5 Delicious Dishes You Must Try in Armenia

Armenian cuisine reveals the geography and history of the country, as well as animals and crops grown on its territory. The cuisine is rich in vegetables, meat, and fish; however, eggplant, lamb, and lavash (flatbread) make up its primary components. In addition, cracked wheat, or bulgur, is often used instead of rice and maize in Armenian cuisine. We’ve compiled some of the best dishes you need to try once in Armenia.

# Dolma

This dish is often made from meat, but you can also find a vegetarian option as well. Minced meat mixed with rice and a variety of herbs and spices is wrapped in fresh grape leaves.

# Khorovats

The word khorovats in Armenian means grilled meats or barbecue. A common khorovats is chunks of bone-in meat grilled on a skewer. The dish can be made either with lamb or pork.

# Lavash

This thin and soft flatbread looks similar to a Mexican tortilla and is the most common ingredient in Armenian cuisine.

# Ghapama

Often prepared around Christmastime, ghapama is a stuffed pumpkin dish. The guts of the pumpkin are removed, and then it is stuffed with boiled rice and dried fruits like apple, apricot, dates, plums, and raisins together with nuts. The pumpkin is baked until it softens.

# Khash

The dish is made from a boiled sheep’s or cow’s parts that include the feet and/or head. Some use the other parts of the cow, like tripe and brain, in the recipe. The meal is also quite common not only in Armenia, but in Georgia, Albania, Bulgaria, Turkey, and Iran to name just a few, and is considered a hangover remedy.