Nepal, a beautiful country nestled in the lap of the Himalayas, has a lot to offer besides just magnificent Himalayan beauty. The rich and diverse ethnics of Nepal encompass innumerable cultures, customs, and traditions. This unique aspect of each culture has given rise to a distinct lifestyle of their own. This results in a wide range of available cuisines for you to explore. Mostly you’ll be able to encounter and try delectable innumerable cuisines in different parts of Nepal. This lets you immerse in multifarious cuisines like Newari dishes, Thakali dishes, Tibetan dishes and typical Nepali Breakfast.
Here, today, we’ll dive into the depths of various dishes of Nepal and talk about the well-liked morning breakfast of this ethnically diverse county, which is home to about 125 different ethnic groups. These dishes encompass the diverse geography of Nepal and can be available in many parts of Nepal. Along with that, we’ll also talk about the variation of cuisines available in top-notch restaurants in Kathmandu. On the journey to the heart of the Himalayas, you’ll be presented with numerous dishes for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Nepali Breakfast Menu while trekking in the Himalayas
| Name of dishes | Ingredients and variations | Cooking style | Description | Meal type |
| Sandwich | Bread, veggies and meat patty, lettuce, spinach, cucumber, tomato, onion, enhanced spices | Fried, pan-fried |
Delicious and nutrients packed Loaves of bread filled with rich spices and tasty ingredients |
Breakfast, lunch, or dinner |
| Pizza | Wheat flour, chopped veggies, tomato, onion, olives, oregano, cheese, etc | Oven, grilled, pan-pizza |
Delicious and nutritious Crust with sauce filled with nutrients and tasty toppings |
Breakfast, lunch, or dinner |
| Spaghetti | Onion, pepper, garlic, spaghetti noodles, minced meat, chopped veggies, flavorful seasoning | Boiled, stir-fried, pan-fried |
Delicious and nutritious Type of pasta filled with veggies, minced meat, and rich flavors and spices |
Breakfast, lunch, or dinner |
| Pakora | Onion, garlic, ginger, potatoes, minced meat, chickpea flour, spices, etc | Deep Fried |
Chopped veggies and mined meat coated in chickpea flour and fried Nutritious and delicious Served with chutney/sauce |
Breakfast |
| Sel roti | Rice flour, baking powder, sugar | Deep fried |
Crunchy textured ring-shaped doughnut Healthy, nutritious, and delicious |
Breakfast, lunch, or dinner |
| Aalu chana | Potatoes, grains, chopped veggies, onions, garlic | Stir-fried |
Pieces of boiled potatoes and soaked grains stir-fried Highly nutritious and delicious Rich in protein |
Breakfast |
| Anda chiura | Eggs, beaten rice (Chiura), chopped veggies | Pan-fried |
Scrambled eggs fried with chiura. Nutritious and delicious Served with chutney/sauce |
Breakfast |
| Samosa tarkari | Wheat flour, veggies, potatoes, onions, spices, etc | Deep fried |
Triangular pastry filled with potatoes, chickpeas, chopped veggies, masala and spices Delicious and nutritious Served with tarkari |
Breakfast |
| Puri tarkari | Wheat flour, potatoes, beans, grains, chickpeas, onions, chopped veggies | Deep-fried puri, stir-fried, and steamed tarkari |
Extremely delicious and nutritious Fried roti with toothsome tarkari |
Breakfast, lunch, or Dinner |
| Tibetan bread | White flour, oil, butter | Fried |
Homemade bread Delicious and nutritious Served with tarkari, chutney, tea |
Breakfast |
| Tingmo | Wheat flour, yeast, sugar, etc | steamed |
Tibetan fluffy bread Delicious and nutritious |
Breakfast |
| Roti | Wheat flour | Baked in a hot pan |
Healthy Nepali Breakfast items Nutritious Served with tarkari, chutney, curd, etc |
Breakfast, lunch, or dinner |
| Kodo ko roti | water, millet flour | Grilled or baked |
Delicious and nutritious Healthy Nepali Breakfast items Served with tarkari, chutney, etc |
Breakfast, lunch, or dinner |
| Tsampa porridge | Barley, milk, water, toppings with nuts and fruits | Ready-made (Roasted barley) |
Tibetan culture-influenced dish Highly nutritious and delicious |
Breakfast |
| Kwati |
Black gram, green gram, soybean, chickpeas, black-eyed peas, field peas, kidney beans, lentils, fava beans, etc Onion, garlic, ginger, chopped veggies, tomatoes, rich flavor, spices, etc |
Boiled |
Mixed bean soup of 9 varieties of beans Healthy and nutritious Delicious and rich in protein |
Breakfast, lunch, or dinner |
| Soup | Chopped veggies, meat, flavorful masala and spices | Boiled |
Nutritious and healthy Delicious |
Breakfast |
| Thukpa | Chopped veggies, onion, garlic, ginger, tofu, noodles, spices, etc | Boiled |
Delicious soup of noodles, tofu, chicken and veggies Nutritious and healthy |
Breakfast, lunch, or dinner |
| Toast | Bread | Grilled bread |
Delicious and nutritious Served with butter and jam |
Breakfast |
| Eggs |
Eggs, onion, tomatoes, butter, etc Customizable with meat, herbs, spices, cheese, etc |
Boiled, fried, stir-fried |
Delicious and nutritious Protein-rich |
Breakfast |
| Pancakes | Eggs, flour, butter, milk, garnished with chocolate chips, dry fruits, etc | Stir-fried |
Thin cake made from starch-based batter Delicious and nutritious |
Breakfast |
| Hot beverages | Coffee, tea, Herba tea | Boiled |
Delicious and nutritious |
Breakfast |
| Cold beverages | Milkshakes, smoothies, flavored drinks, etc | Readymade | Healthy, delicious, and nutritious, except for flavored drinks | Breakfast, lunch, or dinner |
| Oatmeal | Oats, fruits, nuts, etc | Readymade |
Delicious and nutritious Rich in carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and protein |
Breakfast |
| Paratha | Flour, potatoes, onions, chilies, masala, butter, etc | Grilled |
Grilled chapati filled with mashed potatoes Delicious and nutritious Served with chutney/sauce |
Breakfast |
| Bread and butter | Bread, butter, jam | Grilled or non | Nutritious and delicious | Breakfast |
| Fruits | Apple, banana, strawberry, etc | Readymade |
Nutritious and delicious Healthy |
Breakfast |
| Salad | Cucumber, carrot, radish, spinach, beetroot, etc | Readymade |
Nutritious and delicious Healthy |
Breakfast |
| Rice pudding | Rice, milk, water | steamed |
Rice mixed with water or milk Delicious and nutritious |
Breakfast |
Nepali Breakfast Menu during Hotel stays in major cities
The Nepali Breakfast Food contains typical Nepali Breakfast food and influenced food from different parts of the world. We’ve already discussed the lists of Nepali Breakfast Food during the Himalayan adventure. The Nepali Breakfast Menu of hotels in major cities does contain the lists of food mentioned above, with some additional food derived from different cultures of different countries. We’ll just add additional dishes to the typical Nepali Breakfast food above.
| Name of dishes | Ingredients and variations | Cooking style | Description | Meal type |
| Noodle | Chopped veggies, noodles, chicken, enhanced flavor and spices | Fry, boiled, seasoned |
Delicious and nutritious Healthy and keeps you full |
Breakfast, lunch, or dinner |
| Spring roll | Wheat flour, veggies, minced meat, cheese, sauce | Fried, half-fried and half steamed |
Meat and veggies patty-wrapped in medium-sized dough Delicious and nutritious Served with chutney |
Breakfast, lunch, or dinner |
| Pastries | Flour, butter, sugar, salt, preferred veggies and meat | Baked | Baked product with veg or nonveg patties inside | Breakfast |
| Tacos | Flour tortilla, chicken or veg keema, sour cream, hot sauce, etc | Warm in griddle |
stuffed tortilla with keema (potatoes) or seasoned chicken, buff, or paneer Delicious and available in varieties |
Breakfast, lunch, or dinner |
| Croissants | Flour, yeast, milk, sugar, eggs, preferred cream | Baked |
Puff pastry in a crescent shape, coated with flavored cream Delicious |
Breakfast |
| Cheese wrap | Flour, bacon, cheese, veggies, minced meat, etc | Grilled |
Delicious and nutritious A mid-layer chapati wrapped with fillings of veggies, meat, and melted cheese |
Breakfast, lunch, or dinner |
| Burgers | Buns, cheese, lettuce, onion, tomato, veg or meat patty, sauce, mayo, sour cream, etc | Grilled patty |
Flavorful patties with bread on both sides enhanced with seasonings and sauce |
Breakfast, lunch, or dinner |
| Waffle | Flour, sugar, salt, garnished with fruit, Nutella, honey, etc | Grilled | A delicious dish made from batter and cooked on patterned plates | Breakfast |
| Aloo Sadheko | Potato, cumin seeds, spices, flavourful mixture, etc | Boiled | Chopped pieces of boiled potato mixed with a spicy and delicious mixture | Breakfast |
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Nepali Food
Nepal, being a landlocked country, lies between two big nations, India and China. With the exchange of culture and traditions, Nepal has developed its own delectable cuisine. The similarities can be found in the use of ingredients and recipes in the neighboring countries. While it may have begun from the influence of China and India, the distinct habitat of Nepal managed to maintain its own legacy in flourishing the wide range of dishes. Nepali food comprises healthy and homegrown ingredients. Each dishes in Nepal represent the traditional values and practices of different cultures. It serves as an identity for each tribe of Nepal.
The diverse geography of Nepal encircles a wide range of food dishes. The Terai region is closer to India, and it comprises dishes like Paratha, Pakora, Biryani, Samosa, Chat, Kachori, and Korma, along with mouth-watering sweet treats like Rasgulla and Gulab jamun. These dishes are influenced by India and are delicious. Along with that, other dishes like Chowmein, Hot pot, Spring Rolls, and Chopsuey are the dishes influenced by China. Nepal is rich in serving varieties of dishes by customizing them in its own way as well as preserving the Tibetan and Indian influence. While these are delicious items, traditional Nepali food is purely delicious. It comprises many items like Daal Bhat, Dhido, Sel Roti, Aalu Tama, Momo, Sekuwa, and many more, which we’ll discuss right below.
Some Helpful food-related tips during Himalayan adventure
- Try different dishes, but be sure to consume an adequate amount
- Consume healthy and nutritious foods that will supply you with enough energy during the trekking journey
- Pick easily digestible foods that contain less fat
- Be sure to try traditional Nepali Breakfast thali that contains a variety of dishes on a single plate
- Maintain a healthy routine with proper sanitation
- Avoid meat items as you ascend towards higher altitudes as meat won’t be very fresh, and it can affect your digestive system
- Stay hydrated and consume healthy shakes and smoothies rather than flavored drinks like Coke, Fanta, etc
- Surely try dishes like Kodo ko roti, Bara, Kwati, Gundruk, Tingmo, and Tsampa Porridge, as you’ll be able to get an authentic taste
- Be aware of the food or ingredients you’re allergic to
- Look for calories and protein-rich food as it’ll provide you energy during the trek
- Try to include fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet
- Embrace the local delectable cuisines as you’ll be presented with a diverse range of meal options during Himalayan trekking adventure