9+ Most Delicious Nepali Foods You Must Try

Are you a food enthusiast who wants to explore different cuisines from around the world? If yes, then you should try some of the most flavorful and mouthwatering traditional Nepali food (Indian cuisine). At the end of the day, nothing beats how delectable and aesthetic the dishes in Nepal are. If you’re ready to learn which ones are worth the hype, keep reading below!

A traditional Nepalese meal usually consists of several delicious dishes satisfying your taste. The meal centers around Dal Bhat, a lentil soup typically served with steamed rice. In addition, there are usually several vegetable curries and meat dishes to choose from, making the meal a true feast for the senses. Unsurprisingly, the cuisine has been influenced by neighboring countries like India, Tibet, and China, contributing to its unique and diverse flavors.

If you’re a fan of these types of healthy dishes, then trying out traditional Nepali cuisine is an absolute must. With so many different flavors and textures to explore, you’re sure to find a new favorite dish that will keep you coming back for more.

Authentic Taste Of Nepali Cuisine

Nepal’s rich culture is beautifully reflected in its cuisine, which is regarded as its most valuable asset. The vibrant and exotic flavors of Nepali food come from a blend of various herbs and spices, which makes every dish unique and delicious. The best part is that indulging in these mouthwatering delicacies doesn’t mean compromising your health. You see, Nepalis are conscious about their well-being, and they take great care to use healthy ingredients while preparing their delectable dishes. Don’t believe us? Check out the top dishes we rounded up below that’ll prove their healthy selections.

Popular Nepali Foods

If you are travel to Nepal, you should try the following delicious traditional foods there:

Momos, Traditional Nepali Meals

1. Momos – A Popular Dish

Momos means eight in Tibetan, and it is the national dish of Nepal. These are steamed dumplings stuffed with various ingredients, such as chopped sautéed onions, carrot, spinach, or cottage cheese with minced beef. The dough wrapped in it is made from wheat flour and water and kneaded carefully. The popular snack “momos” can either be steamed or stir-fried to your liking. It’s best paired with its pickled tomato dipping (Golbheda Ko Achar), a special sauce made of mustard oil, tomatoes, and various spices.

Dhal Bhat one of the Traditional Nepali meals (Ling App)

2. Dal Bhat

One of the healthy and essential Nepalese Cuisine is Dal Bhat. As meat is costly in Nepal, it’s usually vegetarian. The word “Dal” is a lentil soup/curry in this dish, while “Bhat” means rice. It highlights ingredients like spices like chopped onions, garlic, ginger, and more. Because of its good impact on health, it is eaten at least once a day. Dal Bhat can also serve as a side dish for many other Nepalese dishes. 

3. Newa Cuisine

This dish is named after the Newari culture of inhabitants of “Newar” who lived in the Kathmandu (Nepal) Valley. Like other delicious dishes of Nepal, it has its significance. It comprises rice flakes, achar, mainly pickled vegetables, fresh soybeans, and spicy potatoes. These are fused and cooked in spicy sauce, and raw vegetables are cut into thin slices. Because of its spiciness, it is served with yogurt to accompany it. Another Newari dish is Newari Khaja which includes beans, saag, potato, and pickle served in a traditional bowl. 

Thukpa Traditional Nepali Meals Ling App

4. Thukpa

Looking to warm up during winter? Look no further than this famous Himalayan soup. With a spicy taste that will warm you up, this dish is perfect for those craving something hearty and filling. Made with noodles that can be made from rice or buckwheat flour, this carbohydrate-rich meal is an excellent option for those looking for a hearty and healthy meal. The soup can be made with lean chicken for meat eaters, while vegetarians can easily exclude the meat. And if you prefer a thicker soup, add cornflour to the recipe.

5. Aloo Choka (street food) 

Aloo choka is a spicy mashed potato traditional dish from the Caribbean. Although it has an Indian origin, it’s been given a unique Trinidadian touch. This recipe is a classic North American mashed potato dish with a spicy and garlicky flavor, and the garlic gives a specific scent to this fantastic Nepali food.

6. Butter tea

In Tibet, butter tea, called “Po Cha,” is a beautiful blend of yak butter, churned tea, and salt. The Smokey, bitter beverage known as chaku is made by crumbling a part of a brick tea into water and boiling it for hours. It is then saved until the butter tea is made. Some chaku is placed into Shandong with yak butter and salt and churned for a few minutes before serving. Now, you will get the traditional Po Cha, Butter tea. Because of the salt, it usually tastes like a light soup.

7. Gorkhali Lamb

Lamb is the most popular meat in Nepal, and this delicious food is regularly served for important occasions. Since then, the exquisite skill of making the ultimate Lamb curry has been refined. The lamb is marinated with mustard oil and a handful of other spices and herbs, and it is then grilled ahead of time before being sautéed in a chili sauce.

8. Sel Roti

So far, we haven’t talked about something sweet in these traditional Nepali meals hunt. We’re heading onto the not-so-healthy dessert of traditional Nepalese food eaten during occasions like Dashain. It’s a delicious snack that both kids and adults would enjoy. It’s pretty similar to doughnuts but without the cream glaze on top. You can pair it with yogurt, crunchy vegetables, and hot drinks. Additionally, it’s not exactly deep-fried, as you’ll only need to fill 1/2 of a frying pan to cook it. It won’t be too detrimental to your health if you give this snack a shot, right?

9. Juju Dhau

Juju dhau, also known as ‘king curd,’ is a thick, creamy yogurt served in clay pots in the city of Bhaktapur. Its thickness is due to its production with buffalo milk instead of cow milk. While visiting Nepal, you should try this out.

10. Gundruk Ko Achar

Gundruk ko achar, a unique Nepalese cuisine, has a pleasant scent and taste. It is a leafy green vegetable made from mustard, chopped onions, red chilies, ginger, turmeric, lemon, and salt with fermented radish and cauliflower leaves. Adding some toasted bhatmas grains takes the meal’s flavor to the next level.

11. Chatamari

Have a hankering for pizza? In Nepal, you can try the chatamari, a popular street food called Nepali pizza. This crispy, circular rice flour bread can be topped with your choice of minced meat or vegetables, and instead of tomato sauce, it’s topped with egg and cheese. While it may be a departure from the traditional Western-style pizza, trying new foods is always an adventure worth taking.

12. Choila

If you’re a meat lover, you won’t want to miss this dish from Newari cuisine: barbecued buffalo meat. Traditionally served during festivals and special occasions, this spicy and flavorful meat is a must-try for anyone visiting Nepal. While the dish is traditionally made with water buffalo meat, some people now use chicken, mutton, or lamb. For a truly authentic experience, pair the meat with rice flakes and a local alcoholic beverage. Whether you’re a spice lover or enjoy trying new and exciting dishes, barbecued buffalo meat is a treat for the taste buds.

13. Samay Baji

This Nepalese dish is a true feast for the senses! It’s not just a meal but a symbol of good luck, health, fortune, prosperity, and longevity. With various flavors and textures, including beaten rice, puffed rice, mari bread, dried fish, fresh fruits, fried soybeans, dal patties, marinated and broiled meat, and local white wine, you’ll be tempted to devise a plan on how to consume it all.

Nepali Foods

Other Traditional Nepalese Foods

Name of traditional Nepali foods

  • Water buffalo meat, dried meat
  • Millet flour
  • Gorkhali lambrice flour crepe
  • Thick porridge
  • Rice flour crepe
  • Momo dumplings
  • Bamboo shoot
  • Yak milk
  • Buckwheat flour
  • Boiled potatoes
  • Beaten rice
  • Hot sauce with meat toppings
  • Steamed vegetables and leafy vegetables
  • Rice beer
  • Sesame seeds
  • Minced meat
  • Rice flour1
  • Lentil soup
  • Cooked rice with vegetable curry dish /vegetable curries
  • Vegetable soup
Learn-nepali-with-ling-app-download-ling

Learn More About Nepal And Nepali Language

These were some delicious Nepali foods. Whether you are a food enthusiast or traveling to Nepal, you can easily choose what you want to eat depending on your taste. You can conveniently use the Ling app to learn more about Nepal, its language, pronunciation, and slang. Developed by Simya Solutions, Ling a is helping people to learn Nepali and many other languages. To explore more about the language, you can go through these blogs, such as “introducing yourself in Nepali” and “Nepali slang words.” 

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