Fragrant Slovenian Holiday Dishes

Are you interested in what a holiday table looks like in Slovenia? Experience some of the customs and dishes that make Advent and Christmas holidays so tasty in Slovenia.

Delicious ideas for New Year's celebrations

A jolly December correlates with an interesting culinary tradition in Slovenia. Slovenian housewives have always baked a lot during Advent – cookies, bread and Potica, the most famous Slovenian dessert of rolled dough and various fillings. Some people still carry on the tradition of a Nativity Fast on the day before Christmas, which used to characterise the entire Advent. According to tradition, only healthy meals were on the menu before Christmas: legumes, cereals and gruels, cod with polenta and potato soup. Only after midnight, with the arrival of Christmas Day, meat was served on the table – mostly pork because people believed that one should not scratch back with claws, but rather push forward with the snout. Let us give you some traditional dishes that we like to prepare during the holiday season in Slovenia.

Traditional Slovenian poprtnik, a festive loaf decorated with dough patterns in the shape of flowers, trees, and birds, placed on a white tablecloth on a wooden table.

Sweet Holiday Preparations

Slovenian houses are still shaking from all the tidying up and baking of traditional sweet goods before the Christmas holiday season. One of the oldest customs is the preparation of “poprtnik” or Christmas bread, which is believed to have been preserved since pagan times when the arrival of light during the winter solstice was celebrated. This sweet and decorated milk bread made with white flour symbolised the wish for health and abundance in the new year.

In the past, Christmas bread was associated with special powers for a good harvest, so a few pieces of it were also fed to livestock or buried along the edges of fields.

Meat Delicacies for Happiness in the New Year

According to the old Slovenian tradition, the table should be so full of goods on Christmas Day that it is impossible to find space for glasses. In the past, right after midnight, it was good to eat at least some sausage, either made at home or at the neighbour’s “koline” (pig slaughter). Even today, preparing and processing meat at home is most intense before Christmas.

The Slovenian poet and linguist Valentin Vodnik mentioned a few ways to prepare a capon in the first cook book in the Slovenian language, the 1799 title “Kuharske Bukve”.

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Pig Slaughter

Recipes for meat delicacies differ from region to region, and every homestead has its own secret family recipe for “krvavice” (blood pudding) and “pečenice” (pork sausages), which are generally the most...

Roast Pork

In accordance with the desire to progress in the New Year, an old rule states that "a pig should be eaten at the end of the year because its snout is pushing forward". A well-spiced roast pork therefore...

Capon

One of the interesting and somewhat exotic bourgeois holiday specialities from Central Slovenia are capons, young castrated roosters. Their meat is tender, succulent and tasty. It can be prepared in the...

A Full Table from One End to Another

Side dishes go great with meat. Some of them melt in the mouth, others bring us well-being and drive off the guilty conscience that emerges because of all the delicious holiday indulgences.

The oldest recorded Slovenian recipe for roasted potatoes can be found in “Slovenska Kuharica”, which was published in Ljubljana in 1868.

A plate with a serving of roasted potatoes prepared with onions and seasoned with cracklings, garnished with a fresh parsley leaf.

During the holiday season, roasted potatoes are the most common side dish. Cooked potatoes, roasted on onions and fat, are particularly tasty when prepared in a cast-iron skillet. It creates a crunchy crust at the bottom, which melts in the mouth. To enrich the flavour of roasted potatoes, housewives like to add cracklings.

Two metal bowls on a wooden base, one filled with sauerkraut and the other with sour turnips, both sprinkled with cracklings and garnished with a mint leaf.

Pickled turnip and sauerkraut are tasty and healthy side dishes for holiday dinners. They say that sauerkraut and pickled turnip contribute to one’s well-being, establish a healthy ratio of micro-organisms in the body, and enhance digestion. This is excellent for enhancing the immune system in the cold days of the holiday season.

There is nothing like eating Slovenian sweets

Despite the loaded table and delicious dishes, there is always room in our stomachs for something sweet after the holiday dinner.

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Štruklji

One of the best-known dishes in Slovenia is “štruklji” (dumplings). They are prepared from various types of dough with many different fillings, either baked or cooked. We recommend walnut “štruklji”,...

Fruit Bread

Fruit lovers will enjoy the taste of fruit bread. Dried fruit in leavened dough is a savoury speciality, prepared differently in every Slovenian region. Some housewives add nuts, others also use fresh...

Potica

Potica is the most typical holiday dessert, known in all 24 gastronomic regions of Slovenia. It is prepared from various types of dough and with more than 80 different fillings. The most common is walnut....

Would you know how to make a Potica?

You won’t know unless you try! Potica is the queen of the holiday-laden table and a favourite Slovenian dessert! By preparing Potica, you will bring a piece of Slovenia back into your home. To make your baking challenge a bit easier, see our recipe for the most widespread, walnut, Potica.

Bon appetite and happy holidays!

Traditional Slovenian recipe for walnut Potica

When it smells like the holidays...

Try the Slovenian culinary delights for holidays! Even if the traditional holiday feast is not completely to your taste, you can still add something Slovenian.

Flavours of Slovenia on your plate

The Slovenian gastronomic image is just like the Slovenian landscape - dynamic, striking and simply beautiful. The 24 gastronomic regions offer a wide variety of flavours and each region has its own peculiarities. Which taste of Slovenia is best for you?

Flavours of Slovenia on your plate

Bring a part of Slovenia into your home

If you want to create with Slovenian tastes, then look for European and national symbols proving the authenticity of products. The best from each area is evidenced by local certificates. With the right ingredients and flavours, your foods will truly have the Slovenian smell.

Create using Slovenian recipes

Thinking about how to surprise your loved ones? Prepare something Slovenian. Regardless of whether you are more of a sweet or savoury person, enjoy “spoon foods” or something stronger - there is a recipe for every taste that smells of Slovenian places and traditions.

Honey for sweet moments and wellbeing

Honey is a very frequent sweetener in Slovenian cuisine. The best Slovenian chefs have been using it more frequently in the preparation of various foods, even meaty dishes. Honey also has many positive effects that lead you to good health and wellbeing.

Wash down with wine

A good holiday feast needs a glass of any of the quality Slovenian wines. Exceptional white and red wines are made in three wine-growing regions and 9 wine-growing districts. Many wines boast prestigious international rewards. Maybe you can liven up the holiday atmosphere with natural wines.

The holiday magic is everywhere!

When imagination gets wings, nothing is impossible. Travel to the world of Slovenian fairy tales. Even the ones you can see, feel and taste. Let this “fairy tale” world bring the best magical holidays.

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Fragrant Slovenian Holiday Dishes