Georgian bean-stuffed flatbread — a hearty, satisfying cousin of khachapuri filled with spiced kidney beans.
Lobiani is the bean lover's answer to khachapuri — a thick, pillowy Georgian flatbread filled with a generously spiced mash of kidney beans (lobio). It is a staple of Georgian winter cooking and one of the most popular street foods in Tbilisi. The beans are seasoned with onion, fenugreek, coriander, and often bacon or salt pork in the mountain regions. The bread is baked until the crust is golden and the filling is steaming hot.
Serves 4
Mix flour, yeast, salt, water, and oil into a dough. Knead 8 minutes until smooth. Cover and rest 1 hour until doubled.
Sauté onion in butter until soft. Add beans, ground coriander, fenugreek, and pepper. Mash roughly — you want texture, not a smooth purée. Stir in fresh coriander. Cool completely.
Divide dough into 4 balls. Roll each into a circle. Place a generous mound of filling in the centre. Gather dough edges up over the filling and pinch to seal. Press flat gently.
Cook in a dry cast-iron pan over medium heat for 4–5 minutes per side until golden brown and puffed.
Brush hot lobiani generously with butter as soon as they come out of the pan. Serve immediately.
The filling must be completely cool before using — hot filling makes the dough difficult to seal.
Don't skimp on the butter finish — it's essential to lobiani's character.
A cast-iron pan gives the best crust; baking in the oven also works at 240°C for 12 minutes.
Add crumbled bacon or salt pork to the bean filling for the mountain region version.
Mix a little suluguni cheese into the beans for extra richness.
Best eaten fresh. Refrigerate for 1 day and reheat in a dry pan.
Lobiani has fed Georgia's poor and working classes for centuries as an economical alternative to the cheese-stuffed khachapuri. In the Racha mountain region, where beans were a dietary staple, lobiani remains the bread of choice and is made with special pride.
Yes — cook 200g dried kidney beans until very soft, then use as directed. The flavour will be richer but the preparation time is significantly longer.
Per serving · 4 servings total
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