12 Weird Czech Foods You Probably Never Tried

Have you seen any strange things on the menu at Czech restaurants? If not, you might be missing some weird Czech food. I’m here to fix that!

I genuinely believe you should try these traditional dishes at least once and be the judge of whether they’re weird or wonderful.

Most Popular Weird Czech Food

 Let’s see which Czech traditional foods make you wrinkle your nose and which design new cravings.

Utopenec (Pickled Sausage)

Utopenec, a unique Czech dish, is a whole sausage pickled in a vinegar brine with onions, peppers, and spices for a tangy, strong flavor.

It’s usually served with beer as a bar snack. Check out my food guide to popular Czech snacks for more.

As you can see, Czech cuisine has a knack for pickling all types of foods.

This popular Czech meal uses Hermelín cheese, a soft, matured cheese like Camembert or Brie, marinated in brine.

This cheese is served with some pickled vegetables or bread and it’s a popular beer cheese in the Czech Republic.

Smažený Sýr (Fried Cheese)

Smažený sýr, a traditional Czech comfort food, is a thick slice of cheese (usually Edam or Hermelín) covered in breadcrumbs and deep-fried till golden and crispy.

This crispy, gooey treat is usually served with tartar sauce, fries, and a refreshing side salad.

Olomoucké Tvarůžky

Famous Czech cheese tvarůžky is made from curdles skimmed milk and aged to develop its particular scent and flavor.

This type of cheese can also be fried to make smažené tvarůžky or picked for nakládané tvarůžky.

Tvarůžky is often served on a piece of bread or with some veggies. 

Jelito (Blood Sausage)

No matter which cuisine I see blood sausage in, it always amazes me how something so seemingly unappetizing can be so popular.

Jelito is a classic Czech sausage prepared with pig’s blood, ground pork meat, fat and spices in a natural casing.

Some variations also include rice, buckwheat or barley. They’re often served with sauerkraut and bread. 

Zelný Závin

In Czech cuisine, zelný závin is a puff pastry strudel filled with shredded cabbage, onions, and sometimes minced meat or mushrooms.

The filling is rolled into thin layers of dough and baked until golden and crispy.

Cabbage strudel sounds unique, doesn’t it? Check out these amazing Czech pastries for some sweet alternatives.

Kyselo (Czech Sourdough Soup)

Kyselo, a traditional Czech sourdough soup, is unlike any other soup in the world.

A key component, typically used for bread, is sourdough starter, which is mixed with water and cooked until it thickens and imparts a sour taste.

Additional ingredients like potatoes, mushrooms, carrots, and smoked meats or sausages make this Czech soup hearty and flavorful.

Houbový Kuba (Mushroom Barley)

Houbový kuba combines pearl barley, mushrooms, onions, and spices for a delicious one-pot meal. It’s a cheap and tasty dish usually served at noon on Christmas Day.

I don’t see barley recipes often enough but it’s actually a very healthy grain, and it’s your cue to add it to your diet. Starting with houbový kuba!

Tatarák (Steak Tartare)

Tatarák is the Czech steak tartare, a gourmet dish made of finely diced raw beef, spices, red onions, capers, and sometimes raw egg yolk.

It often comes with rye bread and garlic cloves.

Raw meat isn’t weird for everyone, but it can be a special occasion meal for many. 

Vepřové Koleno

Vepřové Koleno is a dish of soft pork knuckle, marinated and roasted. It rewards us with perfectly baked, soft and juicy meat inside, with a crispy skin on the surface.

It’s typically served with sauerkraut, mustard and pickles.

Nudle s Makem (Noodles with Poppy Seeds)

Nudle s makem is a sweet dish where noodles are mixed with ground poppy seeds, melted butter, and powdered sugar.

The most common noodle shape for this dish is tagliatelle but you can use anything you like. I made it with spaghetti since that’s all I had at home, and it turned out great!

I suggest you try it as an addition to these delicious Czech breakfast ideas.

Ovocné Knedlíky

Ovocné knedlíky are fruit dumplings with strawberries, apricots, or plums. They’re usually cooked in boiling water and then topped with melted butter, crumbled cottage cheese or poppy seeds.

I believe these dumplings are one of the best Czech desserts but you can try even more if you click the link I left behind.

If you like savory foods more, you can try houskové knedlíky (bread dumplings) or bramborové knedlíky (potato dumplings). They’re also popular Czech dumplings.

 Which Czech meal was the weirdest to you? Let me know in the comments below!