Food in Uzbekistan: 21 Traditional Uzbek Dishes You Must Try Wandering Wheatleys

When in doubt about what to order in Uzbekistan, lagman is generally a great choice especially if it’s cold outside!
4. Fried Lagman
Another wonderful way to enjoy those delicious hand-pulled lagman noodles is stir-fried. The noodles are pan-fried with peppers, onions, tomatoes paste, and whatever other vegetables the kitchen has on hand. It basically tastes like stir-fried spaghetti. And, if you’re lucky, you might find it topped with a fried egg!
5. Shurpa
Shurpa is an Uzbek lamb soup that you’ll find in almost every eatery in the country. In addition to chunks of lamb, you can expect thick slices of vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, and onions. Spices such as fresh dill and parsley are also used to add flavor to the soup.
Shurpa is a great starter to any meal, especially if you’re visiting Uzbekistan during the colder months and need to warm up after a day of exploring the country’s beautiful Islamic architecture.
6. Dimlama
Dimlama is a robust one-pot stew typically associated with harvest time in Uzbekistan. It’s full of meat (lamb or beef), potatoes, onions, carrots, cabbage, peppers, and garlic. To prepare dimlama, all of the ingredients are layered in a deep pan, covered, and simmered for several hours.
If you’re in Uzbekistan in the spring or fall you’ll certainly encounter dimlama as a seasonal special.
7. Manti
Another extremely popular food in Uzbekistan, manti (or “mantu”), are large steamed dumplings filled with ground lamb or beef. Extra fat is often added to the dumplings to enhance the flavor.
They are served with yogurt for dipping, and in Uzbekistan, they are traditionally eaten without utensils so don’t be afraid to dive right in with your hands.
You’ll occasionally encounter manti filled with other great ingredients like potatoes, turnips, or pumpkin, but if the filling is not specified on the menu you can expect meat.
8. Chuchvara
Chuchvara are simply smaller versions of Manti, and these delicious little dumplings can be served steamed (like manti), fried, or in a soup. Of the three we really fell in love with the soup which is quite similar to Chinese wonton soup. It’s especially good when served with a healthy sprinkling of fresh dill on top and is a great starter to any meal in Uzbekistan!

9. Fried Chuchvara
Another popular way to eat chuchvara is fried (you might see this written on the menu as “Qovurma Chuchvara”). Fried chuchvara is a perfect dish for sharing if you’re dining as a large group as they are much easier to eat with your hands than the steamed version. In Uzbekistan, they are often served at weddings or parties.
They’ll come to your table piping hot and are typically dipped in cold yogurt or smetana (sour cream) which makes for the perfect accompaniment to the seasoned meat filling and crispy shell of the chuchvara.
10. Samsa
Samsa (also sometimes spelled “samosa”) is another popular style of dumplings in Uzbekistan. Similar to manti, they are filled with lamb or beef and an extra helping of lamb fat for flavor. They are then baked in an oven, resulting in a flaky pastry that is a staple breakfast food in Uzbekistan. In fact, a plate full of samsas and a pot of tea is a very traditional start to a morning in Uzbekistan.
You’ll occasionally encounter potatoe and onion samsa, but generally, you can expect them to be full of the delicious but artery-clogging mix of chopped or ground meat and extra fat.
11. Achichuk
Achichuk is a simple salad made from sliced tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers. You’ll see it as an option at every Uzbek restaurant, and you’ll surely end up ordering it a time or two during your trip. It’s simple and straightforward but also fresh and delicious.
12. Chalop
Chalop (also spelled chalap or chalob) is cold yogurt soup made with cilantro, dill, parsley, radishes, and cucumbers. It’s a nice start to a meal as it’s light and refreshing (though a little bland) especially if you’re visiting Uzbekistan in the summer.
13. Dolmas