Best Slovenian Food: 12 Must Try Local Dishes

These tasty little dough pockets are filled with a savory mix of potatoes, onions, crackling pork fat or minced lard, and spices. Comfort food at its finest.

Known as žlikrofi, this regional pasta originated in the old mining town of Idrija and is often paired with bakalca, a rich sauce traditionally made with lamb, mutton, or rabbit and simmered with vegetables.

We got to try this hearty dish while staying at the charming Penzion Berc in Lake Bled. Their restaurant served it up beautifully.

If you want to sample žlikrofi along with a variety of other Slovenian specialties, don’t miss Open Kitchen in Ljubljana.

It’s a vibrant food market held every Friday (weather permitting) from March to October. I’ve rounded up my favorite bites from that foodie event in my Ljubljana post linked below.

Freshwater trout is the most common fish found in Slovenian restaurants.

The trout flourishes in the beautiful alpine rivers throughout Slovenia, and the best trout are located in the Soca River Valley. It is commonly prepared by frying it in buckwheat or corn flour.

We had two lovely trout dishes prepared during our tasting menu experience at Hisa Franko.

Never heard of Hisa Franko? Then don’t miss my full review on one of my favorite Michelin-starred foodie experiences.

Wow, just wow.

An often neglected grain-like plant, buckwheat has been used for centuries in Slovenia.  The first time I heard of buckwheat was in Japan, where buckwheat soba noodles are a popular dish.

By the way, buckwheat is not related to wheat and is not technically a grain!

It is considered a pseudocereal like quinoa. Buckwheat is a superfood that has a lot of nutritious value including being a good source of fiber and magnesium. It has also been linked to lowering cholesterol and glucose.

It is used for many purposes in Slovenian cuisine including bread, pudding, risotto, and pancakes.

A local favorite is buckwheat dumplings that are filled with cottage cheese and millet porridge topped with sour cream and cracklings called ajdovi krapi. I did not have the opportunity to try that traditional dish.

I did have some delicious buckwheat gnocchi with truffles while staying at the charming hotel Penzion Berc in Lake Bled. So delicious!

Carniolan sausage is one of the many Slovenian foods with a protected designation of origin.

Only 11 certified manufacturers make these sausages today using a recipe that dates back to the 19th century!

Where do you try this Slovenian fast food?

Klobasarna in Ljubljana! All they serve is the Carniolan sausage. You cannot miss this small shop due to the huge sausage sign placed at its entrance. Our order was served with mustard, horseradish, and a fresh roll.

I dream of this cake!

I love desserts, but I do not like them overly sweet. Fearing this cake was going to be too sweet, I only ordered one for my husband and I to share.

As soon as I took that first bite, I immediately regretted that decision. It was super light and fluffy!

This heavenly cake is made of layers of egg custard, vanilla cream, and whipped cream sandwiched in between a buttery crispy crust. The Bled cream cake, known as kremna rezina, is served throughout Slovenia, but it is imperative you try it at the original source, Hotel Park in Lake Bled.

They are served fresh daily, sometimes up to 3,500 slices per day.

The recipe was created in 1953 by the talented pastry chef Istvan Lukacevic from Hotel Park. His recipe continues to be used today and now holds the protected designation of origin, which means only a patisserie in Lake Bled can call this dessert a Bled Cream Cake.

Mmmm …. so decadent and worth every calorie.

Karst prosciutto is yet another Slovenian food that has a protected designation of origin. The Karst region is well known for its prized dry-cured ham.

It is prepared by using salt specifically from the Adriatic coast of Slovenia and then dried naturally for at least 12 months. 

This area has particularly strong wind known as Bora which aids the drying process. The Karst prosciutto is renowned for its tender, high-quality, and unique-tasting ham.

While we were visiting Guerila Winery during our Slovenian wine country getaway, we were served this delicious delicacy paired with local cheese.

It is the perfect accompaniment to a wonderful glass of Teran wine due to its elevated acidity.  There is even a Teran and Prosciutto Festival held every August in Dutovlje.

Teran also originates from the Karst region and is made from Refosco grapes.

Because of its higher concentration of antioxidants, it is known as the “healthy wine.” 

I did not have the chance to try it while touring Slovenian wine country, but I did buy a bottle to take home at the local wine shop in Ljubljana called Wine Bar Suklje. I haven’t opened it yet to try it out but will let you know when I do!

Struklji, yet another delicious traditional Slovenian food!

There are several ways to prepare this dumpling. Different types of dough are used to make this dish including filo or buckwheat.

It is filled with goodies such as tarragon, cottage cheese, or even apples and walnut for a sweeter version (like a strudel). Locals will have it as a side dish with meat or as a dessert.

Kobarid, home of the famous 3 Michelin-starred restaurant Hisa Franko, is known for its famous kobariski struklji. It is made with walnuts and raisins and is served as the signature dessert in many of the local Kobarid restaurants. Kobarid even has a festival to celebrate this dish!

Ljubljana has a struklji-only restaurant called Moji struklji Slovenije. They serve over 20 types of traditional, savory, and fruit dumplings. Lots of options!

We had a modern version of struklji while dining at Hisa Franko. It certainly lives up to the hype. Delicious!

Beekeeping is a huge deal in Slovenia!.

So much so that they petitioned officials at the UN for three years to declare May 20th World Bee Day. The effort was successful. The goal of the World Bee Day initiative is to bring awareness to the public about the importance of bees to sustainable agriculture and food security.

Why May 20th? Slovenian Anton Jansa, the father of modern beekeeping, was born on that day. He wrote many textbooks to promote beekeeping knowledge.

While we were hiking throughout the Slovenia countryside, we came across many brightly painted beehives that looked like cabinets called an AZ hive.

Supposedly the bright colors help the bees to have better orientation. Some beekeepers even put their hives on a truck, so they can move them around to get a wider variety of flavors.

It comes as no surprise that honey is widely used in Slovenian cuisine. The indigenous Carniolan bee is responsible for making this high-quality honey called Slovenski med. It even has a protected geographical indication.

There are many types including forest honey, silver fir honey, acacia honey, and linden honey to name a few. Slovenian honey is used for many purposes such as spreads, sauces, toppings, baking in pastries, and paired with dried fruits and dairy dishes.

I wasn’t joking when I said Slovenians are really into their bees!

According to Time Magazine, “1 out of every 200 people is a beekeeper.”

Slovenia is home to several delicious kinds of cheese.

Two of the more well-known types are Tolminc cheese and Bovec cheese. Both kinds of cheese have obtained a protected designation of origin (PDO), which means only cheesemakers that make their cheese within a well-defined geographical area can call their cheese Tolminc or Bovec.

Tolminc cheese is a unique hard cow’s milk cheese that is sweet initially but becomes slightly spicy with aging.

When we dined at the highly regarded restaurant Hisa Franko, we were given the option to sample some aged Tolminc cheese.

Chef Ana Ros’ husband Valter has a cheese cellar on site, where he ages this cheese for up to 5 years. I highly recommend trying this course.

Bovec cheese is a hard sheep’s milk cheese that comes from the native Bovec sheep in the Upper Soca Valley.

It has a distinctive slightly tangy flavor. We were able to experience this local cheese at Hisa Franko as well.

I am obsessed with pumpkin seed oil now that I’ve tried it in Slovenia.

It is delicious with a very unique nutty flavor.

I purchased a bottle from a little market stand run by the Hergan Farm while we were in Ljubljana. I have tried it over salads, but my favorite way to consume it is as a dip for toasted sourdough bread.

Some even drizzle it over ice cream, but I have not tried that yet.

Pumpkin seed oil is known as “green gold” and is packed with antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins.

There are two ways it is produced: hot-pressed or cold-pressed.

Hot-pressing involves crushing the pumpkin seeds, roasting them at 212-230 degrees Fahrenheit, and then pressing them. 3 kg of seeds = 1 L pf pumpkin seed oil. The oil is thick, dark, and the taste is more intense.

Cold-pressing just involves the last step, pressing the oil out of the seeds without any heat. 6 kg of seeds = 1L of pumpkin seed oil.

Cold-pressed oil is supposed to retain more of the nutrients that can be destroyed by heat. The pumpkin seed oil is lighter with a milder taste compared to hot-pressed oil.

This Slovenian food is like a strudel made with flaky puff pastry and filled with various types of fruits such as apples, peaches, and cherries.

We tried an apple strudelj at Belica restaurant while touring Slovenia wine country.

It reminded me of American apple pie and was delicious but nothing mind-blowing. The bled cream cake is still my favorite Slovenian dessert.

Bread plays a major role in Slovenian cuisine and is made with a wide range of ingredients including rye, buckwheat, spelt, and wheat flour.

Spelt?

I had never heard of this distinct type of whole-grain until we dined at 3-Michelin starred restaurant Hisa Franko.

The head baker at Hisa Franko, Natasa Djuric, is the mastermind behind the delicious sourdough bread course.

Her secret? Spelt flour, which gives it an amazing nutty flavor. This easy-to-digest “ancient’ grain also has great nutritional value and is high in protein, fiber, and micronutrients.

Because Natasa had heard how much we LOVED her bread course, she very kindly gave us a loaf to take home.

One of the best ways to discover a country is through its cuisine.

We found Slovenian food to be incredibly fresh, using only in-season local ingredients that are full of flavor. I can’t think of any imported food that we had on the whole trip.

I strongly advise renting a car and eating your way around all the regions in this beautiful picturesque country that stretches from the mountains to the sea. You will meet some very friendly locals along the way.

When you leave, I promise you will already be planning your next trip back.

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Questions about the amazing Slovenian foods we tried?

Let me know in the comments below!