A Taste of Mongolia: 10 Traditional Dishes You Should Try

Discover the flavours of Mongolia with The Golden Gobi Tours

Mongolia's landscapes are unforgettable—but so is its food.

Deeply connected to the country's nomadic heritage, Mongolian cuisine is simple, hearty, and built around fresh, locally sourced ingredients. For centuries, families have relied on their livestock for food, creating dishes that are nourishing, comforting, and perfectly suited to life on the steppe.

While travelling through Mongolia, you'll have the opportunity to taste traditional recipes prepared by nomadic families as well as regional specialties served in local restaurants and ger camps.

Here are some of the dishes we think every visitor should try.

1. Buuz – Mongolia's most famous dumplings

If Mongolia had a national comfort food, it would probably be buuz.

These steamed dumplings are filled with seasoned minced meat—usually mutton or beef—and are enjoyed throughout the country, especially during the Lunar New Year celebration, Tsagaan Sar.

Simple yet incredibly satisfying, buuz are often the first traditional dish visitors fall in love with.

Don't miss it if you enjoy:

• Dumplings

• Comfort food

• Traditional home cooking

2. Khuushuur – Mongolia's favourite street food

Often described as Mongolia's answer to a meat pie, khuushuur is a deep-fried pastry filled with juicy minced meat and onions.

Crispy on the outside and tender inside, it's a favourite snack during festivals—especially Naadam—and can be found almost everywhere.

Freshly cooked, they're dangerously addictive.

3. Tsuivan – Handmade noodle stir-fry

One of Mongolia's most beloved everyday meals, tsuivan combines handmade noodles with beef or mutton, onions, carrots, cabbage, and other vegetables.

Everything is cooked together in one pan, creating a rich, comforting dish that's perfect after a day exploring Mongolia's great outdoors.

It's hearty, filling, and surprisingly flavourful.

4. Khorkhog – Mongolia's ultimate barbecue

Few meals are as memorable as khorkhog.

This traditional feast is cooked using hot stones placed inside a sealed metal container together with meat, potatoes, carrots, onions, and herbs.

As everything cooks slowly, the stones release intense heat that creates incredibly tender meat and rich flavours.

Many nomadic families still prepare khorkhog for special occasions, making it one of the most authentic dining experiences you can have in Mongolia.

5. Boodog – Cooking the traditional nomadic way

For those looking for a truly unique culinary experience, boodog is unlike anything else in the world.

Usually prepared using goat (sometimes marmot, where legally and culturally appropriate), the meat is cooked from the inside using heated stones placed inside the animal.

It's one of Mongolia's oldest cooking techniques and is generally reserved for celebrations or special gatherings.

If you're lucky enough to be invited to share boodog with a local family, it's an experience you'll never forget.

6. Airag – Fermented mare's milk

No trip to Mongolia is complete without trying airag, the country's famous fermented mare's milk.

Served in homes across the countryside during summer, airag has a slightly sour, sparkling flavour that's often compared to a mild yogurt drink.

It's an essential part of Mongolian hospitality, and if a host offers you a bowl, it's considered polite to accept at least a small taste.

It's certainly an acquired taste—but one worth experiencing.

7. Aaruul – Mongolia's traditional snack

If you see small white pieces drying outside a ger, you've probably found aaruul.

Made from dried curd, this traditional dairy snack comes in many different shapes and flavours. Some are soft and slightly sweet, while others are extremely hard and designed to last for months.

Nomadic families have made aaruul for generations as a practical food that can easily be stored and carried during seasonal migrations.

8. Suutei Tsai – Salty milk tea

One of Mongolia's most important daily traditions is suutei tsai, or milk tea.

Made with tea, milk, water, and a pinch of salt, it's served throughout the day in homes across the country and is often the first thing offered to guests.

It may sound unusual at first, but after a few cups, many visitors find it surprisingly comforting.

Sharing a bowl of milk tea is often the beginning of a warm conversation with a nomadic family.

9. Fresh dairy products

During the summer months, Mongolia's countryside is filled with fresh dairy products made by nomadic families.

Depending on where you travel, you may have the chance to taste:

• Fresh yogurt

• Cream

• Butter

• Soft cheeses

• Clotted cream

• Homemade milk desserts

These products are made using traditional methods that have changed very little over centuries.

10. Mongolian barbecue at a local ger camp

Although not a single traditional dish, enjoying a freshly prepared barbecue at a countryside ger camp is an experience every traveller should have.

Grilled lamb, beef, vegetables, homemade bread, and locally sourced ingredients are often served together while guests gather around the table to share stories after a day of adventure.

Sometimes it's the setting—not just the food—that makes a meal unforgettable.

A few surprises for first-time visitors

Many people expect Mongolian cuisine to consist only of meat, but they're often surprised by the variety.

Depending on the season and region, you'll also enjoy:

• Fresh vegetables

• Homemade jams

• Wild berries

• Mushrooms

• River fish

• Locally baked bread

• Seasonal fruit in larger towns

Modern cafés and restaurants in Ulaanbaatar also offer excellent international cuisine, making it easy to combine traditional meals with familiar favourites during your trip.

Food is part of the journey

One of the greatest pleasures of travelling through Mongolia is that meals are more than just something to eat—they're moments of connection.

Whether you're sharing homemade buuz with a nomadic family, tasting airag for the first time, or enjoying a freshly cooked khorkhog around a campfire, food becomes another way to experience Mongolia's culture and hospitality.

At The Golden Gobi Tours, we believe that discovering a country means tasting it as well. That's why our itineraries include opportunities to enjoy authentic local cuisine, meet nomadic families, and experience the traditions that make Mongolia so unique.

Come hungry—you'll leave with much more than great memories.