Bulgaria · Breakfast and Brunch · Quick
Balkan Breakfast
The hearty morning spread that went viral on TikTok — and for good reason. Fried eggs, spicy sudzuk sausage, creamy feta, ajvar, olives, and fresh vegetables, all served on one generous plate with crusty bread. A tradition from the Balkans that turns breakfast into an event.
20 min 550 kcal 2 serves Medium⚡Quick🇧🇬Bulgaria★★★★★4.5· 6 reviews
Ingredients
ServingsMetric
- 150 gspicy cured sausage
- 150 gsudzuk sausage
- 4 large eggs
- 150 gfeta cheese
- 2 tbspajvar
- 2 ripe tomatoes
- 1 cucumber
- 1 green or red bell pepper
- 4 radishes
- 1 handfulblack olives
- 2 tbspolive oil
- 4 slicescrusty white bread or sourdough
- to tastesalt and black pepper
Method
- Slice the sausage into rounds about 5 mm thick. If using thin sausages like frankfurters or hunting sausages, score two shallow cuts in an X on each end — they'll curl into a flower shape when heated. Pan-fry in a dry skillet over medium-high heat for 3–4 minutes per side until lightly charred and the fat is rendered. Chorizo and pepperoni work beautifully here — they release their red oil into the pan which adds flavor to the whole plate.
- In the same pan, add a little olive oil and fry the eggs to your liking. For the classic Balkan style: sunny-side up with a fully set white and a runny yolk. Season with salt and pepper. A hard-boiled egg works just as well — 7 minutes in boiling water gives a soft center.
- Slice the tomatoes into thick rounds, the cucumber into diagonal pieces, and the pepper into strips. Arrange everything on a large plate or wooden board: eggs in the center, sausage alongside, feta cut into thick slabs, vegetables in a ring around the edges, olives scattered in the gaps.
- Add two generous spoonfuls of ajvar — it goes next to the bread, perfect for spreading. Drizzle a little olive oil over the feta and vegetables. Serve the bread warm or toasted. The whole spread should feel abundant — this is not a rushed meal.
FAQ
Any spicy cured or smoked sausage works well. Chorizo is the easiest to find and gives a similar bold, paprika-forward flavor. Pepperoni, smoked hunting sausages, or any dry-cured salami are all good options. The key is that the sausage should be flavourful and a little fatty — it needs to sizzle and release its oils in the pan.
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Comments (1)
Taste as you cook — this is the most important habit for balkan breakfast. Your spicy cured sausage might be more or less intense than mine. Season to your palate, not blindly to the recipe.