How to Make Khachapuri (Georgian Cheese Bread Recipe)

This easy khachapuri recipe brings the flavors of traditional Georgian cheese bread home in a super accessible way.

By using store-bought pizza dough instead of homemade dough, we’re recreating this rustic, flavorful dish in half the time. 

What is Khachapuri?

Khachapuri is a popular Georgian dish of cheese-filled bread that is often topped with soft-set eggs and/or a pat of butter.

Georgia is a country located off the coast of the Black Sea between Europe and Asia. 

You’ll see khachapuri in Georgian restaurants as well as street carts.

In this particular version, known as adjaruli khachapuri, the dough is molded into a boat shape and the cheese filling is placed in the middle of the dough boat. 

Another common type of khachapuri is imeruli, which has the cheese encased in a sphere of dough all around it. Imeruli khachapuri is often sliced into wedges, like a pie. 

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make Georgian khachapuri:

• Pizza dough. Making your own bread dough is rewarding, but also very time consuming. We’re taking a short cut with store-bought pizza dough in this recipe. 
• Mozzarella cheese. Look for whole milk mozzarella for maximum richness. 
• Feta cheese. Find the highest quality feta possible, in block form (not crumbles, which tend to be lower in quality). 
• Eggs
• Butter
• Sesame seeds

How to Make Khachapuri 

Form the Dough

Start by stretching out your pizza dough into a large rectangle shape. Then, roll all four edges in towards the center, about 1-2 inches.

Take the top two corners of the long sides and bring them together. Press to seal the seams. Now, do the same with the bottom two corners. 

Your dough should now be in an oval shape that resembles a boat. 

Make the Cheese Filling

Combine the mozzarella cheese, feta cheese and egg in a large bowl. (It’s best if the cheeses are at room temperature,  which will make them easier to mix.)

Stir them all together until well combined. 

Fill the Dough Boat

Spread the cheesy filling evenly inside the dough boat. Then, pop it in the oven. 

Season the Edges of the Dough

Halfway through baking, you’re going to remove the khachapuri from the oven and season the edges of the dough.

Brush the edges with melted butter and sprinkle them with sesame seeds.

Now is also when you’ll crack an egg on top of the cheese filling. Be very careful that you don’t break the egg yolk, as we want it to stay runny. 

Then, bake your cheese boat the rest of the way. The egg should be soft-set with the yolk still runny.

How to Serve Khachapuri

While it’s still hot, use a spoon to stir the melted cheese and runny egg together to create an oozy, delicious mixture.

Then, break off pieces of dough from the edges and drag them through that cheesiness. It’s pure heaven! 

Watch how to make Khachapuri!

Alternatives for Traditional Khachapuri Cheeses

The cheese used to make traditional khachapuri is called sulguni cheese. It’s a cow’s milk cheese with good melting properties and a slightly tangy flavor profile, similar to fresh mozzarella. 

Most people cannot find sulguni cheese, which is why many Americanized versions of this dish call for a mixture of cheeses like mozzarella, Parmesan and/or feta cheese. 

The combination of whole milk mozzarella and tangy, briny feta in this recipe mimics the flavor of sulguni cheese as best as possible. 

Make Ahead Instructions

If you’d like to make khachapuri ahead of time, form the dough into a boat shape and fill it with the cheese mixture. Then, place it on a baking sheet and cover it with plastic wrap.

Keep it in the refrigerator up to several days, and when you’re ready to enjoy it, simply follow the baking instructions in the recipe card below. 

Storage

If you have leftover khachapuri, wrap it in aluminum foil or store it in an airtight container in the fridge.

Reheated khachapuri won’t be quite the same as when it’s freshly baked, but it still won’t be bad! Reheat it in a warm oven for 5-7 minutes. 

When you make this khachapuri recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Drop a rating or leave a comment below. Enjoy! 

For more recipes celebrating bread and cheese, try these:

• Homemade Soft Pretzel Bites with Beer Cheese Dip
• Easy Whipped Ricotta Cheese Appetizer
• Mozzarella Cheese-Stuffed Breadsticks

For more recipes using refrigerated pizza dough, try these:

• Homemade Pepperoni Rolls
• Easy Parmesan Cheese Bites
• Cinnamon Sugar Soft Pretzel Bites