Food of Albania
Albanian food is Mediterranean-Balkan: olive oil, yogurt, fresh vegetables, lamb, flaky pies and slow-baked casseroles. Coastal areas bring seafood and citrus while the mountains offer cheese, beans and roasted meats. Meals are generous and hospitable, with bread, salads and dairy always on the table.
Tave kosi
Baked lamb and rice in a rich egg-yogurt custard.
- Main dishes (11)
- Breakfast (4)
- Street food (3)
- Soups (4)
- Salads (3)
- Breads (3)
- Desserts and sweets (6)
- Drinks (4)
- Fruits and produce (6)
Staples
- lamb
- yogurt
- olive oil
- phyllo
- beans
- peppers
- eggs
- cornmeal
Signature flavors
- oregano
- mint
- garlic
- paprika
- parsley
- bay leaf
- black pepper
Main dishes
Baked lamb and rice in a rich egg-yogurt custard.
Key ingredients: lamb, rice, yogurt, eggs, oregano
Flaky pie filled with spinach, cheese or meat.
Key ingredients: phyllo, spinach, feta, eggsFull guide →
Baked peppers, tomatoes and cheese, sometimes with liver.
Key ingredients: peppers, tomatoes, cottage cheese
Spiced grilled meatballs, ideal with bread and salad.
Key ingredients: beef, garlic, mint, onionRoasted peppers stuffed with fresh cheese.
Key ingredients: peppers, cottage cheese, parsleyBaked lamb or beef with tomato and yogurt in a clay pot.
Key ingredients: lamb, tomato, onion, yogurt
Stuffed grape leaves with rice.
Key ingredients: grape leaves, rice, herbsSlow-cooked meat soup eaten at breakfast.
Key ingredients: lamb, garlic, vinegarBean and meat stew.
Key ingredients: beans, beef, onion, tomato
Grilled finger sausages of beef and lamb.
Key ingredients: beef, lamb, onionFull guide →Cabbage rolls with rice.
Key ingredients: cabbage, rice, minceFull guide →Breakfast
Fried dough bites served with jam or feta.
Key ingredients: flour, yeast, jam
Fermented grain porridge with butter.
Key ingredients: trahana, butterPie served with yogurt.
Key ingredients: phyllo, yogurtFull guide →Cornbread eaten with yogurt.
Key ingredients: cornmeal, eggs, yogurtStreet food
Spinach pie from bakeries.
Key ingredients: phyllo, spinach, fetaFull guide →Grilled meatballs in bread.
Key ingredients: beef, bread
Layered pancake pie.
Key ingredients: flour, cream, butterSoups
Chilled yogurt soup with cucumber.
Key ingredients: yogurt, cucumber, garlicVegetable stew.
Key ingredients: vegetables, olive oilVegetable rice soup.
Key ingredients: rice, vegetables
Cold yogurt and cucumber soup.
Key ingredients: yogurt, cucumber, garlicSalads
Village salad of tomato, cucumber, onion and feta.
Key ingredients: tomato, cucumber, fetaTomato salad with oil and oregano.
Key ingredients: tomato, oreganoRoasted pepper salad.
Key ingredients: peppers, garlicBreads
Cornbread.
Key ingredients: cornmealFlatbread or pie.
Key ingredients: flour, fillingSweet bread.
Key ingredients: flour, sugarDesserts and sweets
Nut pastry in syrup.
Key ingredients: phyllo, walnuts, syrupFull guide →
Milk-soaked sponge with caramel.
Key ingredients: sponge, milk, caramelFull guide →
Semolina cake soaked in syrup.
Key ingredients: semolina, syrup
Shredded pastry with nuts and syrup.
Key ingredients: kataifi, nuts
Syrup-soaked cookies.
Key ingredients: flour, syrupMilk pudding with honey.
Key ingredients: milk, honeyDrinks
Strong coffee in small cups.
Key ingredients: coffeeFull guide →
Fermented millet drink.
Key ingredients: millet, sugar
Mountain tea.
Key ingredients: sideritis, honey
Yogurt drink.
Key ingredients: yogurt, waterFull guide →Fruits and produce
Sweet figs.
Key ingredients: fresh, jamFull guide →
Olives and oil.
Key ingredients: oilFull guide →
From the south.
Key ingredients: fresh
For preserves.
Key ingredients: jam
Coastal citrus.
Key ingredients: juice
In pastries.
Key ingredients: baklavaDish guides from Albania
More cuisines of Southeast Europe
Descriptions written by Intercontinental Chef. Dishes are listed as commonly eaten today; many are shared across neighbouring countries.
- Tavë kosi: MirelaAndoni, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Burek trokut 1: Unknown, CC BY-SA 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Fërgesë me speca dhe gjizë: Rrezjaediellit, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Koofteh tabrizi: Fabienkhan, CC BY-SA 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Speca te mbushura me mish: Violetamyftari, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Cevapi s kajmakom: Christian Paul from Vancouver, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Two kinds of tarhana: Badseed, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Flia̠: Arbenllapashtica, CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Cacik-1: Rainer Zenz, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Baklava(1): Sakaman, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Pastel de Tres Leches: @joefoodie, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Basboosa: stu_spivack, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Künefe: elif ayse, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Wasserweltfest 2012 - Türkische Mehlspeise: Haeferl, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Türk Kahvesi - Bakir Cezve: Eaeeae, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Boza: FoPen, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Sideritis montana Sturm23: Johann Georg Sturm (Painter: Jacob Sturm), Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
- Fresh ayran: Mavigogun, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Ficus carica L, 1771: Trew, C.J, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
- Olivesfromjordan: en:User:Nickfraser, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Pomegranate Juice (2019): Augustus Binu : flickr, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Pancrace Bessa00: Pancrace Bessa, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
- Oranges - whole-halved-segment: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Walnuts - whole and open with halved kernel: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
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