country Essentials · 11 foods
Romania Essentials
A considered first route through Romania: the foods that carry its everyday habits, celebrations, ingredients, and memory.
Explore all Romania foods →THE
ESSENTIALS
The complete shortlist
11 foods to know.
Each selection includes the reason it belongs here—so this is a guide, not just a pile of names.
Romania
Romanian Cabbage Rolls
Sarmale
Pork-and-rice rolls in sour cabbage, served with mămăligă and sour cream.
Romania
Grilled Minced Rolls
Mititei
Skinless garlicky minced-meat rolls grilled over charcoal, with mustard and bread.
Romania
Tripe Soup
Ciorbă de burtă
A thick tripe broth sharpened with vinegar, garlic, and hot peppers.
Galicia, Romania
Polenta
Mămăligă
Firm cornmeal porridge served under stews, with cheese, sour cream, or eggs.
Romania
Fried Cheese Doughnuts
Papanași
Fried fresh-cheese doughnuts topped with sour cream and tart jam.
Romania
Roasted Vegetable Spread
Zacuscă
A smoky roasted-aubergine and red-pepper spread cooked down and jarred for winter.
Romania
Romanian Pretzels
Covrigi
Hot soft salted bread rings from a bakery window, often poppy- or sesame-topped.
Romania
Sweet Bread Roll
Cozonac
Festive walnut-and-cocoa sweet bread that pulls into strands when sliced.
Romania
Burduf Cheese
Brânză de burduf
Sharp sheep cheese matured in casing until dense, salty, and spreadable.
Romania
Plum Spirit
Țuică
Single-distilled plum spirit served as a welcome drink, distinct from double-distilled pălincă.
Romania
Fetească Neagră
A dark, plummy Romanian red wine sought as a bottle, not merely as a grape.