Serbian national cuisine

Salads

Salads are served with main dish in Serbia. In a history salads were served only as seasonal salads. In winter “turšija” (pickled vegetables) and in summer fresh vegetables were served. There is no such seasonal division any more, but tradition stayed to these days. Tomatoes, paprika, onions and chilli peppers are the most common ingredients of mixed salads.

Srpska salata (Serbian salad) is made of cucumbers, tomatoes, paprika and onions with oil and salt.

If shredded cheese is added to mixture then it is called Šopska salad.

Urnebes salad is highly recommended to  gourmands and all chilli lovers. It is made of chilli pepper powder mixed with cheese.

Fresh or roasted with garlic in oil green chilli peppers are generally served on table at the beginning of the meal in some restaurants.

Paprika is eaten fresh, but mostly roasted. Roasted paprika is salad made of roasted, spiky paprika with garlic, oil and vinegar.

Ajvar is roasted paprika and eggplant - they are roasted beforehand, grinded, mixed and cooked on oil. It is served with oil and with addition of garlic if you like it more that way.

In winter period of year sauerkraut is eaten the most. Cabbage head is cut and served with oil and dried paprika powder.

“Turšija” is mixture of pickled paprika, green tomato, cauliflower, carrot and pickles. This salad is usually served with roasted meat (pečenje).

In addition of mentioned salads, there is many others sorts of salads that are served in restaurants and households: as “fresh“ salads, fresh cabbage salad, beans, green beans, celery, potato, cooked beet salad.

Lettuce salad is prepared with oil, vinegar and salt.

Salt, vinegar and salt are usually in most of salads. Few vegetables are served as salads without these ingredients. Fresh vegetables are served salty at least. Serbs loves salty food, even a salad.