15 Romanian Snacks: Explore Authentic Flavors!

Romanian snacks are more than simply a snack; they embody the rich history, vivid traditions, and culinary heritage of a proud nation.

Put your Transylvanian fears to rest; I’m not in this for the blood, but rather a delectable snack buffet that will have your taste buds going “Hora”!

Explore the popular snack foods of Romania, from the picturesque alleys of Bucharest to the beautiful mountain villages of the Carpathian Mountains, and you’ll be wanting more.

15 Best Romanian snacks

From plăcintă to pârjoale, let’s see what traditional Romanian snacks have in store for us.

Plăcintă

Traditional Romanian pastries called plăcintă can be filled with a variety of ingredients such as apples, cabbage, sweet cheese, or pumpkin.

These pies are a renowned and adaptable part of Romanian cuisine since they can be made with sweet or savory fillings and baked until golden and flaky.

This baked food recipe is often enjoyed as a snack, dessert, or even as a main dish.

Traditional Romanian Mămăligă is a thick and adaptable porridge prepared from yellow maize flour. Historically a peasant food, now it’s available in the finest restaurants.

Typically used as an accompaniment to other dishes, it goes well with sour cream, cheese, or even on its own as a snack or main course when grilled to a crispy exterior.

Since mămăligă is also popular in Western Ukraine, I can vouch for its comforting, nostalgic taste.

You can also take a look at my favorite corn flour substitutes here. While they might not be the best choice for polenta, they can work for cornbread, tamales, and tortillas.

Bulz

Shaped into balls and cooked or grilled, bulz, also called urs de mămăligă, is a classic Romanian meal made with polenta and cheese.

This robust and tasty recipe highlights the marriage of cornmeal—typically spiced with salt and pepper—with several kinds of cheese, creating a mouthwatering combination of textures and flavors.

In Romania, bulz is a go-to comfort food because of its simplicity and the delicious flavor profile it provides.

A prominent dish in Romanian cuisine is clătite, thin pancakes or crepes. Flour, eggs, milk, and a pinch of salt form the batter.

You can find savory varieties filled with cheese, ham, or mushrooms, and sweet ones with things like fruit jam, chocolate spread, or almonds.

I really like this simple recipe for a delicious homemade snack!

Gogoși

Romanian donuts, known as gogoși, are a popular sweet snack or a dessert food recipe. A yeast-based dough enhanced with eggs, milk, and butter gives these deep-fried pastries their characteristically airy feel.

Coating gogoși with cinnamon, powdered sugar, or chocolate glaze is a common practice after frying.

Gogoși can be filled with a variety of sweet fillings including jam, chocolate, or custard.

Sarmale, also known as cabbage rolls, are a traditional Romanian dish given during festive events. They are filled with a combination of rice, spices, and minced pork.

These rolls, which are typically served with sour cream, are a showcase for the rich tastes of Eastern European cuisine, cooked slowly in a delicious tomato sauce.

Sarmale is also widely regarded as Romania’s national dish.

Try this delicious recipe at home and share how you liked it!

Scovergi

Traditional Romanian cuisine also includes scovergi, which are fried flatbreads or dough fritters. Fluffy fritters are usually produced with a basic dough that includes flour, water, salt, and occasionally milk or yogurt.

Once the dough is flattened out and cut into different shapes, it is deep-fried until it turns a golden brown color.

Scovergi are quite adaptable. They pair nicely with both light and heavy savory dishes, and they can be enjoyed with or without toppings such as sour cream, jam, or cheese.

Papanași is a type of traditional fried or deep-fried pastry that looks like doughnuts. They are spherical and have a little hole in the top.

Urdă or ricotta or cottage cheese, flour, and eggs, are the usual ingredients, and the batter is deep-fried until it turns a golden brown color.

This beloved Romanian pastry is frequently accompanied by sour cream and fruit jam.

Jumări

“Jumări” is a Romanian term that refers to pork scratchings or pork cracklings in English. These are crispy, fried or roasted pieces of pork skin and fat.

Jumări is made by seasoning and rendering pork fat and skin till it gets crunchy. As a savory snack, jumări are frequently relished with a pinch of salt or other seasonings.

Romanian pretzels called covrigi are often softer and bigger than their Western equivalents.

Enjoy the perfect balance of chewy middle and golden crust with these twisted sweet bread snacks—which can be enjoyed plain or adorned with sesame or poppy seeds.

Various herbs and spices flavor roasted eggplants, bell peppers, tomatoes, and onions to make a Romanian vegetable spread called zacuscă.

Zacuscă is a popular handmade preserve and a tasty accompaniment to meals; it is usually consumed on crackers or toast.

Do you know any other snacks starting with the letter Z? Check out this list of amazing Z foods to test your knowledge.

Mici (Grilled Sausages)

Mici, or “mititei,” are little grilled sausages that are filled with a mixture of ground meats, usually pork and beef.

Garlic, black pepper, and other spices give these sausages a kick of flavor, making them a fixture at parties and a favorite street snack.

The eggplants for Romanian Salată de Vinete are roasted or grilled, mashed, and mixed with garlic, onions, and sunflower oil to make a creamy salad/spread.

In the warmer months, it is particularly delicious and refreshing when served as a spread or dip.

I love grilled eggplant, so the idea of trying this salată just makes my mouth water!

If you share my enthusiasm for eggplant, try this eggplant salad recipe for a taste of Romania.

Pârjoale (Meatballs)

Romanian meatballs called pârjoale are a mixture of spices, eggs, grated potatoes, breadcrumbs, and minced meat—typically a mix of pork and beef.

These meatballs, fried till golden brown, are a satisfying snack or main dish that combines well with mashed potatoes and pickles.

Traditional Hanukkah fare includes noodle latkes—also called Romanian noodle latkes—made with pasta that has Jewish roots in Romania.

The basic recipe for noodle latkes calls for boiled and drained egg noodles or fine egg pasta, along with a variety of other ingredients like eggs, butter or margarine, and a host of others.

The batter is then formed into latkes and cooked in oil or schmaltz.

I hope you enjoyed these popular snack food items from Romania! Share what you’d be excited to try in the comments!

If you like to continue your gastronomical journey through snacks, you can also check out these mouthwatering Bulgarian snacks.

I also love learning foods by letter, so you can join me to discover some wonderful foods that start with T and delicious P dishes.