Slovenian cuisine () is influenced by the diversity of Slovenia's landscape, climate, history and neighbouring cultures. In 2016, the leading Slovenian ethnologists divided the country into 24 gastronomic regions. The first Slovene-language cookbook was published by Valentin Vodnik in 1798.

Foods and dishes

Soups are a relatively recent invention in Slovenian cuisine, but there are over 100. Earlier, there were various kinds of porridge, stew and one-pot meals. The most common soups without meat were lean and plain. A typical dish is aleluja, a soup made from turnip peels and a well-known dish during fasting. The most common meat soup is beef soup with noodles, which is often served on Sunday as part of a Sunday lunch (beef soup, fried potatoes, fried steak and lettuce). On feast days and holidays, there is often a choice of beef noodle soup or creamy mushroom soup. Pork is popular and common everywhere in Slovenia. Poultry is also often popular. There is a wide variety of meats in different parts of Slovenia. In White Carniola and the Slovenian Littoral, mutton and goat are eaten. On St. Martin's Day, people feast on roasted goose, duck, turkey, or chicken paired with red cabbage and mlinci. In Lower Carniola and Inner Carniola, they used to eat roasted dormouse and quail. Until the crayfish plague in the 1880s, the noble crayfish was a source of income and often on the menu in Lower Carniola and Inner Carniola.

Dandelion is popular as a salad ingredient in Slovenia and has been gathered in the fields for centuries. Even today, dandelion and potato salad is highly valued. Since it can be picked only for a short time in early spring, much is made of it. Families go on dandelion-picking expeditions, and pick enough for a whole week. In the Middle Ages, people ate acorns and other forest fruits, particularly in times of famine. Chestnuts were valued, and served as the basis for many dishes. Walnuts and hazelnuts are used in cakes and desserts. Wild strawberries, loganberries, blackberries, and bilberries were a rich source of vitamins. Mushrooms have always been popular, and Slovenians like picking and eating them. Honey was used to a considerable extent. Medenjaki, which come in different shapes, are honey cakes, which are most commonly heart-shaped and are often used as gifts.

Protected foodstuffs and food products

, 24 Slovenian foods and food products are protected at the European level: prleška tünka, a product from Prlekija in eastern Slovenia, made of minced lard and pork. Ptuj onion (), a sort of onion of a cordate shape, with red inspiration, whereas the edge has a more intensive purple hue. Extra virgin olive oil from the Slovenian Istria (), a slightly bitter and spicy oil with a strong fruit aroma that contains a large amount of oleic acid and biphenols. Nanos cheese (), made of cow milk, hard, with small holes in the size of peas, a little sweet and spicy. Kočevje forest honey (), produced in the wider Kočevje area. zgornjesavinjski želodec, an air-dried meat product from the Upper Savinja Valley, made of high-quality bacon and pork meat, stuffed in a pig stomach. šebreljski želodec, produced in the areas around Cerkno and Idrija, made of high-quality bacon and pork meat, stuffed in a pig stomach. Tolminc cheese (), made of raw cows' milk in the area of Tolmin, tastes sweet and spicy. Karst prosciutto (), produced in the traditional way on the Karst Plateau in southwestern Slovenia. Karst cured neck meat (), a cylindrically shaped meat product from the cured pork neck meat in a casing. Bovec cheese (), firm sheep cheese from area around Bovec near Soča river. Styria - Prekmurje pumpkin oil (), dark-coloured pumpkin oil derived from pumpkin seed. Karst honey (), honey gathered exclusively on the Karst Plateau. Mohant, cows'-milk soft cheese with strong smell, piquant, sometimes bitter taste. Slovenian honey (), honey gathered exclusively on the territory of Slovenia. Prekmurje ham (), ham from Prekmurje. Salt from Piran (), salt gathered manually from salt fields on the Slovenian coast near Piran. Carniolan sausage (), usually cooked sausage from pork and bacon. Istra Prosciutto** (), uncooked, unsmoked, and dry-cured ham from Istria. Styria Hop () is a small genus of flowering plants in the family Cannabaceae, needed for beer production. Kamnik eggs (), eggs from area under Kamnik Alps in central Slovenia. meat from boškarin cattle** (), meat from specific Istrian cattle.

** shared with Croatia

Traditional Slovenian dishes

Ajdovi žganci Belokranjska povitica Bujta repa Funšterc Kmečka pojedina Kranjska klobasa Matevž Mavželj Mežerli Mineštra (minestrone) Obara (stew) Pirh Potica (nut roll) Prekmurska gibanica Ričet Špehovka Vipavska jota

Soups and stews

Bakalca Bobiči Bograč Jota, Vipavska kisla juha, Vipava sour soup Mineštra Prežganka is the Slovenian national soup, made of flour, caraway seeds and beaten eggsTraditional slovenian cookery. Adamlje Slavko, 1997. Mladinska knjiga. Šara Štajerska kisla juha is a sour soup that originates from Lower Styria. It is prepared at the feast of koline (pig slaughter) from the pork pettitoes and parts of the pig's head.

Vegetarian dishes

Ajdovi žganci, žganci is a dish in Slovenian cuisine. It is similar to polenta, although prepared with finer grains. Balthasar Hacquet (1739–1815) mentions that žganci was served with sauerkraut in Upper Carniola.Taste Slovenia. Bogataj Janez, 2007. Rokus Gifts. Aleluja Bezgovo cvrtje Čompe Fritaja (see also frittata) is a Croatian and Slovenian dish. Both are specialties in Istria. They are especially common in the springtime, as at that time there are many plants and vegetables such as wild asparagus, wild hops, herbs, chicory, tomatoes, young garlic sprouts and spices available to add to egg. Fritaje are many times prepared throughout the year with ham, mushrooms, sausages, bacon, white or red wine. Idrijski žlikrofi Jabolčna čežana Kaša is commonly eaten in Eastern Europe. At least a thousand years old, kasha is one of the oldest known dishes in Eastern European Slavic cuisine.Molokhovets, Elena. Classic Russian Cooking. Indiana University Press, 1998. Page 331. Krapi Maslovnik Matevž Medla Mešta Močnik is made from cereals such as buckwheat, maize, wheat, millet, rye, or oats in either milk, cream or soured cream. Njoki Smojka Štruklji

Meat dishes

Budelj Bujta repa Bunka (food) Furešna Jetrnice (liver sausage) Kranjska klobasa (Carniola sausage) Krvavice (black pudding) Mavta Mavželj Meso v tünki Mežerli Povijaka Prata Pršut (prosciutto) Šivanka Švacet Vampi (tripe) Zaseka Želodec (stomach)

Desserts and pastries

Bobi Buhteljni Cmoki Kremsnita Krhki flancati Krofi Kvasenica Miške Mlinci Ocvirkovica Pinca Pogača Posolanka Povitica or potica (nut roll) Prekmurska gibanica Šarkelj Škofjeloški kruhek Špehovka (bacon roll) Vrtanek Zlevanka

Drinks

Brinjevec Borovničke Jabolčnik (apple wine) Češnjevec (cherry brandy) Cviček (Slovenian wine from Dolenjska region) Teran (Slovenian wine from Primorska region) Kislo mleko (sour milk) Šabesa Slivovka, slivovica Tolkovec Tropinovec Pinjenec (buttermilk) Union beer Laško/Zlatorog beer

References