Polish food - specialities of Polish cuisine

Polish food, what is it? We don't often talk about Polish cuisine ... so what kind of food do you get in Poland? First of all, it can be said that the food is hefty. If you go into a restaurant, you never have to leave hungry. We go through soups, meat, fish, pastries, sweets and some drinks. Join us!

What is Polish food?

Our experience of Polish food is that it is often relatively simple and rustic, and mostly very tasty and cooked with love. What accessories do we come across in the cooking of Polish food? Here are some examples of typical ingredients:

• Carrots
• Beetroot
• Kohlrabi
• Parsley root
• White cabbage
• Stewed cabbage
• Sauerkraut
• Malic acid
• Mustard
• Horseradish
• Kargen seeds
• Cloves
• Pork loin
• Oxbringa
• Carp
• Canned cucumbers
• Pickled plums

Polish food: Soups

Soup is popular in Poland and can be ordered in most restaurants. Often you can order soup as a starter, but keep in mind that soups can be hearty and filling. One of the most common soups is zurek, which we have become so fond of that we usually make it at home ourselves. Check out our recipe for zurek!

Polish food: Salads

There are several salads that are typical of Poland. Several of them are slightly creamy, as salads can often be in the eastern part of Europe.

Polish cuisine: meat dishes

Meat is a common ingredient in Polish dishes, and people eat beef, lamb, pork and sausages. Chicken and other birds are also common, which you can read more about below.

Polish food: Dumplings

A speciality of Polish cuisine is dumplings, i.e. steamed dough dumplings, which can be served in various forms, sometimes with a filling and sometimes without.

Polish cuisine: fish dishes

Fish is particularly common if you are travelling in the towns along the Baltic Sea coast. Here, fish is served in both fine dining restaurants and simple street kitchens, and it is common to see halibut on the menu, for example.

Polish cuisine: Poultry

Chicken is popular in Poland, as in many other countries. It is also relatively common to find duck or goose on menus, often served with potatoes and red cabbage.

Polish food: fast food

As well as all the usual fast food, such as pizza and burgers, Poles have some specialities of their own. One of these is zapiekanka, which can be served in simple stalls or barbecue kiosks.

Polish food: Bread

Bread can also be worth mentioning in the context of Polish cuisine. For example, did you know that the bagel, the round bread with a hole in the centre, is originally from Poland?

Polish food: Pastries

Poles love their sweet pastries and cakes. If you want to try a local speciality, there is plenty to choose from.

Polish cuisine: Sweets

Of course, every self-respecting country wants its own local sweets! Here are some examples of Polish sweets, for those with a sweet tooth.

International food in Poland

Of course, you can find not only traditional Polish food in Poland, but also all the usual international dishes. From hamburgers and pizza to sushi and French fine dining, Poland has it all.

Polish cuisine: Meals

Breakfast (sniadanie) is like English breakfast but heavier. Poles eat heavily in the morning to get through the day. Eggs, sausages, bread, quark, ham, and maybe some good leftovers from the day before.

Four hours later there will be a light lunch or sandwiches. Four hours later again there will be soup, dinner and some cake. In the evening there will be a supper (kolasha) with cold cuts, salad, pies, pickles, beetroot and a few other odds and ends.

Polish cuisine: Beer

Poland has plenty of locally produced beer, both from larger breweries and from microbreweries. Here are some examples of Polish beer:

• Zywiec
• Germania
• Lech
• Ksiazece
• Warka

Polish cuisine: Vodka

Another traditional drink in Poland is vodka. Don't be surprised if vodka is served neat with food. On the other hand, water, or possibly juice, is always served on the side. Here are some examples of Polish vodka:

• Soplica
• Zubrowka
• Wyborova
• luxuriousness
• Belvedere

Polish food: Christmas

The Polish Christmas table should traditionally contain at least 12 dishes and you should try a little of each, as they bring good luck in the coming year. The table includes many fish and vegetarian dishes, such as herring, soup, fried carp, sauerkraut and pies.

Only on Christmas Day do people eat ham and sausages. Desserts that can be found at Christmas include the wheat bread Babka wielkanocna with raisins and lemon and Kompot z suszek, which is a compote with dried plums and other fruits.

Sometimes the Slavic Christmas porridge kutia is also eaten.which contains poppy seeds, honey, wheat, nuts and fruit.

Polish food: Easter

Easter is a time for eating eggs and various types of pickled herring. Other dishes on the Easter table include potato salad, Easter ham and white or red borsch soup. In addition, the Easter cake pascha is often baked.