Best Recipe (+ Easy Stove-Top Version & Perfect Sides)

When the air smells faintly of smoke, leaves rustle underfoot, and days grow shorter, you know autumn has arrived — also known as bograč season. This isn’t just any goulash. It’s a slow-cooked, paprika-rich stew that brings people together around the fire and tastes like home, stories, and togetherness.

Yes, the most magical bograč happens outdoors in a kettle — but you don’t have to wait for a weekend or a big crowd. Below you’ll find two versions: the classic kettle rendition and a simplified stove-top home version for weeknights. And to finish, a few side ideas plus a quick bread-dumpling recipe you can whip up on the spot.

📍 Jump to: What is bograč? Classic bograč (6–8) Home bograč (4) Sides + bread dumplings FAQ

What is bograč?

Bograč is humble and generous at once — built on a lot of onions, several meats, plenty of paprika, and time. The best ones simmer gently — just a soft burble — until the flavors marry and the sauce naturally thickens.

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Classic bograč (6–8 servings)

Ingredients

• 800 g beef (chuck or brisket)
• 400 g pork (shoulder or neck)
• 300 g game (venison; if unavailable, use more beef)
• 4 large onions
• 4 garlic cloves
• 3–4 tbsp lard
• 3 tbsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp hot paprika
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 red bell peppers (diced)
• 2 carrots (diced)
• 2 tomatoes (peeled and chopped)
• 3 potatoes (diced)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 200 ml dry red wine
• ~1 L beef stock or water
• salt to taste

Detailed method

1. Onion base: Heat lard in a kettle/heavy pot. Add finely chopped onions and sauté slowly for 20–30 minutes until deep golden and soft. Don’t rush — this is the flavor backbone.
2. Brown the meats, in order: Add beef and sear about 10 minutes. Add game and sear another 10 minutes. Finish with pork, 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking.
3. Paprika without bitterness: Take the pot off the heat. Stir in sweet and hot paprika, then add garlic, cumin, pepper, and salt. Returning to the heat after mixing prevents paprika from turning bitter.
4. Vegetables: Stir in tomato paste, tomatoes, diced peppers, and diced carrots. Mix well.
5. Wine & gentle simmer: Pour in wine and let the alcohol evaporate for about 6 minutes. Add just enough stock to barely cover the meat. Lower the heat and let it gently simmer for about 1.5 hours, stirring now and then.
6. Potatoes & finish: When the meat is nearly tender, add potatoes and cook for about 30 minutes, until the potatoes are soft and the stew naturally thickens.

Tip: For extra body, mash a few potato cubes into the sauce. For a “kettle” vibe, finish with a pinch of smoked paprika.

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Home bograč (4 servings)

All the bograč soul, weeknight-friendly. We cook it on the stove — slower than fast food, faster than a kettle — and the payoff is big.

Ingredients

• 400 g beef
• 300 g pork
• 2 tbsp lard or oil
• 2 large onions
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp sweet paprika
• 1/2 tsp hot paprika
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 red bell pepper (diced)
• 1 carrot (diced)
• 2 tomatoes or 1 can chopped tomatoes
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• salt & pepper to taste
• 100 ml dry red wine
• ~600 ml stock
• 2–3 potatoes (diced)

Detailed method

1. Base: Warm lard/oil in a pot. Sauté finely chopped onions on medium for ~15 minutes until golden and soft. Add garlic for 1 minute.
2. Meats: Add beef, sear 10 minutes; add pork, 5 more minutes.
3. Spices: Remove from heat; stir in sweet & hot paprika, cumin, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Return to heat.
4. Veg: Add tomato paste, tomatoes, and the diced pepper and carrot. After 1 minute, pour in wine and let alcohol evaporate (2–3 minutes).
5. Simmer: Add stock, cover, and cook gently for ~1 hour, stirring occasionally; add a splash of liquid if needed.
6. Potatoes: Add potatoes and cook about 30 minutes until tender; mash a few cubes into the sauce to thicken.

Tip: Even better the next day — reheat gently so the flavors bloom again.

0.0/ 5 (0)

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Sides & Quick Bread Dumplings

Sop up every last spoonful with good crusty bread or creamy polenta. For a little “weekend luxury,” make these bread dumplings — soft, fluffy, and quick.

Quick Bread Dumplings

• 200 g day-old white bread (cubed)
• 2 eggs
• 100 ml milk
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1 tbsp butter
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Toast bread cubes lightly in butter until golden.
2. In a bowl, whisk eggs, milk, parsley, salt, and pepper. Add bread and mix well.
3. Rest 10 minutes so the bread absorbs the liquid; shape into dumplings.
4. Simmer in gently salted water for 10–12 minutes until they float.

Tip: For extra richness, add grated hard cheese or a spoon of sautéed onion. If the mixture feels too wet, add a handful of breadcrumbs.

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❓ FAQ

1) Can I cook bograč a day ahead?

Yes — it gets even better. Overnight, flavors marry and the reheated stew tastes richer.

2) What wine should I use?

A dry red you enjoy drinking. Skip sweet wines.

3) Can I freeze bograč?

Absolutely. Up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat gently.

4) Do I need game?

No. Replace it with more beef — it will still be excellent.

5) Can I tweak the spices?

Keep paprika, cumin, and bay as the base. Add marjoram, thyme, or chili if you like.

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Love a good autumn stew? Check out 6 cozy fall stews for more warm, weeknight-friendly bowls.

• 6 cozy fall stews

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Potato Žganci – A Traditional Slovenian Dish

Potato žganci are a dish known in almost every Slovenian household. Simple yet filling, they have nourished people across Slovenian regions for centuries. Once the everyday food of hardworking farmers, today they’re a dish we happily serve even on festive tables, reminding us of home and tradition.

Although the recipe looks straightforward, each part of Slovenia has its own version, and every cook has their own little trick for making them.

Recipe for Potato Žganci

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 800 g potatoes (starchy varieties – e.g., white potatoes)

• 200 g cornmeal (or a mix with wheat flour)

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 50 g pork cracklings (optional, for topping)

• 2 tablespoons oil or lard

Method

1. Cook the potatoes
   Peel the potatoes, cut them into larger pieces, and place them in a pot with salted water. There should be just enough water for the potatoes to float. Cook for about 20 minutes, until very soft.

2. Mash the potatoes
   Do not drain the water! Mash the potatoes directly in the cooking water with a masher or wooden spoon. You should get a thick potato base.

3. Add the cornmeal
   Sprinkle the cornmeal on top of the mashed potatoes in one pile. Do not stir! Make a small hole in the middle so steam can escape, then let it cook gently on low heat for about 15 minutes.

4. Mix the žganci
   After 15 minutes, slowly start mixing from the edges toward the center, combining the potatoes and cornmeal. Stir just enough to break them into a crumbly texture – žganci should be light and fluffy, not sticky.

5. Adjust the texture
   If too dry, add a little hot water. If too sticky, cook a bit longer to let excess moisture evaporate.

6. Topping
   Meanwhile, heat cracklings or oil/lard in a pan. Break the žganci into pieces on a plate and pour the hot topping over them.

Serving Suggestions

Žganci are a versatile dish. Traditionally, they are served with sour milk, whey, or yogurt. They also pair wonderfully with sauerkraut, turnip, goulash, or rich meat stews. For variation, you can add caramelized onions to the topping, or a spoon of sour cream to make the žganci softer and creamier.

Regional Variations of Potato Žganci

👉 Gorenjska (Upper Carniola)
Often served as a standalone dish, topped with lard or cracklings. Locals say they must be “as crumbly as sand.”

👉 Dolenjska (Lower Carniola)
Usually prepared with more flour, making them firmer. Traditionally eaten with sauerkraut or turnip.

👉 Prekmurje (northeast Slovenia)
Famous for buckwheat žganci, but potato versions were also common. Often mixed with cornmeal and served with bograč (a local goulash) or dairy dishes.

👉 Štajerska (Styria)
Žganci were typically a side dish to roasted meats or stews. Sometimes sour cream was added to make them softer and creamier.

Žganci were once considered the food of the hardworking common folk. The saying “Žganci for workers, potica for holidays” shows how everyday food and festive food were separated. Today, we cherish žganci as part of Slovenia’s culinary heritage – whether on a Sunday table or with a glass of sour milk for supper.

FAQ – Potato Žganci

1. How do I keep žganci from sticking together?
Don’t stir the cornmeal at first. Let it cook on the potatoes for about 15 minutes, then mix gently from the outside in until crumbly.

2. What do you serve potato žganci with?
Traditionally with sour milk, whey, or yogurt. They’re also great with sauerkraut, turnip, goulash, or meat stews.

3. Which flour is best for žganci?
Cornmeal is the most common, but you can also use a mix of cornmeal and wheat flour, or add some buckwheat flour for a stronger taste.

4. Why do they sometimes turn out too dry?
If there isn’t enough cooking water left with the potatoes, the mixture will be dry. Simply add a little hot water and mix again.

5. Can potato žganci be reheated?
Yes, although they’re best fresh. If you have leftovers, fry them quickly in a pan with a bit of fat to restore their flavor.

Gluten-Free Potato Spiral Pie (Krompiruša) — Rice Paper Version

A decade after my original 2015 potato strudel became one of the most-read recipes on Blaž kuha, here’s its gluten-free twin. The dough is replaced with rice paper sheets, but you still get that golden, crisp outside and soft, juicy potato filling. Simple, budget-friendly, and seriously addictive.

Ingredients (makes 4 spirals)

Filling

• 350 g potatoes (about 3 small), peeled and coarsely grated

• 80 g onion (1 small), finely chopped

• 150 g sour cream

• 1 tsp fine salt

• Ground black pepper, to taste

For assembling

• 2 eggs

• 12 rice paper sheets (22 cm / 8¾ in)

• 30 ml olive oil

• ½ tsp black sesame seeds

• Pinch of salt

• Pinch of pepper

Instructions

1. Make the filling. Rinse, peel and coarsely grate potatoes. Squeeze out excess liquid very well. Mix with chopped onion, sour cream, salt and pepper until evenly combined.

2. Egg mixture. In a wide, deep plate whisk the eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper. 

   

3. Lay the rice papers. Dip one side of a rice paper in the egg mixture. Place it sticky-side up on the work surface. Repeat with a second sheet, overlapping the first by about ¼. Add a third in the same way to make a long strip.

   

4. Shape a log. Spread a thin line of filling along the long edge, covering roughly half the strip. Roll up tightly into a log. Coil into a snail/spiral and place on a parchment-lined tray. Repeat to make 4 spirals. 

   

5. Glaze & bake. Mix olive oil with 30 ml cold water and brush the spirals. Sprinkle with black sesame. Bake at 200 °C / 392 °F for ≈38 min. Brush with the oil-water mix at least three times during baking (last time 5 min before the end).

6. Serve. Rest a few minutes, then serve warm. Great with a simple yogurt dip or tomato sauce, and fresh basil.

Variations

• Swap the potato filling for minced meat, cottage cheese, spinach & cheese, or chickpea hummus.

• Sweet version: apple & cinnamon (or my next one: Nutella & banana).