Two issues shock folks about Poland: its beautiful Baltic seashores and the truth that there are extra delicious dishes to attempt past pierogi (dumplings). Polish meals is hearty, soulful, and deeply rooted in custom, boasting dishes like slow-cooked meat stews, recent seafood, bitter soups, and indulgent desserts. After a heavy day immersed in WWII historical past or clocking 20,000 steps whereas uncovering the appeal of cities like Kraków, Warsaw, or Gdansk, there’s no higher reward than a comforting plate of conventional native fare.
Consuming your manner by way of the nation is without doubt one of the greatest issues to do in Poland. Polish is famously powerful to be taught, however with regards to meals, just a few key phrases can go a good distance. Observe our information to Poland’s greatest meals and drinks, and also you’ll go away the nation full and completely happy.
Bigos
Poland merely couldn’t select when it got here to selecting a nationwide dish, so the nation has just a few. Probably the most well-known and iconic is bigos. Typically known as hunter’s stew, it’s made with a mixture of sauerkraut, recent cabbage, and a wide range of meats, together with pork, sausage, and generally beef or sport. Each household has a secret recipe, typically slow-cooked with onions, mushrooms, plums, and aromatic spices. If you happen to’re visiting Poland within the winter, bigos is the right dish to heat you from the within out.
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Gołąbki
Variations of gołąbki might be discovered all world wide, however ask any proud Pole, they usually’ll inform you theirs are the perfect. This comforting dish options tender cabbage leaves wrapped round a filling of floor meat, rice, onions, and herbs, all simmered in a tangy tomato sauce. If you happen to’re in search of the final word consolation meals, look no additional.
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Pierogi
No journey to Poland is full with out indulging in an absurd quantity of pierogi: comfortable, crescent-shaped dumplings full of candy and savoury surprises. Fortunately, their versatility makes this scrumptious mission solely achievable. Pierogi for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? Completely. Traditional variations are a should, with comforting fillings like potato and cheese, floor meat, or sauerkraut and mushrooms. However avoid wasting room for the pierogi reimagined with daring, creative flavours impressed by international cuisines like Thai, Indian, and Korean. When it’s time for dessert, the dumpling magic doesn’t cease — suppose candy cheese, seasonal fruits, or gooey Nutella wrapped in pillowy dough.
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Naleśniki
Very like pierogi, naleśniki is a flexible dish that may be loved any time of day, from breakfast to dessert. These Polish-style crepes are skinny, comfortable pancakes crammed, rolled, or folded earlier than being calmly fried or baked for slightly further crispiness. Candy variations, full of fruit preserves, candy cheese, recent berries, and even chocolate, are an indulgent deal with, however the savoury choices are simply as tasty.
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Zapiekanka
Not all travellers are acquainted with zapiekanka, however belief us, it rapidly turns into a fan favorite. Again within the communist period, it was a go-to snack for its affordability and quickness, and it’s simply as well-liked at this time. How would we describe zapiekanka? Think about Italian and French delicacies having a scrumptious love little one. This well-liked Polish avenue meals is actually a French bread pizza made by slicing a baguette-style loaf in half and topping it with no matter you’re craving: mushrooms, cheese, ham, salami, or greens. The signature contact is a beneficiant ketchup or garlic sauce drizzle on high.
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Placki ziemniaczane
Put together for potato pancake perfection. Placki ziemniaczane are Poland’s golden, crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside grated potato pancakes. The proper chunk is accomplished with a dip in bitter cream or applesauce in case your style buds get pleasure from a salty and candy combo.
Oscypek
Monitoring down genuine oscypek is nearly as tough as visiting Poland and never consuming pierogi. This conventional smoked cheese is crafted by highland shepherds, often known as baca, in Poland’s Tatra Mountains. Constructed from sheep’s milk, oscypek stands out with its distinct spindle form, ornamental carvings, salty and smoky flavour, and squeaky texture. The time-honoured methods used to make it are so distinctive that it’s protected underneath EU legislation. Solely cheese made within the Podhale area utilizing these conventional strategies might be known as oscypek. Discover the actual deal, and also you’ve struck gold.
Kluski śląskie
Who knew you would accomplish that a lot with potatoes? Kluski śląskie is one other conventional Polish meals that makes use of potatoes, this time within the type of dumplings. Constructed from mashed potatoes and potato starch, these small bites of heaven are spherical with a thumbprint indentation within the centre, excellent for catching wealthy gravies and sauces. Historically served alongside roast meats, you’ll typically discover them gracing the desk at Sunday dinners or household feasts, particularly within the Silesia area.
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Barszcz
Heading to Poland to expertise the enchanting Christmas markets? Sooner or later, you’ll possible end up with a bowl of barszcz in hand. A staple on Christmas Eve, barszcz is a traditional Polish beet soup that’s as wealthy in color as it’s in flavour. With its deep crimson hue, the soup gives a tangy, earthy style, typically elevated by a dollop of bitter cream or a splash of vinegar for an additional kick.
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Źurek
One other beloved bitter soup is źurek, historically loved at Easter. Made with a sourdough rye starter, this soup delivers a daring, tangy kick that is as distinctive as it’s addictive. Think about a bowl brimming with hearty sausage, boiled eggs, and chunks of smoked meats swimming in that delightfully bitter broth.
Obwarzanek
Even for those who didn’t verify our record of must-try Polish meals earlier than your journey, anybody visiting Kraków is certain to come across obwarzanek, if solely out of curiosity. A real avenue snack icon, it’s unattainable to overlook the distributors promoting these chewy, ring-shaped breads from their blue carts scattered throughout town. Obwarzaneki are so iconic that they are protected by the EU as a conventional regional product. These distributors have been part of Kraków for greater than 600 years. Feeling hungry after hours of sightseeing? Obwarzanek sprinkled with sesame seeds, poppy seeds, or salt is the perfect snack for a burst of power and a chunk of Kraków’s historical past.
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Kwaśnica
The ultimate soup on our Polish meals record is kwaśnica, a staple among the many highlanders of the mountainous Podhale area in southern Poland. Because of loads of fermented cabbage, this soup has a bitter flavour that packs a punch, completely balanced by the wealthy, smoky flavour of meats like smoked pork. It’s the type of soup that warms your bones after a chilly hike within the mountains and cures absolutely anything from a chill to a hangover.
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Pączek
Positive, you’ve most likely eaten loads of donuts in your life, however when you’ve had a Polish pączek, it’s an entire new ball sport. Pączek is Poland’s beloved model of the spherical, deep-fried deal with beloved worldwide. Stuffed with pleasant surprises like rose jam, plum jam, custard, or chocolate, they’re typically topped with powdered sugar, a fragile glaze, and even bits of candied orange peel. Whereas Poles get pleasure from pączek year-round, it’s particularly well-liked on Fats Thursday, a day of indulgence the place it’s believed that the extra pączki you eat, the extra luck you’ll have. That’s a practice we are able to undoubtedly get behind.
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Makowiec
Go to any Polish bakery, and also you’re certain to identify makowiec. This festive dessert is constituted of comfortable, yeasted dough rolled round a wealthy, candy filling of floor poppy seeds, honey, nuts, dried fruit, and a touch of spice or citrus zest. If that doesn’t have your abdomen rumbling, wait till it’s baked to perfection and completed with a shiny glaze or a lightweight dusting of powdered sugar.
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Drinks to attempt in Poland
Like different Japanese European nations, wódka (vodka) holds a particular place in Poland’s tradition, traditions, and celebrations. Locals get pleasure from this well-liked Polish drink in varied methods: sipped slowly, chilled, and shared amongst associates or raised in conventional toasts like “Na zdrowie!” (to your well being!). Poland is residence to a few of the world’s most famous vodka manufacturers, together with Belvedere and Chopin, solidifying the nation’s standing as a powerhouse within the vodka business.
In case your head is spinning after two or three pictures of Polish vodka, it could be time to change to piwo (beer). Poland brews wonderful, reasonably priced beers. Look out for well-liked Polish beers like Tyskie, Żywiec, Lech, and Okocim.
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