Droolworthy Vegetarian dishes from 24 countries in Europe

We could all agree on the fact that love for food is universal. I don’t know about you, but one of the first things I look up while travelling to a new place is of course- food. As a vegetarian, I realize that it’s often helpful to have an idea of what to expect and what dishes to look out for while visiting a new country. So, I thought of compiling a huge post about some of the best vegetarian food options you can try out while travelling across Europe. While some may constitute appetizers, others may be good as the main course and look out for the occasional snacks or dessert items in the list. I’ll be listing countries based on their region and updating the list as I find out more. Thanks to all the bloggers and travellers who shared their thoughts about vegetarian food in Europe.

You can save the following image on Pinterest to find this post easily later. Please do share this post with all your foodie friends. Now, let’s drool over these vegetarian dishes together!

 

 

Western Europe

 

Vegetarian food in Switzerland: What is Switzerland famous for?

 

Fondue,Raclette,Rösti and more.

 

I’ve been living in Switzerland for the last three years and have realized that the traditional Swiss cuisine often constitutes of potatoes,cheese,bread and meat. My personal favourite is Cheese Fondue. I absolutely love this heavenly mix of melted cheese eaten with bread and fruits. You can try it for dinner sometime if you are visiting Switzerland, but like most other things in the country, it’s not really an inexpensive option. Other vegetarian options to look out for are Raclette (potatoes,melted cheese and sometimes,vegetables), Rösti (potatoes again) or even Alpine Macaroni. Then there are some dishes typical to certain regions, like Capuns from the canton of Graubunden, Polenta from Ticino or Cholera (not at all scary) from Valais for instance. I love soups too, like pumpkin , parsnip or leek. Mehlsuppe or flour soup is popular in Basel during the Fasnacht (Carnival). Some popular snacks include the Käsewähe or Zweibelwähe that you can find in bakeries and even in big supermarkets. It is also easy to find Doner and Falafel shops or restaurants offering other cuisines like Italian, Mexican etc. I made some of my Indian friends try Swiss snacks and sweets for the first time and will be linking that video here soon. Meanwhile, here is a short video showing a cheese fondue recipe.

P.S: Switzerland and chocolates often go hand in hand. Lindt may be one of the most popular brands, but there also many others. Here is a fun video about tasting some of the Swiss chocolates and having a fun chocolate challenge!

Vegetarian food in Germany : Are there any traditional vegetarian dishes or desserts?

 

Germany was the first foreign country I moved to and I soon realized that it wasn’t difficult to find vegetarian food there. While the famous German food may constitute of currywurst/ sausages, Schnitzels or juicy Döner Kebabs (and beer ofcourse), you can also find some vegetarian adaptations and options like dumplings (Knödel), Spätzle, Kartoffelpuffer and more . Plus, it is very easy to buy Falafel wraps , thin pizzas and find a lot of bakeries offering a variety of vegetarian snacks (like Pretzels, Strudels) and desserts. Coffee and cake is a tradition you will observe in the country and if you have a sweet tooth like me, you might have a hard time refraining from trying all the delicious cakes and pastries available! I think my most memorable meal in Germany might have been the time I found the best dumplings with mushroom sauce, in Tübingen,Southern Germany. No matter how much I tried looking for dumplings similar in taste, somehow nothing tasted better after that.I also compiled a short post about some of the best restaurants offering vegetarian food in Bonn and Heidelberg. I am glad to have Maria from Maria Abroad tell us more about the dumplings.

Semmelknödel mit Pifferlingen (Bread dumplings with chanterelles)

This is a very popular vegetarian dish in Germany during the summer and fall months (chanterelle season). Semmelknödel are savory bread dumplings that consist of bread, egg, onion, garlic, herbs and spices. You mix the ingredients together and form tennis ball sized balls that are boiled for about 20 minutes in simmering salt water. The chanterelle cream sauce is so delicious, you want to lick your plate clean, I promise. A creamy roux, coats the juicy chanterelles and every time you bite into a mushroom, you get a burst of earthy, juicy goodness. Chanterelles, unlike most other mushrooms, cannot be grown commercially. Definitely a must try, if you are looking for a vegetarian dish in Germany, which admittedly, can be a bit harder to find in some restaurants.

Käsespätzle

Vegan Currywurst in Germany

Vegetarian food in France

 

If you travel around France, you will find each region to have its own speciality. Some vegetarian food easily available would include crepes, baguettes, falafel wraps and now in some places, quinoa burgers. I’ve got suggestions from a lot of people to try out Falafel in Le Marais, Paris , including fellow traveller Deepali Patel . Flammkuchen is also a speciality of the Alsace Region in France. I personally had problems finding vegetarian food in France on two occasions – once in Strasbourg, when I ended up being served with potatoes , yogurt and herbs , and another time in Paris,when I was served plain Pasta because they couldn’t figure out how to prepare something vegetarian. But, this was just by chance. If you look up places before hand, you will not face such issues.

Read this post for ideas on what to eat and drink in France

"If you want the best #falafel in the world, come to #lasdufalafel. If you want the worst, go across the street." #marais #paris

A post shared by @rick_cassius on Oct 26, 2014 at 4:50pm PDT

 

There are also some trendy vegetarian restaurants in Paris, such as the Le 5 Lorette restaurant. Rosemary and Claire of Authentic Food Quest share their experience with us.

Even as non-vegetarians, we were blown away by the ‘burger’ vegetarian-style.” The bright colors and creative presentation engage your senses.The savory and delicious patty, made from quinoa, is topped with slices of fresh avocado and tofu. Served with roasted vegetables, greens and a side of hummus, be prepared for a delicious treat, bursting with flavors.

Where: 5 Lorette, 5 rue Notre Dame de Lorette 75009 Paris

You can connect with Rosemary and Claire on Facebook or on Twitter .

 

Vegetarian Burger in Paris.Credit: Authentic Food Quest

 

Tip: If you don’t speak French, here are some basic tips to help you get around France.

 

 

Vegetarian food in Netherlands

 

Netherlands cannot disappoint any food lover, I think. I recently spent 24 hours in Amsterdam, exploring the city and food and loved the number of options available. From fast food like krokets to the abundant cheese and mustard options to stroopwafels and Dutch fries, you’ll never run out of options.

Tips from an Amsterdam local

 

The Netherlands, specifically Amsterdam, has some delicious food that is veggie friendly. Vegan food is a bit harder to find here, but you can easily find veggie friendly Indonesian food all over in Amsterdam (using tempeh as well as tofu) as well as some delicious places to get Middle Eastern specialities, including hummus! For those with a sweet tooth, look out for the stroopwafel as well as the fresh-made cookies from Van Stapele. Dairy lovers who don’t eat meat will be in heaven with all the kinds of cheese that you can’t even find outside of the Netherlands!

 

-Karen Alexis from WanderlustingK. Check out her guide to eating on a budget in Amsterdam.

Follow WanderlustingK on Twitter or Instagram.

Van Stapele cookies in Amsterdam

 

 

Soumya from Travel Books Food shares her experience with us.

 

Pannekoeken (Dutch pancakes)

 

Till I got to Amsterdam last Summer, I have never had the opportunity to have the savoury kind of pancake. Till then, I have had only the sweet ones. All this changed when I walked into a Pancake shop one day in Amsterdam and had a Pannekoek. Over the next few days in Amsterdam, I had many of these Dutch pancakes and fell in love with many of the vegetarian variants, both savoury and sweet. The Pannekoek are similar to pancakes and the only difference is that they are bigger in diameter and thinner. I definitely recommend them as a vegetarian.

Pancakes in Amstersdam

 

Vegetarian food in Belgium.

 

The food in Belgium is quite influenced by its neighbouring countries. In some restaurants, it might be a bit difficult to find vegetarian food. But, you will love the variety of crepes and waffles easily available. The Belgians also love their fries and their chocolates are delicious. When I was in Ghent, I also found a vendor selling ‘Noses of Ghent’ which I quite liked!Oh, and if you like beer, Belgium is well known for it.

Waffles in Belgium

 

I’ve had the most unforgettable waffles in Brussels. The variety of toppings for waffles is bound to leave you utterly confused and wanting to try out all you can! For sure, you can have waffles anywhere in the world, but my waffle experience in Brussels is just unforgettable.Take a look at the picture yourself!

Belgian frittes

 

Belgian fries are in a league of their own. There is a certain crunch when you bite into them that you just can’t find anywhere else.The best part is that you can choose from an array of sauces to plop on top of the fries wrapped in a paper cone that take them to a whole new level. My favorite is samurai which is a spicy mayo but the alioli is a good choice as well. You can find these fried morsels of heaven just about anywhere in Belgium but in my opinion the ones sold out of a truck parked in random spots around the city are the best! If you find yourself in Brussels, try to get yourself to the truck that parks in Flagey–you won’t regret it!

-Sabah Saeed

Tip: Here is how I visited three countries, including Belgium, and spent 110 Euros on all travel costs.

Vegetarian food in Austria

 

Chances are you might have heard of the Weiner Schnitzel (pan-fried cutlet with meat) when it comes to Austrian cuisine. Austria is home to a lot of dumplings, strudels and some delicious coffee and cakes. Apfel Strudel is one of the most popular desserts from Austria alongwith Sacher Torte and also Salzburger Nockerl. In fact, there are huge queues outside Hotel Sacher in Vienna to taste the ‘Original’ Sacher Torte.

When it comes to main dishes, some typical food includes:

Kaiserschmarrn

 

Think of Kaiserschmarrn as chopped pancakes. With some flour, eggs,milk, sugar , you can easily make this dish at home. Supposedly,Emperor Franz Joseph preferred this dish alongside meat.I found a Kaiserschmarrn recipe here for you.

Käsespätzle

Another typical dish from Austria, though you will also see variations in Germany and Switzerland. Käsespätzle is like Macaroni and Cheese, generally made with grated Swiss cheese like Emmental or Gruyere, etc. For those interested, here is a Käsespätzle recipe too.

 

If you like wine, you can visit a ‘Heurige’ or tavern and enjoy some traditional wines with food, although you would be more likely to find meat options there. Here is a blog post I found showcasing 7 taverns in Vienna, Austria. Some suggestions for restaurants offering vegetarian food can also be found here.

 

Southern Europe

What to eat in Italy

I don’t think you can go wrong with food in Italy. From Pasta and Pizzas to Lasagna, Risotto, Ravioli and desserts like Tiramisu, it must feel like being in food heaven!

I had some delicious dishes like Potato Pizza and Ravioli with Blue Cheese and Pear in Florence.

Here’s all about eating like a local in Venice!

Fancy trying out Parmigiano Cheese and Balsamic Vinegar? Here’s a food guide to Modena, Italy!

Here are some more suggestions for you:

Pizzoccheri , Italy

Pizzoccheri are one of my favourite dishes of all times, a true comfort food that I like having when outside is cold and rainy. It’s a pasta dish from the Italian Alps, made with buckwheat pasta that looks kind of like broken up tagliatelle, potatoes, chard and lots of melted butter and cheese. And when I say lots, I mean LOTS! My friend adds one kilo of cheese for one kilo of butter. It’s truly delicious! Pizzoccheri are a specialty of Valtellina, one of the mountain valleys of Lombardia, my home region in Italy. Chiavenna, a lovely town close to the Italian-Swiss border, is a wonderful place to try pizzoccheri. An alternative would be trying Pizzoccheri in a mountain hut after a nice hike or a day spent on the slopes – definitely something to look forward to!

– Margherita from ‘The Crowded Planet’ . Find them on Instagram.

Tempting Pizzocheri in Italy.Credits: thecrowdedplanet.com

Jewish artichokes in Rome

 

During my last visit to Rome, I was determined to discover more off the beaten path destinations and try some local food. So I skipped every restaurant that had a menu with pictures on it, I wandered through the small side streets far from busy tourist attractions, looking for some local gems. When I saw locals dining at a restaurant, I knew I found a truly good place.

One of the most delicious vegetarian discoveries was the Carciofi Alla Giudia (Jewish Artichoke) in a small restaurant in the Trastevere district. I never had an artichoke before and I would have never ordered it, was it not for a group of Italians who were eating it as if it was the best meal they ever had. So I decided to give it a try and asked the waiter to bring me the same, not even knowing what it was or how to eat it. It was absolutely delicious! In fact, it was so good that I tried three or four other artichoke dishes over the next couple of days in Rome and I loved them all!

– Jurga, Full Suitcase . Follow her on Instagram or Facebook

 

Here’s another guide to eating out in Trastevere, Rome!

               Here’s a 4-day itinerary to Rome. 

 

 

 

Vegetarian food in Portugal

It’s easy being vegetarian in the Azores (an archipelago off the coast of Portugal). In fact, the #1 restaurant on the main island of Sao Miguel offers nothing but vegetarian dishes! It was here that I had one of my favorite meals from our time in the Azores. For starters, I had delectable puff pastry roses with zucchini, cream cheese, island cheese, and thyme, in addition to a trio of bruschetta with a variety of toppings. (Don’t worry, my husband was with me, so I didn’t eat all of this delicious food myself.) My main entrée consisted of zucchini noodles with mushrooms, sweet peppers and local chili pepper chutney, cashews, mint, and local island cheese. As if that wasn’t enough, we simply had to sample the dessert! The three chocolate mousse was divine and my husband had the cheesecake, which he said was to die for! So, while this isn’t just one ‘dish’, it’s a vegetarian meal experience we’ll remember for a long time!

-Toccara of ForgetSomeday.com. Follow her on Facebook and Instagram.

 

Flan

Vegetarian food in Spain

 

Before I visited Spain, I didn’t really know much about the cuisine apart from Paella and Tortillas. As Paella traditionally contains sea food, it took me a long time to come across a restaurant in Barcelona serving a vegetarian version. But, my perception of Spanish food changed when I went on a food tour and devoured so much vegetarian food that I just had no more space for the Patata Bravas. (Sorry potatoes, you know I love you.) You will find a lot of olives, some cheese, romesco sauce in the cuisine. You can taste different types of olive oil, have vermouth at 1 pm like many locals, relish the cremat and enjoy a glass or two of Cava.

 

Pimientos de Padron in Barcelona, Spain

 

When in Barcelona you must try any and all of the tapas you can get your hands on. Though many are not vegetarian friendly, one of the most traditional options is. Pimientos de padron! These peppers are blistered over a fire and usually served drizzled in olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt. While most are not spicy, every once in awhile you will get one that is. We call it playing pepper roulette because you just never know what you’re going to get until you try. Regardless if you get spicy one or not, they are delicious way to start you meal.

Alana from Great Big Globe . Check out her Instagram and Facebook accounts.

Andalusian chickpea soup

 

When you travel around Andalusia in the South of Spain, you will see that the food they serve you in the tapas bars is not exactly what you imagine as Mediterranean diet. It is always delicious, but usually involves a lot of fried stuff, and meat or fish are more difficult to be avoided than in other regions of Spain. Nevertheless, since Andalusia is a very conservative Catholic region of Spain, before Easter, when abstinence from meat is crucial, they prepare many vegetarian dishes. Last year when we did a route in Andalusia, we tried some of these, and the chickpea soup we tasted in Alcalá la Real was our favorite. It is a very simple dish based mostly on chickpea, with some spinach, a little bit of tomato and some other vegetables. Spices, including garlic and paprika are added to enrich the flavor. It has a very refreshing taste, a perfect first course if you eat a set-meal in Andalusia.

-Gabor, Surfing The Planet . Check out their Instagram and Facebook accounts.

Padron, Andalusian Soup and Cremat in Spain!Pictures by greatbigglobe.com and surfingtheplanet.com

Pinxtos in Basque Country. Picture:Allison Green

 

Vegetarian food in Malta

The Maltese/Gozitan platter

Malta’s cuisine combined elements from the fresh Italian ingredients with the hearty and a bit of the sweetness of the Arab cooking. One of the best things you can order when you visit Malta is the Maltese or Gozitan platter (depends which island you’re on). The platter contains a great selection of Malta’s freshest ingredients: typical local cheese (fresh and peppered), sundried tomatoes, olives, capers, bigilla (a broad bean, garlic, and parsley spread), tomato paste and olive oil.

-Joanna.Check out her post about Maltese food.

 

 

 

Northern Europe

 

Vegetarian food in UK : What can one get apart from fish and chips?

 

It was interesting for me to talk to people staying in the UK and find out about vegetarian and vegan food culture. Turns out there are several restaurants and cafes offering vegetarian food. Deepali Patel, a fellow GLT member, recommends Ottolenghi’s cafe in Islington as a ‘veggie foodie heaven’. I also came across this list of vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Britain.

I was surprised to find out that Glasgow has been referred to, as the vegan capital of Britain! I hope to travel in the region real soon! Meanwhile, here’s what Sreya and Mri have to tell us about vegetarian food and dessert options in the UK.

In the UK, the culture is pretty cosmopolitan. Particularly in places like London, it almost feels as if some streets wholly belong to some countries. Brits love their meat, but they are very conscious of the need for eating your veggies, so every canteen, takeaway or restaurant has options galore for vegetarians – particularly mix and match salads with a range of choices. There’s also the classic Brit favorite – baked beans, and you’re never going to miss their incredible love of yoghurts in a variety of flavours, or their love for veggie soups, cabbages sauteed with aniseed, and the wildly popular carrot and hummus. They also have an option for those who want to fit in with meat eaters, but still don’t want to eat meat per se – quorn.

-Sreya Ghosh

 

Vegan chocolate cake

 

I know the photo isn’t the best capture of this delicious vegan chocolate and mint cake by Kat’s Kitchen of Keswick in England, but it does capture its sheer tastiness surprisingly well. You see, I detoured back to this wonderful cafe just so I could get a high quality photo for this collab (and to treat Rob and I after a hard day of training for our Rockies Cycling Expedition of course). But though I had a solid plan of ordering food and then taking some delicious looking photos until I had one I liked, I promptly ate half of this heavenly and vegan chocolate and mint cake before remembering my very solid plan…oops!

But it’s just so fluffy and mouthwatering and lovingly full of flavour! The chocolate isn’t too rich, but a perfect blend that goes extremely well with their homemade mint icing. I truly can’t travel through Keswick without stopping at Kat’s Kitchen to have a slice of their ambrosial vegan chocolate and mint cake – and when you stop in to try a slice of heaven for yourself, you too will forever be detouring miles out of your way just to have it again.

-Mri Grout , Lifelong Vagabonds .

Vegan chocolate cake

 

Cheese,chocolates and ice-cream in Ireland

2foodtrippers Mindi and Daryl went on a culinary roadtrip across Western Ireland and they have some absolutely droolworthy pictures of cheese platters, fresh salads and ice-cream. Just take a look at this goat cheese salad they had at The Hungry Monk Café located in County Mayo, Ireland, followed by a dessert with fresh flowers!

 

Cookies from Ireland

 

During a road trip in Ireland, I came across Fifteens at every gas station, some of the cookies were commercially prepared, some very homemade looking, reminiscent of a bake sale. Known as a tray bake, this no-bake treat would be easy to prepare with children. When you see the ingredients, you’ll know where the name comes from. I’m already planning my next batch which I will bill as gourmet fifteens – brandy soaked cherries, homemade marshmallows, and maybe some chocolate. You can find the recipe here .

-Lois B.

Vegetarian food in Estonia

 

Apple & Butternut Squash Soup in Tallinn, Estonia

 

 

Vegetarian food in Finland

 

Valkosipuli Soup

 

A classic traditional food of Finland. Valkosipuli means garlic in Finnish and while Finland is known for reindeer and other hearty meats they also have tons of vegetarian options. The Finnish people love soup and valkosipuli is one of the most traditional soups but it’s so popular you can still find it everywhere including the Helsinki Market.

The garlic is roasted in the soup so it doesn’t have as heavy a flavour as you would expect. Instead it’s warm and hearty without worrying that you’ll need to stand ten feet away from people when speaking. Many restaurants will have this soup but it’s also a favourite to make at home.

-Ayngelina Brogan, baconismagic.ca

Soup in Finland.Picture by Ayngelina Brogan, BaconisMagic.ca

Vegetarian food in Sweden

 

I visited Sweden last summer and was a bit sceptical about finding vegetarian food, as Sweden is particularly famous for its fish specialities. I am not exaggerating when I say that I found the best variations of salads every day! Many of the places I visited use locally grown, fresh ingredients alongwith different cheese and vegetables. Here are some pictures of the food I had at Nasslingen Island – located in the Stockholm archipelago. If you visit Stockholm, you should plan to have extra time to explore some of the islands in the archipelago. For those of you who would like a peaceful getaway, with delicious food, wellness options all set amidst nature, Nasslingen is just a boat ride away from the city. Also, coffee and cakes (known as ‘Fika’) cannot be missed out in Sweden.

P.S: Stockholm is such a beautiful city; you should try to visit it whenever you get a chance.Here is a Stockholm photostory – from sunset to moonlight.

 

I also took a day trip from Stockholm to Linköping and had lunch by the Gota Kanal. That’s the first picture below:

 

 

Karelian Pie

 

Karelian hand pies are very popular in Finland, Sweden and Estonia (where they are known as Karjalanpiirakat). I first tried them during a guided food tour in Helsinki where we saw them all over town at various shops and with varying ingredients. The ones we tried had a rice and carrot filling. I’ve also had these pies in Estonia and Sweden with different ingredients like mashed sweet potato, and rice and butter. The pie itself is traditionally made from rye, which gives it the dark color, but they are now also being made with white flour.

The photo was taken in Sweden.

Roasted Cauliflower

 

-Inma, A World To Travel

Roasted Cauliflower dish in Sweden. Credits: aworldtotravel.com

Eastern Europe

 

What to eat in Czech Republic

 

When I visited Prague, a friend recommended Estrella Restaurant, where I realized how delicious carrot and cream soup as well as carrot cake could be! On my next visit to Brno, I came across this restaurant offering a vegetable omelette and loved how filling and tasty it was. Here is a picture:

Delicious vegetable omelette- Brno,Czech Republic

Vegetarian food in Georgia

 

Khachapuri

 

Easily the best vegetarian food that I’ve tried lately is the khachapuri I had while visiting the Republic of Georgia.

If you’ve never heard of khachapuri it’s basically a bread boat filled with hot melty cheese and butter which you break and mix an egg into. The bread is folded in such a way that you rip the crust off and use it to scoop the cheesy filling out with.

This is so delicious that it’s actually the countries national dish! A recent poll of locals actually determined that the majority of Georgians prefer khachapuri over pizza— that’s how good it is.

Even though cheesy bread is something that we think of as an appetizer at home most eat this as a complete meal. Sizes range from small for an individual to the Titanic size that three of us couldn’t finish half of!

-Nathan Aguilera, www.foodieflashpacker.com Find him on Instagram and Facebook too.

Georgian Khachapuri.Credits to Mary Berghaus

 

PKHALI

Pkhali is traditional Georgian dish made of chopped, fried or steamed vegetables. Usually it consists of eggplant, spinach, bell pepper or cabbage. The vegetables are either rolled in a walnut sauce or mixed in it. The sauce is made from minced walnuts, garlic, onion and some seasoning. Depending on the vegetables, the sauce varies with ingredients. Sometimes vinegar, fresh parsley and couple tablespoons of water are added to it. The dish is very common and a must for Georgian feasts and dinners. It can be served as an appetizer or side dish. Some of the Georgian restaurants offer a plate of Pkhali, which has the mixture of all vegetables. Every restaurant across the country has it, but every region puts its own spin on it.

– Baia Dzagnidze, Red Fedora Diary

Vegetarian food in Greece

 

Traditionally when eating out in Greece, people get together and have a meze, a selection of small dishes which the whole table shares, most of these will typically be vegetarian. Our favourites include: Dakos salad, beetroot salad, hummus, fava (a chick pea dip with onion and capers), vegetable fritters often made with chickpeas or zucchini, gigantes (giant white beans in a tomato sauce), fasolakia (green beans greek style), spanakorizo (spinach and rice dish). There are so many dishes made with tomatoes, eggplants, zucchini and onions often with some added cheese we are spoilt for choice. Then there’s the savoury pastries and baked cheese dishes. One of my favourites is feta, wrapped in filo baked and served with sesame seeds and honey. Then there’s roasted figs stuffed with cheese. The most surprising vegetables was okra as I always thought of it in relation to Indian food but it is grown throughout the islands.

The last dish I’ll mention is horta, steamed greens served cold with olive oil and lemon juice. The word literally means weeds and the local women walk through the olive groves around us each morning to pick their horta.

– Amanda from Olive, Feta & Ouzo – all about life ,travels and food in Greece.

Check out Amanda’s recipe for dakos salad.

Fassolatha

Popular in Greece since the ancient times, Fassolatha is a favorite dish during winter. The recipe is very simple and the result is hearty. To make it, you need haricot beans, onions, celery, carrots, tomatoes, bay leaves, and oregano. It takes about an hour and a half to cook the soup. Serve it with bread and, if you wish, feta sprinkled on top.

-Cristina Puscas, Greecelogue.com

 

Paul Johnson from aluxurytravelblog.com shares this picture of the triology he had in Crete, Greece – aubergine salad, beetroot salad and tzatziki with pita bread, Knossos cucumber and kalamata olives.

Zacusca

Zacusca (or eggplant paste) is a vegan appetizer, prepared during fall. It is stored in the pantries to be used on fast days (during Christmas and Easter Lent, and all through the year). The base, as the name implies, is made up of roasted eggplants. Roasted red peppers, along with onions, tomatoes, oil, bay leaves, and black pepper are also included in the mix.

-Cristina Puscas,LooknWalk. Check out her post on traditional Romanian foods .

 

Sirniki

I can only guess the origins of this dish, but something tells me, Sirniki were born out of necessity. Cottage cheese, the main ingredient in Sirniki and a staple in Russian kitchen, makes a perfect breakfast on its own. Unfortunately its shelf life is not long. We have a saying in Russian that loosely translates to “the poor are good at being creative”.

Here’s what I think happened: many years ago one thrifty Russian woman had some leftover cottage cheese that has gone bad, but didn’t want to throw it away. So she mixed it with eggs and flour, formed patties and fried them on a pan. Et voila! Delicious breakfast is ready! The whole story is not that surprising, given that cottage cheese itself is a product of milk that has gone bad.

Nowadays, of course, women use fresh cottage for this dish. So do restaurants in Russia, so you don’t have to worry when ordering siriniki. They are usually served with sour cream and jam and make a perfect breakfast or dessert.

Find the recipe here , on Yulia’s blog – thefoodiemiles.com

Sirniki – A Russian speciality

Vegetarian food in Serbia

 

Ajvar and Gibanica

The experience of discovering an amazing historical city like Belgrade with a friend who is a native and one of the best tour guides was just brilliant. My husband and I stayed with his family.His Mom was kind and lovely enough to feed us with traditional Serbian delicacies and alcohol under the roof of their very uniquely done cozy apartment over some mind-blowing tales from civil wars of Yugoslavia in the 90s. Out of all the food that we ate, two of the recipes that stayed with me forever were of Ajvar and Gibanica. Ajvar reminded me of ‘Baingan Ka Bharta’ from India and also that how sometimes we all are a well blended mixture of each other no matter where we come from. There is nothing like homemade Ajvar. It’s prepared by charring bell peppers over fire, and then combined with roasted eggplant, garlic, oil, and vinegar, to make a spread like paste which can be usually served with grilled meats and enjoyed as a spread with/on all kinds of bread. Gibanica is this, out of this world, Balkan Cheese Pie. It’s prepared using flour, cheese, oil, eggs (optional)/Baking powder, sour cream and some salt if the cheese isn’t salty enough. My friend’s mother stuffed it with spinach which left a flavor I don’t want to forget ever.

– Anshita Koul, Reflections of a spacecaked mind

Trupti, who recently visited Belgrade, recommends Red Bread Cafe for vegetarian food like burgers, sandwiches, pumpkin soup and healthy smoothies.

 

Vegetarian food in Slovakia

 

Traditional Slovak dish – Buchty

Vegetarian food in Slovenia

 

Slovenia is a gem of a country , the beauty of which reminds one of fairy tales. From history to mystery, dungeons and dragons , castles and enchanted lakes – there’s a lot to explore in Slovenia. Here’s some recommended food to try:

 

Mushroom soup –

 

First thing’s first – I’m a huge fan of mushroom soups and that’s what I order whenever I see it on the menu. I never really learn my lesson though, which is that you mostly get something bland with a few of those generic white button mushrooms floating around and some sorry excuse for a taste. I keep ordering it in the hope I’ll one day get to relive that amazing day in Skofja Loka, Slovenia when I got served a soup made of freshly picked mushrooms straight out of the surrounding forests. The thing with wild mushrooms versus cultivated ones is that there is no comparison when it comes to flavor! The fact that the soup in question was made by mixing at least seven different varieties of wild mushrooms only added to the richness of the taste. The bigger the variety, the better this stuff tastes in the end. Can’t wait to go to Slovenia again and force my husband to teach me how to pick mushrooms myself. It’s a risky business if you don’t know what you’re doing, as you can literally end up poisoning yourself to death.

– Jure from www.calloftravel.com

Strukli in Slovenia

 

There is no lack of vegetarian dishes around Europe, and even Slovenia has plenty of vegetarian choices despite being a country where the most common food to eat is meat. One of the most interesting dishes I have tried while I was there last September were the strukli. I had them in Ljubljana, during a food tour – our guide knew where to take us to have good ones. Strukli are pretty much dough rolls filled with ricotta style cheese. I have been told there is also egg mixed in it, but I could not really see it or taste it. Sometimes they appear on the menu as a side dish, others they are a main course and accompanied with a sauce. I tried them as a main, with a deliciously thick mushroom sauce. Sure enough, after having tried them, all I wanted while I was in Slovenia were Strukli.

Claudia Tavani – My Adventures Across the World . Find her on Facebook.

 

Thanks for reading! What is your favourite vegetarian food? Comment below and let me know! Share the post with someone who loves food and have a great day ahead:)

 

 

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