Pljeskavica

History

Pljeskavica is a grilled patty of ground meat, usually a mix of beef, lamb and pork seasoned with onion and paprika, considered one of the most popular street foods of Serbia and the whole former Yugoslavia.

Its most spectacular version, the “gurmanska” (gourmet), is split and stuffed with kajmak, a melting fermented cream that oozes out when the well-grilled patty is cut open; often nicknamed the “Balkan hamburger” by Western visitors, pljeskavica is traditionally served in a flatbread called lepinja, with raw onion and assorted sauces.

Ingredients — serves 4

• 600 g ground meat (mixed beef, lamb and pork)
• 1 grated onion
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 100 g kajmak or creamy fresh cheese
• Lepinja flatbreads, or pita bread as a substitute
• Sliced raw onion, salt, pepper

Pljeskavica, step by step

1. Mix the ground meat with the grated onion, paprika, salt and pepper, then knead until the texture is even.
2. Shape wide, thin patties, larger than a standard burger patty.
3. Hollow out the center of each patty and place a spoonful of kajmak inside, then pinch the edges closed.
4. Grill the patties on a very hot grill or griddle, a few minutes on each side.
5. Warm the lepinja flatbreads on the grill for a moment.
6. Serve the pljeskavica in the warm bread, topped with sliced raw onion and the sauce of your choice.

Cooking method

Technique: a wide, thin patty rather than a thick burger, for quick, even cooking on a very hot grill.
Traditional equipment: charcoal grill, lepinja flatbread baked in a hearth oven.
Signs it’s ready: the patty is done when well marked on both sides but the kajmak at the center is still melting.

The “Balkan hamburger,” and where the comparison breaks down

Pljeskavica invites an easy comparison to a Western hamburger — ground meat, grilled, served in bread — and the nickname has stuck for exactly that reason. The comparison holds up to a point: like a burger, it’s a wide patty of mixed ground meat grilled hot and fast. It breaks down at the center, where the gourmet “gurmanska” version is stuffed with kajmak, a fermented cream that melts as the patty cooks, something no standard burger recipe calls for, and in the bread itself — lepinja, a yeasted flatbread rather than a bun.

Nutrition, per serving

Calculated from the raw ingredient quantities above, divided by four servings.

The kajmak filling adds meaningfully to both the fat and saturated fat totals compared with a plain grilled patty — expect a noticeably lighter dish if the cheese center is left out.

Economic context

Ground meat and bread are inexpensive staples across the former Yugoslavia, which has helped pljeskavica become genuine mass-market street food, sold from grills across Serbian cities at a fraction of the cost of a sit-down meal.

Source: World Bank / FAO, Food Prices for Nutrition database (Cost and Affordability of a Healthy Diet) v4.0, 2024 data, CC BY 4.0, DOI 10.57966/41AN-KY81. Retrieved 29 July 2026. This figure describes the cost of a healthy diet in Serbia generally — it is not a costing of this specific recipe.

Who this dish suits

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