Croatian Rićet (Bean & Barley Stew)

Rićet belongs to that family of thick, grain-and-bean stews that once powered farm work, mountain walks, and long winter evenings in Central Europe. In Croatia it appears most often in continental regions, especially the north, where barley and beans simmer slowly with smoked pork until the pot yields something closer to a village meal than a simple soup. Croatian cooks sometimes refer to similar pots as grah i kaša or grah i ričet, underlining how barley turns a bean stew into a more substantial dish with a distinct chewy softness.

The dish shares roots with the broader Central European stew known as ričet or ritschert, found in Slovenia, Austria, Bavaria, and parts of Croatia. It usually combines pot barley, beans, potatoes, carrots, celery, leeks, onions, garlic, tomato, and a generous amount of cured pork. Depending on how much liquid goes into the pot, the result can range from a ladleable soup to a spoon-standing porridge. In Croatian kitchens, the texture tends to sit somewhere in the middle: thick and creamy around the grains, yet still loose enough to sit comfortably in a deep bowl.

Traditionally, rićet carried a strong link to frugality. A modest piece of smoked pork neck, ribs, or bacon, stretched with plenty of barley, beans, and vegetables, could feed a family for days.  Mountain huts and rural taverns still serve similar bean stews to hikers on Medvednica and other ranges, where a hot, smoky bowl matched with bread answers both hunger and cold weather in a single ladle. The dish holds on to that heritage, even when it appears in modern kitchens with digital timers and enamelled cast-iron pots.

The flavor rests on three main pillars. First comes the broth from smoked pork: ribs, hock, bacon, or sausage. That base brings salt, fat, and smoke, so the stew tastes rich even when stretched with plenty of vegetables and grains. Next comes the barley, which softens but keeps a slight chew. As it cooks, the barley releases starch that thickens the pot and gives the liquid a creamy body without the need for roux. Finally, beans add both structure and a different kind of creaminess, breaking down just enough to cloud the broth while still holding their shape.

Aromatics round the whole stew out. Onions, carrots, celery root, and parsley root form a base that echoes French mirepoix but reflects Central European habits. Garlic and bay leaf deepen the flavor, while sweet paprika and a touch of tomato concentrate pull the liquid toward a warm, brick-red hue. The result is smoky but not harsh, gently sweet from the vegetables, with barley and beans giving each spoonful plenty of substance. A finishing handful of chopped parsley cuts through the richness.

This version of rićet stays close to that rural template while making a few choices that suit modern home cooks. It uses dried beans, soaked and cooked directly in the stew, which gives the broth flavor that canned beans cannot match. At the same time, the recipe keeps measurements precise and timings realistic for a weekend or relaxed evening in the kitchen. The amount of smoked meat remains moderate, so the dish feels hearty but not heavy, and the recipe relies on barley’s natural starch instead of flour, which suits those who prefer to avoid roux-thickened stews.

Rićet works well as a one-pot main course. A simple green salad or pickled vegetables on the side give brightness and crunch, while good bread takes care of the last streaks in the bowl. The stew reheats well and often tastes more rounded on the second day, which means a single cooking session can cover several meals. For households that like to cook in batches, this makes rićet a practical part of a cold-weather rotation, without losing the sense of a dish with long roots in Croatian village life.