Georgian national dishes names. Georgian meat dishes

Dishes of Georgian cuisine are something that you need to try more than once. They combine Transcaucasian traditions, customs of the Black Sea region and Asia, have a bright taste and appetizing appearance.


Among the main features of Georgian cuisine are:

  • Delicious meat without restrictions. When cooking, they use both pork and lamb, as well as poultry and beef.
  • Soups without vegetables. Instead, a raw egg, spices and flour sauce are added to the broth during cooking.
  • Abundance of cheeses. Each region of Georgia produces a separate type of cheese.
  • Sauces for every taste. They are served with all dishes and are prepared only from fresh ingredients.

In order not to get lost among the huge number of dishes of the national cuisine of Georgia, find out what you must try during your holiday in this country.

Meat cuisine



Famous dish of Georgian cuisine. Nutritious and juicy Georgian dumplings are made from pork, beef or veal, and less often from lamb. There is also a vegetarian option - boiled potatoes, mushrooms and cheese are used for the filling. You must try khinkali in different regions of Georgia, because each region has its own recipe and cooking features.

Traditional list of ingredients for khinkali:



  • Wheat flour
  • Garlic
  • Salt and spices (cilantro, red pepper, ground cumin)

Meat and lard are passed through a meat grinder, finely chopped onions and garlic are added to the minced meat. Then it is poured with a small amount of water and mixed together with spices.

To prepare the dough, flour is mixed with water and salt. Then it is rolled out as much as possible, often using special equipment that every Georgian housewife has in the kitchen.

The finished dough is cut into squares and placed one on top of the other, each time sprinkling with flour (there should be at least 15 such layers). The minced meat is prepared in advance. It is placed in the center of the square, folding the edges of the dough like an accordion, as tightly as possible. This is the most difficult stage of preparing khinkali.

Georgian dumplings are cooked in small batches, 10-15 pieces for 7-10 minutes each. Then carefully remove and serve the dish on the table.

Georgians themselves usually sprinkle khinkali generously with ground black pepper, but spiciness is a feature of their cuisine. You don't have to do this.

The taste of juicy meat filling combined with tender dough justifies all the difficulties of preparing the dish.

A popular Georgian dish of meat and vegetables. Traditionally baked in clay pots. It is based on pork or lamb; vegetables include potatoes, eggplant, onions, tomatoes, beans or peppers. The recipe necessarily includes tomato juice and adjika, several cloves of garlic and various spices.

The dish is prepared in a certain sequence, creating each layer with a new ingredient. Meat and vegetables are cut into cubes, herbs and garlic are finely chopped. First, onions are poured into the pot, then potatoes, eggplant, herbs, tomatoes, peppers and garlic. Each layer is coated with adjika and sprinkled with spices.

To ensure that the meat is as tender and juicy as possible, it is placed in pots last.

Next, the dish is poured with tomato juice and sent to the oven. During cooking, the ingredients are mixed, creating a unique taste. The dish is hearty and slightly spicy, has a pleasant aftertaste and is suitable for any meal at a Georgian feast.

Satsivi with chicken



The dish gives you the opportunity to enjoy the unique taste of baked poultry with a spicy Georgian sauce made from walnuts. Usually the dish is served separately from the side dish, adding a little greenery, and eaten with pita bread or flatbread. The main feature is that satsivi is eaten cold.

How is it prepared?

First, the chicken is boiled. The broth is filtered and left for further dressing of the dish. Then bake the chicken until crispy. The bird is cut into pieces, separating the bones and meat.

To make the sauce, walnuts are crushed until crumbly. Then they are mixed with spices, stewed onions and chopped cloves. The resulting mixture is poured with chicken broth, blended in a blender, and pomegranate juice is added.

The consistency of the sauce is similar to sour cream.

At the end, the meat is placed in a pan with sauce and placed in the refrigerator.

Vegetarian dishes

Many national dishes of Georgian cuisine consist only of vegetables. The most popular vegetables in sunny Georgia are beans, eggplants, tomatoes, mushrooms and onions.

There are many options and features for preparing this dish, depending on the region of the country and the availability of the necessary products in the housewife’s kitchen. But traditionally, onions, garlic, cilantro and spices, such as cinnamon, adjika, and coriander, are added to beans (the main ingredient).



Before you start cooking, soak the beans in cold water for 8-12 hours. Then it is boiled by adding chopped onions. During cooking, the beans become soft and acquire a piquant taste.

Having made the fire a little quieter, the beans in the pan are partially kneaded so that one half of them is in the form of a mush, and the other remains intact. While stirring, sprinkle with seasonings and salt. After this, the dish is sprinkled with chopped cilantro and chopped garlic. After 15-20 minutes, the lobio is removed from the heat and allowed to brew a little.

This healthy and unusual dish is served with corn porridge; in Georgian it is called “gomi”.

Lobio is one of those dishes of Georgian cuisine that are definitely worth trying.

Georgian soups



The most popular soup among Georgian national dishes. The spicy taste and unique spicy aroma will awaken the appetite of even the most demanding gourmet. Perhaps you will decide that you have already tried kharcho before and it is not worth spending money on it on vacation. However, this soup is worth trying in Georgia, at least for comparison. Believe me, not everything is so simple.

You can taste real kharcho only in Georgia. After all, it is here that tklapi is added to it - plum puree dried in the warm sun. It adds an unusual sourness to the dish, enriching its taste.

Traditionally, kharcho is made from beef. But cooks, both in the country and abroad, sometimes use chicken and lamb.

How is the national Georgian soup prepared?



First, the beef brisket is cut and boiled for 1.5-2 hours, while soaking the tklapi. Then rice is cooked in the resulting broth along with the beef. At the same time, chop the onion and hot pepper, and pass the nuts through a meat grinder.

After this, pepper, nuts and garlic should be mixed and added to the broth. Add finely chopped greens there. All these ingredients are added to the pan with the meat, which is seasoned with the remaining spices and tklapi. After 15 minutes, remove the kharcho soup from the heat.



The soup is prepared with virtually no vegetables, this is its peculiarity. This is a fatty beef broth with herbs, spices and, of course, garlic. In many Georgian families, this national dish is eaten for breakfast; delicious khashi energizes you for the whole day. With such a lineup - of course!



To prepare the dish, use beef legs, cut lengthwise into two parts. They are kept in the kitchen in cold water for one day, after which they are placed in a large saucepan and boiled without salt, skimming off the foam as it appears. When the meat easily separates from the bones, proceed to the next stage.

The cooked beef is cut into several pieces, salted, the broth is filtered, and returned to low heat. At this time, the garlic needs to be crushed and the greens finely chopped. The ingredients are then mixed with pieces of pita bread and added to the soup. In a few minutes I can all enjoy the delicious national Georgian dish khash.

National desserts

Churchkhela

National Georgian delicacy. To make this healthy and tasty sweet, different types of nuts and badaga, a special grape juice, are used.

Churchkhela comes in different colors and flavors, since each grape variety has its own characteristics. The delicacy is a little sticky, pleasantly sweet and very soft.



To prepare this dessert of Georgian cuisine they use:

  • Grape juice
  • Nuts (hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds)
  • Wheat and corn flour

The nuts are fried in a frying pan for a few minutes, then left to cool. After cleaning, they are strung on a thick thread and hung in a dry place where there is access to the sun.

To prepare grape jelly for this national delicacy, part of the juice is simmered over low heat. At this time, add flour little by little to the second (cooled) part, stirring thoroughly, avoiding the appearance of lumps. The resulting mixture is poured into the boiling juice and cooked until a paste forms.

Each string of nuts is dipped in jelly and hung. After two days, the delicious Georgian dessert is ready to eat.

Since the dish does not contain sugar or dyes, even small children can try churchkhela in Georgia.

Georgian pastries

Khachapuri



Insanely delicious and very popular flatbreads with sticky cheese, which have spread far beyond the borders of Georgia. When preparing them, they use a special “young” cheese – Imeretian. It differs from all other varieties with its unusual sour, but at the same time delicate taste.



Georgian khachapuri consists of:

  • matsoni
  • sour cream
  • salt and sugar
  • butter and soda

Before cooking, the butter is left to melt and the cheese is left in water briefly to make it less salty. Add salt and sugar to the matsoni, mix and pour in the melted butter. Gradually add flour and knead the dough.

Shredded or grated cheese is placed in khachapuri. Also in the recipe you will find sour cream, a little butter and salt. All ingredients are mixed. The dough is formed into flat cakes, inside of which the cheese filling is placed. Then put it in a frying pan and fry until a crust forms.

Before serving, khachapuri is greased with butter. They are eaten with their hands, breaking off small pieces from the flatbread.

You can experience all the features of the amazing taste of khachapuri not only in cafes, but also simply on the streets of sunny Georgia.

And be prepared for the fact that the portions in Georgia are very large - it’s almost always enough to order one dish for two. So you can’t try too much in one meal.

Georgian appetizers



This snack is based on vegetables. The most popular are pkhali made from mushrooms, beets, spinach and zucchini, green beans and cabbage. The consistency of the appetizer resembles pate; it takes pride of place on the festive table.

Preparation of pkhali occurs in two stages:

  • Vegetables are peeled and stewed until cooked. Wait until they cool down.
  • Pass the vegetables through a meat grinder along with the rest of the ingredients: onions, cilantro, garlic, walnuts and spices. They form the balls and decorate.

Greens or pomegranate are often used to decorate pkhali. A soft and cooling appetizer goes well with lobio, hot flatbreads and national Georgian wines.

Sauces

Georgians are masters in preparing sauces, which are an integral part of Georgian cuisine.

Bazhe is an incredibly soft, fragrant sauce that soaks meat and fish, significantly enriching their taste. It is made from nuts and served cold.



In Georgia, for preparing bazhe they use:

  • walnuts
  • cilantro
  • garlic
  • khmeli-suneli
  • vinegar
  • spices (saffron, pepper)

First, the nuts are crushed until flour is formed. Then cold boiled water, salt, vinegar and spices are added to them. All ingredients are thoroughly mixed, passed through a blender and placed in the refrigerator.

Bazhe is a universal sauce that suits both vegetable and meat dishes; it gives them a spicy taste and aroma.

National dishes of Georgian cuisine are a true gourmet delight. Have a nice trip!

Related posts:

There is hardly a person who has not heard about Georgian national cuisine at least once. Moreover, it is simply impossible to miss this amazing food. Having visited this country, it will be very difficult to try all the delicious dishes of Georgia, since their quantity is simply huge. In pursuit of tasting dishes, you will subsequently have to spend your free time for a couple of months in the gym, since it will be simply impossible to stop. Caucasian cuisine is usually rich in herbs, nuts, spices and juicy meats prepared in various ways.

History of Georgian cuisine

There is an old legend. On the day of the creation of the world, God created different nations and called them together to distribute the land. All the peoples came, only the Georgians were missing. He also distributed lands, but the Georgians never showed up. Then he decided to see what they were doing. And he saw that they drank wine and ate various dishes all day long and blessed him for these gifts. God liked this very much, and he gave the inhabitants of Georgia the land that he had kept for himself. And the soils of this land were so fertile that very tasty apples, pears, grapes, pomegranates, peaches and many types of herbs subsequently grew on it. It is these fruits and herbs that are now an indispensable part of southern cuisine.

Georgian dishes

Everyone knows the famous Georgian dishes that are found at every step. These are khachapuri, khinkali, lobio, chakhokhbili. As well as kharcho soup, tkemali and satsebeli sauces. Each dish has its own history and unique recipe. Not only second and first courses became widespread, but also pastries, dozens of types of sauces, cheeses and famous sweet desserts. A wide range of Caucasian food is presented in cafes and restaurants. And if you are afraid to try Caucasian delicacies because of their pungency and spiciness, then ask the chef to make them less spicy. Chefs in good establishments always meet the needs of the client, and Georgian dishes can be served taking into account your preferences.

Features of national cuisine

Georgian cuisine has its own characteristics, like the cuisine of any other country. Fertile lands and a warm and gentle sun make the harvest rich, and the pastures full of lush grass for livestock. The main difference between Georgian dishes is the ideal combination of meat, vegetables and a certain amount of herbs and spices.


Unusual sauces are also often used for cooking, the main ingredients of which are homemade vegetables and herbs. Sometimes sauces are even prepared from fruits: grapes, plums, cherry plums and even pomegranates. Spicy herbs are added to add piquancy and improve taste.

Georgian national dishes

Georgian traditions include not only respect for elders, but also a reverent attitude in cooking. Since ancient times, unique recipes have been passed down from mother to daughter, from father to son. Thanks to this, today we enjoy national Georgian dishes. Wide range of possibilities in preparing meat dishes will turn an ordinary meat lover into a gourmet.

Georgian cuisine is rich not only in meat dishes. The traditional direction is Georgian pastries - the pride of Caucasian bakeries. What is there: meat pies, many types of khachapuri, sweet buns and a large selection of breads. The pride of ancient Caucasian bakeries lies in the fact that baking is done by hand without the use of machine labor, which makes the bread even richer and the buns sweeter.


To be more precise about the national dishes of Georgia, these are chacha (strong vodka) and churchkhela. It is these dishes that Georgia has patented and has every right to them.

Georgian recipes

Everyone can cook the most delicious Georgian dishes. To do this, use the Internet to search. It won’t be difficult to find recipes for Georgian cuisine with photos at home. Any search engine will give you thousands of delicious recipes to choose from. Photos of finished dishes will let you understand how the food will look after cooking in the kitchen, and whether your family and friends will like the appearance. This is true in the case of baking. After all, it is not only the names and taste that attract this or that pastry. It is very important how tempting and desirable the food looks to try it.

We invite you to familiarize yourself with some culinary dishes of Georgian traditional cuisine, which look very temptingly delicious in the photo.

  • Shotis puri bread is cooked in large long ovens - tone, which are placed directly on the floor. The bread is eaten quickly due to its airiness and taste. It is prepared in the form of a flat cake approximately 30cm long. It is especially delicious when served hot with cheese sprinkled on it.

  • - a classic bread flatbread made from dough with cheese inside; it is baked in almost every home.

  • Megrelian khachapuri - the difference is that cheese is also sprinkled on the top of the flatbread.

  • - the most delicious and appetizing look. The dough is prepared in the form of an open small boat, inside which a piece of butter, cheese and an egg are placed.

  • Penovani is the most popular khachapuri in Russia. They are a puff bun with cheese inside.

  • Lobiani is a flour layer cake, the layers of which are coated with cheese and butter. A very appetizing and satisfying southern dish.

  • Kubdari is a delicious and satisfying pie with meat or minced meat. Traditional spicy seasonings and herbs are also added in large quantities.

Such delicious recipes of Georgian cuisine, especially if there are detailed photos, can be prepared by any housewife at home. It’s convenient that the ingredients for cooking are very affordable and simple and can be purchased at any store.

Caucasian cuisine menu

The Georgian menu is very varied. The meat, of which there is a lot, is perfectly complemented by fresh and stewed vegetables. This tandem does not put as much strain on the stomach as if you had to eat meat separately. Vegetable fiber promotes digestion and good bowel function. In addition to the main dishes, the menu of Georgian cuisine also includes sweet desserts, which are already loved by many fans of Caucasian food.


Georgian Snickers or . A very tasty and filling dessert. Walnuts, hazelnuts or dried fruits are placed on a string and filled with sweet syrup. The syrup is made from grape juice - badagi. The result is a long, slightly chewy candy.

The Georgian cuisine menu offers hundreds of dishes for every discerning gourmet. Anyone will find their favorite food in this variety.

Simple and delicious recipes

There are descriptions of many different recipes on the Internet. Including simple and tasty Georgian dishes with photos. A little patience and you will have temptingly smelling cutlets or poultry stew on your table. We suggest you try to cook a traditional Georgian dish called Kharcho. This hearty soup will please any meat lover and will add variety to your dinner table. It is prepared from rice and fresh beef, with the addition of nuts, plenty of herbs and fresh vegetables. But the main highlight of this dish is its unique dressing. This puree made from tkemali gives the soup a special piquancy and brightness. It is served as both the first and second course, as it is very thick, rich and satisfying.

Kharcho recipe from Georgian chefs

To prepare you will need:

  • beef tenderloin or ham – 400 gr.,
  • carrots, bell peppers and tomatoes – 2 pcs.,
  • potatoes - 3 pieces,
  • rice - 1 glass,
  • onions 2-3 heads,
  • vegetable oil,
  • tkemali puree,
  • walnuts 100 gr.,
  • spices,
  • salt.

Cut and fry the meat in vegetable oil in a frying pan or saucepan. Then every 5 minutes add alternately: onions, carrots, tomatoes, peppers. Stir constantly. Then reduce the heat and add rice, potatoes and water. Cook until the rice and potatoes are ready. Season with tkemali puree, nuts, herbs, salt and leave for another 5-7 minutes. And now the aromatic Kharcho soup is ready. This is how a simple and tasty dish is prepared using recipes with photos. Try to include this almost festive dish in your menu and your loved ones will be grateful to you.

First Georgian dishes

In addition to the popular Kharcho soup, other recipes for the first course of Georgian cuisine are also in demand. Recipes that are becoming more and more popular in Russia every year. These are the famous and famous Hashi and Chikhirtma. Try adding these soups to your menu or diet.


Chikhirtma is a light but very satisfying soup. It is prepared from chicken meat, corn flour, eggs, spices and herbs. This soup is amazing because it does not contain any vegetable grounds and does not use potatoes or grains. The soup is thickened directly with flour and eggs are added. And so that they do not curl up and crumble, they are acidified with fresh lemon juice. For gourmets who are tired of heavy and fatty borscht, this soup can be a real feast.

The main features of Hashi soup are the type of soup itself, which looks like diluted jellied meat. This is, in fact, a kind of broth that is cooked for about 9 hours from a beef leg. Usually, it is seasoned with fragrant garlic and fresh herbs. A lot of Georgians use it as a hangover remedy after long feasts. Sometimes some vegetables are added to the soup for taste, red pepper or pickled cucumber.

The first courses of Georgian cuisine are served with herbs or sour cream. Or add chopped and fried eggplant. There are many options to diversify tasty and healthy soups.

Main courses of Georgian cuisine

Which Georgian doesn't like meat? The most famous Georgian dishes are prepared using meat. You can look at any Georgian table - it is literally bursting with meat snacks and dishes. The history of Georgian cuisine goes back more than one thousand years, and some main courses have become traditional not only in the Caucasus, but throughout the entire continent.

Let's list the second dishes that are familiar to Georgians:

One of the most common meat dishes in Georgia. They are somewhat reminiscent of ordinary Russian dumplings. They are also made with dough and a filling that can be both sweet and savory. There are different options: minced lamb, assorted vegetables or even cheese - this is not a complete list of possible fillings for khinkali. They are slightly larger in size than dumplings and first they are bitten into to drink the juice, and only then are eaten completely.

- this is the name of vegetable stew with chicken with the addition of seasonings and nuts. The peculiarity of satsivi is that it is served cold. Watch a video on how to prepare the Georgian dish satsivi or follow the suggested recipe:

  • take the bird carcass and cook it in salted water with spices, cut it up,
  • chop the nuts. Garlic and seasonings in food processor,
  • fry the onion and mix with the nut mixture, add chicken broth to get the consistency of liquid sour cream,
  • boil and add a little pomegranate juice,
  • Pour chilled sauce over chicken meat.

This is how you can prepare an almost festive second course of Georgian cuisine quickly and without using expensive ingredients.

“To add some piquancy to satsivi, you can add homemade pickles: tomatoes, lecho or marinades.

Hot Georgian dishes

In the cold, long winter you always want something meaty and always hot. Georgian cuisine is replete with such recipes. You can use them to set the table for a holiday. Or you can cook for every day and your food will become more varied.


One of these foods is. Simple ingredients are used for preparation, and in taste it can replace everyone’s favorite cutlets.

List of products for chakhokhbili:

  • 500 g chicken,
  • onion - 2pcs,
  • sweet pepper - 2 pcs.,
  • 4-6 tomatoes,
  • seasonings (basil and suneli hops), garlic, butter, salt, hot pepper.
  • description of cooking according to the advice of Georgian chefs:
  • cut the chicken, wash and dry it,
  • then brown in a frying pan on both sides, without oil,
  • cut the onion and pepper into strips,
  • fry the onion and lightly simmer the pepper, add everything to the meat,
  • peel the tomato, cut it and add it to the meat,
  • simmer under the lid for 35-45 minutes,
  • add herbs and seasonings, salt and leave for another 5 minutes.
  • Chakhokhbili ready

Chakhokhbili is served with beans, boiled potatoes or rice.

“To thicken the chakhokhbili, add flour sauce made from flour and sunflower oil.”

The best Georgian hot dishes have become widespread in Russian kitchens. In addition to chakhokhbili, housewives prefer to cook many other dishes. And unusual chakapuli, and very high-calorie borano, and mtsvadi - a type of shish kebab.

Georgian snacks

Cooking is also rich in various snacks. They are prepared from products that they grow themselves: vegetables, legumes, spices, nuts and dairy products.


Popular snacks:

Legumes are loved in Georgia and prepared everywhere. Lobio is prepared in clay pots with the addition of red pepper and a lot of herbs. It is somewhat similar to ordinary pea porridge, but more tender and piquant.

Another popular Georgian culinary delicacy is called Kaimagi. It resembles yogurt or sour cream and has a unique, very bright and rich taste. Made from dairy products and served with flatbread and cheese. This dish is not only tasty, but also healthy.

One of the common snacks is. They are prepared from vegetables, a huge amount of herbs and a dozen seasonings. Fresh tomatoes, beans and crispy green peppers are often used.

Nowadays it is difficult to find an original recipe from Georgian chefs, since they have all undergone numerous changes. Everyone changes the recipe to suit their taste preferences. If you want to try real Georgian food, then be sure to visit this wonderful country. There you won’t be able to try every national dish, but you will definitely taste the most popular ones. It is better to try traditional dishes in their homeland and where it is prepared, following the original recipe.

If it is not possible for you to visit Georgia, then look for a real Georgian restaurant or cafe in your city. Be sure to make sure that the dishes are prepared according to original recipes, and that they are prepared by Georgians. This is the only way you will truly enjoy the entire exquisite range of tastes of original Georgian cuisine.


Georgian cuisine takes a well-deserved place on the culinary Olympus. Georgian recipes homo, lobio, kharcho, Chakhokhbili, chanohi and many others have been preparing for a long time outside of Georgia. In general, in modern Georgian cuisine, no one type of meat has a predominant importance. Popular recipes husbands, lamb canakhi, beef kharcho And Chakhokhbili from domestic chicken or turkey. Fish recipes occupy a relatively modest place in Georgia, and are distributed only in certain areas located near rivers. Majority vegetable dishes prepared from beans, eggplants, cabbage, cauliflower, beets, and tomatoes. Often in lobio recipes, the beans are seasoned with seasonings, which vary depending on the recipe. In other recipes, the composition of vegetables is changed, but the seasonings and sauces remain unchanged, for example, mkhali and borani.

There are 381 recipes in the "Georgian cuisine" section

Lobiani - Georgian bean pie

Lobiani is a Georgian pie filled with boiled beans. The name comes from the Georgian word lobio - beans. As a rule, the dough for the pie is kneaded with matsoni or kefir, but there are recipes for lobiani made from yeast dough. I'm making the filling for the pie...

Eggplant salad with egg and pickled onions

Fried eggplant salad with eggs is very easy to make. To do this, just fry the eggplants cut into cubes in oil, mix with boiled eggs and pickled onions. Some recipes suggest seasoning eggplant salad with mayonnaise...

Dogwood sauce for the winter

Ripe dogwood makes an excellent sauce, which can be safely served with both meat and fish, as is done in Georgian cuisine. For winter sauce, choose well-ripened berries so that the pit can be easily separated from the pulp. Of the items listed in the recipe...

Shotis-puri (Georgian flatbread)

Authentic bread, of course, is prepared in special ovens. Pieces of dough prepared according to ancient recipes simply stick to the walls of a hot oven, after which in a few minutes they acquire a crispy crust and a fragrant, airy crumb. Hl...

Tkemali from plum "Ugorka"

Ugorki plum makes a very beautiful and tasty tkemali sauce. When serving, you can add chopped leaves of aromatic cilantro or finely chopped dill to the sauce. The magnificent Georgian tkemali sauce is in amazing harmony with any meat...

Meat with eggplants in Georgian style

Georgian-style meat and eggplant is easy to prepare, and the ingredients used in the recipe are the simplest. Meat and vegetables are pre-fried, seasoned with paprika, suneli hops and garlic and cooked in the oven. The dish turns out spicy, with...

Lamb shashlik with eggplants

Lamb and eggplant, in my opinion, are the perfect combination. Especially when it comes to barbecue. The recipe for lamb shish kebab with eggplant is not as complicated as it might seem. You'll have to tinker with the minced meat so that it doesn't slip off the skewers, but otherwise everything is...

Lazy khachapuri in a frying pan

The word khachapuri is derived from the words “khacha” - cottage cheese, cheese and “puri” - bread or flatbread. That is, khachapuri is flatbread with cheese. An integral ingredient for any of the many khachapuri recipes will, of course, be cheese. The most used are...

These scrambled eggs are a great option to diversify your daily menu in the first days of spring. Wild garlic (or bear onion) has a pleasant aroma, an interesting, slightly spicy taste and goes well with eggs. Thanks to heat treatment, wild garlic acquired...

Vegetable stew with eggplants and satsebeli sauce

Vegetable stew with eggplants and satsebeli sauce, prepared according to this recipe, can be served hot as a main course or cold as an appetizer. When cold, the stew is even tastier, as it has time to brew and all the pieces of vegetables are well soaked...

Khachapuri with cottage cheese and cheese in a frying pan

There are many known khachapuri recipes, and all because every baker tries to add something of his own to the recipe. But its main components are always the same - puff pastry or butter dough and, of course, cottage cheese or cottage cheese. It was they who gave the name to the dish....

Khachapuri in Adjara

Adjarian khachapuri is shaped into boats, in the center of which grated pickled cheese is placed and an egg is poured. In the finished baked goods, the white should set well and the yolk should remain creamy. They eat khachapuri in Adjarian style or with a fork, limbo with their hands, breaking off a piece...

Chicken borani with beans

Chicken borani with beans is prepared both in Georgia and Armenia, and in the Caucasus in general. Borani is the name of a recipe not for one specific dish, but a composition, the peculiarity of which is the location of the main component of the dish (meat, poultry) between...

Spicy green beans with egg

The recipe for spicy green beans with egg is one of the options for preparing lobio. Green bean pods are pre-cut into small pieces and lightly boiled in this form. The rest of the vegetables are sautéed, mixed with beans, poured over...

Eggplants fried with satsivi sauce

The recipe for fried eggplant appetizer with satsivi sauce is one of the most famous recipes in Georgian cuisine. The sauce is made from walnuts, crushing them along with garlic and spices. Eggplants according to this recipe are also suitable for the holiday table, because... their m...

Adjapsandal – Georgian vegetable stew

At first glance, the recipe for ajapsandal (aka ajapsandali) is no different from vegetable stew. It seems nothing special, but tasty, spicy, with a twist. Moreover, you can serve ajapsandal immediately, hot, but the next day, when the stew has brewed, nama...

Kuchmachi - Georgian chicken giblet appetizer

Kuchmachi is one of the recipes of Georgian cuisine. The basis of the dish is chicken giblets, which are first lightly boiled, then fried with onions, mixed with the rest of the recipe ingredients and voila! Come to the table where a wonderful Georgian dish awaits you...

Nazouk (puff pastry)

Nazuk is a puff pastry, the recipe for which is found in Armenian and Georgian cuisines. Nazuki is prepared according to different recipes, which are often very different from one another. Nazouk can be sweet or salty. My version is sweet, with buttery flour...

No, friends, we are not turning into a culinary site. The thing is that, when talking about Georgia, it is simply impossible to ignore the topic of food or touch on it superficially: the food here is so amazing that it’s worth coming here just to eat.

This is another article about Georgian cuisine, this time - as many as 30 dishes that you must try. Read, take notes and be sure to come try.

1. Puri

It’s not for nothing that they say that bread is the head of everything. Georgian cuisine begins with bread; bread is special here and is one of the main components of the diet. Puri is the most recognizable pastry in Georgia due to its shape - this bread cannot be confused with anything else.

Georgians bake bread in traditional clay ovens called tone. The fire burns at the bottom of the oven and heats its walls, onto which the Georgian baker “slaps” the flatbreads so that they are attached and baked upright.

2. Khachapuri

Georgian cheese bread or flatbread with cheese is another important component of Georgian cuisine. There are several versions of preparing khachapuri, which depend on the region. You need to try everything:

Imereti - round with cheese inside.

Megrelian - similar to Imeretian, but contains cheese and butter not only inside, but also outside.

Adjarian – boat-shaped khachapuri containing cheese, egg and butter.

Khachapuri on a skewer - cheese and dough are wound on a spit and cooked on a barbecue.

3. Nazuki

is a Georgian spiced bread that you can’t try anywhere. It is also baked in tone, but is interesting because it has the aroma of cloves, cinnamon and contains raisins. This pastry is typical for the city of Surami. There are many small roadside bakeries where you can buy nazuki hot straight from the oven.

4. Chvishtari

Chvishtari is Georgian cornbread. They come from Svaneti. Inside there is chvishtari cheese, served with sauce.

5. Suluguni

Georgian cheese, similar in texture to mozzarella. It is salty, viscous, and separates into “strings.” It is eaten plain or added to various dishes (for example, khachapuri).

6. Nadugi

This is an original Georgian snack consisting of fresh cottage cheese with a delicate creamy taste, wrapped in thin suluguni cheese.

7. Jonjolie

A traditional Georgian appetizer, unprepossessing in appearance, but very interesting in taste. These are pickled flowers. A little reminiscent of sauerkraut and salted olives.

8. Salad

The word “salad” on the menu of Georgian cafes often refers to a salad made from cucumbers and tomatoes. Additional ingredients and dressing may vary depending on the establishment. The photo shows a salad of cucumbers and tomatoes with onions and walnuts. It also turns out very tasty with Kakhetian butter.

9. Georgian chicken salad

Another salad that often appears on the menu of most establishments is listed as qatmis salati. It is a simple chicken salad with onions, mayonnaise and spices.

10. Olivier or Russian potato salad

Olivier is considered a traditional dish of Russian cuisine here. This salad is quite popular and is served almost everywhere. But this is not the Olivier we are quite familiar with. Here it is prepared without sausage. And it is often confused with vinaigrette - ask the waiter what exactly Olivier is called in the establishment.

11. Badrijani

One of the most favorite snacks among tourists is eggplant rolls. The filling can be very varied, but always contains cheese and walnuts.

12. Pkhali

Pkhali is an original snack in the form of flatbreads; the main ingredient can be almost any vegetable or herb, the most popular being beets and spinach. Served as a side dish for meat dishes, as an independent dish, or as an appetizer.

13. Dolma

This is a snack in the form of a rice and meat mass wrapped in cabbage or grape leaves. In Georgia it is traditionally served with garlic matsoni sauce. Strictly speaking, this is a dish of Armenian cuisine, but in Georgia they love dolma and know how to cook it.

14. Khinkali

This is boiled meat in dough, reminiscent of dumplings. You should eat exclusively with your hands, holding them by the tails. In each region they are prepared differently and with different fillings. In Tbilisi, we recommend trying the city recipe with meat and herbs. If you are traveling along the Georgian military road, stop in the village of Pasanauri. It is considered the birthplace of khinkali and here they are excellent.

15. Chikhirtma

An unusual chicken soup that contains meat, herbs, egg, flour and vinegar. If you’re not used to it, it may seem a little sour due to the vinegar, but overall the taste of the broth is rich and harmonious. If you had too much wine yesterday, chikhirtma will be your salvation.

16. Mtsvadi

Served with tkemali plum sauce or tomato satsebeli. As a rule, the meat is prepared without any marinade at all, but generously flavored with onions and pomegranate seeds.

17. Fried potatoes

A classic side dish that can be ordered everywhere is fried potatoes served with tkemali sauce.

18. Lobio

A dish of beans with onions and herbs. Depending on the establishment, it may differ slightly in both composition and consistency. It is most often served in a small clay pot. Try drowning a hot pepper in a pot and eating lobio along with mchadi (corn cake).

19. Chashushuli

A traditional Georgian dish is veal stewed with onions and peppers.

20. Chakapuli

Again, meat stewed with herbs and spices. Lamb is used as meat, and sour plums, cilantro, tarragon, and white wine are used as additives.

21. Kharcho

Traditional Georgian first course with beef, can be served with or without rice. There are also vegetarian versions of kharcho with eggplant, zucchini, and walnuts. Be careful - kharcho is always a very spicy dish.

22. Trout in pomegranate sauce

Whole trout is fried until crispy and served in a sweet or salty pomegranate sauce.

23. Matsoni

This is Georgian yogurt. It has a pleasant subtle taste and is served at room temperature. Also widely used in sauces and dressings.

24. Churchkhela

This is a dessert in the form of a string of nuts in thick caramelized grape syrup. It is sold on every corner, but do not buy churchkhela on the street - there it has dried out and absorbed all the delights of road dust. Buy in stores. Correct churchkhela is not hard, but stretchy, like nougat.

25. Chiri

Chiri is dried persimmon. This delicacy can be found in the same shops where they sell churchkhela. Sliced ​​persimmons are strung on threads and hung until completely dry for several weeks.

26. Borjomi

This is a popular mineral water not only in Georgia, but also far beyond its borders, which is extracted from the spring of the same name. You can buy it in any store and cafe, and also drink directly from the source if you find yourself in Borjomi.

27. Lemonade

If Georgians don't drink Borjomi, wine or beer, then they drink lemonade. There are many variations of lemonade here, it comes in different tastes and colors.

28. Waters of Lagidze

This is sparkling water with syrups that awakens warm nostalgia in tourists. There are many flavors: cherry, cream, lemon, pear, tarragon, grape, vanilla and even chocolate.

29. Traditional wine

Namely, made in qvevri (large clay jugs buried in the ground) according to a traditional recipe, as our ancestors did eight thousand years ago. You will not taste such wine in any other country in the world, so take advantage of the moment - taste Georgian wines and take them home.

30. Chacha

Traditional grape vodka, which is made from leftover wine materials. Try chacha if you like strong alcoholic drinks. The main thing is to calculate your strength and do not mix with other alcohol.

This list is far from complete; there are many more delicious dishes in Georgian cuisine. When you find yourself in Georgia, eat everything and more - it’s better to gain a couple of extra pounds than to regret the missed opportunity to experience one of the most amazing cuisines in the world.

Based on materials from Katherine Belarmino and Romeo Belarmino.

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Georgian cuisine is multifaceted and varied. This is an ideal country for every lover of gastronomic masterpieces. Local chefs surprise not only with delicious pastries and excellent cheeses, which are served with rich, strong chacha and wines. National Georgian meat dishes are also signature. Who hasn’t heard about Georgian kebab, tabaka chicken or the most tender satsivi? Who hasn’t at least once tasted khinkali that melts on your lips? Georgians combine any type of meat, be it pork, young calf, fresh lamb or poultry with vegetables, dough or side dishes, into a real delicacy.

Meat delicacies

When you are in the country on business or as a traveler, be sure to stop by local cafes and try Georgian cuisine so that you can repeat the ones you like at home when you return. Before placing an order, look at the photos of the offerings on the menu to know exactly what to expect.

Soups

First of all, pay attention to hot soups. Dining “first”, “second” and “third” is common not only in Russia. Fully filled with meat and sprinkled with spices and herbs, they do not at all resemble our light chicken broths. Almost always, one plate of thick and viscous liquid can completely saturate you. A few of them:

  • - has existed for many years, and therefore has been modified more than once, supplemented with various herbs and spices. You can prepare it in Georgian or Megrelian, but in any version three ingredients remain unchanged - beef, walnuts and tklapi, in other words, formed into lavash and dried sweet and sour tkemali plum puree. The latter is often replaced with pomegranate juice, tomato paste or fresh cherry plum. An incredible aroma, pungency and notes of bitterness are given to the soup by chopped herbs and an abundance of garlic. It always turns out satisfying, with a lot of grounds.
  • The basis is a fatty beef leg broth with garlic, which is boiled for 8-10 hours. As a result, it is similar to our jellied meat, but it is consumed hot. The recipe does not contain any herbs or vegetables, so cooks sometimes sprinkle the broth with chopped dill. It is famous for its beneficial properties: it strengthens bones and joints, adds vital energy and effectively relieves hangovers, so it is usually consumed in the morning, for breakfast.
  • – a thick, pasty soup made from tender chicken breast or turkey meat. Its consistency is created by a certain amount of corn flour, and its spicy aroma is created by herbs, a high content of spices and eggs. The latter must be skillfully added to the composition so that they do not curl, but completely dissolve. To create an unusual taste and slight sourness, you can add a couple of drops of lemon and pomegranate juice to the soup.

Main dishes

If you are not a fan of liquid hot food, the cookbook of Georgian national recipes using meat or poultry contains many other delicious snacks and nutritious dishes.

  • - These are local dumplings, where the meat is originally wrapped in dough in the form of a small bag. Typically, beef or lamb is used as a filling, combined with cilantro, bitter onions and garlic. They eat this treat exclusively with their hands, first biting into the shell to drink the delicious meat juice, and then everything else. Georgians consider the top ponytail tasteless and throw it away.
  • – one of the most delicious meat delicacies in the country. These are pieces of chicken generously seasoned with nut sauce, to which ground spices are added: cloves, cinnamon, coriander and chopped fresh herbs. The sauce takes a long time to prepare, spices and chopped nuts are boiled until a creamy consistency is formed, and only at the end the poultry and onion pieces are thrown into it.
  • Mtsvadi is the Georgian name for our classic kebab. If you expect to feel the pleasant aroma of fried meat or bite into a finished piece of it, soaked in smoke and incredibly soft, you will be truly disappointed. Georgians have a slightly different attitude towards the dish, the preparation of which is considered a whole ritual in our country. It is much better to try mtsvadi in a Georgian restaurant in Russia - there they will make it more tender, well soaked and more familiar in taste.
  • - easy to implement, roast lamb, which during the stewing process is imbued with the smell and taste of eggplant, fresh tomatoes, sweet peppers, onions and carrots. This dish is usually served in clay pots, generously sprinkled with herbs and bay leaves.
  • – Georgian meat dish made from young lamb. The peak of its preparation occurs at the time when not quite ripe tkemali fruits hang on the trees. It is in their pulp and squeezed from tarragon and sweet onions that fresh lamb is stewed, combined with vegetables, cilantro, parsley, finely chopped garlic and hot pepper. The classic cooking recipe also includes a spoonful of dry white wine, which makes chakapuli even more tender and adds a slight bitterness and sourness.
  • Ojakhuri is another masterpiece on the table of Georgian traditional cuisine. Translated, “ojahi” means family, which means the dish is ideal for a delicious family dinner. These are pieces of meat (pork or beef), cooked in the form of a roast with potatoes, generously crushed with herbs and spices. Coriander, savory, suneli hops, garlic, cilantro seeds, juicy dill leaves make its taste unique, its smell intoxicating, and its appearance appetizing.
  • or ostri - a dish of Caucasian cuisine, which translated from Georgian means “stew”. It is based on the pulp of a pig or cow, sometimes it is replaced with chicken, as well as mushrooms, beans and other vegetables. This is an easy and quick way to feed your household tasty and satisfying meals. Its classic presentation in restaurants across the country is done in kets. Usually, no side dish is provided for the meal.
  • Yakhni is a Georgian beef dish. It requires beef breast, chopped into small pieces and boiled in a thick sauce of walnuts and seasonings. In appearance, it resembles a thickened soup, something between broth and sautéed vegetables. In Adjara, the dish is called wedding and is prepared in huge portions in cauldrons. This is a spicy and juicy treat that is best enjoyed with a piece of fresh pita bread or a slice of freshly baked bread. They eat it hot and fresh.
  • - one of the most famous recipes of Georgian cuisine, which has been popular in all corners of our planet for many decades. It is easy to repeat at home using instructions with photos or video recipes. This is chicken, fried under pressure with pepper in a special frying pan, strewn with herbs and spices. The best additions for it are garlic sauce or melted butter. In Imereti, it is served with pureed blackberries mixed with garlic and cilantro.
  • also sometimes called "tabaka chicken", but it is prepared a little differently. This happens in several stages. First, it is cut along the breast, marinated with salt and pepper, fried over low heat, and then baked in the oven, generously doused with a milk sauce made from full-fat sour cream and 33 percent cream with a lot of cilantro. Thanks to the last component, the meat turns out tender and soft, aromatic and original in taste.
  • Dolma is the Georgian equivalent of our cabbage rolls, with the difference that instead of a simple cabbage wrapper, the lamb is wrapped in grape leaves, which give a pleasant sourness. The recipe allows you to mix minced meat for the filling with steamed rice, and then boil the twisted bags in a spicy tomato sauce.