We have discussed Croatia’s cuisine before and mentioned different foods from areas all throughout various parts of the country that any serious foodie should try while holidaying in Croatia but one of the best regions to visit if you want to spend time eating well is Dalmatia. Croatian cuisine is varied and fascinating and each region of Croatia has its own distinct culinary traditions that developed from a combination of the seasonally and locally available foods that are allowed by each region's geographic location and each region's proximity to other countries and cultures. Croatian cuisine has been influenced by connections to Slavic, Hungarian, Turkish, Greek, Roman, and Italian culture.
Dalmatian cuisine, in particular, is characterised by fresh ingredients, simplicity, less intense spicy flavours, and the use of lots of fresh herbs and wild plants. This latter point is the case because the region is rich in Mediterranean herbs, like sage, bay leaves, rosemary, basil, thyme and more. As it is a coastal area, while there are some truly excellent meat dishes, it is a cuisine that especially boasts a lot of delicious shellfish and seafood dishes from various stews to grilled fish and more.
Dalmatian cuisine, in particular, is characterised by fresh ingredients, simplicity, less intense spicy flavours, and the use of lots of fresh herbs and wild plants. This latter point is the case because the region is rich in Mediterranean herbs, like sage, bay leaves, rosemary, basil, thyme and more. As it is a coastal area, while there are some truly excellent meat dishes, it is a cuisine that especially boasts a lot of delicious shellfish and seafood dishes from various stews to grilled fish and more.
There are lots of particular dishes that you should make an effort to try if you have found a vacation rental in Dalmatia and are planning on holidaying in the area. Here are some of our picks of just some to make note of:
1. Prosciutto
Prosciutto is dried, smoked pork loin and a deli meat that is something you might associate more with Italian cuisine. However, it is actually the first thing that guests are traditionally offered in Dalmatia. There are lots of delicious kinds from different parts of the region including the excellent prosciutto coming from the Zadar area, from Posedarje, from Miljevci, Pakovo Selo, Drniš, Split, Vrgorac , Poljica, and Imotski. The prosciutto is generally served up with home-made fried or pickled olives and local sheep, goat or mixed cheese – that’s the kind of welcome we can get behind!
1. Prosciutto
Prosciutto is dried, smoked pork loin and a deli meat that is something you might associate more with Italian cuisine. However, it is actually the first thing that guests are traditionally offered in Dalmatia. There are lots of delicious kinds from different parts of the region including the excellent prosciutto coming from the Zadar area, from Posedarje, from Miljevci, Pakovo Selo, Drniš, Split, Vrgorac , Poljica, and Imotski. The prosciutto is generally served up with home-made fried or pickled olives and local sheep, goat or mixed cheese – that’s the kind of welcome we can get behind!
2. Salted Anchovies, Sardines and Oysters
If you are sitting down to a meal, you will often find one of the above as a starter or appetiser to whet your appetite before really digging in. Salted and Sardines are common all over and in the south of the region you are likely to also encounter Ston oysters in various forms but which are considered best when eaten raw with a bit of lemon juice squeezed on top to bring out their natural charms.
If you are sitting down to a meal, you will often find one of the above as a starter or appetiser to whet your appetite before really digging in. Salted and Sardines are common all over and in the south of the region you are likely to also encounter Ston oysters in various forms but which are considered best when eaten raw with a bit of lemon juice squeezed on top to bring out their natural charms.
3. Soups
Soups and broths are a staple in Croatian cuisine but in Dalmatian cuisine they are especially important for the main meal. Served up first and then followed by the meat or fish that was cooked in the soup, the soups are accompanied by steamed vegetables, usually chard, and flavoured with plentiful amounts of garlic and olive oil, as well as peas, broad beans, beans, chickpeas, artichokes, cabbage or squash. The most common soups that you will encounter include Dalmatian pašticada, a beef stew, and brudet, a fish stew traditionally prepared with several different types of fish.
Soups and broths are a staple in Croatian cuisine but in Dalmatian cuisine they are especially important for the main meal. Served up first and then followed by the meat or fish that was cooked in the soup, the soups are accompanied by steamed vegetables, usually chard, and flavoured with plentiful amounts of garlic and olive oil, as well as peas, broad beans, beans, chickpeas, artichokes, cabbage or squash. The most common soups that you will encounter include Dalmatian pašticada, a beef stew, and brudet, a fish stew traditionally prepared with several different types of fish.
4. Soparnik
Soparnik is a simple pie made with onions and chard that comes from Poljica and was long considered a poor man’s meal as it was made with readily available ingredients that were found in every household: flour, chard, red onions, olive oil and garlic. Despite these humble beginnings, it is a cornerstone of Dalmatian cuisine that is now recognised for its cultural significance and has been inscribed on the list of protected cultural properties.
Soparnik is a simple pie made with onions and chard that comes from Poljica and was long considered a poor man’s meal as it was made with readily available ingredients that were found in every household: flour, chard, red onions, olive oil and garlic. Despite these humble beginnings, it is a cornerstone of Dalmatian cuisine that is now recognised for its cultural significance and has been inscribed on the list of protected cultural properties.
5. Dalmatia’s Wine
Grapes and wine are important business in Dalmatia and there are a few centres where you will find especially delicious varieties of wine to try. Hvar produces a delicious red wine called Plavac Mali in excellent vineyards in Ivan Dolac and Sveta Nedjelja. In fact, many of the most respected wines of all in Croatia come from this area. There are also white wines produced in Dalmatia, including Pošip, Rukatac, Dubrovnik Malvasia, Kujundžuša, Vis Vugava, and Debit, among others. If you haven’t tried enough local tipples by this point, be sure to track down the famous dessert liqueur Maraschino, which has been produced in Zadar for centuries and was favoured by the most powerful rulers of the world in the 1700s.
So, if you’re planning a trip to this part of Croatia, get planning some delicious meals, just don’t blame us if your clothes are fitting a little tighter by the end of the trip!
Grapes and wine are important business in Dalmatia and there are a few centres where you will find especially delicious varieties of wine to try. Hvar produces a delicious red wine called Plavac Mali in excellent vineyards in Ivan Dolac and Sveta Nedjelja. In fact, many of the most respected wines of all in Croatia come from this area. There are also white wines produced in Dalmatia, including Pošip, Rukatac, Dubrovnik Malvasia, Kujundžuša, Vis Vugava, and Debit, among others. If you haven’t tried enough local tipples by this point, be sure to track down the famous dessert liqueur Maraschino, which has been produced in Zadar for centuries and was favoured by the most powerful rulers of the world in the 1700s.
So, if you’re planning a trip to this part of Croatia, get planning some delicious meals, just don’t blame us if your clothes are fitting a little tighter by the end of the trip!
Photo credits:
Picture 1: Jerzystrzelecki / CC BY-SA 3.0
Picture 1: Jerzystrzelecki / CC BY-SA 3.0
