Urnebes is a Serbian cheese and chili spread — white cheese (sirene) mashed with roasted red peppers, garlic, and hot paprika into a fiery, creamy, intensely flavored paste. The name means 'chaos' or 'turmoil,' reflecting the riot of flavors. It is the most fiery, most addictive Serbian meze (appetizer), served with bread or as a side to grilled meats.
Urnebes (meaning 'chaos' or 'turmoil') is a traditional Serbian meze (appetizer) from the southern region. It is made by mashing white cheese (sirene, the Serbian feta-like cheese) with roasted red peppers, garlic, hot paprika, and sometimes chili flakes, creating a fiery, creamy, intensely flavored spread. The name reflects the riot of flavors — the creamy cheese, the smoky peppers, the sharp garlic, and the burning heat all clash and combine. It is served with bread, as part of a meze platter, or alongside grilled meats. It is one of the most characteristically Serbian dishes.
A small bowl of pale orange-red, creamy, flecked paste. The first taste is the rich, salty cheese; then the roasted pepper sweetness; then the garlic punch; then the heat builds and builds. It is chaotic, fiery, and impossible to stop eating. Spread it on bread; eat it with ćevapi.
The cheese must be Serbian white cheese (sirene, similar to feta but creamier). The roasted peppers must be peeled and finely chopped (or mashed). The hot paprika provides the heat (the amount varies by preference, but it should always be spicy). The mixture is mashed with a fork (not blended — you want texture).
Variations
Some use sour cream for creaminess; some add more or less chili; some use fresh peppers instead of roasted; the cheese type varies.
On the Palate
Where Urnebes sits in the Serbian flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4
How it's made
7 steps · 10 min active + 5 min waiting
- 15 min
Roast 2 red bell peppers over a flame; peel; finely chop.
Watch outChar the peppers over the flame until the skins blister black all over — that's what lets the skin slip off and gives the roasted, smoky sweetness.
- 23 min
Crumble 200 g Serbian white cheese (or feta) into a bowl.
- 32 min
Add the roasted peppers, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tbsp hot paprika, and 1 tbsp sunflower oil.
- 43 min
Mash with a fork to a chunky paste (not smooth).
Watch outMash with a fork to a chunky paste, don't blend it smooth — urnebes lives on that coarse, spreadable texture.
- 52 min
Add 2 tbsp sour cream if you want it creamier.
- 61 min
Season with salt (carefully — the cheese is salty).
- 71 min
Serve with bread or as a side to grilled meats.
