Central Asian Cuisine: A Culinary Adventure Across the Stans

Central Asian cuisine is a tantalising fusion of nomadic heritage and bold, vibrant flavours—all designed to delight your senses. From smoky grilled meats to delicate dumplings, every dish has a rich story to tell. Whether you’re savouring a hearty plate of plov or biting into a freshly baked piece of chorek, the traditional food in Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan pay homage to their storied nomadic roots.

Meals here are often served family-style, celebrating the communal joy of shared dining—an experience you can immerse yourself in on an Inspiring Vacations tour. But it’s not only the food that leaves a lasting impression; it’s also the legendary hospitality and warmth that define this remarkable region.

Wondering what to eat in the 5 Stans? Here are 8 must-try dishes and where to try them.

1. Shashlik (grilled meat skewers) 

Shashlik, a popular street food of skewered chunks of marinated lamb, beef, or chicken, is believed to have originated with the nomadic Turkic and Mongol peoples who would cook meat on long sticks over an open fire while travelling across the vast plains. Over time, eating shashlik gained popularity throughout Central Asia cuisine and beyond, with each country in the region adapting it with a local twist.

In Turkmenistan cuisine, lamb is most commonly used and is served alongside thinly sliced onions, flatbread (chorek), and a fresh salad made from cucumbers, tomatoes, and herbs. The dish is often enjoyed in casual settings, particularly during get-togethers or outdoor barbecues. The marinade usually consists of simple ingredients such as vinegar, garlic, and spices like cumin, which help tenderise the meat while infusing it with delicious flavours. 

While this variety is the most common throughout the region, in Kazakhstan, lamb and beef are widely used, but horse meat is also a popular variation, so beware if this isn’t an option you’d like to taste test. Additionally, instead of the typical cucumber and tomato salad, a creamy Russian salad made with boiled potatoes, peas, and carrots is often served as a side dish.

Where To Try:

Altyn Cynar in Ashgabat offers traditional Turkmenistan cuisine in a cosy setting, with locals coming here for the grilled meat (lamb, beef, and chicken) cooked over an open flame (at your table if you choose!). The meat is smoky and tender and accompanied with a side of fresh salads and flatbread. 

2. Plov (pilaf)

Plov or pilaf is a rice-based dish with deep roots in the ancient Silk Road. While its exact origins are debated, it’s believed to have been brought to the region by the Persians and evolved over centuries. As a staple of Central Asian cuisine, particularly Uzbekistan, each country in the region has its own variation of plov. It is usually cooked with lamb or beef, carrots, onions, garlic, and spices like cumin and paprika. It’s a hearty and filling dish, typically served as the main course in meals and often enjoyed in large quantities at family celebrations. The key to good plov? Layer the ingredients and cook slowly so the flavours will bathe happily together. To balance the richness of the plov you’ll find plenty of fresh flatbread, a side salad of tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and herbs, and a generous dollop of yoghurt to tackle the spiciness. 

Where To Try:

The Plov in Bukhara, Uzbekistan, attracts both locals and tourists so expect a bustling setting with haphazard, rather than refined, table service. But the focus here is on the food, and the plov is often described as the best in the city. Opt for either the Bukhara and Samarkand versions which are served in 400 and 600 gram portions. Bukhara plov often includes chickpeas and raisins, and therefore a little sweeter in flavour, while the Samarkand version focuses on the meat (usually lamb) and veggie components.

3. Chorek (flatbread)

In Central Asian cuisine, bread isn’t just bread; this humble staple holds immense cultural importance both as a symbol of the country’s nomadic roots and as a sign of hospitality. The tradition of baking using a tandyr, a clay oven, dates back centuries with the tandyr imparting a unique texture and flavour on the dough—crispy, slightly charred crust on the outside, while the inside remains soft and fluffy—yum! 

This baking method also helps retain the warmth of the bread, making it perfect for enjoying alongside hearty dishes like plov and shashlik. In some regions, the bread is also decorated with intricate designs, sometimes featuring symbols or patterns believed to bring good fortune.

In Turkmenistan cuisine, the loaf is often round and thick, with a golden crust, and it’s typically served on a communal platter where everyone can tear off pieces to eat. It’s also customary for the host to break the bread and offer it first to guests as a mark of respect. 

In Uzbekistan, the bread is often topped with sesame or nigella seeds, adding extra flavour. In Kazakhstan, the bread is often thicker and is served with a side of shubat (fermented camel’s milk). 

Where To Try:

Any local restaurant which includes dishes like stews and especially shashlik, more often than not, will also serve up a crispy but fluffy chorek. Yashlyk and Kopetdag Project in Ashgabat are our picks. 

4. Manty/Manti (dumplings)

Whether Chinese or otherwise, no one has met a dumpling they didn’t like, and manty, a stand-out in Turkmenistan cuisine and in the dumpling genre, is no exception. Manty is derived from the Turkish word for dumpling and these delicious parcels have been a staple in Central Asian cuisine for centuries, with filling varying slightly by country. In Turkmenistan, manty are typically filled with minced lamb or beef, making them a hearty and satisfying meal after a long day trading on the Silk Road (or modern-day sightseeing); in Uzbekistan, manty may also be filled with pumpkin or a combination of vegetables and meat, so the flavours are usually sweeter. Manty can be found everywhere—in small, casual eateries or markets where they’re usually made fresh to order—but if you prefer trying them in a more formal setting, they’re on most restaurant menus. 

Where To Try:

Ashgabat’s Chatma restaurant in Turkmenistan has a reputation for serving authentic Turkmen dishes, and a plate of their mouthwatering manty, especially the fried kind, is a winner. This 100-year-old restaurant sits next to a park so the outdoor dining area is pleasant, green and quiet. 

5. Gutap (stuffed flatbread)

Gutap is a filled flatbread, similar to an empanada or pie, and you may recognise it as neighbouring countries have their own version—in Türkiye you’ll find gözleme and qutab in Azerbaijan. Gutap is either shallow or deep fried, and more traditional recipes contain a meat filling, spiced lamb or beef, although it’s increasingly common to find chicken. Veggie fillings are usually spinach or red lentil and a yoghurt dip is a good accompaniment to cool the spicy filling. 

Where To Try: 

Although gutap is considered a snack food, it’s not unusual to find the more-ish flatbreads on restaurant menus as well as market stalls. AYŞA Restoran in Ashgabat is known for a stellar spinach version: deep fried and crispy, with a fresh filling, seasoned to perfection. We doubt you’ll stop at one.

6. Batyrma (vegetable stew)

Unless you’re a fan of the cold, summer is an ideal time to visit Turkmenistan—you’ll be blessed with warm weather and the country is full of colourful veggies. To celebrate, locals lap up a classic Turkmen dish like they would salad. Batyrma is a summer vegetable stew, similar to a ratatouille, and is tomato-based, full of fresh peppers, onions and whatever other vegetables are on hand.

In other Central Asian countries, you'll find similar vegetable stews, though recipes and ingredients may vary. These stews are also a result of the extreme temperature fluctuations, with hot summers and cold winters, especially in more arid regions. The addition of meat to a batyrma in the colder months adds the necessary protein to sustain energy levels during the long days. Adding warm flatbread (like chorek) alongside these stews helps to absorb the sauces and make the meal even more filling.

Where To Try:

Generally, batyrma is a vegetarian dish, but you can find it with meat or ask for it to be added. But stick with tradition at Ashgabat staple Üzüm Café in Turkmenistan for one of the best spinach batyrma in town. Don’t let the location (next door to a hotel), live jazz and impressive coffee selection fool you: the food here isn’t for a tourist palate and there’s plenty of traditional Turkmenistan cuisine to try; we recommend starting with batyrma.

7. Lagman (noodles)

Lagman is a beloved noodle dish that has its roots in the Uyghur cuisine of Central Asia, but it's widely enjoyed across the region. The hand-pulled noodles are served in a rich, savory broth made from beef, lamb, or chicken, and accompanied by a colourful mix of vegetables like tomatoes, onions, and carrots. The dish is usually seasoned with garlic, cumin, and sometimes chili, giving the broth a spicy kick. Lagman can be served either in a soup form or stir-fried for a thicker, hearty texture. Both versions are widely available, although the soupy version tends to be more commonly found in Central Asia, in particular Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, while the stir-fried version is more closely associated with the Uyghur region of China.

Where To Try: 

Arzu in Kyrgyzstan’s busy capital, Bishkek, offers simple, delicious and homely dishes including around 16 types of lagman including a vegetarian option if requested. Meat eaters can choose from the usual suspects: lamb and beef, and in these parts, horse meat. Staff do not speak English but the menu is partly in English, but smiling and pointing does the trick, too. Expect a spacious, indoor dining area, and a pleasant terrace in the summer.

8. Samsa (stuffed savoury pastry)

Samsa is a popular street food and snack across Central Asian cuisine, particularly in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan. It's a crisp pastry filled with a spiced mixture of minced meat (usually lamb or beef), onions, and sometimes vegetables or pumpkin. The filling is wrapped in flaky layers and then baked, often in a traditional clay oven, which gives the samsa (which is really similar to a samosa you’d find in India) a crispy, golden-brown exterior. The delicious pastry pockets are often served as a snack or appetiser and can be found in markets, food stalls as well as restaurants. 

Where To Try: 

Market stalls and street stands are the ideal spots to taste test a snack-on-the-go samsa, but if you find yourself in Shymkent, a city in southern Kazakhstan near the Uzbekistan border, head to Qazaq Samsa for the tastiest samsa pockets filled with meat and seasoned perfectly. 

A Quick Recap: 4 Reasons Why You'll Love Central Asian Cuisine:

• Bold, Vibrant Flavours: Central Asian dishes are packed with rich, aromatic spices like cumin, paprika, and garlic that create unforgettable tastes.
  
  
• Diverse Dishes for Every Taste: Whether you're craving smoky grilled meats (shashlik), hearty rice dishes (plov), or savory dumplings (manti), there's something to satisfy every craving, meat-eater or vegetarian.
  
  
• A Feast for the Senses: The combination of fresh vegetables, aromatic herbs, and perfectly cooked meats, often served family-style, makes every meal a sensory experience.
  
  
• Cultural Heritage in Every Bite: Rooted in centuries of nomadic traditions, each dish tells the story of the region’s history and hospitality, from clay oven-baked breads (chorek) to comforting stews (batyrma).

Inspired to travel to Central Asia? Check out our 22 Day Five Stans Unveiled tour which takes in five countries in Central Asia: Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. Tour extensions offered are Mary, Istanbul and Türkiye.