The authentic taste of Romanian cuisine
Romanian cuisine combines Balkan, Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian and local influences, resulting in hearty dishes full of character. Below are 7 traditional recipes explained in accessible terms, with exact quantities, clear steps and family tips for a successful result every time.
1) Classic cabbage-leaf sarmale
A festive version: tender and aromatic, oven-cooked with smoked meat.
Ingredients (8–10 servings, ~40 small sarmale):
• 2 small heads of sauerkraut (or 1 large one, with whole leaves)
• 1.2 kg mixed minced pork and beef
• 150 g rice, 300 g onion, 100 g carrot
• 70 g tomato paste, 300 ml tomato passata
• 400 g smoked meat (ribs/bacon), 2–3 bay leaves, thyme, pepper
• 30 ml oil, salt to taste, dill/parsley
• Water/borș for the sauce (depending on the acidity of the cabbage)
Equipment: large pot/ceramic dish, chopping board, oven.
Time & servings: 40 minutes’ preparation, 2–2.5 hours’ cooking; 8–10 servings.
- Rinse the cabbage leaves if they are very salty or acidic; trim away the thick ribs.
- Sauté the onion and carrot in oil for 5–6 minutes; add the rice for 1 minute, then the 70 g of tomato paste. Allow to cool slightly.
- Mix with the meat, herbs, pepper and a little salt (take care: the cabbage is salty). Roll the sarmale.
- Arrange the smoked meat and shredded cabbage on the bottom; pack in the sarmale, interspersing them with bay leaves and thyme.
- Pour in the tomato passata diluted with 800 ml water (or a little borș), cover and cook in the oven at 180°C for around 2–2.5 hours. Top up the liquid if necessary.
- Leave to rest for 20 minutes; serve with sour cream and hot chilli pepper.
Tips: add a tablespoon of chopped pork fat to the filling for tenderness; if the cabbage is mild, acidify the sauce with 100–150 ml borș.
Nutrition per serving: ~520 kcal • 28 g protein • 35 g carbohydrates • 28 g fat.
Storage: refrigerate for 3 days; freeze in portions for up to 2 months.
2) Meatball soup with lovage
Made sour with borș, light and aromatic – a Romanian lunchtime classic.
Ingredients (6–8 servings):
• 600 g minced meat (pork/beef)
• 70 g rice, 80 g onion, 1 egg, salt, pepper
• 150 g carrot, 100 g celeriac, 80 g parsnip, 100 g pepper, 120 g onion
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 700 ml borș (or lemon juice)
• 1 bunch lovage, 20 ml oil
To supplement the information above, you can also read 7 easy exotic recipes to make at home – a complete guide with steps, tips and nutritional values, an article that explores an aspect directly related to this subject.
Equipment: 5–6-litre pot, slotted spoon.
Time & servings: 60–70 minutes; 6–8 servings.
- Finely chop the vegetables; sauté them in oil for 3–4 minutes. Add 3.5 litres of water and boil for 20 minutes.
- Mix the meat with washed rice, finely chopped onion, egg, salt and pepper; shape into small meatballs.
- Add the meatballs to the pot; simmer over a low heat for 20–25 minutes.
- Stir in the borș, boiled separately for 2–3 minutes, and the tomato paste; boil for another 5 minutes. Adjust the salt.
- Turn off the heat; add the chopped lovage.
Tips: for firm meatballs, use well-rinsed round-grain rice; if the borș is very sour, start with 400 ml and adjust.
Nutrition per serving: ~210 kcal • 14 g protein • 16 g carbohydrates • 9 g fat.
Storage: refrigerate for 2 days; do not freeze (the rice texture changes).
3) Mămăligă with cheese, sour cream and egg
Pure Romanian comfort food: creamy, filling and ready in 20 minutes.
Ingredients (4 servings):
• 300 g cornmeal, 1.2 l water, 1–1.5 teaspoons salt
• 250 g telemea cheese (or salted fresh cheese), 200 g sour cream
• 4 eggs, 40 g butter
Equipment: cauldron/heavy-bottomed pot, whisk, frying pan for the eggs.
Time & servings: 20–25 minutes; 4 servings.
- Bring the water and salt to a boil; pour in the cornmeal in a thin stream, whisking vigorously. Cook over a low heat for 10–12 minutes (stir often).
- Add 20 g butter for extra creaminess.
- Fry the eggs in 20 g butter; grate the cheese.
- To serve: layer mămăligă → cheese → sour cream → fried egg.
Tips: for a very smooth texture, use fine extra-golden cornmeal; is the telemea too salty? Rinse it briefly under cold water and pat dry.
Nutrition per serving: ~480 kcal • 16 g protein • 48 g carbohydrates • 24 g fat.
Storage: mămăligă firms up – reheat it by steaming or in the oven with a little milk or water.
4) Moldavian tochitură with mămăligă
Browned meat in a rich sauce with sausages and smoked meat – served with mămăligă.
Ingredients (6 servings):
• 900 g pork neck/shoulder (cut into 2–3 cm cubes)
• 250 g smoked sausages, 150 g smoked ham
• 5–6 garlic cloves, 150 g onion
• 150 ml dry white wine, 200 ml tomato passata, 1 teaspoon sweet paprika, 2 bay leaves
• 30 g oil/lard, salt, pepper, thyme
• To serve: mămăligă, cheese, fried eggs
Equipment: heavy/cast-iron frying pan, lidded pot.
Time & servings: 70–90 minutes; 6 servings.
- Brown the meat in the fat for 8–10 minutes; set aside. In the same pan, sauté the onion, then add the garlic for 30 seconds.
- Return the meat to the pan, add the sausages, ham, paprika and thyme; deglaze with wine and allow 2–3 minutes for the alcohol to evaporate.
- Add the tomato passata, 300 ml water and bay leaves; cook covered for 45–60 minutes, until tender. Uncover and reduce the sauce further.
- Adjust the salt and pepper; serve with mămăligă, cheese and a fried egg.
Tips: use evenly sized cubes for even cooking; for a glossy sauce, finish by stirring in 10 g cold butter.
Nutrition per serving (without side dish): ~560 kcal • 38 g protein • 8 g carbohydrates • 40 g fat.
Storage: refrigerate for 3 days; the sauce improves the next day.
5) Roasted aubergine salad
A classic summer spread with finely chopped onion and oil – served on bread.
Ingredients (4–6 servings):
• 1.2–1.4 kg aubergines (3–4)
• 120–150 ml sunflower oil (to taste)
• 120 g onion (very finely chopped), salt, 1–2 tablespoons lemon juice
Equipment: grill/gas hob plus griddle, colander, chopping board/food processor with a plastic blade.
Time & servings: 60–70 minutes (including roasting and draining); 4–6 servings.
- Roast the aubergines directly over a flame or at 220°C, until the skin is charred and the flesh is soft.
- Peel them and leave the flesh to drain for 20–30 minutes.
- Chop the flesh using a wooden or plastic knife; gradually work in the oil until creamy.
- Add the onion, salt and lemon juice to taste.
Tips: avoid metal when chopping (it oxidises); for a mayonnaise version, add 2–3 tablespoons at the end.
Nutrition per serving (6 servings): ~210 kcal • 2 g protein • 6 g carbohydrates • 18 g fat.
Storage: refrigerate for 2 days, covered with a thin layer of oil.
6) Aubergine and roasted pepper zacuscă
An aromatic winter spread, slow-cooked for a rich, naturally sweet flavour.
Ingredients (~8 370 ml jars):
• 1.5 kg roasted aubergines (drained flesh)
• 2 kg roasted kapia peppers (peeled and deseeded)
• 1 kg onion, 1 l tomato passata
• 300 ml oil, 2–3 tablespoons salt, pepper, 2 bay leaves
Equipment: large heavy-bottomed pot, blender/mincer, oven.
Time & servings: 2.5–3 hours (slow cooking + sterilisation).
- Pass the aubergines and peppers through a mincer or pulse them in a blender.
- Fry the chopped onion in 200 ml oil until translucent; add the passata, then the aubergines and peppers, remaining oil, salt, pepper and bay leaves.
- Cook over a low heat for 90–120 minutes, stirring frequently, until reduced and thickened.
- Pour hot into sterilised jars; seal, turn upside down for 5 minutes, or sterilise for 20 minutes at 95°C.
Tips: the final flavour depends on proper roasting; you can add mushrooms (500 g) for a mushroom zacuscă version.
Nutrition per 30 g: ~45 kcal • 0.8 g protein • 4 g carbohydrates • 3 g fat.
Storage: in a dark pantry for 6–8 months; refrigerate after opening.
7) Fried papanași with sour cream and jam
An irresistible Romanian dessert: crisp outside, fluffy inside.
Ingredients (10 papanași):
• 500 g curd cheese (well drained)
• 2 eggs, 60 g sugar, 5 ml vanilla extract
• 220–250 g flour, plus extra for shaping, 8 g baking powder
• A pinch of salt, 700–800 ml oil for frying
• To serve: 250 g sour cream, 250 g sour cherry/blueberry jam, icing sugar
Equipment: large bowl, scales, deep frying pan/pot for frying, oil thermometer (optional).
Time & servings: 35–40 minutes; 5 servings (2 each).
- Mix the cheese with the eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt. Work in the flour and baking powder until you have a soft, non-sticky dough.
- Divide into 10 large balls and 10 small balls (for the “cap”). Make a hole in the centre of the large balls.
- Fry at 170–175°C for 2–3 minutes per side, until golden; drain on paper.
- Serve hot with sour cream and jam; dust with sugar.
Tips: if the cheese is wet, add 1–2 tablespoons semolina; do not overheat the oil (they will burn outside while remaining raw inside).
Nutrition per papanaș (without topping): ~210 kcal • 7 g protein • 27 g carbohydrates • 8 g fat.
Storage: best eaten fresh; reheat briefly in an oven at 180°C for 5–6 minutes.
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{“@context”:”https://schema.org”,”@type”:”Recipe”,”name”:”Meatball soup with lovage”,”description”:”Romanian soup made sour with borș, with tender meatballs.”,”image”:[“https://www.infobuz.ro/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/retete-traditionale-romanesti-trucuri-si-valori-nutritionale-infobuz-2.png”],”recipeCuisine”:”Romanian”,”recipeCategory”:”Soup”,”keywords”:”soup, meatballs, borș”,”recipeYield”:”6–8 servings”,”prepTime”:”PT20M”,”cookTime”:”PT45M”,”totalTime”:”PT1H05M”,”recipeIngredient”:[“600 g minced meat”,”70 g rice, 200 g onion (divided), 1 egg”,”150 g carrot, 100 g celeriac, 80 g parsnip, 100 g pepper”,”1 L borș (maximum 700 ml at first), 1 tablespoon tomato paste, lovage, oil, salt, pepper”],”recipeInstructions”:[{“@type”:”HowToStep”,”text”:”Sauté the vegetables, add water and boil for 20 minutes.”},{“@type”:”HowToStep”,”text”:”Shape meatballs from meat, rice, onion and egg; add to the soup.”},{“@type”:”HowToStep”,”text”:”Cook for 20–25 minutes; add separately boiled borș and tomato paste.”},{“@type”:”HowToStep”,”text”:”Adjust the salt; turn off the heat and add lovage.”}],”nutrition”:{“@type”:”NutritionInformation”,”calories”:”210 kcal”,”proteinContent”:”14 g”,”carbohydrateContent”:”16 g”,”fatContent”:”9 g”}}
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{“@context”:”https://schema.org”,”@type”:”Recipe”,”name”:”Moldavian tochitură”,”description”:”Browned pork cubes, sausages and smoked meat in a rich sauce.”,”image”:[“https://www.infobuz.ro/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/retete-traditionale-romanesti-trucuri-si-valori-nutritionale-infobuz-4.png”],”recipeCuisine”:”Romanian”,”recipeCategory”:”Main”,”keywords”:”tochitură, pork, mămăligă”,”recipeYield”:”6 servings”,”prepTime”:”PT15M”,”cookTime”:”PT1H15M”,”totalTime”:”PT1H30M”,”recipeIngredient”:[“900 g pork (neck/shoulder)”,”250 g smoked sausages, 150 g smoked ham”,”150 g onion, 5–6 garlic cloves”,”150 ml dry white wine, 200 ml tomato passata”,”sweet paprika, bay leaves, thyme, salt, pepper, oil/lard”],”recipeInstructions”:[{“@type”:”HowToStep”,”text”:”Brown the meat; sauté the onion and add the garlic.”},{“@type”:”HowToStep”,”text”:”Add the sausages and ham; season; deglaze with wine.”},{“@type”:”HowToStep”,”text”:”Add tomato passata and water; cook covered for 45–60 minutes; reduce the sauce.”},{“@type”:”HowToStep”,”text”:”Adjust the seasoning; serve with mămăligă and a fried egg.”}],”nutrition”:{“@type”:”NutritionInformation”,”calories”:”560 kcal”,”proteinContent”:”38 g”,”carbohydrateContent”:”8 g”,”fatContent”:”40 g”}}
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