17 Common Bosnian Foods and Dishes

Ćevapi is a Bosnian grilled dish prepared with minced and seasoned beef or mutton, or a mix of both. The meat is shaped into a long, sausage-like shape the size of a finger.

Ćevapi is flavorful enough to enjoy on its own, but locals often enjoy it with somun (a type of flatbread), kajmak (local cream cheese), and raw onions.

Turkish kebab is the main inspiration for ćevapi, which is well-known throughout the Balkans. Different regions of Bosnia have their own ways of preparing this grilled dish.

In Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s second-largest city, ćevapi has four sausages connected together. Meanwhile, Travik-style ćevapi is brushed with a meaty broth before being grilled.

Börek, also known as burek, is a popular pastry made from minced meat in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is a classic dish in Ottoman cuisine and is known in many countries, from the Balkans to the Middle East.

To prepare börek, people roll out a flaky dough and fill it evenly with savory ingredients, then they roll the stuffed dough and bake or fry it. Minced meat, cheese, spinach, and vegetables are popular fillings.

Börek is a sought-after Bosnian street food, breakfast dish, and lunch snack. Pita is a type of pastry similar to börek, but it has no meat and is usually filled with cheese.

Bosanski lonac, literally “Bosnian pot,” is a hearty Bosnian dish with alternating layers of meat chunks and roughly cut vegetables that are slowly cooked in their own juice.

Beef, tomatoes, cabbages, carrots, and potatoes are common ingredients for the Bosnian pot. The traditional version is prepared in an earthen or ceramic pot over a fire pit.

People usually serve the Bosnian pot with bread to best enjoy its fatty, savory nature. The amount of meat and the value of vegetables in the pot is a sign of status: rich Bosnians add more meat and use higher-priced greens.

Ružice is the Bosnian version of baklava, a globally popular pastry dessert in Ottoman cuisine. Its main ingredient is filo (or phyllo), a very thin unleavened dough.

Ružice consists of many paper-thin filo sheets rolling around a mixture of chopped walnuts or pistachios and sugar syrup or honey. After baking, the pastries are soaked in a fragrant syrup, giving them a sweet, moist texture that contrasts with the crispy layers of filo.

Literally “little roses,” ružice should have a rose-like appearance when sliced and served. Its sweet flavor goes well with local coffee.

Sarma is a common stuffed dish in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Derived from Ottoman cuisine, it is also well-known in many countries in the Balkans and the Middle East.

Sarma consists of cabbage leaves or vine leaves stuffed with a savory mixture of minced meat, rice, onions, and spices. The rolls are tightly packed in a pot and simmered in a tangy broth (usually based on tomatoes).

This stuffed dish is a popular choice for holidays and festivals in Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially during Ramadan. Dolma is a similar dish to sarma, but it features juicy vegetables like bell peppers and onions.

Pljeskavica is a famous grilled dish and street food staple in Bosnian cuisine. Hailing from Serbia, it consists of meat patties based on ground meat (typically beef and lamb), finely chopped onions, and spices.

Pljeskavica literally means “to clap the hand,” referring to the act of shaping the meat patties. These meat patties are then grilled until they are crispy outside and succulent inside.

Locals often sandwich pljeskavica between two slices of flatbread like a burger and serve it with raw onions, salads, kajmak, and sauces. Another way is to serve the grilled meat patty on a plate with fries or salads.

Begova corba is a renowned Bosnian soup consisting of chicken or meat, spices, carrots, celery, potatoes, and many other vegetables. People cook the soup slowly over low heat and serve it in a clay bowl with sour cream for extra sweetness and creaminess.

Begova corba means “Bey’s soup,” with bey being a Turkic title for chieftain or governor in charge of a province or district in the Ottoman Empire. This rich soup is a winter staple strongly associated with the Bosnian capital city of Sarajevo.

Suho meso, literally “dried meat,” is a traditional Bosnian dish known for its smoky, savory flavor and chewy texture. Locals prepare it by salting chunks of pork, beef, or lamb before drying and smoking them.

Dating back to ancient times, suho meso was historically an important source of protein during winter times. Bosnian dried meat goes well with starch foods, vegetables, and beer.

Prebranac, also known as pasulj, is an inexpensive bean dish in Bosnia and Herzegovina and many Balkan countries.

True to its simple and rustic roots, prebranac doesn’t take much to prepare. People simply boil beans, caramelize onions, and bake these ingredients with herbs for flavoring.

In the past, prebranac was one of the dishes that helped Bosnia peasants survive the harsh winter. Nowadays, it is a perfect comfort food to serve with bread.

Somun is a widely enjoyed flatbread in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Derived from Ottoman cuisine, it is made from water, flour, and yeast and traditionally baked in a wood-fired oven.

Bosnians typically serve somon alongside ćevapi, stews, and sauces. Its fluffy texture makes this bread ideal for sopping up the rich sauce.

Somun is quite similar to pita bread, a famous yeast-raised flatbread in the Middle East and the Mediterranean, but it is softer.

Speaking of popular Bosnian flatbread, lepinja is a local flatbread that is almost identical to somun. Foreign tourists have difficulties telling the two apart, but locals rarely encounter the same mishap.

Djuveč is the Bosnian take on ghivetch, a classic vegetable stew well-known throughout the Balkans. Its name was derived from “güveç,” a Turkish word meaning “earthen pot”

To prepare djuveč, locals cook various vegetables, such as peas, tomatoes, peppers, onions, and carrots, with herbs and spices in a güveç. Aromatic rice is usually the best accompaniment for this stew.

Although traditional djuveč is a vegan dish, there is nothing wrong with adding chicken, lamb, or beef to increase its nutritional value.

Ustipci is a famous fried dough treat that is easy to find in Bosnia and Herzegovina and throughout the Balkans. Its main ingredients include flour, water or milk, and yeast.

The preparation of ustipci involves deep-frying the dough until it archives a golden, crispy exterior and soft, airy interior.

Bosnians usually serve ustipci hot with various spreads, kajmak, ajvar (a red pepper-based condiment), sugar, honey, or fruit jam.

Tufahije, literally “apple.” is a Bosnian apple-based dessert of Ottoman origin. Locals prepare it by coring apples, stuffing them with a sweetened mixture of walnuts, and poaching them in a sugar syrup flavored with lemon or cinnamon.

Tufahije is typically served chilled, often with a dollop of whipped cream on top. The soft, sweetened apples contrast beautifully with the crunchy, nutty filling, and arranging them in a transparent glass will improve the visual appeal even further.

Hurmašica is a type of syrup-drenched cookie or cake that Bosnians usually prepare for important religious holidays. It originated in Ottoman cuisine and is customarily enjoyed with Bosnian coffee.

The first step of making hurmašica is to prepare the dough of flour, butter, sugar, and eggs. The dough is then divided into small logs, which are pressed on a grater to give them their distinct alligator skin-like appearance.

Lastly, people bake and douse hurmašica with lemon-flavored sugar syrup. The cookies are fluffy and spongy, so they will absorb every bit of the syrup, acquiring a deeply sweet and pleasant taste.

Tarhana is a traditional Bosnian soup made with yogurt, fermented dough, ground meat, vegetables, and various spices. The first two ingredients give tarhana its uniquely savory, tangy taste and thick, comforting texture.

While tarhana makes a wonderful Bosnian breakfast dish, it is suitable for other meals as well, especially during the colder month. Originally an Ottoman dish, this tangy soup is now a beloved option for many Bosnian households.

Boranija, also spelled as buranija, is a Bosnian stew prepared with Romano beans (or flat beans), which is a type of green beans. Its name also means “green beans” in the local language.

The preparation of boranija involves stewing flat beans with beef or lamb (optional), garlic, vegetables, and spices for hours. When the mixture has a tender texture and a rich aroma, you will have a superb stew to enjoy with bread.

Jabukovača, often referred to as Bosnian apple pie, is a traditional dessert in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It has a sweet and fruity flavor that goes well with coffee and soft drinks.

Locals prepare jabukovača in a similar manner to baklava, wrapping filo pastry around a filling of chopped apples, sugar, cinnamon, and optional nuts or dried fruits. This dessert is often dusted with powdered sugar or a mixture of honey and lemon juice.

After reading these descriptions, are you now interested in learning about the common traits of Bosnian cuisine? Scroll down for more information.