Eastern European Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Khachapuri
Georgia's iconic cheese-filled bread — golden, boat-shaped, and bubbling with stretchy suluguni, finished with a runny egg and pat of butter right at the table.
Contains common allergens
In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.
Instructions
8 steps- 1
Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water and let stand until foamy, about 8 minutes.
- 2
In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt, then add the yeast mixture and olive oil and knead into a smooth, elastic dough, about 8 minutes.
- 3
Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
- 4
Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Roll each into an oval about 10 inches long, then fold and pinch the long edges up and twist the ends to form a boat shape with a raised rim.
- 5
Fill each boat generously with shredded cheese, leaving the twisted ends visible.
- 6
Bake at 475 degrees F on a preheated baking sheet or pizza stone for 12 to 14 minutes until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling.
- 7
Remove from the oven, quickly crack one egg into the center of each hot khachapuri, and return to the oven for 2 to 3 minutes just until the egg white begins to set but the yolk stays runny.
- 8
Top each with a pat of butter and serve immediately, instructing diners to stir the egg and butter into the melted cheese before tearing off pieces of crust to dip.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
76/100
Good fit for most families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving1115
Calories
60 g
Protein
74 g
Carbs
63 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Khachapuri is Georgia's most iconic bread, a leavened dough boat or round stuffed or topped with salty suluguni and imeruli cheeses that melts into a molten pool. The Adjarian version — the open-boat style with an egg and butter stirred in at the table — became globally recognized after Georgian restaurants spread through Europe and North America, but every region of Georgia claims its own shape and cheese ratio as the definitive one. The dish is so central to Georgian identity that economists have used it as a cost-of-living index, tracking the price of its core ingredients as a local inflation measure.
Listahan note
This version focuses on the Adjarian boat style because it is the most dramatic to serve and the easiest to adapt at home with cheeses that are accessible outside Georgia.
Technique cues
- The dough should be soft enough to stretch into a wide boat shape without tearing — if it keeps springing back, let it rest 5 more minutes before shaping so the gluten can relax.
- Bake the boat until the crust is fully set and the cheese is bubbling before adding the egg; the egg only needs 3 to 4 minutes in the hot cheese and a runny yolk is the intended result.
- Stir the butter and egg into the hot cheese at the table immediately before eating — the heat of the cheese finishes cooking the egg to a creamy, silky consistency rather than scrambled.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Prepare and mix the cheese filling while the dough rises so the boats can be shaped and filled immediately once the dough is ready.
- Make-ahead
- The dough can be made and refrigerated overnight for a slow cold rise; remove it 30 minutes before shaping to bring it back to workable temperature.
- Leftover move
- Leftover khachapuri reheats well in a 375 F oven for 8 minutes until the cheese is molten again; avoid the microwave as it toughens the bread crust.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Line the baking sheet with parchment before baking to catch any cheese that bubbles over the sides; the cheese that escapes onto bare metal bonds aggressively when it cools.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
all-purpose flour
bread dough
Purpose: A slightly enriched dough made with flour develops the chewy, tender crumb that can support the heavy cheese filling without becoming dense or doughy.
Handling: Measure by spoon-and-level or weight for consistency; the dough should be tacky but not sticky after kneading.
Adaptation: Bread flour produces a slightly chewier crust with more structure, which holds the cheese well and is a good substitute.
feta cheese
cheese filling base
Purpose: Feta is the most accessible substitute for Georgia's salty imeruli cheese and provides the salty, tangy profile that defines authentic khachapuri.
Handling: Crumble and mix with low-moisture mozzarella to balance the saltiness and achieve the right melt; taste before seasoning the filling.
Adaptation: A combination of part-skim ricotta and halloumi, or any combination of salty and melting cheeses, can approximate the original mix.
mozzarella cheese
melt and stretch agent
Purpose: Mozzarella provides the stretchy pull and creamy melt that feta alone cannot achieve, creating the lava-like cheese pool the dish is known for.
Handling: Grate low-moisture mozzarella rather than fresh for better browning and less liquid release in the oven.
Adaptation: Provolone or young Gouda melt comparably and add a slightly sharper flavor to the filling.
egg
Adjarian finishing element
Purpose: The raw egg cracked into the center of the cheese boat at the end of baking is the signature of the Adjarian style and cooks to a custardy consistency in the residual heat.
Handling: Crack it carefully into the center of the cheese pool so the yolk stays intact and can be broken and stirred by the diner.
Adaptation: Skip the egg for a simpler preparation, or use two eggs for a heartier boat that is closer to a complete meal.
butter
finishing richness
Purpose: A knob of cold butter stirred into the hot cheese just before eating emulsifies into the molten mix and adds a layer of richness that ties the components together.
Handling: Cut into small cubes from cold butter so it melts quickly and evenly when dropped into the hot cheese.
Adaptation: Clarified butter or ghee can be used for a more pronounced buttery flavor with less water content.
Technique notes
- Shaping the boat takes one attempt to get right — use the sides of your hands to roll up the long edges of the oval and pinch the ends firmly so the boat holds its shape under the weight of the cheese.
- The internal temperature of the bread should reach 200 F before you add the egg; underbaked dough will be gummy and the steam from the cheese will not have a chance to escape.
- Serve the moment it comes out of the oven — khachapuri is a dish that actively deteriorates as it sits and the entire experience depends on the cheese being hot and molten.
Ingredient swaps
- Gluten-free direction
- A store-bought gluten-free pizza dough can be shaped into a boat; the texture is slightly denser but holds the filling well enough for an accessible version.
- Lower-sodium direction
- Rinse the feta under cold water before crumbling to reduce its salt content and compensate with a small amount of unsalted cottage cheese blended in.
- Weeknight shortcut
- Use store-bought pizza dough to skip the bread-making step entirely; the result is very close to homemade for a fraction of the effort.
Serve alongside
- simple tomato and cucumber salad
- Georgian-style kidney bean stew (lobiani)
- pickled vegetables
- dry Georgian amber wine (rkatsiteli)
- sparkling water with lemon
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Khachapuri is best eaten immediately while the cheese is hot and the bread is still crisp. Leftovers can be stored wrapped at room temperature for up to 1 day or refrigerated for 2 days, though the bread softens. Reheat in an oven at 375 F until the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 8 minutes.
Equipment
- baking sheet or pizza stone for a crisper bottom crust
- parchment paper
- bench scraper for dividing and shaping dough
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