Khachapuri Imeruli — Round Cheese-Stuffed Bread

Georgian Non Fasting Published April 21, 2026

Non-Fasting Recipe: This dish contains meat, dairy, or eggs and is intended for feast days and non-fasting periods.

The everyday khachapuri — a round flat bread stuffed with cheese, baked until golden, and served hot
off the pan. Imeruli is simpler than its boat-shaped cousin and is often the bread on the Georgian
table at lunch or dinner. Every family has a version.

FASTING LEVEL: Non-Fasting (cheese, dairy, butter)

SERVINGS: 6 (makes 2 large khachapuri)
TIME: 2 hours

INGREDIENTS:
For the dough:
- 400 g all-purpose flour
- 250 ml matsoni (Georgian yogurt), or plain full-fat yogurt thinned with a splash of milk
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar

For the filling:
- 400 g mozzarella, grated
- 200 g feta, crumbled
- 100 g farmer's cheese
- 1 egg (for binding)

For brushing:
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted

METHOD:
1. Mix baking soda into the yogurt — it will foam. Combine with egg, sugar, salt, and melted butter.
2. Add flour gradually and knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth. This is a soft, slightly tacky dough. Rest 30 minutes.
3. Combine all cheeses with the binding egg.
4. Divide dough in half. Divide cheese filling in half.
5. Roll one piece of dough into a 30 cm round. Pile cheese in the centre. Gather the edges up and over the cheese, pleating them together at the top like a closed pouch. Pinch shut.
6. Flip the pouch seam-side down. Gently flatten and roll with a pin into a 25 cm round, about 1.5 cm thick — do not press too hard or the cheese will burst through.
7. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with second dough piece.
8. Brush tops with melted butter. Bake at 220C (425F) for 15-18 minutes until deeply golden.
9. Brush again with butter as soon as they come out of the oven. Cut into wedges and serve piping hot.

NOTES:
- Traditional imeruli is baked on a hot cast-iron skillet (ketsi) — if you have one, heat it in the oven before placing the dough on it.
- Imeretian cheese is the proper filling. Our blend approximates it: salty, tangy, mildly stringy.
- Best eaten within 10 minutes of coming out of the oven. Leftovers reheat in a dry skillet — do not microwave.
- Double the dough and freeze half before baking for a weeknight dinner.

NUTRITION (per wedge, approximate):
Calories: 480 | Protein: 24 g | Carbohydrates: 50 g | Fat: 22 g | Fibre: 2 g