Lao Recipes
12 recipesLao food centers on sticky rice, eaten by hand from a small woven basket and used to scoop up dips, salads and grilled meats. Meals taste fresh, sour, salty, bitter and hot rather than sweet, and herbs such as dill, mint, cilantro and lemongrass go into almost every dish. Padaek, a fermented fish sauce, gives depth, and jeow (chili-based dips) sit on every table. Laap, a minced meat salad with toasted rice powder, is the best-known dish and appears at celebrations and family gatherings. Rivers supply fish, while the north favors grilled pork sausage, wild greens and clear soups. French rule left baguettes and pâté, now sold from roadside carts, and coffee grows on the Bolaven Plateau in the south. Noodle soups such as khao piak sen are popular for breakfast. Desserts mix sticky rice, coconut milk and ripe fruit.
Staple ingredients
- sticky rice
- padaek and fish sauce
- fresh herbs
- chilies
- lemongrass and galangal
- toasted rice powder
- river fish
- pork and chicken
Soups
Khao Piak Sen (Lao Chicken Noodle Soup)LA1 h 40 minMedium
Khao Soi (Lao Pork and Tomato Noodle Soup)LA1 hEasy
Salads
Main Dishes
Laap (Lao Minced Pork Salad)LA40 minEasy
Mok Pa (Lao Steamed Fish in Banana Leaf)LA1 hMedium
Ping Gai (Lao Grilled Lemongrass Chicken)LA1 h 5 minEasy
Sai Oua (Lao Herb Pork Sausage)LA1 h 15 minMedium
Side Dishes
Desserts
Snacks
Drinks
Sauces, Dips and Condiments
Common questions
What is Lao food known for?
Sticky rice, laap (minced meat salad), tam mak hoong (papaya salad), grilled sausages and chili dips. The food is herb-heavy, sour, salty and often bitter or hot.
What is the national dish of Laos?
Laap is widely considered the national dish. It is eaten with sticky rice and raw vegetables at celebrations and family meals.
Is Lao food spicy?
Often, especially the salads and dips, but the heat is adjustable. Cooks add chilies to taste, and sticky rice and raw vegetables on the side balance the burn.