Balkan cuisine covers the cooking of the Balkan Peninsula - Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, North Macedonia, Albania, and parts of Greece, Slovenia, and Romania - shaped by the region's history under the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian empires alongside Mediterranean influence.
Grilled and roasted meats are central: ćevapi (small beef and lamb sausages), pljeskavica (a grilled meat patty), and raznjići (skewered meat) are staples, often served with ajvar, a roasted red pepper spread. Dairy plays a large role too, including sir (a hard, aged cheese) and kajmak (a thick, clotted-cream-like dairy product), often used in the layered pastry burek. Bean- and vegetable-based dishes like sarma (stuffed cabbage or vine leaves) and dolma (stuffed vegetables) are common, and baklava is a well-known regional dessert, alongside rakija, a strong distilled fruit brandy.