What Makes Croatian Cuisine in Ulm Special?

Croatia – a country with endless flavours and dishes.

Croatian cuisine has been shaped by the cultures that ruled the area for centuries - the Hungarians and Austrians in the north and the Ottomans inland. The coastal regions, by contrast, were shaped by Italian influences and Greco-Roman culture.

Of course, if you want to eat Croatian food in Ulm, the choice is not as huge as it is for Greek and Italian. Even so, in the larger towns you will find plenty of Croats who have long been established and who enrich the local Ulm food scene with many delights.

If you are trying Croatian food in the Donau-Iller region for the first time, or want to expand your knowledge of Croatian treats, here are a few ideas:

Cevapcici from Croatia

The dish that people in Baden-Württemberg are sure to associate with Croatia first is cevapcici. It is the right choice for anyone who wants to experience authentic Croatian cooking and spice from all over Europe.

Rolls about 5-10 centimetres long, shaped from minced meat and then grilled – that is cevapcici. Today pork or beef is also used, whereas in the past they were more often made from lamb in south-eastern Europe.

The cevapcici are seasoned before shaping with a blend of savory, garlic, bicarbonate of soda, paprika and salt, giving a spicy mixture – and a crisp outside.

Cevapcici with flatbread make a delicious combination; chips are also very popular in this part of Europe, and Croats love their rice. Ajvar goes well with it too: this hearty red spread made from aubergines and peppers can be eaten with cevapcici or used as a topping for your favourite sandwich.

Pljeskavica for Ulm

One Croatian dish is pljeskavica, which means "clapping your hands". These balls, put on skewers, are made from at least two kinds of meat.

You have a choice here: beef, lamb or pork. Usually a mixture of spices, salt and pepper and onions is added, and if you like you can also add breadcrumbs or lard.

A trick of the earlier Central European peoples was to use flour as a binder to make these tasty little balls of minced meat, which need almost no sauce because their flavour does not call for it at all.

Grah Bean Soup – a Spicy Pleasure

A dish that enjoys great popularity in Croatia is grah bean soup. In Serbia it is known in a similar form as pasulj, and it is an excellent option on frosty days.

The ingredients differ from those you find in bean soups elsewhere – there is bacon and minced meat or sausage instead of white beans.

But don't worry, it won't be monotonous, because the meal is rounded off by a characteristic and varied flavour profile once you add vegetables such as peppers.

Closely related to grah bean soup is the Croatian bean stew with its many robust ingredients.

Ražnjići – a Croatian Meat Dish

A classic grilled speciality from Croatia is ražnjići. The name comes from the word "s ražnja", which in German is rendered "vom Rost" (from the grill).

This tasty meal consists of juicy skewers of meat, normally made from lamb, veal or chicken. They should be not only juicy but tender, so that you can enjoy every tender bite. To make excellent ražnjići you need aromatic, fragrant and fresh thyme and marjoram.

Once you have prepared olive oil, salt, white pepper, lemon juice and olive oil, you cut the meat into smaller pieces and brush it with the mixture before putting it on the skewer. That way the aroma is kept even better.

To make ražnjići perfect, don't forget the tried-and-tested accompaniments such as fried potatoes, djuvec rice and chips.

Djuvec Rice on the Danube

A much-loved side dish served in Croatia is djuvec rice. The colourful mixture of spices, vegetables and white grains of rice is served as an accompaniment to grilled food or mixed with a few pieces of meat. The rice is seasoned with salt and hot paprika.

Give your food a unique flavour by adding a little garlic or finely chopped parsley leaves; this dish can be cooked in endless ways.

The Croatian All-Rounder: Lepinja

When it comes to side dishes, lepinja is very popular with Croats, but it is also gladly served in Turkey, other countries of the Middle East and Greece. The flatbread is popular as an accompaniment or as a wrapper for various meals, and not only in Croatia.

In Croatia and in Bosnia the flatbread is called lepinja. Lepinja is the all-rounder of the kitchen in the Croatian regions – it goes superbly with almost everything.

Truffles – Delicacies from Croatia

To finish, we have something very special for you: truffles. In Croatia they are found mainly in the Istria region. This region has an abundance of black and white truffles that wait to be found almost all year round.

Truffles are often used in comparatively simple dishes such as tagliatelle with truffles, truffle pasta and risotto. Many restaurants in Istria and on the Croatian coast offer a large number of dishes with truffle.

Why Eat Croatian Food in Ulm?

Trying Croatian restaurants, especially if you want to broaden your range of flavours, is truly worthwhile for people in Ulm as well.

Because Croatia is also a great holiday country, we recommend visiting during the holiday season to experience Croatian cuisine in a truly authentic and original way.

Croatia, with its holiday regions of Dalmatia including its islands, the Kvarner Bay and Istria, is an extremely hospitable country where people like to stop for a meal, as you will quickly notice on such an occasion.