Romanian mici are easy, skinless sausages. Perfect for the outdoor grill, add some pita bread, hummus or garlic sauce and salad. A quick, meal ready to go in no time.
Reputed to be the Romanian National Dish, this Romanian sausage recipe is perfect if you have always wanted to make your own sausages!
Romanians prefer to moderately spice their mici with Hungarian paprika and coriander. And, as is not uncommon throughout the world, this dish was “invented” because of a kitchen mishap.
Our visit to Romania was full of surprises. In terms of food, what is Romania known for? Popular Romanian food certainly includes mici (pronounced “meech” but also known as mititei).
Then, there is Romanian Goulash, together with Polenta. People associate goulash with Hungary. But it is a popular, traditional Romanian dish found throughout Romania.
And polenta is a very popular Romanian food. It was available everywhere throughout Bucharest. And with the addition of some great herbs, is a fabulous accompaniment for a range of dishes.
But today, it is all about Romanian Mici, one of many easy Romanian recipes.
Typical Romanian Food Includes Lots of Grilled Meats
It is probably no surprise grilling meat is a very popular activity in Romania, as well as throughout Eastern Europe.
We have been fortunate enough to visit Turkey, Italy, Greece and Bulgaria. And, it is very interesting to observe ”food migration” between these countries. The influences are everywhere. Cooking Romanian mititei over flame is very typical of Eastern and Mediterranean Europe. But this Romanian sausage recipe came about because of a mishap!
The story goes that Romanian mici was invented only because the kitchen had run out of “sausage skins” for filling with sausage mixture. As there was a dignitary involved, the mixture was adjusted so it could be cooked without the skin and over flame and Romanian mici was born.
Another very, traditional, Romanian food is the humble kebap. Yes, popular throughout the same regions, Romanian traditional food like the kebap is easy Romanian street food available everywhere.
If you are in Bucharest, and as an alternative to Romanian mici, try the Turkish-style kebabs is at Dristor. They have fresh, healthy salads to accompany the kebaps. Delicious.
Between the Romanian skinless sausages and kebaps, it is easy to observe the influence of Turkey and Greece on the cuisine of Romania. Yogurt, cheese, and various, pork sausages are very common in Romanian cuisine. And they are good.
We visited Bucharest as part of #ExperienceBucharest, a five day event in early May, where 100 media and influence marketers were invited to learn more about Bucharest.
Romanian Mici: Easy Skinless Sausages
Do you like Greek cevapcici? These famous and easy skinless sausages are the Greek version of Romanian mici. They are very similar but the spicing varies.
As for mici, you can make this Romanian sausage with a combination of ground beef, pork and lamb. The spicing can vary but usually includes Hungarian or smoky paprika (not hot paprika) and coriander.
I love the idea of making my own, easy skinless sausages. So, if you have ever wanted to make your own sausages, I can’t think of a better recipe to try than this one.
If you can, allow the mixture to stand for 24 hours before cooking to allow the flavors to develop fully. This is by no means mandatory and even 1 hour will be fine.
| Servings | Prep Time | Cook Time | Passive Time |
| 6people | 15minutes | 15minutes | 24hours |
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 6people | 15minutes |
| Cook Time | Passive Time |
| 15minutes | 24hours |
- 1 lb pork, ground (minced)
- 1 lb beef, ground (minced)
- 1 tbsp salt, ground sea
- 1 tbsp black pepper, ground
- 4 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 small onions, brown grated
- 1 tbsp paprika, hungarian
- 1 tbsp coriander, ground
- 1 tsp caraway seeds
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
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Ingredients
Servings: people
Units:
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- Mix all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl until well incorporated. Cover and refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to develop.
- With wet hands, form into small sausages, about 4 inches (10 cm) long and 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter.
- It is best to grill the mici over hot coals, or pre-heated grill. Brown on all sides until cooked, about 5 minutes each side.
- Serve with green salad, pita bread and mustard or hummus.
Mercy
I am so glad I came across this recipe, I will try it as soon as possible. Tank you so much.
Alyssa
So I’m currently in Romania and dristor isn’t Romanian it’s turkish… still fantastic, but it’s definitely not the same.
Editor
Thanks Alyssa for pointing this out. Dristor is indeed Turkish. It’s interesting to taste the different spicing compared to mici.
Ashley @ Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen
This looks SO good! What a fun way to prepare sausage at home!
Editor
Yes, and easy, I might add. I enjoy eating sausages, so it was a good change up to be able to make my own rather than buy them.
Kim @ Three Olives Branch
I love food inspired by various countries, this looks amazing! So many great ways you could eat these.
Editor
They are quite nice and so easy to adjust the flavor with the spices you use for your own original creations!