The Atlas · Croatia's Deepest Pot
58 of Croatia's 350 ranked dishes are soups and stews, 16.6% of the whole cuisine. By our raters the best is Dalmatinska pašticada, Dalmatia's slow sweet-sour beef braise, Nº 330 in the world.
58 dishes ranked·16.6% of the cuisine·976 diner ratings·Top rank Nº 330
Croatia is a country of two pots. Along the Dalmatian coast the stew turns Mediterranean, wine, prunes and figs behind Dalmatinska pašticada, while inland Slavonia cooks over open fire with copper cauldrons and heavy red paprika, the domain of čobanac. Of its 58 ranked bowls the split is real, 976 ratings across roughly two stews for every soup, so unlike much of the region this cuisine genuinely does both.
The best by our raters is Dalmatinska pašticada at Nº 330, and here it is also the most-loved, with 128 ratings behind it. Fame, though, runs its own course: the most-reviewed Croatian bowl is the Slavonian river-fish stew fiš paprikaš, 208 ratings deep yet ranked only Nº 7,634, the paprika-red catch of the Drava and the Sava. Read them below: the signature stews, by region, or the complete list of all 58.
Twelve signature bowls in rank order, four told in full, then eight more from the pot.
1Nº 330 worldwide
Dalmatia's great celebration stew, beef larded with garlic and cloves, marinated for a day or two in vinegar and wine, then braised slow with prošek dessert wine, prunes, and dried figs until dark and sweet-sour. Served with homemade gnocchi to soak up the sauce.
★ 4.2|128 ratings
2ČobanacNº 345
A fiery shepherd's stew from Slavonia in the east, several kinds of meat and game cooked down slowly with a heavy dose of red paprika until deep, dark, and rich. The name means herdsman, and it is cauldron food, traditionally cooked outdoors over a fire.
★ 4.2|94 ratings
3Perkelt od somaNº 714
A Baranja catfish stew from Croatia's Hungarian-influenced east, sliced fillets simmered with onions, garlic, bacon and both mild and hot red paprika until deep and glossy. Traditionally served with homemade noodles tossed in cheese and bacon bits.
★ 4.1|25 ratings
4Zagorska juha s vrganjimaNº 739
A hearty Zagorje mushroom soup built on foraged boletus and cured meat, with potatoes, carrots, white wine and a finish of sour cream. An autumn and winter staple, reputed locally as a fine hangover cure and sometimes served in a hollowed loaf.
★ 4.1|47 ratings
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12The Gazetteer
The regions of Croatia with the deepest pots. Choose one to filter the complete ledger below.
Placed dishes only · top 6 regions
All 58 Croatian soups & stews in the world ranking, every entry.
Dalmatinska pašticada Stew Split ★ 4.2 Čobanac Stew Slavonia and Baranja ★ 4.2 Perkelt od soma Stew Baranja ★ 4.1 Zagorska juha s vrganjima Mushroom Soup Zagorje ★ 4.1 Slavonski gulaš Stew Slavonia and Baranja ★ 4.0 Maneštra od bobići Stew Istria ★ 4.0 Sataraš Stew Slavonia and Baranja ★ 3.9 Krumpirova juha na baranjski način Soup Baranja ★ 3.8 Maneštra Stew Istria ★ 3.8 
Juha od oslića Fish Soup Dalmatia ★ 3.8 
Gregada Stew Hvar ★ 3.8 
Raštika na imotski Stew Imotski ★ 3.7 
Juha sa štruklima Soup Zagorje ★ 3.7 
Grah s kiselom repom ili kiselim zeljem Stew Northern Croatia ★ 3.7 
Brudet Stew Dalmatia ★ 3.6 
Bela juha Soup Novi Marof ★ 0.0 
Ćoravi gulaš Stew Croatia ★ 3.5 
Istarska jota Stew Istria ★ 3.5 
Ajngemahtec Chicken Soup Zagreb ★ 3.5 
Pretepena juha Soup Međimurje County ★ 3.4 
Fiš paprikaš Stew Slavonia and Baranja ★ 3.3 
Neretvanski brudet Stew Neretva Delta ★ 3.3 
Juha od noje Soup Virovitica ★ 0.0 
Plučica na kiselo Offal Soup Zagreb ★ 0.0 Croatian soups & stews, frequently asked, answered from 976 ratings.
Soups & stews from Croatia's neighbours, ranked the same way.