How to cook Ukrainian dishes using Canadian ingredients?

Adapting Ukrainian cuisine to Canadian conditions is a creative process that allows you to preserve the authentic flavors of traditional dishes using locally available ingredients. Calgary and other Canadian cities offer a wide selection of traditional Ukrainian products in specialty stores, as well as worthy alternatives in regular supermarkets.

Basic principles of recipe adaptation

Substituting basic ingredients

Sour cream is one of the most important ingredients in Ukrainian cuisine and requires special attention when substituting:

  • Daisy sour cream is the most popular among Ukrainians
  • Crème fraîche – fat content and taste are similar to traditional sour cream
  • Bles-wold sour cream (18%) available at Co-op
  • Homemade alternative: 3/4 cup heavy cream + 1/4 cup buttermilk, leave at room temperature for 12–24 hours

Cottage cheese requires a creative approach, as cottage cheese has a different texture:

  • Farmer's cheese (Pressed cottage cheese)
  • Dry curd cottage cheese from Dairyland
  • Quark – available at Co-op and Edelweiss Village
  • Ricotta cheese – although different from cottage cheese, it can be used for syrniki

Traditional dishes and their adaptations

Borscht

The main dish of Ukrainian cuisine can be successfully prepared with Canadian ingredients. Basic principles:

  • Beets – available in all Canadian supermarkets
  • Cabbage – use both fresh and sauerkraut
  • Meat – pork or chicken, as in traditional recipes
  • Seasoning – sour cream or its Canadian equivalents

The secret to delicious borscht: first, prepare a rich broth (2–2.5 hours), then add the vegetables in order of cooking time – potatoes 30 minutes before the end, cabbage 20 minutes before, stewed beets and dressing 15 minutes before the end.

Vareniki

This favorite Ukrainian dish can be found ready-made in Canadian supermarkets under the name “perogies”. For home cooking:

Dough:

  • 2 cups of regular Canadian flour
  • 1/2 cup of water
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp of salt

Filling:

  • Potatoes with cottage cheese or farmer's cheese
  • Boiled sausages with onions
  • Sweet fruit fillings

Stuffed cabbage rolls

Traditional stuffed cabbage rolls are made with Canadian cabbage, using:

  • Savoy cabbage for a more delicate flavor
  • Regular white cabbage

Filling: assorted ground meat, rice, onion, and carrot Sauce: sour cream with tomatoes in their own juice

Life hack: for tenderness, cut the coarse fibers from the cabbage leaves before blanching.

Cheesecakes

Using Canadian dairy products, you can make delicious cheesecakes:

Recipe with cottage cheese:

  • 500g cottage cheese (previously drained)
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 3–4 tablespoons flour
  • A pinch of salt

Alternative with ricotta: replace cottage cheese with ricotta for a less sour taste.

Deruny (potato pancakes)

Basic recipe:

  • 400g potatoes (grated on a coarse grater)
  • 100g onion
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp sour cream or substitute
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Deruny are known by different names in different regions and have many variations.

Festive dishes

Kutia

Christmas kutia made with Canadian ingredients:

  • 200 g wheat (or spelt, pearl barley)
  • 30 g poppy seeds
  • 50 g walnuts
  • Honey to taste
  • Dried fruit

Kolach

Festive bread can be baked from Canadian flour:

  • 1.5 kg flour
  • 400 g water
  • 100 g butter and sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • Yeast and spices

Jellied meat

It can be prepared with or without gelatin, using Canadian meat:

With gelatin:

  • Pork or chicken
  • 25 g gelatin
  • Vegetables to taste

Traditional method: long cooking of meat with bones for natural gelatinization.

Specialty stores in Canada

In Calgary:

Ukrainian stores:

  • Kalinka – 7400 Macleod Trail SW
  • Ukrainian Fine Food – 540 Cleveland Crescent SE
  • Heritage Bakery & Deli – 1912 37th Street SW

European stores:

  • European Market and Deli – 7145 11 St SE
  • Calgary Russian Store – 523 Woodpark Blvd SW

In other cities:

Toronto:

  • Ontario Fresh & Tasty – 99 Advance Rd, Etobicoke
  • Future Bakery – 106 N Queen St
  • Dnister Ukrainian Store – Front St E

Vancouver:

  • Ukrainian Village – 1007 Commercial Dr
  • East Side European Deli – 2038 Kingsway

Useful tips for newcomers

Basic products to start with:

  • Buckwheat – look for it under the name “buckwheat.” You can find it in health food stores or order it online
  • Flour – Canadian flour is already enriched with vitamins
  • Dairy products – experiment with different brands to find the one closest to your native taste

Saving and planning:

  • Use the Fair Entry app for food discounts
  • Visit the Calgary Food Bank if necessary
  • Shop at bulk stores to save on basic foods

Adapting recipes:

General principles:

  • Allow yourself to experiment with proportions
  • Write down successful combinations for future use
  • Don't be afraid to mix traditional and Canadian ingredients

Remember that tastes may differ slightly, but the essence of the dish remains the same

Adapting Ukrainian cuisine in Canada is an opportunity not only to maintain ties with your homeland, but also to discover new flavors. The key is patience, experimentation, and openness to the new opportunities offered by Canada's multicultural environment.