Food of Romania
Romanian cuisine is hearty and varied, shaped by Balkan, Central European and Mediterranean influences. Cabbage, corn, pork, cheese and fresh vegetables dominate, with polenta (mamaliga) as the daily bread of the countryside. Grilled meats, stuffed vegetables and pickles are shared at family gatherings.
- Main dishes (10)
- Breakfast (3)
- Street food (4)
- Soups (3)
- Salads (3)
- Breads (3)
- Desserts and sweets (5)
- Drinks (4)
- Fruits and produce (5)
Staples
- pork
- cornmeal
- cabbage
- cheese
- vegetables
- sour cream
- bread
- beef
Signature flavors
- dill
- thyme
- garlic
- paprika
- parsley
- lovage
- tarragon
Main dishes
Cabbage rolls with pork and rice.
Key ingredients: cabbage, pork, rice, dillFull guide →
Cornmeal porridge served with cheese and sour cream.
Key ingredients: cornmeal, cheese, sour cream
Grilled garlicky sausages.
Key ingredients: beef, pork, garlic, spicesFull guide →
Pork stew with polenta and cheese.
Key ingredients: pork, sausage, polenta, egg
Creamy tripe soup with garlic.
Key ingredients: tripe, sour cream, garlic, vinegar
Roasted vegetable spread.
Key ingredients: eggplant, peppers, tomato, onion
Fried cheese doughnuts with jam.
Key ingredients: cheese, flour, jam, sour creamPolenta with cheese.
Key ingredients: cornmeal, telemea, butterStuffed peppers.
Key ingredients: peppers, meat, rice
Roasted eggplant spread.
Key ingredients: eggplant, onion, oilBreakfast
Fluffy omelet with cheese and herbs.
Key ingredients: eggs, cheeseSweet polenta with milk.
Key ingredients: cornmeal, milkCheese and tomatoes.
Key ingredients: cheese, tomatoesStreet food
Ring-shaped bread with sesame.
Key ingredients: dough, sesameFried doughnuts.
Key ingredients: dough, sugar
Transylvanian chimney cake.
Key ingredients: dough, sugarFull guide →Grilled sausages with mustard.
Key ingredients: mici, mustardFull guide →Soups
Vegetable soup soured with borș.
Key ingredients: vegetables, borșMeatball soup.
Key ingredients: meatballs, vegetablesChicken soup.
Key ingredients: chicken, noodlesSalads
Romanian Olivier salad.
Key ingredients: potatoes, carrots, peas, mayonnaiseFull guide →Tomato salad with onion.
Key ingredients: tomato, onion, oilCabbage salad.
Key ingredients: cabbage, vinegarBreads
Homemade round loaf.
Key ingredients: flour, yeast
Sweet bread with walnuts and cocoa.
Key ingredients: flour, walnuts, cocoa
Pastry filled with cheese or apple.
Key ingredients: dough, cheeseDesserts and sweets
Cheese doughnuts topped with sour cream and jam.
Key ingredients: cheese, jam, sour creamWalnut-cocoa swirl bread.
Key ingredients: flour, walnutsApple pie.
Key ingredients: apples, cinnamonSyrup-soaked cake with cream.
Key ingredients: cake, creamDoughnuts.
Key ingredients: doughDrinks
Strong coffee, often boiled.
Key ingredients: coffee
Fruit drink.
Key ingredients: fruit, sugar
Elderflower drink.
Key ingredients: elderflower, lemonLinden tea.
Key ingredients: linden, honeyFruits and produce
Used in jams.
Key ingredients: jam, desserts
Orchard fruit.
Key ingredients: baking
Table grapes.
Key ingredients: fresh
Used in cakes.
Key ingredients: cakes
Used in preserves.
Key ingredients: preservesDish guides from Romania
Explore Romania on Geographical EffectMaps, capital and cities, population, climate, landscapes and landmarks.More cuisines of Southeast Europe
Descriptions written by Intercontinental Chef. Dishes are listed as commonly eaten today; many are shared across neighbouring countries.
- Mamaliga: Unknown, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Mititei aufm Grill: Stoschmidt, CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Tochitura-moldoveneasca: Nicubunu, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Tripe soup from Turkey: E4024, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Zacuscă bgiu: No machine-readable author provided. Bogdan assumed (based on copyright claims)., CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Papanași Sinaia: Toniher, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Baba ganoush closeup: avlxyz, CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Covrigi-brasonveni: Nicubunu, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Kürtőskalács2011: Cyril5555, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Салат Оливье 03: Pannet, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Cozonac-cu-nuca-103: Vvssmmaann, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Placinta: Unknown, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
- Peach kompot: Biso, CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Socată sticlă: Bogdan29roman, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Plums African Rose - whole, halved and slice: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- 95apple: Agricultural Research Service (Research agent of United States Department of Agriculture), Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
- Grapes, Rostov-on-Don, Russia: Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Walnuts - whole and open with halved kernel: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Prunus cerasus - Köhler–s Medizinal-Pflanzen-113: Franz Eugen Köhler, Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
