Ukrainian cuisine is a collection of the various cooking traditions developed by the people of all regions in the country, honed and perfected over many centuries and generations. It is heavily influenced by the rich dark soil (chernozem) where its ingredients are grown, and it normally involves many components- mixed and cooked to achieve their greatest tasting profiles. Their dishes emphasize the importance of wheat and other grains, because the country is often called the "breadbasket of Europe". Ukrainian food is unique and diverse.
The most distinctive feature of Ukrainian traditional dishes is that they often undergo a complicated heating process and in most cases they are at first fried or boiled, and then stewed or baked. This cooking process provides both flavor and texture. Baked goods are a staple of the Ukrainian diet, and very popular. You can find them in shops and restaurants, and sometimes on street vendor carts. Bread is common in the country, but many of these baked goods come with all kinds of different ingredients inside them. You will find breads with a fruit filling, vegetables, and meat. This detail makes Ukrainian baked goods very different from others.
Soups and stews are a major part of traditional Ukrainian food. These slow-cooked meals are hearty and contain many vegetables. They can contain ingredients such as cucumbers, beets, carrots, cabbage, garlic, tomatoes, and more. They are slow-cooked for hours before being served. Many authentic Ukrainian recipes also add meat to provide protein. Some of these meats include beef, fish, pork, and seafood.
The majority of their recipes come from ancient peasant dishes based on the plentiful grain resources they have, such as rye, as well as vegetables like potatoes, cabbage, mushrooms and beetroot. Ukrainians incorporated both traditional Slavic techniques as well as other European techniques in their cooking, a result of years of foreign jurisdiction and influence of other cultures. As there has been a significant Ukrainian diaspora over several centuries, their cuisine is very popular in European countries and the Americas, particularly Argentina, Brazil, and the USA.
The national dish of Ukraine is Borscht, a well-known and delicious beet soup, that you can find in many varieties. Besides that, Varenyky (boiled dumplings, similar to a pierogi), and a type of cabbage roll known as Holubtsi are also national favorites and are a common offering in traditional Ukrainian restaurants all over the world. These dishes show the regional similarities within Eastern European cuisines.
For more information on their cuisine, visit their Wiki page here.
Disclaimer- all the Ukrainian recipes for this dish are, well- in Ukrainian :) so this one is the closest one, in English.
For more video-recipes, visit this channel on youtube.
For more examples of their tasty cuisine, recipes and pictures, visit this website here.
NOTE- With this installment of our culture series, we talk about the culture of the country of Ukraine- a place that right now is fighting for their right to freedom and independence. Since that part is being covered by regular media, we will focus on portraying their culture, their people, and other notable details- and not delve into the tragedy they are currently living.
