This article provides a list of dishes originating from the Caucasus. Caucasian culinary tradition includes that of Armenians, Azerbaijanis, Georgians, and of all other ethnic groups in the Caucasus, such as Chechens, Circassians, Ossetians, and many others.
Traditional dishes Cheese
Ktor panir (կտոր պանիր) — is an Armenian traditional soft cheese made from sheep's, cow's milk, or a mixture of both. Ashvlagwan (Ашвлагуан) — Abkhaz smoked cheese, similar to sulguni. Chechil (Չեչիլ) — String (often smoked) cheese, made in Armenia. Adyga kwae (Адыгэ Къуае) — Mild cheese, made in Circassia. Yeghegnadzor (Եղեգնաձոր) also known as horats panir (հորած պանիր) — is a traditional Armenian semi-soft cheese originating from the town of Yeghegnadzor in the Vayots Dzor Province of Armenia. Chkinti (ჭყინტი) — Salty cheese made originally in Imereti. Chanakh (չանախ) — Armenian brined cheese with a sharp, salty flavor and dense texture Dambalkhacho (დამბალხაჭო) — "Rotten" cheese made in Pshavi and Mtiuleti. Motal (մոթալ) — Armenian brined cheese made from sheep's or goat's milk, traditionally produced in the Syunik and Artsakh regions. Guda (გუდა) — Cheese made from sheep milk in Tusheti. Its preparation takes 20 days.
Earon tsykht (Ирон Цыхт) — Cheese made in Ossetia. Kanach panir (կանաչ պանիր) — Mold-ripened Armenian cheese from Shirak, with a greenish look, crumbly texture, and sharp flavor. Lori (լոռի) — Armenian semi-soft cheese made from pasteurized cow's milk. Sulguni (სულგუნი) — One of the best-known cheeses from Mingrelia, made from cow or buffalo milk. Tel panir (թել պանիր) — Armenian string cheese made from fermented milk, braided into fine threads and typically preserved in brine. To-beram (ТIо-берам) — Cottage cheese mixed with sour cream, made traditionally in Chechnya and in Ingushetia.
Dough
Zhingyalov hats (Ժենգյալով հաց) — Armenian flatbread stuffed with diced herbs such as tarragon, mint, parsley, purple basil, vegetables such as spinach and spices, then baked. Achma (აჩმა / Ачма) — Fluffy pastry with cheese, traditionally made in Georgia, especially in Abkhazia. Afarar (Афарар) — Lezgian flatbread stuffed with various fillings, mostly meat or cottage cheese. Semsek (սեմսեկ) — is an Armenian dish made with a smooth dough that is topped with a mixture of minced meat, herbs, and spices, then baked. Chepalgash (ЧIепалгаш) — Chechen and Ingush pie filled with cottage cheese and wild garlic. Chudu (Чуду) — Sort of pie, made in Dagestan with various fillings (meat, cheese, cottage cheese, herbs, etc.). Dalnash (Далнаш) — Chechen and Ingush pie filled with lard and wild garlic. Lahmajun (լահմաջո) — baked flatbread topped with minced meat, spices, herbs, minced vegetables such as garlic, tomatoes, onions, and parsley, then baked. It is of Arabic origin and popular in Armenia and Arab countries (especially in the Levant and Arabian peninsula), as well as Turkey. Haliva (Хьэлжъо) — Circassian triangular fried pie, often filled with Circassian cheese and potatoes. Hingalsh (Хингалш) — Chechen and Ingush pie with a half-round shape, filled with pumpkin. Khachapuri (ხაჭაპური) — Georgian pie filled with cheese and egg. This dish has a lot of regional variation, the most famous being adjaruli khachapuri, shaped in a form of a boat. Kubdari (კუბდარი) — Svan pie filled with spicy meat. Khichin (Хычин) — Balkar and Karachay pie filled with various stuffings. Byoreks (բյորեկ) — are Armenian triangular pastries made with phyllo pastry and stuffed with either cheese, meat, spinach, herbs, potato, a cheese and spinach mixture, a cheese and herbs mixture, or a potato and cheese mixture. Ossetian pies (джин) — These are either filled with a mixture of Ossetian cheese and garlic, cabbage and cheese, potato and cheese, mashed pumpkin, only cheese, minced meat, kidney beans, or beetroot and cheese. Qutab — Azerbaijani and Turkmen cooked dough filled with meat or pumpkin.
Starters and snacks
Ajapsandali (აჯაფსანდალი / Աջափսանդալ) — Cold starter containing aubergines, potatoes and spices. It is traditionally made in Georgia and Armenia. Basturma (Բաստուրմա) — Armenian air-dried cured beef coated in a paste made out of an Armenian spice blend chemen, tomato paste and garlic. Dolma / Tolma (Dolma / Տոլմա / Tolma / Долма) — Vegetable (cabbage, zucchini, grape leaf, aubergine, pepper) stuffed with minced meat and rice, in the Caucasus, it is mostly made in Armenia and Azerbaijan. Ailazan (այլազան) — Armenian appetizer made from stewed vegetables. In some variations of the recipe, meat is also used. The dish is similar to ajapsandal. Topik (Թոփիկ) is an Armenian dish, sometimes thought of as a vegetarian meatball, consisting of a chickpea-based paste, usually mixed with potatoes or flour, surrounding a filling of onions, nuts, currants, and flavored with herbs, spices, and tahini, It is a traditional lenten dish. Lobio (ლობიო) — Cooked minced beans with addition of coriander, walnuts, garlic and onion. Kanachi (կանաչի)/Goy— Are the Armenian and Azerbaijani names of an Iranian appetizer consisting of any combination of a set of fresh herbs and raw vegetables. Basil or purple basil, mint, parsley, tarragon, coriander, leek and radishes are among the most common ones. Nowadays, it is popular in Armenia, Iran and Azerbaijan. Nigvziani Badrijani (ნიგვზიანი ბადრიჯანი) — Fried aubergine with walnut sauce and pomegranate seeds. Eetch (Էտչ) — is a traditional Armenian side dish, salad or spread, similar to tabbouleh. This bulgur salads red colour is derived from crushed or pureed tomatoes. Common additional ingredients include onion, parsley, olive oil, lemon, paprika, bell peppers and spices. Pkhali (ფხალი) — Minced vegetables (cabbage, beet, aubergine) with pomegranate seeds. Chi kofta (չի քյուֆթե) — A type of kofta, It is a raw bulgur-based dish mixed with tomato paste, pomegranate molasses, spices, and sometimes meat. It is served with lavash, kanachi (fresh herbs), salad, and often pomegranate molasses or grape syrup. It is popular amongst Turks and Armenians. Sujuk (Սուջուխ / Sucuk) — Turkic Dry and spicy sausage, mostly made in Armenia and Azerbaijan. (բրդուճ) — A type of wrap made by filling bread (mostly lavash) with Armenian cheeses, walnuts, herbs (herbs used for kanachi) and condiments (ajika, lecho, pomegranade molasses, grape syrup). Loligov dzvadzekh or Pamidorov dzvadzekh (լոլիգով ձվաձեխ; պամիդորով ձվաձեխ) — A common appetizer and breakfast-dish in Armenia. Essentially a scramble with tomato as the base. This dish also includes onions, bell peppers, garlic and herbs (tarragon, purple basil, and coriander). It is usually served with lavash bread. A variation of this dish adds Armenian cheeses to the dish.
Soups and stews
Spas (Սպաս) — Armenian soup made with matzoon. Flour, egg or egg yolk, herbs, such as coriander, thyme, parsley, and mint, are added as well. Butter and regular onions, or fried onions are often added to the soup for a richer taste. It can also be served with meatballs. Bugleme (Буглеме) — Meat stew, served by the Mountain Jews. Mantapour (մանթապուր) — is an Armenian soup made by combining meat-filled manti, matzoon, sour cream, and broth. Chakapuli (ჩაქაფული) — Stew made of lamb or beef (or veal), tarragon and cherry plums in Eastern Georgia (Kakheti and Kartli). Nraneh (նռանեհ) — Armenian soup made of slow‑cooked lamb in a broth that features pomegranate juice, or pomegranate molasses and herbs. It sometimes includes rice and is garnished with coriander and tarragon. Qovurma — Azerbaijani lamb stew. Aveluk soup (ավելուկի ապուր) — Armenian soup made of aveluk (sorrel), onion, garlic, oil or butter, salt, black pepper, lemon juice or vinegar, dried herbs like thyme or mint and sometimes bulgur or rice. Chakhokhbili (ჩახოხბილი) — Soup made of tomatoes and poultry meat (mostly chicken or turkey) which originated in Western Georgia. Arganak (արգանակ) — Armenian soup consisting of meatballs, rice, onions, chicken broth, lemon juice, yolk, and parsley. Chikhirtma (ჩიხირთმა) — Soup made of turkey or chicken meat and eggs which is traditionally made in Kakheti. Karshm (կարշմ) — Armenian soup made in the town of Vaik in the Vayots Dzor Province. It is a walnut-based soup with red beans, green beans, chickpeas and spices. It is garnished with red pepper and garlic. Dovga (Dovğа) — Soup made of yoghurt and fresh herbs, traditionally made in Azerbaijan. Vospapour (ոսպապուր) — Armenian lentil soup made with brown lentils cooked in broth together with chickpeas, carrots, celery, coarse bulgur, ground walnuts and puréed dried fruits (especially apricot). It is flavoured with fried onions, mint, parsley, and cumin. Variations also include spices and ingredients like cayenne pepper, cinnamon, tomatoes, eggplants, spinach, and ground walnuts. Kharcho (ხარჩო) — Soup made of beef, rice, cherry plums and walnuts from Mingrelia. Krchik (Քրճիկ) — soup made from pickled cabbage, onions, potatoes, tomato purée, cracked wheat, potatoes, coriander, parsley, butter, black pepper, and salt.
Khash (խաշ) — beef or lamb feet in its broth with garlic. It originated in Armenia and is eaten throughout the Caucasus. Chanakhi (ჩანახი) — Georgian tomato-based stew with spiced lamb, potatoes, aubergines. Piti / Putuk (պուտուկ) — Azerbaijani and Armenian soup made with mutton, tail fat, chickpeas, potato, onions, dried alycha and sumac. Khashlama (Խաշլամա) — Armenian stew made with large chunks of meat, usually lamb, beef, or veal that are simmered slowly with vegetables in a pot. The meat is not browned or fried; instead, it is cut into pieces and layered raw in a pot with slices of onions, tomatoes (or tomato paste), bell peppers, and sometimes potatoes or carrots. Garlic, bay leaves, salt, and whole black peppercorns are added for flavor. Bozbash (Bozbaş/բոզբաշ) – a mutton and lamb soup that exists in Azerbaijan and Armenia with the addition of different vegetables. There is a special kind of bozbash served in Armenia. It is named Shoushin bozbash (Armenian: շուշին բոզբաշ), and is made from lamb, quince, apple, and mint. This variation of bozbash is "practically unknown outside of Armenia". Gomgush (ղամղուշ) — is an Armenian banquet stew consisting of summer squash, tomato sauce, prunes, garlic, mint, chickpeas, sevan trout, pumpkin, matzoon, pepper paste, and dill. It is usually cooked inside a tonir. Chorba — Types of soup usually made with lamb and beef, fried vegetables and herbs which is made in every country in Caucasus, especially in Dagestan and Azerbaijan. Tarhana (Թարխանա) — Soup made with matzoon and flour.
Main courses
Ghapama (Ղափամա) – Armenian baked pumpkin filled with either rice, dried fruits, honey and spices, or in the savory version, with rice, meat, onions, herbs and spices. Apkhazura (აფხაზურა) — Fried meat enrolled in caul fat, traditionally made in Abkhazia. Stuffed intestines (փոր լցոնած or դալակ դոլմա) — Armenian dish consisting of intestines stuffed with minced meat, bulgur, dried mint, onion, chickpeas, salt, black pepper, allspice, and cinnamon. Amcheg (Амчег) — Lezgin roasted turkey. Dolma / Tolma (Dolma / Տոլմա / Долма) — Vegetable (cabbage, zucchini, grape leaf, aubergine, pepper, onion, sorrel leaf), or fruit (apple, quince, melon, tomato) stuffed with minced meat, rice, spices and herbs, of Turkic origin that is popular in Armenia and Azerbaijan. Barsh (БӀарш) — Chechen and Ingush dish, consisting of a mutton stomach stuffed with minced meat.