Armenia has recently become a popular destination for wine lovers and foodies. Delicious local cuisine will hardly leave anyone indifferent. However, this blog will explore Armenia for vegetarians.
In fact, the country offers diverse mouthwatering vegetarian dishes that may surprise tourists. For vegetarians visiting Armenia, the culinary journey is an adventure filled with delightful discoveries. You will hardly have many vegetarians outside Yerevan but the culture of plant-based dishes is a common thing.
During your trip, you can discover farm-to-table culture. Here you can find perfect fresh vegetables and a variety of fruits and also dozens of herbs. Don’t miss out on exploring the market, for example, Gum market offering the freshest produce. Besides, there are many vegetarian dishes in nearly every restaurant, let alone specialized cafes for passionate veggies.
Let’s explore different dishes and new culinary experiences that will enlighten your Armenia trip.
Best Armenian Bread for Veggie Wraps
Armenian lavash stands out as the perfect bread companion for vegetarians. Its thin, soft texture makes it ideal for wrapping fresh vegetables and greens. Check this traditional Armenian recipe: lavash wrap with tomatoes, cheese, and greens. It’s the best balance of textures and flavors you can ever find. You can make it without cheese, of course, and add cucumbers and traditional Armenian basil.
Moreover, Armenians use lavash as a wrap for everything they find in a refrigerator. One of the beloved summer dishes is watermelon with cheese wrapped in lavash. Try it to find the best combination ever.
Herbs and Zhingyalov hats
Armenians eat so many types of herbs that it’s really surprising for foreigners. Moreover, there are dozens of cultivated and wild herbs. The locals use herbs to make salads, soups, appetizers, teas and use them as a bread filling.
When visiting a usual Armenian family, you will find a plate full of different greens, fresh tomatoes, and cucumbers. These appetizers are a must regardless of the main dish.
Besides, Armenians eat cooked and fried herbs. One of the most popular and unusual flavors is sorrel. They put it into a soup or eat it as a side dish or a salad with fried onion, walnuts, and Armenian matsun (fermented milk product resembling yogurt).
One of the most popular dishes is zhingyalov hats, a flatbread with a filing containing dozens of green herbs. There are special cafes in Yerevan where you can enjoy zhingyalov hats.
There are also different Armenian herbal teas. They are crafted from wildflowers and mountain herbs like thyme, basil, rose petals, rose hip, or chamomile. It’s a tasty and healthy tea.
Armenians actually love herbs so much that there is even a festival dedicated to herbs and flowers.
Vegetarian Tolma and Grilled Vegetables
Traditional Armenian tolma is not only made for meat lovers. Pasuts Tolma (Lenten tolma), specifically crafted for fasting, features larger rolls packed with flavorful fillings. The cabbage leaves are stuffed with a delectable mixture of rice, beans, and lentils. It is a perfect option for vegetarians and fasting periods. This versatile dish is a staple year-round and holds a special place in Armenian cuisine. It may also contain prunes for a sour taste. Moreover, it’s one of the popular dishes for the New Year table.
Although it’s impossible to imagine an Armenian festive table without barbeque, it is accompanied by grilled vegetables. Grilled tomatoes, eggplants, and bell peppers are always there. They usually make a salad from grilled veggies, adding chopped onion and greens. Grilled mushrooms and onions are popular as well.
Pickles and Jams
Armenian cuisine is incomplete without the pickles, known locally as “ttu”. The locals are pickling garden-fresh produce in an attempt to preserve all seasonal flavors they find in their garden. Armenians do love to pickle vegetables – from cucumbers, cauliflower, carrots, and garlic up to green tomatoes and okra. You can find vibrant jars of pickles in any supermarket or at the market. It’s a really great appetizer, especially for vegetarians, and goes well with rice or potatoes.
The Armenian traditional jams or “muraba” are ideal options for sweet tooth. There is also a tradition of fruit preservation, with varieties ranging from apricot to walnut.
Vegetarian Sweets
Armenia offers diverse sweets for vegetarians with most of them containing fruits and nuts. Dried fruits take center stage in Armenian markets. They are providing healthy and flavorful treats without added sugar. Fruit lavash, a unique fruit roll-up, is the highlight of the local sweets. It’s usually made of summer fruits like plums, cherries, apricots, and peaches.
Another healthy and delicious sweet is sujukh made of walnuts and grape juice syrup.
Vegetarian Restaurants
In Armenia there are many vegetarian dining options abound as nearly all restaurants offer plant-based dishes. There is a variety of grilled vegetables and refreshing salads on the menu. Besides, main dishes featuring beans and grains are also popular. Armenian cuisine naturally incorporates fresh greens and herbs, making it veggie-friendly.
While traditional restaurants offer a wide array of meatless options, there are also specialty cafes dedicated to serving healthy. These cafes go beyond the ordinary, crafting dishes that highlight the natural flavors of fruit and vegetable ingredients.
The best option is to try all the goods of Armenian farms when traveling outside the cities. The B&B hotels and guesthouses scattered around the country offer fresh vegetables and fruits, homemade pickles, and jams.
