National food: Caucasian

Caucasian cooking celebrates bold ingredients, soulful hospitality, and time-honored traditions designed for sharing. Whether you need a satisfying meal after a busy workday or an impressive spread for a weekend gathering, these recipes bring warmth and rich taste to any occasion.

Explore a diverse selection of regional classics that showcase both simplicity and depth. You will find everything from bubbly, cheese-stuffed flatbreads baked to golden perfection to succulent skewers charred over hot coals, alongside comforting spiced stews and vibrant herb-packed salads.

Savor the artful balance of toasted walnuts, fresh cilantro, crushed garlic, and tart pomegranate that defines this vibrant regional kitchen. Pick a dish below to transform simple staple ingredients into an unforgettable family feast.

Basil Adjika

Basil Adjika

Bring intense Caucasian warmth to your table with homemade basil adjika, a vibrant blend of fresh hot chilies, aromatic garlic, crisp celery, and fragrant purple opal basil. Balanced with fresh lemon juice and rich Georgian khmeli suneli spices, this raw condiment delivers a punch of herbal brightness and satisfying heat. Whip up a batch with simple blender prep and store it in glass jars to elevate grilled meats, roasted veggies, or rustic breads.

Gulchekhra — Chicken in Sour Cream Sauce

Gulchekhra — Chicken in Sour Cream Sauce

Discover Gulchekhra, a delightful Uzbek-style chicken in a creamy sour cream sauce. Legend says the recipe was named after a gracious hostess who shared her delicious creation, and it quickly spread. This dish is pure comfort, offering tender chicken and a rich, velvety sauce all in one. It’s a beautiful example of a simple, time-honored recipe passed down through generations, promising a wonderfully flavorful meal that’s both easy to make and impossible to resist.

Lobio iz Beloy Fasoli — Georgian White Bean Stew

Lobio iz Beloy Fasoli — Georgian White Bean Stew

Discover the heart of Georgian cuisine with this authentic Lobio recipe! A timeless dish, Lobio is a traditional stew made from beans. Our version features creamy white beans simmered to perfection with a rich blend of walnuts, aromatic spices like khmeli-suneli, and fresh cilantro. This hearty and flavorful dish is incredibly versatile—perfect as a warm main course with fresh bread or as a delightful cold appetizer. It’s a simple, satisfying, and naturally vegan meal.

Chicken Hearts Stewed in Walnut Sauce

Chicken Hearts Stewed in Walnut Sauce

Discover a delightful Georgian-style twist on a humble ingredient! This recipe transforms chicken hearts into a tender, savory stew, simmered in a rich and aromatic walnut sauce. Spiced with fragrant herbs and balanced with a hint of sweet-tart apple, this incredible dish is ready in about 30 minutes. It’s a unique and flavorful meal that’s surprisingly easy to make and perfect for a memorable weeknight dinner. You’ll love this simple yet elegant stew!

Chicken Thighs in Tomato Sauce

Chicken Thighs in Tomato Sauce

Discover a delightful Georgian-style chicken dish featuring tender thighs slow-cooked in a rich tomato sauce with onion, garlic, and aromatic spices. Inspired by the famous chakhokhbili, this recipe is incredibly simple—just set it in the oven and forget about it for an hour! There’s no need for marinating; the chicken becomes so tender it practically falls off the bone. It’s the perfect, flavorful comfort food for any day of the week. You’ll love how easy and delicious it is!

Adjika iz sushenogo pertsa chili — Dried Chili Pepper Adjika

Adjika iz sushenogo pertsa chili — Dried Chili Pepper Adjika

Dried chili pepper adjika is a fiery, aromatic condiment you can make all year round. Dried peppers don’t lose their heat and are easily rehydrated, creating a paste that’s just as flavorful as one made from fresh ingredients. Its uses are endless—add it to sauces, spread it on sandwiches, mix it into meatballs, or stir it into soups. This intensely spicy paste is a versatile powerhouse for your pantry; just a quarter teaspoon is enough to transform a dish!

Georgian-Style Green Beans

Georgian-Style Green Beans

Discover the vibrant flavors of Georgia with this incredibly simple and delicious green bean recipe! A perfect dish for any vegetarian or Lenten menu, it features tender green beans and bell peppers served over a luscious, creamy walnut and garlic sauce known as bazhe. This meal comes together in minutes: while the veggies sauté, you’ll whip up the nutty, aromatic sauce. It’s a healthy, flavorful, and wonderfully easy recipe that brings a taste of the Caucasus to your table.

Ajapsandali — Georgian Vegetable Stew

Ajapsandali — Georgian Vegetable Stew

Ajapsandali—a vibrant vegetable stew with countless names across cultures, from Imam Bayildi to Ratatouille. At its heart, this Georgian classic is a celebration of summer vegetables. The authentic recipe features a mandatory set of ingredients: tender eggplants, sweet tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, and garlic, all brought to life with fragrant herbs. But the true soul of Georgian cuisine shines through with the addition of aromatic spices like coriander and the iconic khmeli-suneli blend. Discover a simple yet unforgettable dish.

Juicy Beef Shashlik — Tender Beef Skewers

Juicy Beef Shashlik — Tender Beef Skewers

Making juicy beef shashlik is an art, and the secret lies in choosing the right cut of meat. Grilling over coals requires a quick cooking time, so the beef must become tender fast. The best cuts for beef shashlik are tenderloin or a thick-end roast beef. While classic marinades work, a blend of lemon juice and onion purée is far more effective for ensuring your beef shashlik turns out incredibly juicy and flavorful every time. This recipe will guide you to perfection!

Shashlik

Shashlik

The arrival of warm weather is the perfect excuse to combine outdoor fun with a delicious barbecue! Whether you’re at a country house, in a garden, by a river, or even in your own backyard, there’s always a place for a grill. All you need is the desire, good company, and the know-how to cook amazing shashlik over an open fire. Let this authentic recipe be your guide to creating the most juicy and flavorful meat skewers for your next unforgettable outdoor gathering.