Central Europe
Food of Poland
The 8 most iconic national dishes of Poland — real photos, key ingredients and tasty facts behind every plate.
Europe
Pierogi
Poland’s best-known dumplings are made with soft wheat dough and filled with savoury or sweet fillings, then boiled and often pan-fried with butter. The classic savoury version with potato and cheese is comforting, rich and gently oniony.
Did you know?
Pierogi are so central to Polish food culture that different regional and holiday versions appear across the country, especially on Christmas Eve.
Bigos
Often called hunter’s stew, bigos is a hearty, slow-cooked dish of sauerkraut, fresh cabbage and assorted meats. It has a deep, tangy, smoky flavour that improves after reheating.
Did you know?
Bigos is famous for tasting even better the next day, and traditionally it was reheated repeatedly over several days.
Żurek
Żurek is a distinctive sour rye soup with a creamy, fermented tang and a savoury depth from sausage and smoked meat. It is commonly served with hard-boiled egg and sometimes in a hollowed bread bowl.
Did you know?
Its characteristic sourness comes from naturally fermented rye flour, making it one of Poland’s most recognizable traditional soups.
Kotlet schabowy
This breaded pork cutlet is a Polish home-cooking staple, pounded thin, coated in crumbs and fried until golden. It is crisp outside, juicy inside and usually served with potatoes and cabbage salad.
Did you know?
Kotlet schabowy became especially popular in the 19th century and is often compared to the Viennese schnitzel, though it is now thoroughly embedded in Polish cuisine.
Gołąbki
Gołąbki are cabbage leaves wrapped around a filling of minced meat and rice, then baked or simmered in sauce. They are tender, savoury and slightly sweet when paired with tomato sauce.
Did you know?
The name gołąbki literally means “little pigeons,” although the dish contains no pigeon meat.
Pączki
Pączki are rich Polish doughnuts made from enriched yeast dough, deep-fried and filled with jam or rose petal preserve. They are soft, buttery and more substantial than many other doughnuts.
Did you know?
They are famously eaten on Tłusty Czwartek, or Fat Thursday, when bakeries across Poland sell them in huge numbers.
Czernina
A traditional Polish soup made with duck blood and a sweet-sour balance. It is an old-fashioned regional dish once associated with noble and rural kitchens.
Did you know?
In Polish folklore, being served czernina could symbolize rejection of a suitor.
Flaki po warszawsku
This hearty tripe soup is a classic old Polish specialty, especially linked with Warsaw-style seasoning. It has a rich broth and a reputation as a robust traditional dish.
Did you know?
Flaki has been recorded in Polish culinary tradition for centuries and was once served at royal tables.