A Vegetarian Journey through Mongolia
In Mongolia, herding has been a way of life for centuries, so it’s no surprise that the traditional cuisine leans heavily on meat and dairy, with vegetables historically reserved more for the animals.
Knowing this, and following a plant-based diet, I came prepared, stocking up on snacks in Ulaanbaatar. I fully expected to struggle with finding meat-free options, but to my delight and relief, I was welcomed with generous, home-cooked meals at the ger camps. While there was some repetition in the dishes and veggie choices, the genuine warmth and hospitality I experienced more than made up for it.
If you're vegan or gluten-free, it's definitely worth bringing some extra snacks to help fill in the gaps along the way.
Mongolians love their tea and seldom start a meal without a cup.
It’s more than just a drink, and many believe it helps with digestion before eating. One of the most common versions is suutei tsai, which is a milk tea, and as the name suggests, it is made with tea, milk, and salt.
While exploring the stunning valley of Khogno Khaan, we had the chance to visit a local nomadic family for a home-cooked lunch.
They welcomed us with incredible hospitality and served us a vegetarian version of tsuivan, a traditional Mongolian noodle dish. Tsuivan is usually made with meat, but our dish featured hand-cut steamed flour noodles mixed with carrots and potatoes.
Inside the cosy ger, we sat side by side, enjoying the meal and the sense of togetherness it brought.
We had the delightful experience of making our own traditional Mongolian dumplings called bansh.
While these little pockets are usually filled with meat, they can also be made vegetarian with a mix of carrots, potatoes, and onions. The dough is simple, just flour and water rolled out into small circles. Then, you spoon about a teaspoon of filling into the centre, fold the dough over, and carefully pinch the edges together to create a braided seam.
After steaming, the bansh are ready to be enjoyed, often dipped in chilli sauce or drizzled with soy sauce.
When you visit local nomad families, sometimes meals are served family style, giving everyone a chance to try a bit of everything!
As vegetarians, we enjoyed a comforting dish of stewed cabbage, carrots and onions, rice, roast potatoes and boortsog, which is a deep-fried dough that is somewhere between a doughnut and a biscuit.
At the ger camps, meals are provided in a central dining hall and are typically served as a set menu, family-style, or occasionally as a buffet.
One of the joys of staying in different ger camps is that no two meals are ever quite the same; each camp brings its own flavour and flair to the table. For vegetarians, you can usually expect a warm, hearty soup to start, made with a mix of vegetables like carrots, beetroot, cabbage, courgette, pak choi, pumpkin, mushrooms, or potatoes.
The main courses were usually a mix of cooked vegetables, fresh salads, and something hearty like rice, noodles or potatoes. While the exact dishes will vary, you can look forward to thoughtfully prepared food.
In the Orkhon Valley, nestled in Mongolia’s central highlands, yak herding thrives in the harsh yet beautiful landscape. As it is rich in nutrients, yak milk is essential for making butter, cheese, yoghurt, and aaruul.
Aaruul is a traditional Mongolian dessert, which is a dried curd snack made with yak milk. It is often eaten as a snack or treat and can be sweetened with sugar.
I was pleasantly surprised by how manageable it was to be a vegetarian in Mongolia.
While food options can be limited in restaurants while travelling through smaller towns, the kindness and willingness of locals to accommodate made all the difference. With a bit of flexibility, you'll not only find delicious meals but also connect with local food traditions in a way that makes the experience truly memorable.
