10 Romanian Foods that you will fall in love with

1. Smoked bacon – “Slănina afumată”

Smoked bacon is made from the fat found either in the abdominal area or on the back of a pig. In various regions of the country, bacon is flavored in various ways with garlic, paprika, pepper and other spices, but the most widely used flavoring method, which also acts as a preserver, is the smoking process.

2. Cabbage rolls – “Sarmale”

Cabbage rolls are made of ground meat (usually pork, but also beef, sheep, poultry, or even fish) mixed with rice and other ingredients and rolled into cabbage leaves. In some regions cabbage rolls are served with cooked corn meal and sour cream. This specialty is known under the same name “sarmale” in Turkey, Bulgaria, Serbia, Macedonia, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Greece and the Republic of Moldova as well.

Gourmets consider that cabbage rolls are much tastier if they are cooked in a cast iron cauldron over a small fire. Also, they need to sit for 2-3 days to gain a special flavor.

3. Corn meal with salty cheese and sour cream – “Mămăligă cu brânză și smântână”

“Mămăligă” is the name of a food made from boiled corn meal similar to polenta. Traditionally, cornmeal is used to be cooked in salty water in a cast iron cauldron. Layers of cheese added to the cooked cornmeal and a sour cream topping make this specialty a delicious entrée or side dish.

4. Smoked sausages – “Cârnați afumați”

To obtain smoked sausages, ground meat is pressed into pieces of animal intestine, and then placed over smoke. Traditionally, this delicious specialty is flavored with sweet and hot paprika, salt, garlic and cumin.

5. Fried dough with sweet cheese – “Plăcinte cu brânză dulce”

Fried dough is an ancient traditional food in Romania. This delicious dessert is usually filled with sweet cheese and it is sprinkled with powdered sugar.

6. Pork feast – “Pomana porcului”

Pork feast is an ancient tradition, involving a thank-you dinner to honor those friends and relatives who helped in processing food obtained from butchering a farm-raised pig. For the feast, the meat, liver, bacon, ribs and hocks of the pig are fried in its own fat.

7. Greaves with onions – “Jumări cu ceapă”

We all know that this food, obtained by frying pieces of bacon, is not recommended because of its high cholesterol content. Nevertheless, around Christmas many people enjoy some golden colored greaves with some salt and red onions.

8. Bean soup with hocks – “Ciorba de fasole cu ciolan”

Bean soup is one of the core foods in Romanian cuisine, even though there are noticeable differences in the way it is prepared in various regions. In the South, bean soup is prepared with several kinds of vegetables added; in Moldova it is flavored with dill or tarragon; in Transylvania, it is thickened with flour cooked in oil and with sour cream, with some vinegar added to it. Despite the differences, however, bean soup remains a national treasure.

9. Vegetable soup from Radauti – “Ciorba rădăuțeană”

This food is somewhat similar to tripe soup, except it is made of poultry meat and lots of vegetables, which makes it a lighter version of tripe soup.

10. Boiled Corn on Cobs – “Porumb copt”

Corn on cobs is a delicacy fondly remembered from our childhood summers spent with our grandparents in the country. With a bit of butter added, the taste of corn will become especially addictive.