A popular story claims that 'mici' or 'mititei' were invented in the late 14th century and that they originated from the Ottoman Empire.

[1] Throughout the years, the recipe lost some of the original ingredients, such as caraway seeds and allspice, and began being made with pork, rather than beef and lamb.

[2][3][4] Sodium bicarbonate, a raising agent, is also commonly added to the modern Romanian recipe, which improves both the flavor and the texture.

[6] Mici are sometimes called the "national dish of Romania" in the media, despite lacking any such official designation.

In 2018, between 5% and 10% of all the mici produced in Romania were exported, mainly to countries with large Romanian diasporas, such as Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom.