Dreamy Khachapuri (Georgian cheese bread boat)

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Georgian Khachapuri is a delicious, fluffy and pillowy bread, filled with three melted cheeses and a runny egg yolk! And trust me, this mouth-watering appetizer is much easier than you think!

Khachapuri - pillowy and fluffy bread filled with melted cheeses and a runny egg yolk - on parchment paper with fresh chopped parsley.

For the record, this bread is a true classic of Georgian cuisine, prepared in different ways depending on the region of the country. Here I show you the Adjaruli Khachapuri, the most famous and popular version, that comes from the region of Adjara!

💙Why you'll love it

Much easier than you think - if it's your first time making bread, I swear this cheese boat is the right one to start with! All you have to do is prepare the dough (and it's easy to work with), put the cheese filling on it and bake! A real cinch, I swear!
Restaurant quality - trust me, it became a real classic my whole family adores! And I'm sure yours will too!
Budget friendly - this recipe is perfect for small purses, as it only requires a few basic ingredients.

😍Other bread recipes you'll adore

Italian Ciabatta bread

Cheese and garlic crack bread

3-cheese Grilled Cheese

Easy homemade Pita bread (in oven)

🧀Ingredients

You can find a full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below. Here are a few ingredient notes to make this cheese-filled bread.

All-purpose flour - you read it right, there's no bread flour needed to make this delicious recipe!
Cheeses - as I mentioned above, it's a traditional Georgian bread. So in Georgia they use Georgian cheeses, such as Sulguni cheese or Imeruli cheese. But as they are complicated to find, outside of Georgia everyone use a mix of cheeses, such as feta cheese, goat cheese, cheddar, mozzarella, fontina, ricotta, even cream cheese sometimes. Use what you like!
Vegetable oil - I like to go for olive oil (my Mediterranean roots have struck again), but any neutral oil would work actually!
Eggs - use room temperature eggs, ideally pasture-raised organic. You can refer to the Eco Tips I've written on eggs to help you choose the right ones.

Khachapuri's ingredients in beige and white bowls and plates.

🥓Variations

Feel free to change this recipe to go with your tastes. I suggest several options:

Vegan - use vegan cheeses and replace the egg yolk with an egg substitute (or remove it).
Proteins - add cooked bacon, sausage or ham.
More veggies - add cooked vegetables, such baby spinach, mushrooms, leek, eggplant, zucchini, etc...
Spice it up with some red pepper flakes or a pinch of Cayenne pepper.
Even more flavors - instead of brushing with regular unsalted butter, brush with flavored butter (garlic butter, herb butter, spice butter, etc...).
Shapes - instead of making the traditional boat shape, you can go for individual rolls, mini boats (served as appetizers), round or rectangular pie, etc...
If you want to make a cheese-stuffed crust - place the mix of cheese on the dough BEFORE rolling it, then roll it and bake. Enjoy!
Toppings - I put fresh parsley on top of the baked Khachapuri, but you can use other fresh herbs such as dill, cilantro, basil.

This recipe has not been tested using any other substitutions. If you do try substituting ingredients, it may not turn out as it's meant to. Please leave a comment below letting me know if it worked out!

✨How to make this cheesy bread?

Recipe details and quantities are in the recipe card below.

In a small bowl, mix warm water, sugar and active dry yeast yeast in a bowl and set aside for 10 minutes.
Then mix again to combine.

Water, sugar and active dry yeast combined in a blue bowl.

Water, sugar and active dry yeast combined in a blue bowl, after a 10-minute rest.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix flour and the water mixture.
Then pour milk and vegetable oil, and blend. Finally add the salt. Knead for 5 minutes on slow speed, then for 3 minutes on medium speed. My best tip to know whether the dough has been kneaded enough is to lightly press it with your finger. If the dough more or less returns to its original shape (but not completely), it's ready!

Flour and water mixture combined in the stand mixer's bowl.

Milk added to the flour and water mixture, in the stand mixer's bowl.

Olive oil added to the flour and water mixture, in the stand mixer's bowl.

Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and let the dough rise during 1h30 in a warm place at 82-86°F/28-30°C.

The Khachapuri's dough in the stand mixer's bowl, before its rise.

The Khachapuri's dough in the stand mixer's bowl, after its rise.

Place the dough on a lightly floured surface.
Add a bit of flour on the dough if too sticky.
And use a rolling pin to roll it out into a rectangle.

Khachapuri's dough on a lightly floured wooden surface.

Khachapuri's dough with a bit of flour, on a lightly floured wooden surface.

The Khachapuri's dough is rolled out into a rectangle.

Then use your fingers to roll up the the left edge of the dough towards the middle. Do the same with the right edge and form a boat shape.
Press the two ends together with your fingers, then twist them so that they don't separate during baking.

Two hands roll the edges into the typical Khachapuri boat shape.

Two hands twist the edges of the Khachapuri.

Place the boat-shaped dough on an oven tray or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and add the cheese filling and black pepper in the middle of the "boat".

The Khachapuri's dough, in a boat shape, is placed on an oven tray lined with parchment paper.

The Khachapuri's dough, in a boat shape, is placed on an oven tray lined with parchment paper and filled with three different cheeses.

Use a silicone brush to brush milk on the dough and bake for 25-30 minutes at 375°F/190°C in static heat mode (you know it's done when the edges of the dough are golden brown).
Turn the heat down to 355°F/180°C, add an egg yolk in the middle of the Khachapuri and bake for 3-4 more minutes.

Khachapuri after baking, with melted cheeses and golden brown edges.

Khachapuri after baking, with melted cheeses, golden brown edges and a runny egg yolk.

Place a piece of butter on a fork and brush the edges of Khachapuri with it. Enjoy right away, as the yolk doesn't stay runny a very long time!

👩🏻‍🍳Chef's tips

Preparing and kneading the dough

As European, I'm used to working in grams and milliliters. For any type of bread, I really recommend using a digital kitchen scale, which is much more precise. That way, you'll be sure to succeed.
Knead the dough for the recommended amount of time in the bowl of your stand mixer - this is what will give the bread its amazing texture. It will also be easier to work with the dough when kneading by hand.
How to know if the dough has been kneaded enough (after kneading by hand) - lightly press it with your finger. If the dough more or less returns to its original shape (not completely), it's done!

Dough rising

Don't neglect rise time for best results - the bread will rise once, for 1h30 total. This is what gives the bread its soft and fluffy texture.
My special tip for successful rises - most recipes call for rises at room temperature, but the temperature of your kitchen varies according to the season... So I usually put my dough in a bowl and stick a plastic wrap over it. And then I turn on my oven at 86°F/30°C and once it's hot, I turn it off and open the door for about ten minutes (you can also leave the light of your oven on, but I don't have one). Then I put the bowl in it and leave the dough to rise.

Before and during baking

Flour your work surface to prevent the dough from sticking and make it easier to work. But don't add too much flour or it will change the bread's texture.
Egg wash - I prefer using a bit of milk, I find the result much better!
To bake - use the natural convection mode (avoid rotating heat) and place your bread in the middle of the oven.

Zoom on the runny egg yolk of the Khachapuri.

💡Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this by hand, without a stand mixer?

I've never tried, but the dough is not that moist, so you probably can. Tell me in the comment section if you try though 🙂

Can I double the recipe or halve it?

Yes, of course you can! If you double, make two breads (or you'll end up with a giaaaaant one and the baking time will be much longer!). And if you halve it, the bread will be smaller so the baking time should be shorter. You done it's done when the dough is golden brown.

Can I make the dough ahead of time and bake the bread later?

I've never tried it, but I'm sure you can. Here is what I would do: I would prepare the dough the day before use, knead it properly, place it back inside the bowl of the stand mixer, cover with a plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for the night. Then I'd follow the recipe - roll into a rectangle, use your fingers to create the boat shape, add cheese filling, black pepper, brush with milk and bake.

What to serve it with?

Some sauce, such as Tzatziki sauce, spinach dip, Chimichurri sauce, garlic aioli or marinara.
If you want to serve it for a brunch, serve it alongside scrambled eggs, bacons, bagels, fresh fruits, French sugar puffs, waffles, etc...
If you want to serve it for a "buffer", serve it with cured meats, ham, cheeses, olives, nuts or dried fruits.

I don't feel like making the dough, what can I replace it with? Pizza dough?

You can definitely replace it with pizza dough, even though it won't be the same texture and taste.

❄️Storage and freezing

Store - let the Khachapuri completely cool to room temperature then place it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Note that you should eat the egg yolk before storing the bread because after going to the refrigerator, it won't be runny anymore.
Reheat - what I like to do is reheat for 5-8 minutes at 320°F/160°C, add another egg yolk and bake for 3-4 more minutes. After all, adding a runny yolk to leftovers makes them even more delicious, right?
Freeze - I recommend to place the unbaked boat-shaped dough on some parchment paper, in a freezer bag, and freezing it right away (before the step where you put the cheese filling and you bake).
Defrost - place the frozen boat on an oven tray lined with parchment paper, add the cheese filling, brush with milk and bake (you know it's good when the edges are lightly golden brown).

😋For cheese lovers

If you make this bread, it would be so nice to leave me a comment and rate the recipe ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. You can also tag me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook or Tik Tok, or even send me a photo, I love seeing my little dishes in your homes!

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