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Estonian

Mulgipuder

Non-vegetarian

A rustic Estonian mash of potatoes and barley cooked together, topped with crisp fried bacon and onion. Simple, filling food from the Mulgi region of southern Estonia.

Mulgipuder is an Estonian main course, ready in about 1 hour 5 minutes and made with pearl barley, potato and bacon. It serves 5 and is rated easy to cook.

Start cooking
Plate of mulgipuder, mashed potato and barley porridge with bacon
Photo: M0d3M / Wikimedia Commons · CC-BY-SA-4.0
Prep
15 min
Cook
50 min
Total
1 h 5 min
Serves
5
Level
Easy
Calories
434

Ingredients

5 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Rinse the barley (opens in a new tab) and simmer it in the water for 20 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Lay the potatoes (opens in a new tab) on top with the salt, cover and simmer until both potatoes and barley (opens in a new tab) are soft, adding a splash more water if it dries out.

    • 25 min
    • low heat

  3. Step 3

    Meanwhile fry the bacon (opens in a new tab) until it releases its fat, add the onions (opens in a new tab) and fry until golden.

    Onions frying golden in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels

  4. Step 4

    Drain off any excess water, add the butter (opens in a new tab) and mash the potatoes (opens in a new tab) and barley (opens in a new tab) together roughly. Spoon into bowls and top with the bacon (opens in a new tab), onion (opens in a new tab) and their fat. Serve with a glass of kefir (opens in a new tab).

    • 5 min
    Potatoes being mashed
    How it looks · Photo: Mateusz Feliksik on Pexels

About this dish

Origin
Mulgimaa, Estonia · Well documentedMore food from Estonia
Dish
Dinner · Lunch · Main courses · Side dishes
Cooking method
Boiled, Simmered, Pan-fried
Taste
savoury, smoky, earthy, mild
Diet
No nut ingredients
All labelsNon-vegetarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Beef-free · Low-fat
Without the optional extras: Dairy-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Budget-friendly · One-pot · Everyday
Cook more with
Pearl barley · Potato · Bacon · Onion
Techniques
Pan-frying · Deep-frying · Boiling · Simmering

Allergens

  • Contains, can be adapted: Milkfrom butter, kefir
  • Contains: Glutenfrom pearl barley

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

434 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 516 g · recipe makes 5

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 12%
  • Carbohydrate 57%
  • Fat 31%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy434 kcal84 kcal
Protein13 g2.5 g
Carbohydrate62.4 g12.1 g
Net carbohydrate52.8 g10.2 g
Sugars3.9 g0.8 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre9.6 g1.9 g
Fat15.4 g3 g
Saturated fat5.2 g1 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol26 mg5 mg
Sodium1020 mg198 mg
Salt equivalent2.6 g0.5 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
1079 mg
Calcium
66 mg
Iron
2.6 mg
Magnesium
83 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
5 µg
Vitamin C
43 mg
Vitamin D
0.2 µg
Vitamin B12
0.2 µg
Folate (DFE)
45 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: butter, kefir.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Keep some texture — the barley should remain distinguishable in the mash.

Common mistakes

  • Mashing to a smooth purée — the barley should stay distinct.

Serve with

  • Pickled cucumbers or sauerkraut cut the richness.

Food safety

  • Fry the bacon until cooked through and crisp.

Storage

  • Refrigerate up to 3 days.

Reheating

  • Fry leftovers in a pan until crisp on the bottom and piping hot.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 2, 3, 4

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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