Afghan Recipes
16 recipesAfghan cooking draws on Central Asian, Persian and Indian traditions, and it shows in the rice, bread and dumplings that fill the table. Rice is cooked as palaw, with meat, carrots, raisins and warm spices, and flatbread baked in a clay oven comes with almost every meal. Lamb is the most prized meat, grilled as kebab or simmered in stews and soups. Dumplings such as mantu and aushak are served with yogurt, garlic and dried mint. Seasoning is generous but rarely fiery: cumin, coriander, cardamom and turmeric are common, and chili is added at the table, often as a fresh cilantro chutney. Yogurt, dried fruit, walnuts and pistachios appear in savory and sweet dishes alike. Meals are shared from communal platters, often on a cloth spread on the floor, and green tea with cardamom follows. Nowruz, Eid and weddings bring out the biggest feasts, with milk puddings, cookies and fruit compote.
Staple ingredients
- rice
- lamb
- wheat flatbread (naan)
- yogurt
- dried fruit and nuts
- cumin and coriander
- cardamom
- fresh coriander and mint
- Appetizers 1
- Soups 1
- Main Dishes 7
- Side Dishes 1
- Breads 2
- Desserts 2
- Drinks 1
- Sauces, Dips and Condiments 1
Appetizers
Soups
Main Dishes
Kabuli Palaw (Afghan Rice with Lamb, Carrots and Raisins)AF3 hChallenging
Mantu (Afghan Steamed Lamb Dumplings with Yogurt)AF1 h 50 minChallenging
Aushak (Afghan Spring Onion Dumplings)AF1 h 45 minChallenging
Chapli Kabab (Afghan Spiced Beef Patties)AF45 minMedium
Kabab-e-Barg (Afghan Marinated Lamb Kebabs)AF40 minMedium
Kofta Challow (Afghan Meatballs in Tomato Sauce with Rice)AF1 h 15 minEasy
Sabzi Challow (Afghan Spinach and Lamb Stew with Rice)AF2 h 30 minMedium
Side Dishes
Breads
Bolani (Afghan Potato Stuffed Flatbread)AF1 h 30 minMedium
Naan-e-Afghani (Afghan Flatbread)AF35 minMedium
Desserts
Firni (Afghan Cardamom and Rose Milk Pudding)AF25 minEasy
Haft Mewa (Afghan Seven-Fruit Compote)AF20 minEasy
Drinks
Sauces, Dips and Condiments
Common questions
What is Afghan food known for?
Fragrant rice dishes such as kabuli palaw, dumplings like mantu and aushak, grilled lamb kebabs and freshly baked flatbread, all served with yogurt and fresh herbs.
What is the national dish of Afghanistan?
Kabuli palaw is widely seen as the national dish. It is rice cooked with lamb and topped with sweet carrots, raisins and nuts, and it is served at weddings, holidays and when guests visit.
Is Afghan food spicy?
Not usually. The food is well seasoned with cumin, coriander and cardamom, but chili is added at the table, often as a fresh green chutney or sliced fresh peppers.