The Fergana Valley boasts a rich culinary heritage, with its cuisine celebrated across the region for its depth of flavor, owed to the valley’s fertile soils, favorable climate, and deep-rooted agricultural traditions. During the era of the Silk Road, merchants would often linger in the Fergana Valley, drawn not only by its trade routes but also by the abundance of delicious fruits, vegetables, and meats that provided much-needed nourishment after their long journeys. Visit any of the valley’s bustling, vibrant markets, and you’ll immediately understand why.
Many traditional dishes found in the Fergana Valley bear similarities to classic Uzbek cuisine—such as plov (a fragrant rice dish with vegetables and meat), somsa (flaky pastries with savory fillings), manti (steamed dumplings), and non (traditional Uzbek bread). However, each region within the valley has its own distinct variations and local flavors, making even the most familiar dishes uniquely rich and deeply satisfying. Nowhere else will you find melons sweeter, pomegranates juicier, apples crisper, or grapes more fragrant!
Since Babur, the founder of the Mughal Empire in India and South Asia, hailed from the Fergana Valley, many believe that some of today’s most beloved South Asian dishes and cooking techniques trace their origins back to Uzbekistan. This influence can be seen in dishes such as pulao or biryani (rice-based dishes with vegetables and meat), which share similarities with Uzbek plov, as well as samosas—layered pastries akin to Uzbek somsa. The use of the beloved tandoor oven, a clay furnace for baking bread, roasting somsa, and grilling meats, is yet another culinary tradition that connects the Fergana Valley to South Asia.
Do as the locals do: unwind in a traditional chaykhana (teahouse), gathered around a tapchan (elevated dining platform), sipping tea, indulging in a fragrant plate of plov, and tearing into beautifully baked bread, all while finishing your meal with the valley’s luscious fruits as dessert. With the warm hospitality of the Fergana Valley, you’re bound to make new local friends along the way.
Dining for Vegetarians
Like much of Uzbekistan, the cuisine of the Fergana Valley is deeply rooted in its love for meat, making it an essential part of the region’s culinary heritage. As a result, vegetarian travelers may find it challenging to discover fully vegetarian dishes in traditional Uzbek restaurants beyond a selection of cold salads. Below, we provide some vegetarian-friendly meal recommendations, but if you require a fully vegetarian diet, we advise informing your local guide or tour operator in advance. This allows restaurant hosts to prepare vegetarian options ahead of time. In larger cities within the Fergana Valley, Turkish restaurants often offer a variety of vegetarian dishes.
Plov (also known as pilaf) is Uzbekistan’s most beloved national dish, often prepared to mark special occasions such as weddings, funerals, and other significant life events. While it is now commonly enjoyed on regular days, the traditional practice of serving plov on a large communal platter reflects its deep cultural significance, symbolizing hospitality, unity, and identity. It is not uncommon to see groups of friends or families gathering for hours, sharing plov and engaging in lively conversation. For these reasons, UNESCO has recognized plov as an important part of the world’s intangible cultural heritage.
Though there are countless variations, the essence of plov lies in rice cooked in broth with diced vegetables (typically onions and carrots), meat (usually beef or lamb), and an array of spices, all simmered in a kazan—a large, round metal cauldron. The cooking process often takes four to five hours, allowing the flavors to fully infuse the rice.
Plov is commonly served in teahouses or restaurants alongside achichuk, a simple salad of chopped tomatoes and onions, sometimes with hot peppers or pickled vegetables, garlic-infused tomatoes, or creamy sauces. Since plov is quite hearty, these fresh accompaniments provide a refreshing contrast. Green tea is the preferred drink to complement this dish.
Each district in the Fergana Valley has its own unique plov recipe, distinguished by the type of rice, vegetables, meat, and special additions such as fried garlic, chickpeas, stuffed grape leaves, horse sausage (kazy), or quail eggs. The presentation of plov is of great importance.
Andijan plov is made with devzira rice, a reddish-brown variety grown in the region’s hills, giving it a distinct color and flavor. This plov is slowly stewed with finely chopped onions, sweet yellow carrots, and sometimes dried fruits, creating a rich and aromatic dish.
In Fergana, plov also features devzira rice, often cooked with whole heads of garlic to enhance its fragrance. Variations exist between the plov of Rishtan, Kokand, and Fergana, making it worthwhile to try them all to find your favorite.
Chust plov from Namangan is renowned for its rich flavors, featuring quail eggs, whole garlic heads, and a variety of meats and sausages. Other areas of Namangan also boast their own signature plov styles, each differing in spices, meat cuts, and vegetable combinations.
Note for vegetarians: Traditional plov is cooked in meat fat and broth. If you wish to try a vegetarian version, you will need to request it in advance, as its preparation requires a different process. A local guide or travel agency can assist in arranging this.
Samsa (or somsa) are stuffed pastries baked in a tandoor oven until their exterior is golden and crispy, while the inside remains juicy and flavorful. The most traditional fillings include lamb or beef with onions, but larger establishments also offer samsa with chicken, pumpkin, potatoes, cheese, and other variations.
A must-try specialty is the giant “Markhamat” samsa from Andijan. Filled with lamb or beef, this massive samsa is slow-baked in a tandoor on its side, allowing the meat, onions, and spices to meld into a rich and hearty filling, akin to a delicious stew. So filling is this samsa that it can keep you satisfied for an entire day—perhaps even the next!
Another prime spot to try samsa is the Tandir Restoran in Namangan, home to an enormous tandoor capable of baking hundreds of samsa at once.
Note for vegetarians: Finding samsa filled with pumpkin, potatoes, or other vegetables is relatively easy, making it a suitable option for vegetarian travelers in the Fergana Valley. However, be sure to ask whether the filling contains meat, as it is sometimes added for extra flavor.
Manti resemble dumplings—thin dough parcels filled with meat and onions, typically steamed and served with a creamy sauce. Depending on their size, manti can be an appetizer or a main course.
Note for vegetarians: If you spot manti with pumpkin or potato on the menu, check whether they contain meat or meat fat, as these are often added for richness.
