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Key takeaways:
Azerbaijani cuisine offers a mix of cultural influences, with dishes like dolmas, lulah kebabs, and pilaf.
Novruz and Eid-al-Adha are celebrated with traditional foods like Shekerbura, Pakhlava, and unique sweets symbolizing prosperity.
Local snacks and tea offer a warm introduction to Azeri culture.
Exploring the heart of Azeri culture with traditional foods
Being a transcontinental country, Azerbaijan embodies the best of the world. If you’re in the heart of the country, there’s no shortage of things to indulge in for a taste of city life. There’s no better way to sample the flavor of Baku than by indulging in its culinary delights, influenced by various cultures across the globe? From dolmas to qutab, join us on a culinary adventure as we list some of our favorite foods you must try when in Baku.
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Must try dishes
Dolmas
If you’re from Asia, chances are you’ve tasted some variation of dolma before. However, Azeri dolmas—part of the UNESCO list of Intangible Heritage—will leave a lasting impression like no other.
Rice, minced meat, onion, and peas are mixed with spices and herbs like cilantro, dill, and mint leaves, then wrapped in pre-cooked grape or cabbage leaves. They’re cooked with butter and served with a drizzle of Greek yogurt on top. Many opt for a salad as a side dish to complete the meal.
Lulah Kebabs with lavash
From restaurants to street food, there’s an assortment of kebabs you must try when in Baku. Let the first one be lulah kebab with lavash bread. Often considered the king of kebabs locally, lulah kebabs are made with minced lamb meat and onion, seasoned with salt and pepper, then placed around a skewer and grilled over charcoal to add that smoky flavor.
Lulah kebabs are served with lavash bread, an Azeri flatbread that is also on the UNESCO list of Intangible Heritage. Let the grease from the kebab soak into the bread, then take a mouthwatering bite.
Mimoza salad
If all salads included a hearty spread of potatoes, sour cream, meat, cheese, and eggs—it would be a distinct part of every foodie’s favorite list. Mimoza salad, with its Serbian origin, has been a part of the Azeri kitchen for eons.
It is made by cooking potato and eggs to form the base layer of the salad. Then, it is topped with sour cream, minced meat, mayonnaise, shredded cheese, and hard-boiled eggs, presenting one of the best entries in the salad section of an Azeri cookbook.
Stolichny
Created in the 1800s, the Olivye is lovingly referred to as ‘Stolicni salat’ in Baku and known as Russian salad worldwide. Potato, carrot, eggs, bologna, cucumber, and green peas are cooked with care, then garnished with mayonnaise, dill, and mustard seed for an extra burst of flavor and served chilled.
Sabzi qovurma
Sabzi qovurma, or lamb stewed with green herbs, is a delicate blend of Persian and Turkish cooking that has taken root in the Azeri kitchen. The dish’s vibrant flavors are a perfect reflection of the region’s rich culinary history and diverse influences.
Meat, onion, garlic, cilantro, dill, parsley, and spices are cooked to perfection and spritzed with lemon juice and sour plums for a lip-puckering flavor. Sabzi qovurma is usually served with pilaf, making it a comforting and fulfilling meal.
Pilaf
Pilaf, otherwise known as plov in Azerbaijan, is a cherished rice dish that holds a special place in Azeri cuisine. It’s cooked with fragrant spices and dried fruits like saffron, chestnuts, raisins, and plums, along with vegetables and meat, each adding color, texture, and a rich depth of flavor to the rice.
Each region in Azerbaijan has its unique way of preparing pilaf, showcasing the country’s diverse culinary traditions. It’s usually accompanied by other dishes, like sabzi qovurma, making it a hearty and satisfying meal.
Azerbaijani Khingal
In Azerbaijan, you can enjoy the local version of dumplings, known as yarpaq xengel or khingal, alongside the original Georgian dumplings. Azerbaijani Khingal is made with homemade noodles, mushrooms, deep-fried onions, and served with yogurt sauce or qatiq, a tangy yogurt-based condiment that adds a delightful creaminess.
This dish is not only a comforting treat but is also believed to soothe many ailments, making it a favorite during colder months or when in need of a hearty, flavorful meal.
Piti
Piti is a flavorful blend between a soup and a stew, offering a rich and hearty dish. Traditionally, it is prepared in a clay pot with tender meat, potatoes, chickpeas, cherry plums, and a blend of aromatic spices that infuse the dish with depth and warmth.
This comforting meal is often slow-cooked, allowing the ingredients to meld together perfectly, making it a popular choice for gatherings and colder days. The clay pot not only enhances the flavor but also adds a rustic, traditional touch to the meal.
Snacks and sweet treats
Döner
Döner is a beloved Turkish wrap that has become a staple of Azeri street food, making it a must-try when in Baku. Döner kebabs, as the name suggests, are made from rotating grilled meat, thinly sliced and wrapped in lavash bread, pita, or tortilla, creating a deliciously savory bite.
Often served with a variety of toppings such as fresh vegetables, garlic sauce, or yogurt, döner is a satisfying meal on the go, loved by locals and visitors alike for its flavor and convenience.
Shawarma
Often confused with döner kebabs, shawarma is the saucier cousin of the döner. The magic behind shawarma lies in its grilled meat, marinated with a rich blend of spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cilantro, and paprika, slow-cooked to perfection. This flavorful filling is then wrapped in pita bread with fresh vegetables and drizzled with tahini sauce, creating a satisfying and aromatic dish.
Shawarma is beloved for its tender, spiced meat and its harmonious balance of flavors, offering a rich and savory experience that’s hard to resist.
Qutab
If you’ve ever gazed at the Moon and thought it looked like a big wheel of cheese, you might just get the chance to take a bite of it in Baku—well, kind of. Qutab is a half-moon-shaped bread that resembles a quesadilla but offers an entirely different flavor experience.
Made from a thin dough containing egg, rolled out as a flatbread, qutab is filled with a variety of ingredients such as cheese, pomegranate, pumpkin, greens, or meat. It’s then cooked on both sides in butter or ghee, resulting in a deliciously crisp and flavorful treat that’s perfect for a quick bite or a satisfying meal.
Chay/tea
As with many countries across Asia, Azerbaijan, a transcontinental country, has deep-rooted traditions with tea, or chay, that are woven into its culture and history. Velvety black tea, spiced with cinnamon, cardamom, lemon, or ginger, is served in traditional pear-shaped glasses called armudu, which adds to the tea’s rich cultural experience.
The tea’s flavor is beautifully complemented by an assortment of accompanying jams, including fig, strawberry, apricot, walnut, and blackberry, offering a sweet contrast that enhances the overall enjoyment of the tea. It’s a true reflection of Azerbaijani hospitality and a must-try experience for visitors.
Pakhlava
Pakhlava is a diamond-shaped, thin pastry layered with honey and nuts, offering a delightful balance of sweetness and crunch. While it can be enjoyed on its own, it is a staple accompaniment to tea during celebrations and festivities in Baku, especially during Novruz. The dessert comes in many distinct variations, each reflecting regional preferences and flavors.
Pakhlava is often paired with Badam-bura, a traditional treat filled with almonds mixed with sugar, which complements its rich, nutty flavor and enhances the festive experience.
Shekerbura
Shekerbura is a crescent-shaped pastry that mirrors the moon both in form and color. A special treat for Novruz, it is made with a sweet almond filling mixed with sugar and cardamom, all encased in a delicate dough that is carefully shaped and adorned with intricate designs. This pastry is a beloved symbol of celebration and joy during the holiday season.
Shaker churek
Shaker churek are delightful Azeri vanilla butter cookies enriched with a touch of egg yolk and dusted with powdered sugar before serving. These cookies are especially popular during Eid, where they are enjoyed as a sweet treat to mark the occasion and share with loved ones.
Flavors of the festivities
Novruz Bayramı
Novruz Bayramı, or the Persian New Year, celebrates the arrival of spring with the spring equinox, offering a fresh start to the Azeri people. Nowruz is one of the most widely celebrated festivals in the country.
In addition to the usual spring cleaning, adding color to one’s life with flowers, updating home decor, gifting loved ones, and catching up on missed sleep, Nowruz is also celebrated with food. Pastries, sweets, and fruits are part of the Azeri people’s New Year celebration.
People often present seven foods that begin with the letter “S” in the Azerbaijani language for prosperity. According to the Institute of Literature of the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, the foods presented during the Novruz holiday include “…su (water), süd (milk), səməni (green sprouting wheat), səbzə (fresh greens), sumaq (sour spice), sümbül (wheat-ear), and others on the table…” with the intention of bringing a happy and promising new year.
Eid-al-Adha
Like in many parts of the world, Eid-al-Adha in Baku revolves around the joy of family, community, and, of course, food. Special meals rich in tradition are lovingly prepared and shared among loved ones, with dishes like shaker church, baklava, and other delights adding to the festive spirit. The celebration is a beautiful reminder of the importance of togetherness, and the food is the perfect accompaniment to an occasion filled with gratitude and generosity.
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