Slovenia is a small country where the Alps, the Pannonian plain, the Karst and the Adriatic coast all meet, and its cooking changes from valley to valley. These are twenty of the dishes that define it, from the hat-shaped dumplings of Idrija to the cream cake of Bled, each with a tested, traditional recipe.

1. Idrijski žlikrofi z bakalco

Idrija's famous hat-shaped dumplings, stuffed with potato, onion, bacon and chives, served with bakalca, a slow-cooked mutton sauce.

Small hat-shaped Idrijski žlikrofi potato dumplings served with a rich mutton bakalca sauce

Make it at home with our idrijski žlikrofi recipe.

2. Kranjska klobasa s kislim zeljem

Carniolan sausage, Slovenia's national sausage, heated gently and served with sauerkraut, mustard and fresh grated horseradish.

Carniolan sausage served with sauerkraut, mustard and fresh grated horseradish

Make it at home with our kranjska klobasa recipe.

3. Ajdovi žganci z ocvirki

Slovenia's oldest comfort food: buckwheat flour steamed in a mound, broken into crumbles and crowned with hot lard and crisp pork cracklings.

Rustic Slovenian buckwheat žganci crumbles topped with crisp pork cracklings

Make it at home with our ajdovi žganci recipe.

4. Skutni štruklji z drobtinami

Slovenia's national dumpling: paper-thin dough rolled around a curd cheese filling, boiled in a cloth and finished with buttery breadcrumbs.

Boiled skutni štruklji rolled dumplings with curd cheese filling and buttery toasted breadcrumbs

Make it at home with our skutni štruklji recipe.

5. Vipavska jota s kislo repo

A thick stew from the Vipava valley: beans, potatoes, sour turnip and smoked pork thickened with a golden flour roux.

Hearty Vipavska jota stew with beans, sour turnip, potatoes and smoked pork

Make it at home with our vipavska jota recipe.

6. Štajerska kisla juha

Styria's tangy pork soup: potatoes and root vegetables in a roux-thickened broth brightened with a splash of vinegar.

Styrian sour soup with pork, potatoes and vegetables in a tangy broth

Make it at home with our štajerska kisla juha recipe.

7. Ričet s prekajenim mesom

A thick Styrian stew of pearl barley, beans and root vegetables cooked with smoked pork. Farmhouse food that has not changed in centuries.

Thick Slovenian ričet barley and bean stew with vegetables and smoked pork

Make it at home with our ričet recipe.

8. Prekmurski bograč

Prekmurje's cauldron stew: several meats, a mountain of onions and paprika, cooked slowly with potatoes until the sauce turns brick-red and thick.

Rich Prekmurje bograč paprika stew with beef, pork, game, potatoes and onions in a cast iron kettle

Make it at home with our prekmurski bograč recipe.

9. Bujta repa

A Prekmurje farmhouse stew of sour turnip, millet and pork, traditionally cooked on pig-slaughter day. Tangy, thick and filling.

Bujta repa stew of sour turnip and millet with tender pieces of pork

Make it at home with our bujta repa recipe.

10. Tolminska frika

A potato and Tolminc cheese skillet cake from the Soča valley, fried until crisp on the outside and soft and cheesy within.

Golden Tolminska frika potato and cheese skillet cake with crisp edges

Make it at home with our tolminska frika recipe.

11. Bobiči

A hearty Istrian soup of sweet corn, beans, potatoes and smoked pork, finished with olive oil and parsley.

Istrian bobiči soup with corn kernels, beans, potatoes and smoked pork

Make it at home with our bobiči recipe.

12. Matevž s kislim zeljem

A rustic mash of potatoes and beans, topped with pork cracklings and served alongside tangy sauerkraut. Humble and deeply satisfying.

Rustic matevž mash of potatoes and beans with sauerkraut and pork cracklings

Make it at home with our matevž recipe.

13. Pražen krompir s čebulo

Pan-fried boiled potatoes with onions, golden on the edges and soft inside. The Slovenian side dish that goes with everything.

Pan-fried Slovenian potatoes with softened onions and golden crisp edges

Make it at home with our pražen krompir recipe.

14. Goveja juha z domačimi rezanci

Slovenia's Sunday soup: clear, golden beef broth with fine homemade egg noodles and sliced carrots.

Clear Slovenian beef soup with fine homemade egg noodles and sliced carrots

Make it at home with our goveja juha recipe.

15. Belokranjska pogača

The flatbread of Bela krajina: a thick, soft round deeply scored in a diamond pattern and sprinkled with coarse salt and caraway.

Round scored Belokranjska pogača flatbread sprinkled with coarse salt and caraway seeds

Make it at home with our belokranjska pogača recipe.

16. Orehova potica

Slovenia's celebration cake: enriched yeast dough rolled paper-thin, spread with sweet walnut filling and coiled so that every slice shows a perfect spiral.

Orehova potica, a Slovenian rolled yeast cake with a generous walnut filling and a clear spiral

Make it at home with our potica recipe.

17. Prekmurska gibanica

Prekmurje's tall layered pastry: poppy seed, curd cheese, walnut and apple between thin sheets of dough, baked under sour cream.

Prekmurska gibanica showing layers of poppy seed, curd cheese, walnut and apple between thin pastry

Make it at home with our prekmurska gibanica recipe.

18. Blejska kremna rezina

The Bled cream cake: crisp puff pastry, a thick vanilla custard layer and a cloud of whipped cream, a dessert that has defined lakeside Bled since 1953.

Blejska kremna rezina Bled cream cake with golden puff pastry, vanilla custard and whipped cream

Make it at home with our blejska kremna rezina recipe.

19. Bovški krafi

Sweet filled dough pockets from the Bovec valley: dried pears, raisins and curd cheese in thin dough, boiled and served with melted butter.

Bovški krafi boiled dough pockets filled with dried pears and ricotta, served with melted butter

Make it at home with our bovški krafi recipe.

20. Dražgoški kruhki

Dražgoše's honey-spice breads: rye dough pressed into carved wooden molds, shaped into hearts, flowers and horses, and baked into edible folk art.

Decoratively shaped Dražgoški kruhki honey-spice breads made with rye flour

Make it at home with our dražgoški kruhki recipe.