Top 5 Istrian Stews

This traditional Istrian stew-like soup is prepared with kidney beans, potatoes, and sweet corn, locally named bobići. Maneštra od bobići is cooked with the addition of dried pork meat, and for extra flavor, when the beans and corn are almost fully cooked, the dish is finished with the so-called pešt, a special kind of mash made with bacon fat, garlic, and parsley. Apart from the amazing flavor and aroma, this finishing touch also adds a nice thickness to the soup, making it a meal in itself, best enjoyed with some sourdough country-style bread.Expand

Istrian maneštra is a Croatian take on the popular Italian minestrone soup. This hearty and thick stew-like soup is made with dried meat, beans, and spring corn. There are numerous variations on the dish, so maneštra is typically served as the first course when dried meat is omitted, and if it is prepared with meat, the dish is then usually served as a main course. Carrots, celery, turnips, onions, and tomatoes can all be used in maneštra, which is often flavored with parsley, black pepper, olive oil, and bay leaves. There is also the annual Maneštra Festival in the county of Gračišće. It is recommended to serve this nourishing soup with pieces of crusty bread on the side.Expand

Istarska jota is an old dish that has been considered a poor man’s meal in the past. It is made with simple ingredients such as beans, sauerkraut or sour turnips, potatoes, bacon, spare ribs, onions, and garlic. All of the ingredients are seasoned with a few selected spices. The only constants of the dish are sauerkraut and olive oil, an unusual blend of Mediterranean and Central European influences on the region. This stew or thick soup is extremely popular in Istria and north-western Croatia, but also in parts of Slovenia and north-eastern Italy, specifically the territories that were under the Austro-Hungarian rule.Expand

Maneštra od jačmika is a traditional dish originating from Istria. This type of maneštra is usually made with a combination of barley, beans, potatoes, pancetta, onions, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. The beans are cooked, covered with water, then simmered with bay leaves, barley, pork legs, onion slices, salt, and pepper. Once the beans and barley are slightly tender, the potatoes are added to the mixture. Some of the potatoes are mashed with a fork in order for the maneštra to develop its thick consistency, and the dish is then served warm, while the pork legs are served on the side.Expand

Maneštra od koromača i svinjskog jezika is a traditional dish originating from Istria. This type of Istrian maneštra (soup-like stew) is made with a combination of beans, potatoes, fennel, pork tongue, bacon, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper. The beans are cooked, covered with water, and mixed with pork tongue, salt, pepper, bacon, and garlic. The mixture is simmered until the tongue and beans are slightly tender. The potatoes are peeled, cut into cubes, then added to the pot with the fennel. Once the beans and potatoes become fully cooked and the maneštra develops a thick consistency, the tongue is taken out of the pot, cleaned, and cut into slices. The slices are then arranged on a plate that's filled with maneštra, and the dish is enjoyed while still hot.Expand