Hand-rolled grilled beef fingers tucked into pillowy somun with raw onion and kajmak — Sarajevo’s pride.

Where does Ćevapi come from?

Ćevapi is a Bosnian dish from Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina.

Can Ćevapi be made vegan, gluten-free, or dairy-free?

Yes. This Ćevapi recipe includes ingredient substitutions to make it vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, or egg-free — including several of those at once, such as gluten-free and dairy-free together.

How long does Ćevapi take to make?

About 40 minutes total (25 minutes prep, 15 minutes cooking), serving 4.

Ćevapi — a Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina recipe

Name: Ćevapi
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Bosnian
Ingredients: 1.5 lbs ground beef (some lamb welcome); 3 cloves garlic, grated; 1/2 tsp baking soda (the texture secret); 1 tsp each sweet paprika + black pepper; 4 somun or pita flatbreads; 1 large raw onion, finely chopped; 1/2 cup kajmak (or thick sour cream); a jar on the table ajvar (red pepper relish), optional

Europe → 🇧🇦 Bosnia & Herzegovina → Sarajevo

Ćevapi

Bosnian · easy · serves 4

prep 25 min · cook 15 min

~721 cal · 51g protein · 40g carbs · 37g fat (estimated, per serving)

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Grilled meat fingers in flatbread with raw onion and kajmak

🇧🇦 Sarajevo

In Baščaršija, Sarajevo’s old bazaar, ćevabdžinicas have grilled these small kebabs since Ottoman times, and locals order them by count — five, ten, fifteen — never by menu name. The somun bread is warmed over the same coals until it breathes smoke.

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Make it yours

Toggle a diet and the ingredients rewrite themselves with regional substitutes.

🥕 Vegetarian

🌱 Vegan

🌾 Gluten-Free

🥛 Dairy-Free

🥜 Nut-Free

🥚 Egg-Free

Ingredients

Serves 4 —

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1.5 lbs ground beef (some lamb welcome)

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3 cloves garlic, grated

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1/2 tsp baking soda (the texture secret)

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1 tsp each sweet paprika + black pepper

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4 somun or pita flatbreads

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1 large raw onion, finely chopped

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1/2 cup kajmak (or thick sour cream)

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a jar on the table ajvar (red pepper relish), optional

Instructions

1

Knead the meat with garlic, baking soda, paprika, pepper, and salt for a full 5 minutes — the knead builds the signature springy bite. Rest overnight if possible.

2

Roll into finger-sized cylinders, all the same width.

3

Grill over hot coals (or a screaming grill pan), turning often, 8–10 minutes until charred outside and juicy within.

4

Warm the somun over the same fire; split like a pocket.

5

Serve five or ten to a bread with a snowdrift of raw onion and a spoon of kajmak. Ajvar within reach.

Baščaršija ćevabdžinica tradition.

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🌏 While it simmers — know your destination

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Sarajevo. Grill smoke in Baščaršija means the ćevapi are ready.

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Bosnia & Herzegovina. Grill smoke and coffee in the heart of the Balkans.

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Europe. Village recipes guarded for generations.

The story behind this dish is up top — worth a read while the pot works.

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Richard Moore & Kelsey Tucker

Recipes cooked, tested, and researched by the creators of Spin the Globe. How we build our recipes →