History

The lonac (literally 'pot') tradition runs across Bosnian peasant cooking from Ottoman times, with Sarajevo's version receiving the late-Habsburg Vegeta stock-cube addition (Vegeta was invented in Croatia 1959 but landed across Yugoslav cooking). Dveri on Prote Bakovica and Inat Kuca on Veliki Alifakovac both anchor the Sarajevo recipe today.

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 40 minTotal 4 hrDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 800g beef shin, cubed
  • 1 white cabbage, roughly chopped
  • 500g potatoes, peeled and cubed
  • 3 carrots, sliced thick
  • 2 onions, sliced
  • 3 red bell peppers, sliced
  • 5 garlic cloves
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon Vegeta seasoning (or 1 stock cube)
  • Salt, black pepper
  • 300ml hot water

Method

  1. Heat oven to 160 C.
  2. Layer the bottom of a deep earthenware pot with onion and garlic.
  3. Add a layer of cabbage, then carrot, then potato, then beef. Repeat the layers without stirring.
  4. Top with sliced peppers and a generous dusting of paprika, Vegeta, salt and pepper.
  5. Pour the hot water down the side of the pot (not over the top) until it reaches halfway up.
  6. Cover with a tight lid; bake 3.5 hours without opening.
  7. Rest 15 minutes before serving in the pot at the table with crusty bread.

Tip from the editors. Never stir bosanski lonac. The principle is the layers staying distinct through the long bake.

Where to eat bosanski lonac

Bosanski Lonac in Sarajevo

Dveri ★ 4.2

Traditional BosnianChef the owners$$$$40-65 KM per headbascarsijaMon-Sun 08:00-23:00Book 3 days ahead

Dveri off Saraci in Bascarsija is the Sarajevo Bosnian institution behind a wood-shuttered facade, with a flowered courtyard and hearty lonac at every table.

Tip: Reservations are essential; Dveri is cash only and the rear courtyard tables are the ones to ask for in summer.

Prote Bakovica 12, 71000 Sarajevo

Inat Kuca ★ 4.0

Traditional BosnianChef the owners$$$$35-65 KM per headkovaciMon-Sun 09:00-23:00Book 3 days ahead

Inat Kuca in Kovaci is the Sarajevo Spite House, an Ottoman house moved across the Miljacka in 1895 and now a Bosnian restaurant for sahan and lonac.

Tip: Reserve a riverside terrace table for dinner; ask for sarajevski sahan to taste five Bosnian dishes in one tray.

Veliki Alifakovac 1, 71000 Sarajevo Book →

Nanina Kuhinja ★ 4.4

Street food$bascarsijaMon-Sun 08:00-23:00

Nanina Kuhinja's Kundurdziluk counter in Sarajevo serves Bosnian comfort plates the way a nana would, with sarma, klepe and lonac sold by the portion.

Try: Sarma, klepe and bosanski lonac counter

Tip: The counter at lunch is the easiest sit; ask for klepe with extra walnut and kajmak.

Kundurdziluk 35, 71000 Sarajevo

Sedef ★ 4.3

Traditional Bosnian$$ilidzaMon-Sun 09:00-23:00

Sedef in Ilidza is the Sarajevo family room cooking the canonical sahan, bosanski lonac and colourful dolma at suburban prices for the Vrelo Bosne crowd.

Signature: Sarajevski sahan, Bosanski lonac, Dolma, Small cevapi

Order: Sarajevski sahan platter with five Bosnian dishes in one tray.

Tip: Take the tram to Ilidza, then walk; the outdoor alley tables are the ones to ask for, and the kitchen does whole roast lamb on order.

Hrasnicka cesta 15, 71210 Ilidza, Sarajevo

More cities are in research. Want bosanski lonac covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.

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