Food in Kazakhstan: 12 Traditional Dishes & The Taste of the Steppe

Forget everything you think you know about “exotic” food. Kazakh cuisine isn’t a trend for food bloggers looking for pretty platingit is pure survival, refined over thousands of years. If you want to understand the endless steppes of Central Asia, you must take a seat at a Dastarkhan (the traditional low dining table).

This isn’t about counting calories. It is about hospitality so deep it feels sacred. As I learned during my first invitation into a yurt: an empty plate is an insult, and tea is never poured to the brim. A half full cup is a sign of care, ensuring the host can serve you again and again. The food is heavy on meat, rich in fermented dairy, and incredibly filling. It tells the story of a people who were always on the move.

White Gold: The Milk of the Nomads

In the West, we rely on cow’s milk. In the steppe, the spectrum is much broader. Dairy products here are both a staple food and medicine. Fermentation is not a hipster trend here; it is a survival mechanism essential for preserving milk in the scorching heat.

1. Kurt: The Parmesan of the Steppe

Imagine extremely salty, rock hard, dried yogurt. That is Kurt. These small white spheres are the ultimate “power food” for the road. They don’t spoil, don’t melt, and provide an instant hit of salt and calcium. The taste is an acquired oneintensely sour and saltybut once you adjust, it becomes the perfect snack to pair with beer. Much like the regional varieties of cheese discussed in our guide to shopping in Edirne, the hardness and salinity of Kurt vary depending on where you are in the country.

2. Shubat: The Creamy Giant

Shubat is fermented camel milk and my personal favorite among the “brave” drinks. Unlike mare’s milk, Shubat is thicker, almost as rich as heavy cream (up to 6% fat), and snow white in color. The taste? Creamy, slightly sour, but much milder than you might expect. It is considered a remedy for stomach ailments and is often served in large bowls.

3. Kumis: The Champagne of the Nomads

This is where tourists usually draw the line. Kumis is fermented mare’s milk, and it packs a punch. It is thinner than Shubat but contains natural carbonation and a bit of alcohol (usually 0.5 to 2.5%) due to the fermentation process. The taste is sharp, fizzy, and often has a slight smoky note if prepared traditionally in smoked leather sacks. Locals drink this by the literfor beginners, I recommend starting with a small cup.

4. Schalap: The Thirst Quencher

When the summer heat in Almaty becomes unbearable, reach for Schalap. It is essentially the “iced tea” of the steppe, but savory: a mixture of Ayran (yogurt), water, and salt, sometimes refined with herbs. It hydrates better than plain water and replenishes the salts lost through sweating. Simple, but brilliant.

The Daily Bread

5. Tandyr Nan: Sacred and Crispy

No meal is complete without Nan. This bread is baked against the inner walls of a clay Tandoor ovena high heat technique that rivals the firing processes of top tile manufacturers. The result is a bread with a crispy rim and a soft center, often decorated with patterns and sprinkled with nigella seeds. Crucial tip: Never place Nan upside down on the tableit brings bad luck.

6. Shelpek: The Friday Bread

Shelpek is more than just fried flatbread; it holds deep ritual significance. Traditionally, seven pieces are baked on Fridays (the holy day in Islam) to honor the ancestors. The scent of the frying oil is said to reach the spirits of the deceased. It tastes best hot, straight from the pan, and is often shared with neighbors.

7. Baursak: Kazakh Donuts

These small, fried pillows of dough are ubiquitous. Unlike Western donuts, they are usually not sweet but neutral, allowing them to be eaten with jam or meat. At huge celebrations, they are piled into mountains. Just as you see in grand weddings in Turkey, a Kazakh festivity without Baursak is simply incomplete.

Meat: The Substance of Life

8. Manti: The Big Brothers of Ravioli

Forget tiny tortellini. Kazakh Manti are fist sized, steamed (not boiled), and traditionally filled with minced lamb and plenty of fat. Yes, fat is a cherished ingredient here, not waste, as it provides flavor and juiciness. Pumpkin is often mixed in to add a subtle sweetness.

9. Plov: The Feast from the Cauldron

Plov is the ultimate communal dish of Central Asia. Rice, meat, yellow carrots, onions, and garlic are slow cooked in a massive cast iron cauldron (Kazan). The quality of the vessel mattersit requires heavy duty durability similar to the products from top iron casting manufacturers to distribute the heat evenly. Every cook swears by their own secret recipe, with some adding chickpeas or raisins. It is heavy, hearty, and makes you incredibly happy.

10. Kuurdak: The “Waiting Snack”

Here is an insider tip: Kuurdak is often the dish you eat while waiting for the main course. Since an animal is often freshly slaughtered for large feasts, the organ meats (liver, heart, kidneys) and meat scraps are quickly fried with onions and potatoes. It is one of the oldest dishes of the steppefast, hot, and not for the faint of heart.

11. Beshbarmak: Five Fingers

This is it. The national dish. The name “Beshbarmak” literally means “Five Fingers” because it is traditionally eaten with your hands. It consists of boiled meat (usually horse or lamb) served over paper thin boiled noodle sheets and doused with an onion sauce (Tuzdyk). If the host offers you the sheep’s head, don’t be alarmed: it is the highest honor that can be bestowed upon you.

12. Kazy: The Horse Delicacy

For many Westerners, it’s a taboo; in Kazakhstan, it’s a delicacy: horse meat. Kazy is a sausage made from the rib meat of the horse, stuffed into the casing along with the fat, seasoned, and then dried or boiled. It is almost always served cold and sliced as part of an appetizer platter. The taste is intense, dark, and richfar removed from industrial salami.