Food and Cuisine in Mongolia: What to Eat and What to Expect

Mongolian cuisine grew out of a nomadic way of life on the steppe, where livestock supplied almost everything a family needed. The result is a hearty, warming kitchen built around meat and dairy, designed to fuel long days outdoors and cold winter nights. For travellers, learning a little about it makes the journey far more rewarding.

Meat and dairy: the two pillars

Most traditional dishes start with mutton, beef, goat, or in some regions horse and camel. Meat is usually boiled or steamed rather than heavily spiced, letting the natural flavour come through. Dairy is just as central. During the warmer months, herders produce an impressive range of products from cow, yak, goat, sheep and mare milk.

• Aaruul – dried curds, often hard and tangy, eaten as a snack.
• Byaslag – a mild homemade cheese.
• Tarag – a thick natural yoghurt.
• Urum – clotted cream, delicious with bread.

The dishes to try

Buuz

Steamed dumplings filled with minced meat and onion, buuz are a national favourite and the centrepiece of Tsagaan Sar, the Lunar New Year. Families steam them by the hundreds. They are juicy, simple and quietly addictive.

Khuushuur

The fried cousin of buuz: a flat, golden meat pastry. You will see them everywhere during Naadam (11–13 July), where they are cooked fresh in huge batches for the crowds.

Khorkhog

A celebratory barbecue cooked with hot stones. Pieces of mutton are layered in a sealed container with heated rocks, which cook the meat from the inside out. Guests are often handed a warm, greasy stone to hold for good luck. It is a dish best shared, frequently prepared for visitors in the countryside.

Drinks: airag and milk tea

No introduction is complete without airag, lightly fermented mare's milk with a sour, fizzy tang and a mild alcohol content. It is a summer tradition, and if you visit a ger you may well be offered a bowl. Accepting even a small sip is a polite gesture.

Far more everyday is suutei tsai, milk tea made with water, milk, tea and a pinch of salt. It is served constantly throughout the day and pairs naturally with bread, aaruul or fried dough.

Vegetarian realities on the road

It is worth being honest: outside Ulaanbaatar, vegetarian and vegan eating can be challenging. Traditional countryside meals are built around meat and dairy, and the idea of a meat-free meal is unfamiliar to many herder families. If you have dietary needs, plan ahead:

• Stock up on fruit, nuts, instant noodles and snacks before leaving the city.
• Tell your guide or tour operator in advance so they can arrange suitable food.
• Ulaanbaatar itself has a growing number of vegetarian, vegan and international restaurants.

A few tips on etiquette

When offered food or drink in a ger, receive it with your right hand. Try at least a little of what you are given; refusing outright can seem impolite. Above all, approach the table with curiosity. Mongolian food is generous, unfussy and deeply tied to the landscape, and sharing a meal is one of the warmest parts of travelling here.