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9 recipes · Uzbekistan

Uzbek kitchen

9 Uzbek recipes you can cook at home, from Dimlama (Uzbek Meat and Vegetable Stew), Khanum (Uzbek Steamed Vegetable Roll) and Lagman (Uzbek Beef Noodle Soup) to Halvaytar (Uzbek Flour Halva).

9 recipes

About Uzbek food

The Uzbek kitchen

Rice, wheat dough, lamb and beef sit at the center of many Uzbek meals, with carrots, onions and cumin giving savory dishes their warmth. Slow simmering softens meat for soups, steaming keeps rolls and dumplings tender, and butter between thin dough layers creates crisp flatbreads and pastries.

Rich mains are often balanced with fresh tomato-and-onion salad, herbs or tart dairy. Plov is a defining rice dish, but the table also includes noodle soups, mung-bean dishes and vegetable-filled dough. Use gentle heat for clear broth, keep pastry fillings juicy with onion, and serve the fresh sides just after mixing.

Questions, answered

What is the national dish of Uzbekistan?

Plov, also called palov or osh, is widely recognized as the national dish. Rice, meat, carrots and onions form its core, with ingredients and methods varying across regions.

Is Uzbek food spicy?

Much of it is aromatic rather than chili-hot. Cumin, black pepper, onions and fresh herbs are common flavors, though some noodle dishes and condiments can have more heat.

Are there vegetarian Uzbek dishes?

Yes. Vegetable-filled steamed rolls, salads, breads and meatless mung-bean-and-rice dishes are useful choices. Check the cooking fat and broth, since some versions use animal ingredients.

Can I make Uzbek bread without a tandoor?

Yes, a home oven can bake many breads, while layered katlama cooks in a skillet. The surface and browning will differ from bread baked against a tandoor wall.

What Uzbek dishes can I make at home?

Start with Achichuk (Uzbek Tomato and Onion Salad), Dimlama (Uzbek Meat and Vegetable Stew), Halvaytar (Uzbek Flour Halva), Katlama (Uzbek Layered Flatbread) and Khanum (Uzbek Steamed Vegetable Roll). Every recipe here is written for a home kitchen, with substitutes for anything hard to find.

What's the quickest Uzbek recipe?

Achichuk (Uzbek Tomato and Onion Salad), ready in 15 min.