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Meat, European

Ćevapi with lepinja bread and ajvar

Ćevapi are small grilled rolls of seasoned beef and pork, served in thick pita style bread with raw onion and ajvar. This recipe serves 4, takes 45 minutes, and stays easy, for about €2.80 per person. The key to success is a long kneading time, which makes the meat tender and slightly sticky.

Tonight, Bosnia comes to your table with grilled ćevapi, those little rolls of seasoned meat, tucked into soft bread with onions and ajvar.

Ćevapi with lepinja bread and ajvar
Total time
45 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.80
Calories per person
680 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Spring, Summer
The kids
They generally like it

Ćevapi are small grilled meat rolls, seasoned simply with garlic and paprika, with no breadcrumbs or egg to bulk them out. The mix of beef and pork keeps them juicy, and a long kneading session makes the texture tender rather than dense. Grilled in a pan or on the barbecue, they brown fast on the outside while staying moist inside.

This is a great pick for a weeknight dinner that feels different, or for a casual meal shared with friends, where everyone builds their own sandwich. Kids usually love grilled meat tucked into soft bread, and you can serve the ajvar on the side for more sensitive palates. With Mon Chou, you get this Balkan classic without any hard to find ingredients.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Ground beef 400 g
  • Ground pork 300 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Garlic 4 cloves
  • Onions 2

Pantry

  • Baking sodaoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Sweet paprikaoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Sparkling wateroften in the pantry 5 cl
  • Ajvar (or jarred grilled peppers and eggplant dip) 8 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Bakery

  • Thick pita bread 4

Allergens Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Mix both meats with the pressed garlic, baking soda, paprika, salt, pepper, and sparkling water.

    Ajvar is sold in international grocery stores, or blend a jar of grilled peppers with eggplant dip instead.

  2. Knead by hand for a long time until the mixture is smooth.

    The more you knead, the more tender the ćevapi turn out.

  3. Let it rest in the fridge so the flavors develop. 30 min

    An hour is good, overnight is even better.

  4. Shape into 6 cm long rolls and grill them in a pan or on the grill, turning them. 12 min

    They're done when golden brown all over.

  5. Warm the bread, fill it with ćevapi, thinly sliced raw onion, and ajvar.

    Open the bread in half and dip the cut side in the ćevapi juices.

Our tips to get it right

  • Wet your hands before shaping the rolls, the mixture sticks less and the ćevapi keep an even shape.
  • Cook them over fairly high heat so they brown quickly outside without drying out inside.
  • Prep the ajvar and sliced onions while the meat rests, so everything is ready when it's time to assemble.

The variations

  • Swap the pork for more beef if you don't eat pork, the result stays good even if slightly less juicy.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the meats with crumbled legume based patties kneaded with the same spices.
  • For kids in a hurry, shape smaller ćevapi and serve the ajvar on the side with a bit of sour cream instead.

What to serve it with

  • A tomato and red onion salad
  • Kajmak or sour cream on the side
  • Cold sparkling water

Storage

The raw mixture keeps for a day in the fridge in a sealed container. Cooked ćevapi keep for 2 to 3 days in the fridge and reheat well in a pan for a few minutes. You can also freeze the raw rolls and cook them straight from frozen, just add a little extra cooking time.

Questions about this dish

Why add baking soda to the ćevapi mixture?

Baking soda tenderizes the meat and helps the rolls stay soft and juicy once cooked. It's a traditional step in this recipe, not one to skip.

Can you make ćevapi ahead of time?

Yes, shape the rolls and let them rest in the fridge overnight before cooking. The flavor actually improves after a longer rest.

What can I use if I can't find ajvar?

Blend jarred grilled peppers with a bit of eggplant dip, the result is close to the taste of ajvar. Season with a little salt and garlic if needed.

What bread works instead of thick pita?

Homemade lepinja or a good store bought pita both work well. It just needs to be thick enough to soak up the juices from the ćevapi without falling apart.

How long does it take to make ćevapi in lepinja bread with ajvar?

Count 45 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in ćevapi in lepinja bread with ajvar?

About 680 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does ćevapi in lepinja bread with ajvar cost?

About €2.80 per serving, or €11.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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