The big reveal – What are Europe’s favorite national dishes?

Ireland

Irish Stew – Let’s face it, Ireland isn’t especially known for it’s haute-cuisine, but it does have Irish Stew. And what a dish it is, especially when the rain is lashing the windows outside. A traditional Irish Stew is made with a slow-cooked (simmered) dish of tender lamb cuts — purists insist on neck meat — carrots, onions, parsnips, mushrooms, and of course potatoes. And don’t worry, it’s not a hanging offence to swap lamb for beef, and even add a wee drop of the black stuff, Guinness, if it takes your fancy.

Scotland

Haggis – Scotland’s national dish — “The great chieftain o’ the pudding race”, according to Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns — Haggis tastes way better than it sounds. The Haggis is a boiled meat pudding made from a sheep’s heart, liver and lungs, mixed reverentially with salt, spices, suet, oatmeal and onion all stuffed inside the animal’s stomach lining. Served with tatties (potatoes) and neeps (turnips) Haggis is not for the faint-hearted, but the taste makes up for it in spades.

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England

Fish and Chips – The jury is still out on this; roast beef and dumpling, bangers and mash, and even chicken tikka masala are all in the mix for the title of the country’s national dish. However, no visit to England is complete without a ‘trip down the chippy’ for the taste of freshly cooked fish and chips. Flavoured with salt and vinegar, fish and chips are best enjoyed with a sea breeze on your face.

Wales

Cawl – This ancient Welsh staple is lost in the depths of time, but it still holds pride of place on every Welsh table. A simple but hugely taste dish of meat broth cooked slowly over a turf fire (when available). For best results vegetables are added to the stock on the second day, or even the day after that. The meat for cawl is usually beef or lamb and is served with oatmeal dumplings. Simply delicious.

Iceland

Hákarl – It’s fair to say that if you’re not Icelandic you’re probably not going to like this one. How fermented shark ended up on the country’s menu is a story best told by an Icelander as you try your first taste — before gagging. OK, it’s not to my taste, but people still keep coming back for more. If you visit Iceland, take the challenge and try one of the weirdest national dishes on the planet.

Austria

Tafelspitz – OK, we could have gone for wiener schnitzel or apfelstrudel or even kaiserschmarrn, but instead we opted for Tafelspitz — sorry. However, there’s no denying that this boiled beef broth served with horseradish and carrots, spices and minced apples is a pure classic on the menu of every traditional Austrian restaurant. By the way, the dish changes slightly from region to region making it something you won’t get tired of if you’re traveling around.

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Belgium

Waffles – No arguments, if it’s Belgium it’s got to be waffles. A Belgian icon, the humble crunchy, sugary waffle can be served however you like it. Whether bedecked by berries, bathing in butter, dripping with jam, or covered in cream, it’s your waffle, it’s your choice. Street food never tasted so sweet.

France

Pot-Au-Feu – The name might not drip off the tongue as easily as the taste, but France’s national dish comes with a long history. Literally translated as ‘pot on fire’ the dish is made from an assortment of meat cuts, super slow cooked with parsnip, turnips, white cabbage, onions, and the all important oxtail meat and bone marrow. Seasoned with black pepper, a bouquet garni, and cloves, this mish-mash of tastes is served with Dijon mustard and horseradish sauce. Ooooh la la!

Germany

Wurst – That’s right, we picked the easy way out, but Germany really does have a huge array of ‘national’ dishes to choose from. Schnitzels and pretzels, Rouladen and Kartoffelpuffer, Sauerbraten and Eintopf, but the common denominator across the whole country is Wurst — over 1,200 unique types of delicious sausages. From Blutwurst and Schwarzwurst to Currywurst and Weisswurst, if sausages bring out the ‘wurst’ in you, Germany is your culinary playground.

Netherlands

Stamppot – If a Netherlander ever finds themselves with too many potatoes in the larder the answer has got to be Stamppot. This simple winter classic dish is basic but delicious; potatoes mashed with kale, shallots, garlic, butter and milk, and topped with slices of traditional Dutch rookworst sausage (but you can use pretty much any sausage you can get your hands on). It may not be haute-cuisine, but it sure is mighty tasty.

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Switzerland

Fondue – Nothing screams dinner party in Switzerland quite like a good old fashioned fondue. Fondue is typically a big brass pot of super creamy melted cheese for dipping meats, bread, potatoes, or anything else you might fancy. A centre piece to any Swiss meal, fondue — and a couple of beers — gets the conversation flowing quicker than you can say Alpenhorn.

Bulgaria

Shopska salad – Having a salad as a national dish is quite unusual, but apparently Bulgaria wasn’t listening. Shopska salad is a national staple created from a mixture of cucumbers, diced tomatoes, onions, and peppers topped with either sirene or feta cheese and a sprinkling of parsley. Interestingly, the colors of Shopska Salad, red, white, and green, also make up the colors of the Bulgarian flag. A dish doesn’t get much more national than that.

Czech Republic

Vepřo knedlo zelo – This meaty Czech stable is easily found on every menu from Prague to Pilsen, but not so easy to pronounce. For a dish that sounds as complicated as a Smetana concerto, the opposite is true. Combine roasted pork with simple bread dumplings and pickled cabbage and you’re ready to go. However, as it’s the Czech Republic, no meal, no matter what it’s called, is complete without a glass of delicious local beer. Na zdraví!

Hungary

Goulash – It’s that simple, Hungarians love goulash. For the uninitiated, goulash is a hearty stew made from beef, vegetables, bell peppers, tomatoes and doused with generous portions of paprika – very generous portions. The Hungarian staple is usually accompanied by small butter noodles call csipetke, or mashed potatoes, or dumplings, or rice, or anything that mops up that deliciously warm peppery sauce.

Moldova

Mamaliga – Moldova generally flies under the radar of most tourists, but if this small slice of loveliness is on your travel itinerary, Mamaliga should also feature highly. Located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, the country is bountiful in its food choices. Mamaliga is a type of cornmeal porridge that is part of every Moldovan’s recipe book and is never hard to find. But don’t worry, if you visit Moldova, a bit like Chuck Norris, Mamaliga will find you.

Poland

Bigos Stew – Bigos or Pierogi, Bigos or Pierogi? Ok, we have to pick just one Polish national dish so it’s got to be Bigos Stew. Also known as Hunter’s Stew, Bigos can be made using any type of meat you choose mixed with cabbage, mushrooms, and smoked sausage. This hearty winter favorite dates back as far as the 14th century and is still as popular today as it was with both the peasants and the nobility alike back in the day.

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Romania

Sarmale – Cabbage rolls exist in one form or another across much of eastern Europe. But for my two cents, none of them even come close to Romanian Sarmale. The secret behind great Romanian Sarmale is the use of sour cabbage and smoked meat, usually bacon. Every family’s recipe is usually handed down through the generations, making the owner prouder than a peacock in a room full of turkey buzzards.

Slovakia

Bryndzové Halušky – The first time someone serves you Bryndzové Halušky it might come as a bit of a shock. Its appearance can be a little… off-putting. However, if you put your fears to one side, this Slovkian favorite, consisting of boiled potato dough sprinkled with bacon or smoked pork fat and chives can be quite delicious. A small note of warning — the meal is usually served with Žinčica, a type of sheep’s milk whey; sadly, that’s usually where I draw the line.