Katuk

Name: Katuk (Bulgarian Cheese Spread with Garlic and Yogurt)
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 4-6 as a meze
Cuisine: Bulgaria
Ingredients: 250 g (9 oz) feta or Bulgarian sirene cheese; 120 ml (½ cup) plain whole-milk yogurt; 60 ml (¼ cup) whole milk; 3-4 cloves garlic; 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tsp dried red chili flakes (chusheshti); salt

★ 4.5

Last updated Aug 13, 2026 · Reviewed by the WhatWhereVacay editorial team

Katuk counts among the traditional food of Bulgaria, a spread locals hold dear.

About Katuk

Katuk counts among the traditional food of Bulgaria, a spread locals hold dear. Key ingredients include milk, cheese, yogurt and garlic.

🏛️ History & Culture

Katuk is a traditional Bulgarian dairy spread, most closely tied to the Rhodope Mountains region, where it has been made for generations. Its exact origins are not formally recorded, but it likely emerged as a practical way to use surplus yogurt and milk, with local variations depending on whether sheep's or cow's milk is used. Some versions are thicker and more cheese-like, while others remain softer, and the common addition of garlic gives it a pungent, savory character.

In Bulgarian cuisine, katuk is a beloved appetizer, typically spread on bread or served alongside salads and grilled meats. It reflects the country's deep dairy heritage and is often featured at family meals and festive tables, where its simple ingredients and handmade quality evoke a sense of rural tradition and home cooking.

🍳 How to make Katuk

AI-assisted, not kitchen-tested

Katuk (Bulgarian Cheese Spread with Garlic and Yogurt)

A beloved Bulgarian breakfast spread, Katuk combines aged white cheese, yogurt, and a generous dose of raw garlic into a thick, tangy paste typically scooped with green peppers, tomatoes, or crusty bread. It is essentially the Bulgarian cousin of tarator and sirene, designed to use up brined cheese that has dried out a bit in the pantry.

Prep: 10 min
Total: 10 min
Serves: 4-6 as a meze
Difficulty: Easy

Recipe ingredients

250 g (9 oz) feta or Bulgarian sirene cheese, well-drained; sirene is traditional, mature feta is the closest substitute
120 ml (½ cup) plain whole-milk yogurt, Bulgarian-style if possible (higher fat, slightly tangier), otherwise Greek full-fat
60 ml (¼ cup) whole milk, add more by the teaspoon if the spread is too thick
3-4 cloves garlic, crushed to a paste; traditional recipes are assertive, use 4 if you want it punchy
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling, optional
1 tsp dried red chili flakes (chusheshti), optional, for the characteristic Bulgarian warmth
salt, to taste, usually none needed, the cheese is brined

Steps

1 Crumble the cheese into a mixing bowl. If it is very hard or dry, grate it on the large holes of a box grater instead.
2 Add the yogurt and stir with a fork, pressing the cheese against the side of the bowl to break it down.
3 Peel the garlic and crush it to a smooth paste with a pinch of salt using the flat of a knife or a microplane. Stir into the cheese mixture.
4 Pour in the milk, a tablespoon at a time, and work it in until you have a thick, spoonable paste, roughly the texture of softened cream cheese. Cover and rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes so the garlic mellows and the flavors marry.
5 Stir once more, taste for salt (the cheese is usually salty enough), and pile into a small dish. Drizzle with olive oil, scatter the chili flakes if using, and serve cold.
6 Eat within 2 days, kept cold. Katuk is traditionally scooped with grilled green peppers, sliced tomato, cucumber batons, or warmed flatbread.

Report an issue with this recipe

🧺 Key ingredients

milk
cheese
yogurt
garlic

🍴 Where to eat it

Locals spread katuk on crusty bread during long summer lunches in the shade of vineyard trellises across the Bulgarian countryside.

Find Katuk restaurants on Google Maps

🍽️ Do you serve this?

Own or manage a restaurant that serves Katuk? List it for free.

Do you serve this in your restaurant?

Planning a trip to Bulgaria?

Find places to stay and ways to get there.

→ Hotels & stays → Find flights → Travel guides

Recipes from travellers

No one has shared their own Katuk recipe yet. Yours would be the first.

Share how you make Katuk

You'll need to be signed in with Google or Facebook so your name can appear on it. Recipes go through an automatic food-safety check before they publish.

Title

Short intro (optional)

Prep (min)

Cook (min)

Serves

Difficulty

Ingredients

Steps

✅ Before you go to Bulgaria

Round out your trip — most travellers book these alongside their trip.

You might also like

Drinks & Beverages ★ 4.5

Yogurt

Bulgarian yogurt is a thick, tangy fermented dairy product made with traditional Lactobacillus bulgaricus cultures, served plain with honey or alongside grilled meats.

🇧🇬 Bulgaria · 📍 Bulgaria