Have you ever tried Georgian cuisine? One of my favorite vegetarian Georgian dishes is Ojakhuri, a beloved Georgian comfort food made with crispy potatoes, sautéed mushrooms, and onions, often served sizzling straight from the pan.
While traditional ojakhuri is typically prepared with pork and potatoes, it is also very commonly made in a vegetarian or vegan version, using mushrooms as the main ingredient. This meatless variation is hearty, flavorful, and incredibly satisfying.
Living in South Florida, where there is a large Russian and Eastern European population, I’ve been exposed to many regional foods—including authentic Georgian food.
Georgia is a small country located in the Greater Caucasus Mountains, bordering Russia, Armenia, and Turkey. Its cuisine reflects this unique crossroads of cultures, blending bold spices, comforting ingredients, and rich, home-style flavors.
Sunny Isles Beach Area is City Like
I live in a highly populated city like beach area. The other night, while out for a walk, we literally stumbled upon a Georgian restaurant and decided to give it a try. The food was outstanding. When I ordered ojakhuri, I was offered a choice of protein—pork, beef, chicken, or mushrooms. I chose the mushroom version, and it was absolutely delicious and gluten-free appropriate too.
As soon as I got home, I wanted to recreate the dish. The only challenge was figuring out which spices they used and how it was made. All I knew was that it was deeply flavorful and warming, without being overpowering.
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| Sautéed mixture of mushrooms, onions, red pepper and seasonings |
I googled around and found that like most ethnic recipes, there are as many recipes as there are cooks. I tried to keep this recipe as close to what I ate in the restaurant as possible.
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| Potatoes are under the vegetables and I took the pic before I garnished with greens |
Ingredients:
3 large russet potatoes, peeled and sliced
water (or oil if your prefer) for sautéing
8 ounce container of white button or cremini mushrooms, quartered
1 red pepper, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
Seasonings: salt, cracked pepper, paprika, ground oregano, ground coriander, garlic powder or 2 cloves garlic, chopped.
Optional: Cooked chickpeas or tofu cubes for xtra protein
Garnish: 1/2 cup chopped parsley and or cilantro and additional seasoning to taste.
Directions:
Season the potatoes with salt, pepper, and paprika. Air-fry at 390 for 20 minutes, turning half way through. Or bake in 400 degree oven for 30 minutes. (spraying with olive oil if desired-I don't)
While potatoes are air-frying, sauté (in 1/4 cup of water or a few tablespoons of oil) mushrooms with oregano, garlic, and ground coriander for 4 minutes, stirring. Add onion and red pepper and continue to sauté for another 4-5 minutes stirring. Set aside.
Place air-fried or roasted in the oven potatoes in a pyrex or casserole dish. Top with sautéed vegetables and (chickpeas if using) and serve while piping hot.
If you like potatoes (I do) you'll love this potato type stew. I actually added some chickpeas to make it a full meal. I could have added chunks of tofu instead of the chickpeas. Either would be good and provide some substantial protein.
Video for Ojakhuri
I'm no expert, so If you want to watch a video on how to make ojakhuri, this is one that I found and watched on Youtube this ojakhuri video . I have no affiliation with the video and do not endorse it in any way.
My Notes:
I've learned to easily sauté in small amounts of water or broth instead of oil. Really cuts down on calories and extra fat.
