Lithuanian traditional foods
Varškės sūris
Varškės sūris is one of Lithuania's most recognizable dairy products: cheese formed from curdled milk or curd cheese, pressed, and often flavored with caraway, eaten fresh, dried, fried, or marinated.
Food and heritage context
- Category
- Dairy products
- Type
- pressed fresh curd cheese
- Heritage status
- EU-protected traditional product
- Context
- Curd cheese, milk, cheese bag, pressing, caraway, dried cheese, fried cheese
Names and variants
Lithuanian curd cheese, Sweet-sour curd cheese
What is varškės sūris?
Varškės sūris is a fresh cheese formed from a curdled milk mass and pressed. In Lithuania it is often recognized by its triangular or wedge shape.
It may be fresh, salted, flavored with caraway, dried, smoked, fried, or marinated.
Lietuviškas varškės sūris
Lietuviškas varškės sūris is a protected traditional product name in the European quality system. This emphasizes not only the ingredients but also the production method and shape.
The Universal Lithuanian Encyclopedia cheese overview helps explain the wider context: cheese in Lithuania was made from milk-processing products, while varškės sūris stands out through pressing in a cheese bag and quicker consumption compared with long-aged cheeses. Varškė itself, the curd from which the cheese is pressed, was made in eastern Aukštaitija from soured milk, and in western Lithuania from a mixture of sour and sweet milk, then flavored with caraway, tarragon, or poppy seeds.
Varškės sūris shows Lithuania's strong dairy-farming and household-processing tradition.
Fresh, dried, and fried
Fresh varškės sūris is eaten soft, with bread, honey, vegetables, or caraway. When dried, it becomes firmer and keeps longer.
Fried or marinated varškės sūris is a modern kitchen interpretation, but it rests on the same pressed dairy-product base.
Caraway and serving
Caraway is a classic addition that gives aroma and pairs well with rye bread.
Fresh cheese is eaten with honey, jam, bread, vegetables, or fried in a pan.
Recipe
How is varškės sūris made?
Homemade varškės sūris can be made from milk and soured milk, or from good-quality curd cheese. The key is to drain and press it well so it forms a sliceable shape.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the milk almost to a boil, but do not cook it aggressively.
- Pour in the soured milk or kefir and stir until curd grains and whey separate.
- Pour the mass into a cheese bag or cheesecloth and let it drain.
- Mix in salt and caraway, form the cheese, and press it.
- Keep cold until firm.
Notes
Whey can be used for pancakes or dough.
Varškės sūris: frequently asked questions
What is varškės sūris?
It is a fresh cheese formed from curd cheese or a curdled milk mass and pressed.
What makes it Lithuanian?
Lithuania developed a recognizable tradition of pressing, shape, caraway, and serving, and Lietuviškas varškės sūris is a protected name.
Why is a cheese bag needed?
It lets the whey drain and helps form the cheese while pressing.
Why does varškės sūris sometimes crumble?
It may be too dry, not pressed enough, or the curd grains did not bind well enough.
Are caraway seeds required in varškės sūris?
No, but they are very characteristic of Lithuanian varškės sūris flavor.
How is varškės sūris eaten?
Fresh with bread, honey, or vegetables; fried in a pan; or marinated in oil.