukrainian fish dishes and meat dishes are associated with those riches that can be used for culinary purposes. The south of Ukraine, where the Dnieper flows into the Black Sea, is a land of fishermen who know how to prepare their catch. And that is why the south of Ukraine is pleased with various fish dishes. So, get ready to drink beer or wine with fish!
Ukrainian Recipes from Odesa: Meatballs from Bulls and Fish-Fish
Do you remember the “barges full of mullets” that “Kostya brought to Odessa”? You won’t find so many mullets in Odessa, but fortunately, the bulls haven’t moved. And in addition to being served dried for beer, in Odessa, meatballs are prepared from the fresh bull. However, they can be replaced with sprats or anchovies. The dough is mixed with chopped fish, which is fried in oil. Very easy to cook! It is more difficult to cook fish. This is a real art: carefully peel, separate the fillets from the bones, chop, stuff, and bake in the oven.
Meatballs from Bulls and Fish-Fish
Photo source: snova-prazdnik.ru.
Ukrainian Recipes from Nikolaev: Yushka in the Nikolaev Style
In the Mykolaiv area, preserve fish at home, add tomato, and cook soup with tomato juice, paste, and sour cream. And for sharpness – sauce: chopped garlic mixed with salt and pepper. They serve potatoes and fish.
Yushka in the Nikolaev Style
Photo source: xvatit.com.
Ukrainian Recipes from Kherson: Kherson Style Eggplants and Eggplant Caviar
The south of Ukraine is also famous for its vegetables. Kherson-style eggplants are a spicy dish. It is prepared by frying blueberries in oil, with sweet and bitter peppers and apple cider vinegar.
Kherson Style Eggplants and Eggplant Caviar
Photo source: vkusnodoma.net.
And if you are not a fan of such spicy, then for you, eggplant caviar. According to the Kherson recipe, peppers and eggplants are not cooked (as many housewives do), but baked – so vegetables retain their flavor.
Ukrainian Recipes from Crimea: Lagman and Dolma
Lagman is one of the most popular dishes of Crimean Tatar cuisine. Something between “first” and “second”: noodles served with pieces of meat (usually beef) stewed in a sauce with vegetables. Hearty and simple! In the classic recipe, noodles are rolled out in local restaurants. But in everyday life, they often use ready-made from the store.
Lagman and Dolma
Photo source: top3.events.
And in the spring, when the young grape leaves bloom, they prepare small cabbage rolls with meat called “dolma”. And, of course, we do not think of Crimea without huge chebureks.
Ukrainian Recipes from Zaporizhzhya: Cabbage and Mills
Rich cabbage was prepared in the Zaporozhian Sich. It is cooked with pork – traditionally the Cossacks “at the peak of the Busurmans” used lard and pork.
Cabbage and Mills
Photo source: i.ytimg.com.
Another exciting dish – is mills. They are prepared in the Azov region. These are not pancakes. The yeast dough is thinly rolled out, a layer of cheese filling with butter is placed on top, and then rolled into a roll.
Ukrainian Traditional Dishes from Central Ukraine
You should go to the central regions to try the traditional dishes of Ukraine, thanks to which our cuisine is recognizable in the world.
Ukrainian Recipes from the Cherkasy Region: Borscht with Buns Covered with Garlic
As already mentioned, borscht is cooked differently in Ukraine. The Cherkasy region is classically rich, and it is sure to serve fragrant donuts with garlic.
Borscht and Donuts With Garlic
Photo source: perchinka63.ru.
Ukrainian Recipes from the Kirovograd Region: Krucheniki and Varenyky
Another favorite dish of central Ukraine – is dumplings. Prepare them with different fillings: potatoes, mushrooms, meat, liver, and cabbage. And grandmothers know a unique recipe for dumplings “with this”: the filling, lard, is fried in a pan with flour and onions.
Krucheniki and Varenyky
Photo source: vsviti.com.ua.
And from unique meat dishes, it is possible to name krucheniki – small meat rolls with stuffing from forcemeat, pate, and prunes with nuts.
Krucheniki
Photo source: bon-appetit-ru.livejournal.com.
Ukrainian Recipes from Poltava: Dumplings and Buns
The expression “Poltava dumpling” has become so ingrained in everyday life that it has become not only the crowning dish of this region but also the inhabitants of the Poltava region. And if you have pieces of boiled dough floating on a plate with soup – in no case do not believe that these are real dumplings. “In the original” they are not like that: dumplings are prepared with fillings. To ensure that, you should come to Poltava for the annual festival of dumplings or visit the local restaurants of Ukrainian cuisine.
Dumplings and Buns
Photo source: poltava.to.
Do you know what pundits are? These are cakes made of dough mixed with kefir and egg, which are fried in a pan. They can be salty – then they are fried with onions or sweet – with poppyseeds. Poppyseed cakes are prepared for the holiday of Makovei, served with honey.
Ukrainian Recipes from the Dnipropetrovsk Region: Forshmak and Branded Ear
In Dnepropetrovsk, as in Odessa, they like to cook a special Jewish dish – forshmak. Herring is soaked in water with vinegar or milk, then ground and mixed with boiled potatoes. You can decorate the forshmak with egg and green onions.
Forshmak and Branded Ear
Photo source: vensky-strudel.com.
And from fresh fish caught in the Dnieper, prepare an excellent soup in the Dnieper style with medicine. Suitable catfish and carp. One of the Ukrainian fish dishes is fish soup. The soup is cooked as usual, but the whole thing is seasoned. In its role is used medicine – garlic, rubbed with salt and seasoned with fatty fish broth. You can water the fish with it or add it to the soup – to taste.
Ukrainian Recipes from the Vinnytsia Region: Bigos and Flaki
Polish dishes have historically taken root in many regions. In the Vinnytsia region, bigos is prepared – the second dish of stewed sauerkraut with meat and mushrooms. And the meat should be different, as in brine: and pork, and beef, and smoked, and sausages – the more, the better.
Bigos and Flaki
Photo source: indie2k.livejournal.com.
Another Polish inn – flaki – beef ramen soup is seasoned with roots, cheese, and spices. This dish is also popular in Galicia.
Traditional Cousine from Eastern Ukraine
They like to eat here well and heartily, which is not surprising because eastern Ukraine is a land of miners. And real men who do physical work need to strengthen their strength with lunch.
Donbass-Style Roll and Okroshka
The handle is cooked for several hours in the oven at 160-180 degrees. Take the back of the pork leg, rub with salt and spices, and then bake in batter or foil. In Donbas, there are 50 varieties of recipes of okroshka. So, like borscht, it will be different in each family. Prepare this cold soup with kvass, whey or even mineral water, flavoring with sour cream.
Donbass-Style Roll and Okroshka
Photo source: youtube.com.
Meat Roll in Luhansk Style
Very hearty original dish. Minced pork and beef are laid out on a piece of cloth, on top – an omelet and a large boiled carrot. The roll is rolled up, tightly tied, and boiled in salted water, then the canvas is removed, cooled, and cut into portions. You can experiment with the filling.
Meat Roll in Luhansk Style
Photo source: recept-vzakladku.ru.
Traditional Ukrainian Recipes from the Kharkiv Region: Slobozhanski Borsch and Buckwheat
As soon as they do not cook Ukrainian borsch! Beans and meatballs, usually beef, are put in the real Slobozhansky, the recipe of which was told in the Kharkiv region. And you can add mushrooms on the second – buckwheat: meatballs with buckwheat.
Slobozhanski Borsch and Buckwheat
Photo source: fb.ru.
Western Ukraine: the Table is Breaking with Diversity!
Western Ukraine has historically had a rich layer of culinary traditions. Something came from the Poles, the Hungarians, the Lemkos, and, of course, from the owners of the mountains – the Hutsuls … Here you can try dishes, the existence of which probably did not even guess.
Prykarpattia: Banush and Mushroom Soup
The first question: do you know what a banush (or banosh, they write differently) is? On fire with smoke, cook a thick porridge of corn grits, seasoned with sour cream, and even better cream. Serve banush hot with fried bacon and cheese.
Prykarpattia Banush and Mushroom Soup
Photo source: sergej-pozhar.livejournal.com.
The Carpathians are a land of white mushrooms, and in Bukovyna, as well as in Transcarpathia and Prykarpattia, they know how to cook a delicious mushroom soup with sour cream.
Traditional Ukrainian Recipes from Bukovyna, Chernivtsi: Chinahi, Mamaliga, and Brynza
This is a Bukovinian dish-like roast chinahi. Layer potatoes, beans, and smoked ribs with onions. Then fill with water and stew or put in the oven in a pot.
Chinahi, Mamaliga, and Brynza
Photo source: boombob.ru.
In the Chernivtsi region, you should also try a delicious homemade cheese made from sheep’s milk and traditional Hutsul food – corn porridge, hominy. Classically, it is cooked in sheep’s milk, generously flavored with butter. When frozen, locals can use hominy instead of bread. In Bukovina, they know how to cook; you can see this by visiting restaurants and cafes in Chernivtsi.
Transcarpathia: Curls and Bograch
The third question: how to cook bograch? This dish came from Hungarian cuisine. Goulash is taken, and the meat must be of different types. In the original recipe, everything is cooked in a cauldron on the fire and seasoned with roots, Carpathian herbs, and Hungarian paprika.And curls in Transcarpathia are called both large meat rolls and small rolls. Uzhhorod small curls are prepared from thin pieces of beef, which decompose a mixture of finely chopped boiled eggs, pickles, bacon, and raw grated potatoes. The roll is fastened with thread, first fried, and then stewed.
Curls and Bograch
Photo source: beaddream.wordpress.com.
Mazurkas in Volyn and Polissya Verguny
Question four: what are mazurkas? To learn and try, we go to the Volyn region. Western Ukraine is famous for its variety of homemade sausages. Volyn mazurkas are homemade turkey sausages with butter and cheese inside. In addition, we recommend trying Polissya verguny in this region – these delicate dough products fried in oil.
Mazurkas in Volyn and Polissya Verguny
Photo source: jjrecepty.ru.
Ukrainian Recipes from the Lviv Region: Galician Cheesecake and Strudels
Question five: Have you tasted real strudels? And how does the Galician cheesecake differ from the cheesecakes we are accustomed to? Wonderful Viennese rolls – strudels are well prepared in Lviv. They can be salty (with cheese, bacon) and sweet (with cheese, apples).
Galician Cheesecake and Strudels
Photo source: relax.com.ua.
And Galician cheesecake is a symphony of culinary art. Making cheese mass, which is spread on shortcrust pastry – is a ritual. Then the cheesecake should stand for a day in the refrigerator … Visit the atmospheric cafes and restaurants of Lviv – you will enjoy not only food!
Ukrainian Recipes from the Rivne Region – Potatoes and Matsik
Question six: what is a mat? This is the name of dried meat in candy in the Rivne region – pork stomach. As already mentioned, Western Ukraine is a land of homemade sausages, and they know how to cook them here. Potato groves (or zrazy) are also popular in the Rivne region. In the dough of minced boiled potatoes put different fillings – mushroom, meat, egg, and onion, then fry in a pan.
Potatoes and Matsik
Photo source: patelnya.com.ua.
Ukrainian Traditional Cousine from the Ternopil Region: Machanka and Kulesha
The seventh question is, what is machanka? This is a thick Lemko soup with meat, roast flour, onion, ground sweet pepper. It is prepared in Ternopil region. Variety of machanka – mushroom, generously seasoned with sour cream. And if you chop the mushrooms, it’s a good sauce for dumplings.
Machanka and Kulesha
Photo source: sergej-pozhar.livejournal.com.
And for the first time, rich kulesh made of millet with cracklings is served here.
Ukrainian Traditional Recipes from the Khmelnytsky Region: Meat Rolls, Sausages and Buckets
Question eight: what are buckets? We are going to Khmelnytsky region for an answer. It turns out that this is a potato sausage: start pork intestines with grated raw potatoes, grease the top with lard, bake in the oven.In addition, in the Khmelnytsky region, wonderful sausages and meat rolls are prepared – they are baked to a golden crust and served with various side dishes.
Meat Rolls, Sausages and Buckets
Photo source: heavycook.livejournal.com.
If you were interested in learning about culinary traditions, you probably wanted to try the original dishes. It’s time to think about a gastronomic tour! Travel agencies offer them, especially in popular destinations – Western Ukraine. But you can develop a “delicious” route yourself and then share your experience with readers of our site.
