As the days grow shorter and the chill of winter settles in, there’s nothing quite like the warmth of your favourite comfort food! In many countries the sight of the first pumpkin latte signifies winter months, but in Bosnia and Herzegovina we have a different set of comfort foods and drinks that make our very cold winters just a tad bit warmer.

1. Grah

You can hardly find a better stew than grah – and in Bosnia and Herzegovina, this is a widely present meal at family tables during winter. Grah is a bean soup commonly prepared with some sort of smoked meat. The beans are cooked with other vegetables such as onions and carrots, and together the aromas make for a warm and comforting stew. The smoked meat adds a salty taste to the already tasty meal.

Credit: The Peasant’s Daughter

2. Sarma

A staple at every Bosnian-Herzegovinian dinner table is sarma! This dish features a delectable mixture of minced meat, rice, and spices, all wrapped in pickled or fresh cabbage. It transforms into a melt-in-your-mouth delight after simmering on low heat for a few hours. Sarma is just one of the many traditional dishes made with cabbage. Our grandmas have a cherished tradition of preparing a barrel of pickled cabbage at the start of the season, ensuring the family always has a healthy and delicious meal option on hand.

3. Kvrguša

This comfort is traditional for Krajina, the northern region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Kvrguša is baked chicken topped with a bready mixture of flour, milk, and eggs fried together in the oven. You can add some sour cream on top to increase the flavour. Take your spoons and dig in straight from the pan!

4. Rakija

What’s the staple drink that you serve to your guests when they come over? In Bosnia and Herzegovina, it is arguably rakija – a strong alcoholic brandy made out of different fruits. You can try plum brandy (šljivovica), loza (grape brandy), pear brandy and more! It is often drunk in winter times at different social occasions, as it is believed that rakija can warm you up during the cold months!

5. Burek

This meal isn’t only characteristic of the winter months. Burek is eaten around all months of the year, however, it could not be exempt from the ultimate Bosnian-Herzegovinian comfort food list. This is the traditional pie of Bosnia and Herzegovina made out of thin dough filled with minced meat. The meal is so tasty that everyone in the country just loves it!

6. Tarhana

Tarhana is a type of dried dough used to cook with vegetables and meat to make a comforting winter soup. There are two types of tarhana that you can use for your soup: plain and sour. This is a simple meal that is often served as a starter, and not a main meal.

7. Pura s lučnicom

Pura s lučnicom is a Herzegovinian classic, prepared using cornmeal freshly milled at a watermill. Once cooked and combined with water, it’s generously topped with a blend of homemade sour milk, butter, and garlic. This culinary delight is versatile, suitable for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and stands as an enduring symbol of the region’s time-honoured tradition, which has sustained generations. 

8. Uštipci

Remember that feeling when you wake up on a Saturday morning and your mom or grandmother makes you that special breakfast? For us in Bosnia and Herzegovina, that breakfast is uštipci. Uštipci are a fried dough ball that can be served either sweet – with jams – or savoury with local cheeses and cured meats. Uštipci are usually very bready and soft, so perfect for making small sweet and savoury little treats in the mornings.

Credit: The Balkan Hostess

9. Wine – Blatina and Vranac 🍷

There is something about red wine during wintertime that just makes the snow-covered views a little more romantic and cosier. Did you know that in Bosnia and Herzegovina, we have our own local wine sorts that you can only try here? You can be a wine connoisseur or just a casual wine lover, but on the Herzegovina Wine Route we say that wine is for everyone! Try the unique red wines – Blatina and Vranac – known for their red fruit notes. A day trip to one of the local wineries may be the autumn adventure that you need!