Easy Bulgarian Banitsa Recipe

This easy Bulgarian Banitsa recipe is the best Banitsa recipe I’ve tried – and I’ve tried many. In today’s post, not only am I sharing this delicious, traditional Banitsa recipe, I’m also recounting stories from my life and travels in Bulgaria.

Living in Bulgaria, Eating and Making Banitsa

One cold, frosty morning in January 2008, I woke up early to go down to the local bakery to pick up breakfast. The smell of freshly baked breads and pastries filled the clear, crisp air. It was the first time I’d ever noticed how sweet bread can smell when it’s so fresh. Walking down the idyllic, narrow streets of Veliko Tarnovo, I reached the small bakery and went inside to choose from the wide selection of wonderful freshly baked breads and pastries. Some round, some rectangular, others square. Some were sweet banitsa recipes, others with white or yellow cheese.

For breakfast I chose traditional Bulgarian Banitsa and Ayran – a cold, savory, yogurt drink, made from Bulgarian yogurt, salt and water. Ayran is traditionally enjoyed for breakfast with Banitsa in Bulgaria. Every day after that for two weeks, I’d make the same trip down to fetch breakfast breads and pastries. I tried pretty much all of them during our stay in the town where we were staying before we moved into our new house. While they were all very tasty, traditional Banitsa is one of my favorite and is centered around many happy moments, sat around a table at New Year or when watching friends demonstrate their own version of Banitsa recipes.

Six months later, there was a knock on the door one night. It was our neighbor who has come to share his secret Banitsa recipe. He walked through the stone hallways into the kitchen and sat down at the table, covered with a traditional Bulgarian tablecloth embellished with folk-inspired embroidery. By this point, we had moved into our new home and had a great circle of friends. Earlier that evening, we had been out for coffee and met a neighbor who promised to share his secret Banitsa recipe under two conditions:

1. This was a secret family recipe not to be shared with anyone else.
2. Nobody else could know that he knew how to make such a great Banitsa and that he’d secretly learned from his aunt.

He was of course joking and the rest of the evening was spent having fun while sitting in on our very own live, authentic cooking class. Throughout the years, I got to taste many different homemade Bulgarian Banitsa recipes, each recipe slightly different. Some Banitsa recipes used soda water, others more eggs less cheese, some more cheese less eggs, I’ve also known people to make their own Filo pastry instead of buying store-bought Filo sheets.

What is Bulgarian Banitsa?

Bulgarian Banitsa is a cheese pastry / cheese pie, although the name in English doesn’t really do it justice. Many countries across the world have their own unique recipes for cheese pastries and personally, I don’t think you will find better than those found in the Balkan and Mediterranean regions. There are many variations of the Bulgarian Banitsa and over the years, I’ve tested many different versions. Some use more eggs, others use more cheese, some bake with soda water and then there are others that use natural Bulgarian yogurt in their Banitsa recipes. Every person who has ever shared their unique Banitsa recipe with me has assured me that their recipe is the best Banitsa recipe but the question remains – what is the traditional Banitsa recipe?

What is the Difference Between Bulgarian White Cheese and Greek Feta?

The cheese used in Bulgarian Banitsa is Bulgarian Sirene (сирене), a locally-produced white cheese similar to Greek Feta. Bulgaria and Greece share many similarities when it comes to their local produce, such as yogurt and white cheese but there are a few distinct differences. Bulgarian yogurt is more sour than Greek yogurt and is actually referred to as sour milk in Bulgarian – kiselo mlyako (кисело мляко). The difference between Greek feta and Bulgarian feta or white cheese is that Greek feta is more sour in taste and crumbly. Greek feta is usually made from sheep’s milk, whereas Bulgarian feta is often made with cow’s milk and is milder and more creamy with a slightly salty taste.

How to Make Traditional Banitsa Recipe with Yogurt

The traditional Banitsa recipe is made using filo pastry, Bulgarian feta cheese, eggs and yogurt. I have found that every recipe creates a slightly different result and texture. The traditional Banitsa recipe with yogurt is light and fluffy in texture and is the best Banitsa recipe I’ve tried.

You can cut the Banitsa slices as small or as big as you want. This recipe typically makes 6-12 slices, depending on how you cut them.

Spiral Banitsa or Layered Banitsa?

This recipe is ideal for crowds or when you’re entertaining because you can also double up the ingredients and make the Banitsa bigger or smaller. If you are making this Banitsa recipe for a party then it might be easier to make the layered Banitsa, which makes a square or rectangular shape. This is easier to cut and make into equal portions than the spiral Banitsa which can be difficult to cut into equal size portions neatly. On the other hand, the spiral Banitsa will really impress your guests if displaying it whole on a dining table at a dinner party.

Can You Freeze Banitsa?

Yes, you can freeze cooked Banitsa. Make sure that the Banitsa has cooled completely before freezing in an airtight container or freezable meal prep plates like these.

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