Balkan Breakfast
A Balkan breakfast is a shared plate eaten across Bulgaria, Serbia and their neighbours: fried sudzuk sausage, eggs, salty white cheese, ajvar, olives and raw vegetables, torn bread on the side. The version that went viral on TikTok is this same plate.
Ingredients
- 150 gsudzuk sausage (Turkish sucuk works too)
- 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; halve the radishes. 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.
Ajvar is a roasted red pepper and eggplant spread from the Balkans — smoky, slightly tangy, and deeply savory. Think of it as the Balkan version of a condiment. Spread it on bread, mix it into eggs, or use it as a dip for vegetables. Find it in Eastern European grocery stores or make it at home.
Absolutely. Skip the sausage and double the eggs and feta. Add sautéed mushrooms or grilled eggplant for the same satisfying savouriness. Ajvar, olives, and good bread already give you most of the flavor — the meat is optional.
Both — and that's the point. The Balkan breakfast is a philosophy: choose real, quality ingredients and serve them together with care. The cooking is simple (eggs and sausage), but the composition and variety are what make it special. It's closer to a cheese board than a cooked breakfast.
Strong black coffee, cooked in a džezva (small brass pot) on the stovetop if you want to be traditional. Turkish-style coffee or espresso works equally well. Plain yogurt on the side — for sipping, not eating — is another Balkan classic.
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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.