Top 5 cozy Ukrainian autumn recipes you'll love

Pumpkin porridge

Autumn and pumpkins are practically synonymous in so many countries around the world. When you see the squash in stores, it signals that the warm days of summer are over, and it's time for your favorite blanket, hot cocoa, and hearty pumpkin recipes. Ukrainian autumn recipes are no exception!

So many Ukrainian fall dishes have pumpkin at the center of the recipe, but we offer something traditional and quintessentially Ukrainian that you may not have tried before — pumpkin porridge. 

Made with groats, like rice, millet, or corn, classic squash porridge is a perfect autumnal dish that Ukrainian grannies make every year for a cozy fall season.

Ukrainian autumn recipes: Pumpkin porridge is a fall staple in every Ukrainian household. Photo: Klopotenko

Ingredients (for 2 servings):

• 500 g pumpkin
• 100 g rice
• 300 ml water
• 400-500 ml milk (or plant-based milk for a vegan option)
• 1 tbsp sugar 
• 1 tbsp vanilla sugar
• Generous pinch of salt

For serving:

• Butter and honey (skip the butter or replace with coconut cream)

Preparation (45 min): 

1. Start by peeling and grating the pumpkin. Combine the pumpkin, rice, water, sugar, and a pinch of salt in a medium pot. Stir it all together, then bring the mixture to a boil. 
2. Once it bubbles, pour in the milk and reduce the heat to low. Let it simmer for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, as the rice absorbs the creamy liquid and the pumpkin softens into a velvety texture. 
3. If you want your porridge thicker or creamier, add more milk until it's just right. Serve it warm with a dollop of butter and a drizzle of honey for extra sweetness.

This Ukrainian autumn recipe is from the blog @AnnaCooking.

Holubtsi — stuffed cabbage rolls

Ukrainian autumn recipes: Holubtsi is one of the Ukrainian people's most favorite dishes. Photo: Klopotenko

Many European and Asian cultures have similar comforting dishes, each with its distinct preparation and ingredients. Some use cabbage, rice, and meat to make the delicious vegetable rolls, and some cook the meat stuffing in grape leaves. 

In Ukraine, they are called holubtsi — cabbage rolls stuffed with minced meat and groats, such as millet, buckwheat, or rice, cooked in a rich, flavorful tomato and stock sauce. Each Ukrainian family and region has its own unique recipe for this satisfying fall meal, and it's so beloved that it was included in the national intangible cultural heritage list. 

For us, holubtsi combines all the best flavors Ukrainian autumn cuisine has to offer — the tender and savory rice, meat, and veggies are satiating and nutritious, perfect for fall.

Ingredients (for 8 servings):

• 700 g ground pork
• 220 g rice
• 2 kg white cabbage
• 500 ml water/stock
• 1 carrot
• 1 tomato
• 1 onion
• 40 ml vegetable oil
• 250 ml tomato juice
• 250 ml tomato sauce
• 20 g dried garlic
• Salt to taste
• Ground black pepper to taste
• Sour cream

Preparation (90 min):

1. Prepare the cabbage and rice. Place the vegetable in a pot and add enough water to almost cover it. Simmer on low heat for 15–20 minutes until softened. While it's cooking, rinse the rice in a separate pot, then add water or stock. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
2. While the cabbage and rice are cooking, peel and wash the carrot, onion, and tomato. Grate the carrot and tomato into separate bowls and chop the onion. Heat a pan with oil and sauté the carrot and onion until soft.
3. To make the filling for this Ukrainian fall dish, mix the ground pork, cooked rice, grated tomato, sautéed carrot and onion, dried garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Stir until well combined.
4. Assemble the rolls. Carefully separate the cabbage leaves, trimming any thick veins. Place a portion of the filling on each leaf, fold the sides in, and roll it up.
5. Line the bottom of a pot with the leftover cabbage leaves. Arrange the cabbage rolls on top, pour in enough water or stock to cover them, and add the tomato sauce. Cover the pot with a lid and simmer on low heat for 40–50 minutes.
6. Serve with sour cream for a bit of tanginess.

This Ukrainian traditional food recipe is from shuba.life.

Bercimek şorba

Ukrainian autumn recipes: Bercimek şorba means red lentils soup in the Crimean Tatar language. Photo: Secretos del sur

Soup is the ultimate fall comfort food, and yes, we could go with a favorite Ukrainian classic, borshch, but today, we'd like to suggest something different but still hearty, rich, and full of flavor. This dish belongs to the culture of Ukraine's indigenous people, Crimean Tatars, and is called bercimek şorba.

This Crimean Tatar soup is made with bercimek, known as red lentils, and all kinds of meat except pork, bell pepper, and rice — perfectly creamy and velvety goodness to cook on a chilly day. This easy-to-make and autumnally red soup will warm you up, allowing you to discover the cuisine of a new culture.

Ingredients (for 6 servings):

• 500 g beef, cubed (skip the meat if you're plant-based)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 liter water
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ cup long-grain rice
• 2 carrots, diced
• ½ cup red lentils

Preparation (40 min):

1. Sear the beef. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the cubed beef and sauté until browned on all sides. Then, add the chopped onion and stir until the onion becomes translucent.
2. Peel, wash, and dice the carrots. Rinse and chop the bell pepper into small pieces. Add the carrots and bell pepper to the pot, stirring to combine with the beef and onion.
3. Finely chop the minced garlic and add it to the pot. Pour in the water, then season with salt and black pepper. Stir well to combine all the ingredients.
4. Once the water reaches a boil, add the rinsed rice and red lentils. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the lentils and rice are tender, about 20–30 minutes.

The recipe is from shuba.life.

Mushroom roast in a pot

Ukrainian autumn recipes: Mushroom roast is cooked and served in pots. Photo: Authentic Ukraine

How can autumn be without a juicy and hearty roast? In Ukraine, no fall season is passed without making one. Traditional Ukrainian roast is usually cooked with fresh and local ingredients — mushrooms, meat, and vegetables — in a clay pot in an oven. Each region has its own interpretation of this Ukrainian fall dish, but the most famous one comes from the northern region of Sumy.

Ukrainian mushroom and meat roast made with the most commonly found ingredients, like potatoes, beef, mushrooms, and carrots, offers comfort and warmth with every bite. It's everything you want from a fall braised dish: caramelization, delicate but chewy texture, and satiating and nurturing feel.

Ingredients (for 6 servings):

• 1 kg beef, cubed
• 60 g lard
• 120 g mushrooms (champignons)
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 carrots, grated
• 2 kg potatoes, cubed
• 100 g vegetable oil
• 250 g sour cream
• 500 ml mushroom broth
• 500 ml beef broth
• Salt, to taste
• Ground black pepper, to taste
• Fresh herbs to taste

Preparation (80 min):

• Wash the beef, cut it into pieces, and season with salt and pepper. Heat the pork fat over medium heat in a pan and sear the beef for about 10–15 minutes until browned.
• Grate the carrots and finely chop one of the onions. Add them to the beef with the beef broth, and simmer for 15–20 minutes for the flavors to blend.
• Peel and cube the potatoes. Boil the mushrooms for 10–15 minutes, then drain and chop them. Dice the second onion and sauté it with the mushrooms and potatoes in vegetable oil until golden brown, about 10–15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven and set your oven to 180 °C (350 °F). Layer the beef and stewed vegetables, sautéed mushrooms, onions, and potatoes into ceramic or clay pots. Pour over the sour cream and mushroom broth for a rich, creamy finish.
• Place the pots in the preheated oven and roast for about 30 minutes until the dish is fully cooked. Serve this hearty mushroom roast with a sprinkle of fresh herbs for a satisfying, cozy meal.

This Ukrainian autumn recipe is from shuba.life.

Hamula — apple cookies 

Ukrainian autumn recipes: Traditional Ukrainian apple cookies are called hamula. Photo:  Klopotenko

Finally, dessert! Ukrainians can't imagine the chilling fall without apples and cookies, so they came up with a pastry called hamula that combines both. In the past, this traditional Ukrainian autumn cookie was made with soft, overripened apples, which could no longer be stored in the cellar for winter. Now, Ukrainians use any apples in season and just bake them to get the needed tender purée for the batter.

This fruity pastry is crusty, crumbly, and fragrant — ideal fall comfort food to treat yourself to when you drink heartwarming herbal tea, hot coffee, or spicy cocoa. 

Ingredients (4-6 servings):

• 2 apples
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 50 g butter
• 1 egg
• 75 g oat flour
• 170 g all-purpose flour
• 1 pinch of salt

For the apple mousse:

• 3 apples
• 3 egg yolks
• 100 ml milk
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Preparation (90 min):

1. Wash five apples thoroughly, cut them in half, and remove the cores. Place the apple halves on a baking sheet lined with foil and roast in the oven at 180 °C (350 °F) for about 40 minutes.
2. Once the apples are tender, scoop out the soft flesh, which will be used to make the purée for the dough and mousse.
3. Combine all-purpose flour and oat flour in a bowl. Add a pinch of salt, sugar, and butter. Rub the mixture together with your fingers until it forms a crumbly texture.
4. Add apple purée and egg to the flour mixture. Knead the dough until smooth. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill it in the fridge for 20–30 minutes.
5. Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to about 0.5 cm thick. Cut out shapes using cookie cutters or a glass.
6. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the cookies on top. Bake in the oven at 200 °C (390 °F) for 7–10 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool completely.

Prepare the apple mousse: 

1. Mix apple purée, egg yolks, milk, and sugar. Heat the mixture over a steam, stirring constantly, for about 10 minutes until the mousse thickens.
2. Serve the cookies with the cooled apple mousse with a hot drink of your choice.

The recipe is by Ukrainian chef Yevhen Klopotenko.

If you want to learn more about Ukrainian autumn traditions beyond food and seasonal cuisine, we've got you covered! Follow this link to find out more.

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