🥙 LUNCH
Karađorđeva Šnicla
A breaded, rolled veal or pork cutlet stuffed with rich kajmak, sliced to reveal a molten centre, a Serbian showpiece.
Serbian · advanced · serves 4
prep 30 min · cook 15 min
~523 cal · 16g protein · 59g carbs · 25g fat · 5g fiber · 7g sugars · 13g sat fat (estimated, per serving)
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Karađorđeva šnicla, named for the Serbian revolutionary leader Karađorđe, is a modern classic invented in the 1950s, sometimes nicknamed the maiden's dream. It is Serbia's answer to chicken Kiev, and a point of national pride.
A thin sheet of veal or pork is spread with kajmak, the rich Balkan clotted cream, then rolled up tight, breaded, and deep-fried until golden. Cut across, it releases a molten river of kajmak. Served with tartar sauce and lemon, it is indulgent restaurant fare that home cooks bring out to impress.
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Make it yours
✓ Naturally nut-free. No swaps needed.
Toggle a diet and the ingredients rewrite themselves with regional substitutes.
🥕 Vegetarian
🌱 Vegan
🌾 Gluten-Free
🥛 Dairy-Free
🥜 Nut-Free
🥚 Egg-Free
🐖 Pork-Free
Dietary labels are a cooking guide, not allergen-safety advice. We track dairy, egg, gluten, tree nuts and peanuts (we count coconut as a tree nut, following FDA labeling), fish, and shellfish; we do not screen for sesame, soy, mustard, celery, or sulphites. If you have a food allergy, read the label on every product you use, and note that a kitchen can cross-contaminate in ways a recipe cannot control.
Ingredients
US
Metric
Serves 4
- 4 veal or pork cutlets, pounded thin
- 1 cup kajmak (or thick cream cheese)
- 1/2 cup flour, for dredging
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2 cups breadcrumbs
- oil or lard, for frying
- to taste salt and black pepper
- 1 cup and 1 tartar sauce and lemon, to serve
- 1 lb French fries, to serve
Instructions
- 1Pound the cutlets to about 1 cm, season them with salt and pepper, spread each with kajmak, then roll up tightly, tucking in the ends.✎ Chef’s noteThe original has kajmak and nothing else inside. The chef who invented it in 1956, improvising a chicken Kiev without butter or chicken, was firm that ham, pickles and the rest are later liberties.
- 2Dredge each roll in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs, sealing well.✎ Chef’s noteSeal the roll and its breadcrumb coat completely, with no gaps. That is what keeps the kajmak inside instead of leaking into the oil.
- 3Deep-fry until deep golden and cooked through, turning to brown evenly.
- 4Rest briefly, then slice to reveal the molten centre and serve with French fries, tartar sauce, lemon, and a fresh salad.
Serbian restaurant tradition.
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🌏 While it simmers, know your destination
📍
Šumadija (Belgrade). Sarma is not Serbian in origin. The name is the Turkish word for wrapping, the dish came in with the Ottomans, and Bosnia, Croatia, Slovenia, Hungary and Romania all make their own. What is local is the leaf: whole cabbage heads soured in barrels through the autumn rather than blanched fresh.
🗺️
Serbia. Serbian cooking is generous and grill-loving, ćevapi, stuffed cabbage (sarma), grilled meats, and rich ajvar pepper relish. Balkan, Ottoman, and Central European roots meet over bread, cheese, and rakija.
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Europe. A surprising amount of European cooking is under five hundred years old. Tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, maize, beans and chocolate all crossed from the Americas after 1492, and none of them was trusted quickly: the potato took most of the eighteenth century to be accepted as food rather than animal fodder across much of the north.
The story behind this dish is up top, worth a read while the pot works.
More from Serbia
Pasulj (Serbian Bean Stew)Slow-cooked white beans with smoked pork, onion and paprika, finished with a fried-onion and paprika roux (zaprska) that gives the stew its deep colour and flavour.
Sarma (Sour Cabbage Rolls)Sour-cabbage leaves rolled around spiced meat and rice, braised low over smoked ribs, the dish that anchors every Serbian slava.
ProjaA crumbly Serbian cornbread studded with white cheese, baked until golden and eaten with kajmak.
Browse all Serbia recipes →
Good to know
You’ll need: Deep pot for frying.
Storing it: Stews and braises keep 3 to 4 days refrigerated and often taste better the next day. Reheat gently, adding a splash of water if it has thickened.
Make it a Serbia meal
Šumadijski Čaj (Serbian Hot Rakija)Drink
VaniliceDessert
PljeskavicaDinner
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Frequently asked questions
What is Karađorđeva Šnicla?
A breaded, rolled veal or pork cutlet stuffed with rich kajmak, sliced to reveal a molten centre, a Serbian showpiece.
Where does Karađorđeva Šnicla come from?
Karađorđeva Šnicla is a Serbian dish from Šumadija (Belgrade), Serbia.
Can Karađorđeva Šnicla be made vegan, gluten-free, or dairy-free?
This Karađorđeva Šnicla recipe includes substitution suggestions for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free, and pork-free versions. Treat the substitutions as a starting guide rather than a guarantee, and see the allergen note below.
Is Karađorđeva Šnicla safe for people with food allergies?
Our dietary labels and substitutions are a cooking guide, not medical or allergen-safety advice. We track dairy, egg, gluten, tree nuts and peanuts (we still count coconut as a tree nut to be cautious, although the FDA stopped listing it as one in 2025), fish, and shellfish, but we do not screen for sesame, soy, mustard, celery, or sulphites. If you have a food allergy, always read the label on every product you use, and remember a home or commercial kitchen can cross-contaminate ingredients in ways a recipe cannot control.
How long does Karađorđeva Šnicla take to make?
About 45 minutes total (30 minutes prep, 15 minutes cooking), serving 4.
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