It is a part of the regional cuisines of Slovakia (as Šmirkás, a form of the German Schmierkäse for cheese spread), Hungary (kőrözött),[4] Austria (Liptauer), Slovenia (liptaver), Serbia (urnebes salata, "chaos salad"), Croatia, Albania (liptao), Italy (especially in the province of Trieste), and Romania (especially in Transylvania, where it typically goes by the Hungarian name, körözött).

[citation needed] The three main ingredients are spreadable white cheese like quark, chives and paprika.

[6] These are mixed with sour cream, butter or margarine and finely chopped onions; sometimes beer is added.

Liptauer is traditionally eaten as an open sandwich, especially with rye bread or pumpernickel toast, or bagels, and also as an appetizer with crackers, served with beer or wine, or as a filling for cold dishes[2] such as stuffed tomatoes, peppers, celery or hard boiled eggs.

[7] In Austria, Liptauer is a typical snack served at Heurigen, Austrian wine-drinking taverns.