Georgian Main

Adjaruli Khachapuri

Adjaruli Khachapuri is the iconic boat-shaped Georgian cheese bread from Adjara, finished with egg yolk and butter to stir into the molten centre. This version uses measured ingredients, clear visual cues and the traditional flavour balance that makes the dish distinctive.

Jump to recipe More Georgian food
35 minsPrep time
20 minsCook time
Serves 4Servings
MediumDifficulty
Adjaruli Khachapuri
About this dish

Adjaruli Khachapuri: the story on the plate

Adjaruli Khachapuri is a Georgian main with a clear sense of place. Adjaruli khachapuri comes from Adjara on Georgia’s Black Sea coast. Its open boat form distinguishes it from enclosed Imeretian and other regional cheese breads. The recipe below keeps the defining ingredients and technique intact while giving practical metric quantities and enough detail for a home cook to judge texture, seasoning and doneness rather than simply follow a timer.

Historical background

Adjaruli khachapuri comes from Adjara on Georgia’s Black Sea coast. Its open boat form distinguishes it from enclosed Imeretian and other regional cheese breads.

Why it is famous

It has become a global symbol of Georgian food, but its proper eating ritual matters: the yolk and butter are mixed into the cheese immediately before pieces of bread are torn and dipped.

Cultural significance

It has become a global symbol of Georgian food, but its proper eating ritual matters: the yolk and butter are mixed into the cheese immediately before pieces of bread are torn and dipped.

Nutrition

Estimated nutrition per serving

These figures are estimates per serving. Actual nutrition can vary with the brands and exact amounts you use, how much oil, dressing or sauce is absorbed, any substitutions or added extras, and the portion size served.

A practical guide for comparing recipes and planning meals.

820Calories
34gProtein
87gCarbs
38gFat
Ingredients

What you need

  • 500 strong white flour
  • 7 instant yeast
  • 8 caster sugar
  • 9 fine salt
  • 300 warm water
  • 20 olive or sunflower oil
  • 350 low-moisture mozzarella, grated
  • 200 feta, crumbled
  • 4 eggs
  • 40 butter
Method

Step-by-step method

Follow the recipe in order, tasting and adjusting seasoning where needed.

  1. Mix flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Add water and oil, then knead 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover and rise for about 1 hour until noticeably expanded.
  2. Mix mozzarella and feta. Heat the oven with a heavy baking tray or pizza stone to 240°C so the base receives strong heat as soon as it goes in.
  3. Divide the dough into four. Roll each into an oval about 25 cm long. Roll the long edges inward to make raised sides and pinch the ends tightly together to create a boat.
  4. Fill each boat generously with cheese, keeping a shallow hollow along the centre. Transfer to baking paper and slide onto the hot tray or stone.
  5. Bake 10–12 minutes until the crust is browned and the cheese bubbles. Make a small well in each centre, add an egg and return to the oven for only 2–3 minutes so the white barely sets while the yolk stays runny.
  6. Add a knob of butter to each hot bread. At the table, stir the egg and butter into the cheese, then tear pieces from the crust and dip them into the molten centre.
Cook smarter

Tips, storage and serving advice

Shopping tips

If sulguni is unavailable, blend low-moisture mozzarella with feta for stretch plus tang. Fresh coriander and tarragon matter; stale dried herbs will not recreate the brightness of Georgian food. Check labels on compound ingredients such as sauces, spice blends, stocks, kimchi, fermented pastes and prepared breads when cooking for allergies.

Ingredient quality

For Adjaruli Khachapuri, prioritise fresh or properly stored versions of strong white flour, instant yeast, caster sugar, fine salt; speciality seasonings should smell vivid rather than stale.

Common mistakes

Too-wet cheese floods the dough; a weakly heated oven gives a pale base; baking the egg too long removes the defining runny centre.

Chef’s tips

Use a blend of mozzarella for stretch and feta for salt if sulguni and Imeretian cheese are unavailable.

How to know it is cooked

The bread is browned underneath, sides are puffed, cheese is bubbling and the yolk remains liquid enough to stir.

Plating advice

Serve each bread whole on an individual wooden board or oval plate.

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