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8 recipes · Czech Republic

Czech kitchen

8 Czech recipes you can cook at home, from Cocka Na Kyselo (Czech Sour Lentils with Eggs), Kulajda (Czech Mushroom and Dill Soup) and Sunkofleky (Czech Ham and Noodle Bake) to Bublanina (Czech Cherry Cake).

8 recipes

About Czech food

The Czech kitchen

Caraway, marjoram and garlic run through the savory side of Czech cooking. Roast pork comes with cabbage and dumplings; root vegetables become smooth sauces for beef; mushrooms turn up in soups and eggs. Sour cream, vinegar and pickled cabbage bring a useful sharpness to food that often starts with butter, meat juices or a slow braise.

A home table can be much simpler than a restaurant roast platter. Lentils with eggs, a ham-and-noodle bake or mushroom soup make a full meal from ordinary groceries. For something sweet, fruit cakes and filled yeast pastries rely on tender dough and tart fruit rather than a thick layer of frosting.

Questions, answered

What foods is the Czech Republic known for?

Roast pork with dumplings and cabbage, beef in creamy root vegetable sauce, and soups such as kulajda are familiar examples. Fruit pastries and cakes are another strong part of the table.

Is Czech food spicy?

Most Czech home cooking is mild. Caraway, garlic, marjoram and black pepper provide aroma, while vinegar, sauerkraut and sour cream add sharpness rather than chili heat.

What can I serve instead of Czech bread dumplings?

Boiled potatoes are useful with creamy sauces and roast meat. They do not have the same springy texture, but they catch the sauce and are easy to prepare.

What Czech dishes can I make at home?

Start with Bublanina (Czech Cherry Cake), Chlebicky (Czech Open-Faced Sandwiches), Cocka Na Kyselo (Czech Sour Lentils with Eggs), Dusene Zeli (Czech Braised Cabbage) and Kulajda (Czech Mushroom and Dill Soup). Every recipe here is written for a home kitchen, with substitutes for anything hard to find.

What's the quickest Czech recipe?

Kulajda (Czech Mushroom and Dill Soup), ready in 45 min.