Lyutenitsa or ljutenica, lutenica is a type of vegetable relish or chutney commonly consumed in Bulgaria, Serbia, and Macedonia. It can be smooth or chunky, spicy or mild, and is typically made with hot peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, carrots, garlic, vegetable oil, and seasonings. You can think of it as the Bulgarian version of ajvar, a similar relish popular in Balkan cuisine.

One of the foods shared among the Balkan nations, lutenitsa or ljutenica, is somewhat between spread and chutney with the typical red color. What made its thick consistency were peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, garlic, and onion.

Nowadays, lutenitsa appears in many varieties and is exported to many other countries. Besides Bulgaria, you may also come across this dish on the gastronomic menu of Serbia and Macedonia.

The Bulgarians have two ways to enjoy this relish: spread it on toast or crackers or use it as a dipping sauce for their traditional dishes. Ask a Bulgarian and they would say this thick relish of tomatoes and peppers is the best thing you can spread on your toast. Nowadays it is commercially produced and sold in small jars, though it is still commonly made at home by many Bulgarian families. When you can smell the aroma of roasting peppers emanating from balconies throughout the country in autumn, you know homemade lyutenitsa season is soon to be upon you!

Due to the onions, garlic and cumin used to make it, lyutenitsa is always going to be at least somewhat hot in taste, to which it owes it name… and its popularity. Lyutenitsa is a particular favourite of children. Parents know that a slice of bread spread with lyutenitsa and sprinkled with sirene cheese, as everything seems to be in this country! is one of the few ways to persuade their kid to have a snack in-between rounds of hide-and-seek in the neighborhood, for example.