Bulgarian cuisine

Bulgarian cuisine belongs to the zone of light Mediterranean and Eastern cuisines. It sits between Greek and Turkish cuisine, especially since Bulgaria was under Ottoman occupation for many centuries and popularized many Turkish dishes, such as ayran, baklava and pilaf. The delicacies of Bulgarian cuisine consist mainly of vegetables and meat, cooked or roasted on a griddle. Main dishes are primarily one-pot. There are no flour and potato dishes, such as noodles, dumplings or pasties. Dinner begins with a salad, followed by meat dishes, fish and heavy meat or vegetarian soups. Appetizers and side dishes for the main course, which are cheeses, stuffed peppers, salads or meat balls, play a big role.