Flavors · Split-Dalmácia

Poljički soparnik

Thin unleavened pastry pie filled with Swiss chard and onion, baked on the hot stone of the hearth covered with embers and finished with olive oil and garlic. It is a dish from the Poljica region, between Split and Omiš, with EU geographical indication.

Traditional dish from Split-Dalmácia

Also known as: Soparnik, Poljički zeljanik, Poljički uljenjak, Zeljanik, Uljenjak

Updated November 2026

Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.

Click a photo to enlarge it.

Poljički soparnik — Split-Dalmácia, Croatia — Poljički soparnik

Poljički soparnik — Split-Dalmácia, Croatia

Soparnik is a large, thin pie made with two sheets of dough of flour, water, salt and olive oil, filled with chopped raw Swiss chard and onion. It comes from the historic Poljica region, inland from the coast between Split and Omiš, and the name 'Poljički soparnik', with the variants 'Poljički zeljanik' and 'Poljički uljenjak', is a protected geographical indication in the European Union.

Traditional baking is done on the komin, the stone hearth of Dalmatian houses. A fire is lit with wood and vine cuttings until the stone is very hot. The soparnik is placed on it, covered with embers, and bakes for about twenty minutes.

As soon as it comes out of the fire, the pie is brushed free of ashes and drizzled with olive oil and chopped garlic. Then it is cut into diamonds on a round wooden board, the sinija.

According to oral tradition, soparnik was already popular during Ottoman rule. It was peasant food, made with what was available in almost every home, and today it is a regional symbol: there is an association dedicated to it and a festival in the municipality of Dugi Rat.

Share: WhatsApp

Where it comes from

Split-Dalmácia
Dish from the historic Poljica region, between Split and Omiš, in Split-Dalmatia County.

Ingredients

Wheat flour, water, salt and olive oil for the dough; Swiss chard and onion for the filling; olive oil and garlic on top.

How it is eaten

Cut into diamonds, usually served cold or warm, as a main dish or snack.

When it is eaten

Home and festive dish of the Poljica region; also made on meatless days.

Your questions

Questions about Poljički soparnik

What is soparnik?

A thin pie filled with Swiss chard and onion, baked under embers and finished with olive oil and garlic, typical of the Poljica region in Dalmatia.

Where is Poljički soparnik made?

In the historic Poljica region, between Split and Omiš, from the coast inland to the Zamosorje area.

How is soparnik baked?

Traditionally on the hot stone of the hearth, the komin, covered with embers, for about twenty minutes.

Flavors of Croatia

Discover other flavors of Croatia

Detail of rozata presented as a decorated restaurant dish.

Sweet · Dubrovnik

Dubrovačka rozata

Egg custard made from eggs, milk and sugar baked in a water bath over a layer of caramel and scented with rozalin, Dubrovnik rose liqueur. It is the city’s most traditional dessert.

Detail of the tubular pasta coated in the meat sauce.

Dish · Dubrovnik

Šporki makaruli

Thick tubular pasta, the makaruli, served with the sauce of a beef stew made with wine and spices. It’s the dish of the Feast of St. Blaise, patron saint of Dubrovnik.

Detail of the fish, the potato and the broth of the gregada.

Dish · Hvar

Hvarska gregada

Stew of white fish with potato, onion, garlic, parsley, olive oil and white wine, without tomato, cooked in a wide pan. It is the island of Hvar’s fish specialty.

Drink · Ístria

Istarska supa

Red wine, usually teran, warmed with olive oil, sugar and pepper and served with toasted bread in a ceramic pitcher, the bukaleta, passed from hand to hand. It is a social ritual of Istria and a cultural heritage protected by Croatia.

Sweet · Korčula

Lumblija

Round fermented dough cake with almonds, walnuts, raisins, citrus fruits and spices, brushed with varenik or brandy and dusted with sugar. It is a sweet from the island of Korčula with a European Union geographical indication.

Dish · Krapina-Zagorje

Zagorski štrukli

Dough rolled very thin, filled with fresh cheese, eggs and cream, rolled up and cut into pieces that are cooked or baked. It is the dish of Hrvatsko zagorje, with EU geographical indication and protection as an intangible cultural heritage.

Dish · Krk

Krčke šurlice

Homemade dough rolled into thin tubes by hand around a needle, served with žgvacet, a lamb or beef meat sauce, and sheep cheese. It is the pasta that symbolizes the cuisine of the island of Krk.

Sweet · Međimurje

Međimurska gibanica

Layered cake made with thin stretched dough and four fillings: walnuts, poppy seeds, fresh cheese, and grated apple. It is the best-known sweet from Međimurje, in the far north of Croatia.

Dish · Osijek

Fiš paprikaš

Spicy stew of river fish, such as carp and catfish, with onion and lots of paprika, cooked in a cauldron over a wood fire. It is the fish dish of Osijek and of Slavonia and Baranja.

Sweet · Samobor

Samoborska kremšnita

Puff pastry dessert filled with a thick layer of egg custard and whipped egg whites, cut into squares. The recipe was created in Samobor in the 1920s, and the dessert is a recognized intangible cultural heritage of Croatia.

Dish · Skradin

Skradinski rižot

Veal and onion risotto cooked for many hours in a strong broth, stirred constantly with a large wooden paddle, traditionally by the men of Skradin. It is prepared in large quantities for celebrations.

Dish · Split

Pašticada

Beef larded with garlic, clove and bacon, marinated in wine and vinegar and cooked for hours in a dark sauce with dried plum and prošek. In Split, it’s served with gnocchi or pasta.

Detail of icing decoration on a paprenjok.

Sweet · Stari Grad

Starogrojski paprenjok

Honey biscuit with olive oil, prošek and spices from Stari Grad on the island of Hvar, shaped into figures and decorated with sugar. It is mentioned in a 1556 poem and the art of making it is a protected cultural practice.

Assembly of the Ston tart with pastry and the dried-nut mixture.

Sweet · Ston

Stonska torta

Thin pastry tart filled with cooked pasta, walnuts, almonds, sugar, chocolate and spices. It is the sweet of Ston, on the Pelješac peninsula, and is traditionally made at Christmas and Easter.

Drink · Zadar

Maraschino

A colorless liqueur distilled from the marasca cherry, with a sweet, almond-like flavor. Tradition links it to the Dominican monastery of Zadar in the 16th century, and the city made a living from its production and export for more than two centuries.

All the flavors of Croatia