Authentic Khachapuri Recipe, straight out of Georgia! This Georgian Cheese Bread is ultra soft & cheesy, topped with an egg yolk & extra butter!
This cheese boat is fun & easy to make and it’s the perfect appetizer for a date night, party or Game Day!
Authentic Khachapuri Recipe
Hey loves!! I’m back with one of my favorite Georgian recipes: Adjaruli Khachapuri aka Georgian Cheese Boat!
What is Khachapuri?
If you’re new to Georgian cuisine, this is Georgia’s national dish & it’s basically a super soft bread stuffed with two types of cheese (traditionally Suluguni/Sulguni & Imeruli but Mozzarella & Feta will work too).
This cheese bread is ultra soft & cheesy (I’m talking real cheesy: even the crust is stuffed with cheese) & if you love soft breads like focaccia or naan, you’ll go crazy over this one! And it’s *SO* easy to make too (spoiler alert: it only requires one rise).
You’re supposed to top this bread with an egg yolk and extra butter & stir the egg and butter into the gooey cheese filling before taking a piece of the crust, tearing it and dunking it into the filling! ! Use your hands for this one, like a true Georgian 😛
💡 Fun fact – what does Khachapuri mean? Did you know that Khachapuri is a combination of the word “Khacho” (cheese curds in Georgian) and “Puri” (bread)?
Where does Khachapuri come from?
Khachapuri comes from Georgia, that small country at the intersection between Europe & Asia!
It was invented by the Lazi people in the Adjara region, home to the best sailors in the area.
That’s why Khachapuri looks like a boat & is also known as “Georgian Cheese Bread Boat”! Also, the egg yolk on top is supposed to represent the sun!
How to make Khachapuri
As usual, the full recipe + ingredients will be in the recipe card down below but this is what to expect! 🙂
- Mix together the warm water, milk, oil, sugar, and yeast. Make sure the water and milk are warm (ideally 90F-100F if you own a kitchen thermometer) & not hot or cold or the yeast won’t activate and your dough won’t rise.
- Sift in the flour and salt. Mix until a dough starts to form, then transfer the dough onto a clean work surface.
- Knead the dough until elastic and smooth. Khachapuri dough is supposed to be soft & smooth but not sticky so if it’s sticking to your hands and you’re getting frustrated, add 1-2 tablespoon of flour & keep kneading. On the contrary, if your dough is a bit too dry & almost crumbly, add in 1 tablespoon water. Different brands of flour absorb liquids differently so it’s okay to add a bit more water or flour.
- Let rise until doubled in size. Depending on how warm your kitchen is, this might take anywhere from 1 hour to 2 hours. Meanwhile, make the filling!
- To make the filling, add the grated cheeses to a medium bowl, then add in the melted butter and milk and stir. You’re looking for a sticky mixture, it doesn’t have to be completely smooth so it’s okay if it looks a bit messy!
- To assemble the Khachapuri, roll out the dough into a large rectangle or oval then sprinkle the filling all over the rolled out dough. Fold over the two longer sides of the rectangle/oval to create a cheese-filled crust and seal them together at the two narrow ends. Scroll down for step-by-step pictures! 🙂
- Bake until the cheese is completely melted and gooey, then remove from the oven, top with 1 egg yolk, return to the oven and bake for another 3-4 minutes. Serve topped with extra butter on top!
How to shape Khachapuri
To shape your Kachapuri, simply roll out the dough into a 15-inch rectangle or oval, sprinkle the cheese filling all over your rolled out dough, then fold over the two longer sides of the rectangle/oval to create a cheese-filled crust and seal them together at the two narrow ends (pinch away!).
What you want is a cheese-filled crust & a boat-shaped Khachapuri! It’s okay to strech & pinch the dough as long as it doesn’t tear 🙂 . If it does tear, simply pinch it back together, this is a very forgiving dough!
Best cheese for Khachapuri
Authentic Khachapuri is made with a mix of Sulguni cheese and Imeruli cheese so those would be your best options.
Unfortunately, Georgian cheese isn’t very popular so it’s a bit difficult to get your hands on Sulguni/Imeruli if you’re not living in Georgia or Russia!
Feel free to use shredded Mozzarella or Havarti cheese instead of Suluguni cheese & Feta cheese instead of Imeruli cheese 🙂 . Do not use fresh mozzarella for this recipe, it’s too watery!
How do you eat Khachapuri?
Top your Khachapuri with butter and 1 egg yolk, bake it for 3-4 minutes to cure the egg, then use a fork to stir the butter & egg into the warm cheesy filling. Next, take a piece of the crust, tear it and dunk it into the filling!
Use your hands!!! 🙂
How to reheat Khachapuri
Khachapuri is best eaten as it’s made. If you do have leftovers, you can reheat them in the microwave or in the oven at 350F until fully heated through.
If using the oven, please keep your eyes on your Khachapuri: it can take anywhere from 2 to 10 minutes for the filling to be fully heated through & gooey.
Variations
To make Khachapuri without egg: if you don’t like eggs, feel free to leave out the egg yolk! If you’re concerned about the safety of adding a raw egg yolk on top of your freshly baked bread: you’re right & that’s why I remove the bread from the oven, add the egg yolk & then return it to the oven for an extra 3-4 minutes.
I’ve seen people adding the egg & then not returning the bread to the oven & while it can be done, I wouldn’t recommend it as it’s not safe, especially if you have elderly/kids in your family.
To make Khachapuri with spinach or herbs: sprinkle the rolled out dough with your prepared cheese mixture. Top with 2 cups of shredded spinach or kale and bake as instructed.
Khachapuri recipe with pizza dough. To make Khachapuri with pizza dough, use your favorite pizza dough recipe or store-bought pizza dough.
My recipe yields 1 large Khachapuri and calls for 2 cups of flour. If using a pizza dough recipe to make the dough, make sure it calls for the same amount of flour!
Can I make Khachapuri without yeast? Technically speaking, yes but it would be an entirely different recipe with entirely different ingredients. This one calls for instant yeast & you can’t leave it out or substitute it!
Also, quick FYI: Khachapuri without yeast isn’t really considered to be the best Khachapuri out there (fast foods usually make it that way). No hard feelings if you like it though!
HAPPY BAKING LOVES!! I hope you’ll love this Authentic Khachapuri Recipe as much as I do!
PS: Please leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating ⭐️ if you make it! Your comments make my day!! You can also tag me on Instagram @itsdamnspicy 🌈💘
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Authentic Khachapuri Recipe:
Authentic Khachapuri Recipe
Ingredients
For the Khachapuri Dough
- 1/2 cup 125 g warm water
- 1/4 cup 62 ml warm milk
- 1/4 tbsp 2 g instant yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon white granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 tablespoon sunflower oil
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
For the Khachapuri Filling
- 9 oz 250 g Suluguni cheese or shredded mozzarella cheese
- 9 oz 250 g Imeruli cheese or feta cheese, crumbled
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
- 1 tablespoon milk
For Serving
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tablespoon butter sliced
Instructions
- Add the warm water, milk, oil, sugar, and yeast to a large bowl. Give it a quick mix, then immediately sift in the flour and salt. Using your hands or a spoon, mix until a dough starts to form. You can also use a stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment for this.
- Transfer the dough onto a clean work surface and knead the dough until smooth and elastic. The dough should be soft & smooth but not sticky so if it's sticking to your hands and you're getting frustrated, add 1-2 tablespoon of flour & keep kneading. On the contrary, if your dough is a bit too dry and almost crumbly, add in 1 tablespoon water. Different brands of flour absorb liquids differently so it's okay to add a bit more water or flour.
- Place the dough into an oiled bowl, make sure the dough is coated in oil, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm environment until doubled in size. This can take anywhere from 60-90 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the filling. In a medium bowl mix together the cheeses, melted butter, and milk. Preheat the oven to 400F.
- To assemble the Khachapuri, roll out the dough into a 15-inch rectangle or oval, sprinkle the filling all over the rolled out dough, then fold over the two longer sides of the rectangle to create a cheese-filled crust and seal them together at the two narrow ends.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until the cheese has melted, then remove from the oven, top with 1 egg yolk, and immediately return to the oven. Bake for another 3-4 minutes. Remove from the oven, top with butter and serve immediately! Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days and reheat in the microwave or oven until fully heated through.
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