The Kitchen Everything

19+ Best Romanian Recipes

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by

CeCe Jones
in , , , , , ,

Romania’s kitchens run on slow-simmered pots, wood smoke, and recipes passed down without anyone writing them on paper. This is comfort food built for cold winters and long family dinners, full of cabbage, pork, paprika, and dill. If you’ve ever had mici off a grill at an outdoor festival or a spoonful of tangy ciorbă on a chilly afternoon, you already know the pull.

These 19+ dishes cover the full spread of Romanian home cooking: cabbage rolls simmered for hours, garlicky grilled sausages, creamy polenta, sour soups brightened with lemon or fermented bran, stuffed vegetables, and sweet pastries dusted with sugar. Every recipe below includes exact ingredients and steps, so you can cook it tonight without guessing at quantities.

Romanian food rewards patience more than fancy equipment. A heavy pot, a grill pan, and a few pantry staples like paprika, dill, and sour cream get you most of the way there.

1. Sarmale (Stuffed Cabbage Rolls)

Sarmale are Romania’s signature dish: pickled cabbage leaves wrapped around a seasoned pork and rice filling, simmered low and slow until tender. The pickled cabbage gives a tangy edge that fresh cabbage can’t match.

Yield: 8 servings | Prep: 45 min | Cook: 2.5 hours

Ingredients:

  • 1 large jar pickled cabbage (or 1 head fresh cabbage, brined)
  • 1 lb ground pork
  • 1/2 cup rice, uncooked
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 cup smoked bacon, diced
  • 2 cups sauerkraut juice or chicken broth
  • Fresh dill and thyme

Steps:

  1. Mix pork, rice, onion, paprika, and half the dill.
  2. Separate cabbage leaves, trim thick ribs.
  3. Spoon filling onto each leaf, roll tightly.
  4. Layer rolls in a pot with bacon and remaining sauerkraut.
  5. Pour broth over, add tomato paste.
  6. Simmer covered 2.5 hours on low heat.

Serve with sour cream and polenta.

2. Mici (Grilled Skinless Sausages)

Mici are juicy, garlic-packed ground meat rolls grilled without casings, a staple at Romanian backyard cookouts. The mix of beef, pork, and lamb gives them a deep, savory flavor you won’t get from a store-bought sausage.

Yield: 20 mici | Prep: 20 min (plus 8 hr rest) | Cook: 12 min

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb ground beef
  • 1 lb ground pork
  • 1/2 lb ground lamb
  • 8 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 tbsp paprika, 1 tsp thyme, 1 tsp allspice

Steps:

  1. Mix meats with garlic, spices, and broth.
  2. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours.
  3. Shape into small logs.
  4. Grill over medium-high heat, turning often, 10-12 minutes.

Pair with mustard and crusty bread, similar to how you’d serve sausage recipes at any cookout.

3. Mămăligă cu Brânză și Smântână (Polenta with Cheese and Sour Cream)

This creamy cornmeal porridge is Romania’s answer to mashed potatoes, layered with salty cheese and cool sour cream. It’s simple, but the texture needs real attention at the stove.

Yield: 4 servings | Prep: 5 min | Cook: 25 min

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup coarse cornmeal
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup crumbled feta or telemea cheese
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 2 tbsp butter

Steps:

  1. Bring salted water to a boil.
  2. Whisk in cornmeal slowly to avoid lumps.
  3. Reduce heat, stir constantly 20-25 minutes until thick.
  4. Stir in butter.
  5. Serve layered with cheese and sour cream.

Spoon it warm, right from the pot, for the best texture.

4. Ciorbă de Burtă (Tripe Soup)

This sour, garlicky tripe soup is a beloved hangover cure and a dish worth trying even if tripe sounds unfamiliar. The broth gets its tang from vinegar and sour cream whisked together at the end.

Yield: 6 servings | Prep: 30 min | Cook: 3 hours

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs beef tripe, cleaned and sliced thin
  • 1 beef bone for stock
  • 2 carrots, 1 onion, chopped
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 3 tbsp vinegar
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • Salt, bay leaf, peppercorns

Steps:

  1. Simmer tripe and bone in water 2.5 hours with vegetables and bay leaf.
  2. Remove bone, shred any meat back in.
  3. Whisk yolks, sour cream, and vinegar.
  4. Temper with hot broth, then stir back into pot.
  5. Season with garlic and salt before serving.

5. Papanași (Cheese Doughnuts)

Papanași are soft, fried cheese doughnuts topped with sour cream and jam, Romania’s most popular dessert at restaurants and festivals alike. The center stays pillowy while the outside turns golden and crisp.

Yield: 8 doughnuts | Prep: 20 min | Cook: 15 min

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups farmer’s cheese
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup flour, plus more for dusting
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • Oil for frying
  • Sour cream and fruit jam for topping

Steps:

  1. Mix cheese, eggs, sugar, and salt.
  2. Fold in flour and baking powder until a soft dough forms.
  3. Shape into rings with a small ball on top.
  4. Fry in 350°F oil until golden, about 3 minutes per side.
  5. Top with sour cream and jam.

6. Ciorbă de Perișoare (Sour Meatball Soup)

This tangy vegetable soup loaded with tender rice-and-pork meatballs is a weekday staple in Romanian homes. Borș (fermented wheat bran liquid) or lemon juice gives the broth its signature sour note.

Yield: 6 servings | Prep: 25 min | Cook: 45 min

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb ground pork
  • 1/4 cup rice
  • 1 egg
  • 2 carrots, 1 celery root, 1 parsnip, diced
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 4 tbsp lemon juice or borș
  • Fresh dill and lovage
  • 6 cups chicken broth

Steps:

  1. Mix pork, rice, egg, and herbs; form small meatballs.
  2. Simmer broth with chopped vegetables 20 minutes.
  3. Drop in meatballs, cook 15 minutes.
  4. Add lemon juice or borș, season to taste.
  5. Finish with fresh dill.

7. Ardei Umpluți (Stuffed Peppers)

Stuffed peppers in Romania get simmered in a light tomato sauce rather than baked dry, keeping the rice filling moist throughout. Bell peppers hold their shape best for this method.

Yield: 6 servings | Prep: 30 min | Cook: 1 hour

Ingredients:

  • 6 bell peppers, tops cut and seeded
  • 1 lb ground pork
  • 1/2 cup rice
  • 1 onion, grated
  • 2 cups tomato sauce
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • Fresh dill

Steps:

  1. Mix pork, rice, onion, paprika, and dill.
  2. Stuff peppers loosely (rice expands).
  3. Stand peppers upright in a pot.
  4. Pour tomato sauce around and over peppers.
  5. Simmer covered 50-60 minutes.

Browse more sides to serve with stuffed peppers or try a vegetarian stuffed pepper version for a meatless night.

8. Tochitură (Romanian Pork Stew)

Tochitură is a rich, garlicky pork stew served over polenta with a fried egg on top, a hearty plate built for cold weather. Multiple cuts of pork simmered together give it deep, layered flavor.

Yield: 6 servings | Prep: 20 min | Cook: 1.5 hours

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs pork shoulder, cubed
  • 1/2 lb smoked sausage, sliced
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 6 eggs, fried
  • Mămăligă (polenta) for serving

Steps:

  1. Brown pork and sausage in a heavy pot.
  2. Add onion, cook until soft.
  3. Pour in wine and paprika, simmer covered 1 hour.
  4. Stir in garlic near the end.
  5. Serve over polenta, topped with a fried egg.

9. Zacuscă (Roasted Vegetable Spread)

Zacuscă is a smoky eggplant and roasted pepper spread that Romanian families jar by the dozen each fall. Spread thick on bread, it tastes like concentrated late-summer vegetables.

Yield: 4 cups | Prep: 20 min | Cook: 1.5 hours

Ingredients:

  • 3 eggplants
  • 6 red bell peppers
  • 2 cups tomato sauce
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 onions, finely chopped
  • Salt and bay leaf

Steps:

  1. Roast eggplants and peppers until charred, peel and chop.
  2. Sauté onions in oil until golden.
  3. Add eggplant, peppers, and tomato sauce.
  4. Simmer uncovered 1 to 1.5 hours, stirring often.
  5. Season with salt, cool, and jar.

Store in the fridge up to two weeks, or can it for pantry storage.

10. Plăcintă cu Brânză (Cheese Pie)

This flaky, golden pastry wraps tangy farmer’s cheese in thin layered dough, somewhere between a pie and a pastry. It’s a favorite grab-and-go breakfast across Romania.

Yield: 8 pieces | Prep: 30 min | Cook: 30 min

Ingredients:

  • 1 package phyllo or puff pastry sheets
  • 2 cups farmer’s cheese
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1/2 cup melted butter
  • Pinch of salt

Steps:

  1. Mix cheese, eggs, sugar, and salt.
  2. Layer pastry sheets, brushing each with butter.
  3. Spread cheese filling, fold or roll.
  4. Brush top with butter.
  5. Bake at 375°F for 25-30 minutes until golden.

Fans of flaky dough should also check out puff pastry desserts for more ideas.

11. Salată de Vinete (Eggplant Spread)

This smoky, creamy eggplant spread is Romania’s version of baba ghanoush, mellowed with mayonnaise instead of tahini. Charring the eggplant directly over a flame makes all the difference in flavor.

Yield: 2 cups | Prep: 15 min | Cook: 30 min

Ingredients:

  • 2 large eggplants
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise or oil
  • 1 small onion, finely minced
  • Salt and lemon juice to taste

Steps:

  1. Char eggplants over a gas flame or under a broiler until skin blisters.
  2. Cool, peel, and drain excess liquid.
  3. Chop finely or mash with a fork.
  4. Mix in mayonnaise, onion, salt, and lemon juice.
  5. Chill before serving with bread.

12. Cozonac (Sweet Swirled Bread)

Cozonac is a sweet, braided holiday bread filled with walnuts, cocoa, and sometimes rum-soaked raisins. Romanian families bake it for Easter and Christmas, filling the house with its yeasty, nutty smell.

Yield: 2 loaves | Prep: 2.5 hours (with rising) | Cook: 45 min

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups flour
  • 1 cup warm milk
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs, 2 yolks
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 2 1/4 tsp yeast
  • 2 cups ground walnuts
  • 1/2 cup sugar (for filling)
  • 2 tbsp cocoa powder

Steps:

  1. Proof yeast in warm milk with a pinch of sugar.
  2. Mix flour, eggs, sugar, and butter into a soft dough.
  3. Knead 10 minutes, let rise 1.5 hours.
  4. Mix walnuts, sugar, and cocoa for filling.
  5. Roll dough, spread filling, braid, and place in loaf pans.
  6. Bake at 350°F for 40-45 minutes.

13. Fasole cu Ciolan (Beans with Smoked Pork Hock)

This smoky white bean stew gets its deep flavor from a slow-simmered pork hock, falling-apart tender by the time it’s done. It’s humble, filling food built for a big pot and a hungry table.

Yield: 6 servings | Prep: 15 min (plus overnight soak) | Cook: 2.5 hours

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb dry white beans, soaked overnight
  • 1 smoked pork hock
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • Bay leaf

Steps:

  1. Simmer pork hock in water 1.5 hours until tender.
  2. Add soaked beans, onion, carrots, and bay leaf.
  3. Cook 1 more hour until beans are soft.
  4. Stir in tomato paste and paprika.
  5. Shred pork hock meat back into the pot before serving.

14. Drob de Miel (Lamb Offal Loaf)

Drob de Miel is a traditional Easter dish made from seasoned lamb offal baked into a firm, savory loaf similar to meatloaf. Fresh green onions and dill lighten the rich filling.

Yield: 8 servings | Prep: 30 min | Cook: 1 hour

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs lamb liver, heart, and kidneys, cleaned
  • 4 eggs, 2 hard-boiled
  • 1 bunch green onions, chopped
  • 1 bunch fresh dill
  • Caul fat (optional, for wrapping)
  • Salt and pepper

Steps:

  1. Boil offal until just cooked, then grind coarsely.
  2. Mix with raw eggs, green onions, and dill.
  3. Line a loaf pan with caul fat if using.
  4. Press in half the mixture, nestle whole boiled eggs in the center, top with remaining mixture.
  5. Bake at 350°F for 50-60 minutes.

15. Ostropel de Pui (Chicken in Garlic-Tomato Sauce)

Ostropel is tender chicken braised in a thick, garlicky tomato sauce, finished with a generous handful of fresh parsley. It’s a one-pot dinner that comes together faster than most Romanian stews.

Yield: 4 servings | Prep: 15 min | Cook: 45 min

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs chicken thighs, bone-in
  • 8 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups crushed tomatoes
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • Fresh parsley

Steps:

  1. Brown chicken thighs in oil, set aside.
  2. Sauté onion and garlic until fragrant.
  3. Add tomatoes, wine, and chicken back to the pan.
  4. Simmer covered 35-40 minutes.
  5. Finish with chopped parsley.

Serve with mămăligă or crusty bread to soak up the sauce.

16. Pilaf de Pui (Chicken and Rice Pilaf)

This fragrant chicken pilaf cooks rice directly in a rich chicken broth, so every grain soaks up flavor. It’s a lighter, simpler counterpart to the heavier stews on this list.

Yield: 4 servings | Prep: 15 min | Cook: 35 min

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb chicken breast or thighs, cubed
  • 1 1/2 cups rice
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 carrot, grated
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 tbsp butter

Steps:

  1. Sauté chicken until browned, remove.
  2. Cook onion and carrot in butter until soft.
  3. Add rice, toast 2 minutes.
  4. Return chicken, pour in broth.
  5. Cover and simmer 18-20 minutes until rice is tender.

17. Ghiveci de Legume (Vegetable Stew)

Ghiveci is a colorful summer vegetable stew that uses whatever’s ripe in the garden, from zucchini to green beans to peas. It’s naturally hearty without any meat needed.

Yield: 6 servings | Prep: 25 min | Cook: 45 min

Ingredients:

  • 2 zucchini, cubed
  • 1 cup green beans
  • 1 cup peas
  • 2 carrots, sliced
  • 1 bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 cups tomato sauce
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • Olive oil, salt, fresh parsley

Steps:

  1. Sauté onion and carrots in olive oil 5 minutes.
  2. Add remaining vegetables in order of cook time (firmest first).
  3. Pour in tomato sauce, cover.
  4. Simmer 35-40 minutes until vegetables are tender.
  5. Finish with parsley and salt to taste.

18. Ciorbă Rădăuțeană (Creamy Sour Chicken Soup)

This creamy chicken soup from the Rădăuți region gets its tang from sour cream and vinegar stirred in near the end. Garlic and a chili pepper on the side give it a sharp kick.

Yield: 6 servings | Prep: 15 min | Cook: 1 hour

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs chicken thighs, bone-in
  • 1 onion, 2 carrots, chopped
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 3 tbsp vinegar
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • Fresh dill

Steps:

  1. Simmer chicken with onion and carrots 40 minutes.
  2. Remove chicken, shred meat, return to pot.
  3. Whisk sour cream, yolks, and vinegar together.
  4. Temper with hot broth, stir back into pot over low heat.
  5. Add garlic and dill just before serving.

19. Gogoși (Romanian Fried Doughnuts)

Gogoși are pillowy fried doughnuts rolled in sugar, Romania’s answer to a classic bakery treat. They’re best eaten warm, within an hour of frying, while the outside still crackles slightly.

Yield: 12 doughnuts | Prep: 20 min (plus 1 hr rise) | Cook: 15 min

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups flour
  • 1 cup warm milk
  • 1/4 cup sugar, plus more for coating
  • 2 1/4 tsp yeast
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup melted butter
  • Oil for frying

Steps:

  1. Proof yeast in warm milk with a pinch of sugar.
  2. Mix flour, eggs, sugar, and butter into a soft dough.
  3. Knead and let rise 1 hour.
  4. Shape into balls, let rest 10 minutes.
  5. Fry in 350°F oil until golden, 2-3 minutes per side, then roll in sugar.

Romanian Pantry Staples and Substitutions

A few ingredients show up again and again across Romanian cooking, and stocking them makes these recipes much easier to pull together on a weeknight.

Core staples:

  • Sour cream (smântână): thicker and tangier than American sour cream; full-fat Greek yogurt works in a pinch.
  • Paprika: sweet Hungarian-style paprika is standard; smoked paprika changes the flavor, so use it sparingly.
  • Dill and lovage: fresh herbs that define many soups; dried dill works but use half the amount.
  • Pickled cabbage: sold at Eastern European grocers; homemade brined cabbage or sauerkraut leaves can substitute for sarmale.
  • Farmer’s cheese (brânză): queso fresco or well-drained cottage cheese are close substitutes for pies and papanași.
  • Borș (fermented bran liquid): lemon juice or white vinegar mixed with a little water replaces it in sour soups.

If you’re building out a broader spread of Eastern European dishes, Romanian cooking pairs naturally with Polish recipes for a hearty, comfort-food menu. For more stuffed cabbage and cabbage-forward ideas beyond sarmale, the easy cabbage recipes collection rounds out a cold-weather dinner table nicely.

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