Poland’s cuisine includes red beet soup, kielbasa, and pierogi dumplings. These foods are among the best-known examples of Polish cooking, although recipes vary widely by region and family.
Red beet soup is commonly called barszcz in Poland. Polish red barszcz is often a clear, tangy soup made with beetroot and beet sourdough, especially popular on Christmas Eve. Kielbasa is the Polish word for sausage and covers many varieties, from smoked meats to fresh white sausage.
Pierogi are semicircular dumplings filled with ingredients such as potato and farmer cheese, sauerkraut and mushrooms, minced meat, or fruit. They are often confused with dumplings from neighboring Eastern European cuisines because similar dishes exist across the region. Polish cuisine also includes bigos, gołąbki, żurek, potato pancakes, and oscypek cheese.