Food of Afghanistan
Afghan food is hearty and aromatic, resting on rice, wheat bread, lamb, and plenty of dried fruits and nuts. Gentle spices like cardamom, cumin and coriander season the dishes rather than heat, while fresh herbs, yogurt and chutneys add brightness. Pilafs, dumplings and kebabs are served on big platters shared by families, with plenty of fresh naan and green tea alongside.
Kabuli palaw
Lamb-topped rice pilaf with caramelized carrots, raisins and almonds.
How to make Kabuli palaw- Main dishes (6)
- Breakfast (3)
- Street food (3)
- Soups (3)
- Salads (2)
- Breads (3)
- Desserts and sweets (3)
- Drinks (3)
- Fruits and produce (6)
Staples
- rice
- lamb
- wheat
- yogurt
- carrots
- raisins
- chickpeas
- spinach
Signature flavors
- cardamom
- cumin
- coriander
- turmeric
- dried mint
- black pepper
- rose water
Main dishes
Lamb-topped rice pilaf with caramelized carrots, raisins and almonds.
Key ingredients: basmati rice, lamb, carrots, raisins, almonds, cardamomFull guide →
Steamed dumplings filled with seasoned beef, topped with yogurt and a split-pea sauce.
Key ingredients: flour, ground beef, onion, yogurt, split peas, mintFull guide →
Scallion-filled dumplings topped with meat sauce, mint and yogurt.
Key ingredients: flour, scallions, ground beef, yogurt, dried mintSpinach and lamb stew eaten with white rice.
Key ingredients: spinach, lamb, onion, dill, garlic, rice
Meatballs simmered in tomato sauce, served with rice.
Key ingredients: ground lamb, tomato, onion, riceFull guide →
Skewered lamb or beef grilled over coals, served with naan.
Key ingredients: lamb, onion, salt, naanFull guide →Breakfast
Fresh flatbread with sweet tea, cream and honey.
Key ingredients: naan, tea, cream, honeySlow-cooked sprouted wheat pudding enjoyed on special mornings.
Key ingredients: wheat sprouts, sugar, oil, cardamomTea served with clotted cream and bread.
Key ingredients: milk, tea, cream, breadStreet food
Thin fried flatbread stuffed with potato, leeks or pumpkin.
Key ingredients: flour, potato, scallions, cilantro, chiliFull guide →
Flat spiced beef patties served with naan.
Key ingredients: ground beef, tomato, coriander, pomegranateFull guide →
Chickpea-battered vegetable fritters.
Key ingredients: potato, gram flour, spicesSoups
Noodle and bean soup with yogurt and mint.
Key ingredients: noodles, beans, herbs, yogurtHearty lamb and vegetable soup.
Key ingredients: lamb, potato, tomato, spicesWarm milky rice soup for cold days.
Key ingredients: rice, milk, sugarSalads
Tomato, cucumber and onion with lemon and mint.
Key ingredients: tomato, cucumber, onion, mintGreen chutney of cilantro, chilies and vinegar.
Key ingredients: cilantro, green chili, vinegarBreads
Long, oval flatbread from the tandoor.
Key ingredients: flour, yeast, nigella
Thin flatbread.
Key ingredients: flour, waterFull guide →Rich bread brushed with oil or butter.
Key ingredients: flour, oil, yeastDesserts and sweets
Cardamom milk pudding with pistachios.
Key ingredients: milk, cornstarch, sugar, rose water, pistachio
Fried syrup swirls.
Key ingredients: flour, sugarFull guide →
Flaky layered pastry with nuts and syrup.
Key ingredients: phyllo, nuts, syrupFull guide →Drinks
Cardamom-scented green tea.
Key ingredients: green tea, cardamom
Salted yogurt drink.
Key ingredients: yogurt, mint, water
Pink milk tea.
Key ingredients: tea, milk, sugarFruits and produce
Famous Kandahar pomegranates.
Key ingredients: fresh, juiceFull guide →
Raisins and fresh grapes.
Key ingredients: fresh, raisins, pilaf
Sweet melons.
Key ingredients: fresh
Dried apricots.
Key ingredients: dried, stewFull guide →
Dried mulberries.
Key ingredients: dried, snack
Almond nuts.
Key ingredients: snack, sweets, pilafDish guides from Afghanistan
More cuisines of Southern Asia
Descriptions written by Intercontinental Chef. Dishes are listed as commonly eaten today; many are shared across neighbouring countries.
- Afghan Palo: Jost Wagner, CC BY-SA 1.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Kayseride bir restoranda Kayseri mantısı (cropped): Kızılkum, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Afghan Ashak dumplings: Xerxes931, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Koofteh tabrizi: Fabienkhan, CC BY-SA 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Şiş kebap and pilav: E4024, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Annapurna Naan: snowpea&bokchoi, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Bolani: Tunshi, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Chapli Kebab: Murcotipton, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Onion pakora - a: Babu iyer, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- A large mixed salad: Gatorfan252525, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Pan armenio en el mercado de Yerevan: Wiquijote, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
- Firni Or Phirni: Sumit Surai, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Basavanagudi Kadalekai Parishe (2025) Bangalore (86): Gpkp, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Baklava(1): Sakaman, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Green tea 3 appearances: Alessandro Martini, CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- ТАН (напиток): Schekinov Alexey Victorovich, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- The Great Kashmiri Salt tea: Jamee937, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Pomegranate Juice (2019): Augustus Binu : flickr, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Grapes, Rostov-on-Don, Russia: Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Cantaloupe and canary melon: Atomicbre at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Apricot jam: Rita, CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Mulberries on tree 1: malenki, CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Almonds - in shell, shell cracked open, shelled, blanched: Ivar Leidus, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
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