Laotian Cuisine

26 dishes · Community built

Laotian Dishes

#1

Laotian Larb

Laos's national dish — minced meat salad with toasted rice powder, lime, and herbs.

#2

Jaew Som

A tangy, fermented tomato dip, sour and savory, a common Lao condiment.

#3

Tam Mak Hoong

Laos's fiery green papaya salad, pounded with fish sauce, lime, and chilies.

#4

Khao Soi Lao

A northern Lao noodle soup with fermented soybean and minced pork.

#5

Tom Jeuw

A light, clear Lao vegetable soup seasoned simply with fish sauce and herbs.

#6

Or Lam

A rustic Luang Prabang stew of buffalo meat, eggplant, and forest vegetables.

#7

Jaew Mak Keua

A smoky roasted eggplant dip, mashed with garlic and fish sauce.

#8

Lao Sticky Rice

Glutinous rice steamed in a woven bamboo basket, eaten by hand with every meal.

#9

Khao Lam

Sweet sticky rice and coconut milk cooked slowly inside bamboo tubes over an open fire.

#10

Mok Kai

Minced chicken mixed with herbs and pounded chili paste, steamed in banana leaves.

#11

Sai Oua

A fragrant grilled sausage seasoned with lemongrass, kaffir lime, and fresh herbs.

#12

Kaipen

Crispy sheets of dried river weed studded with sesame seeds and garlic, a Luang Prabang specialty.

#13

Sinh

A traditional Lao woven skirt, but also the culinary term for grilled marinated beef skirt steak.

#14

Naem Khao

A crispy fried rice salad mixed with fermented pork sausage, peanuts, and fresh herbs.

#15

Sien Savanh

Sweet and savory dried beef jerky, marinated with garlic, sugar, and Lao spices.

#16

Khao Poon

A spiced rice vermicelli soup with a rich coconut and lemongrass broth.

#17

Suki Lao

A Lao-style hot pot with thin broth, rice noodles, meat, and vegetables cooked tableside.

#18

Ping Kai

Grilled marinated chicken, flattened and cooked over charcoal until charred and juicy.

#19

Tam Som

A tangy green papaya salad pounded with lime, fish sauce, and chili, a Laotian staple.

#20

Laotian Sai Gork

A Lao-style sausage stuffed with sticky rice, herbs, and pork, fermented slightly before cooking.

#21

Jaew Bong

A thick, sweet-spicy chili paste made with dried buffalo skin, a distinctive Lao condiment.

#22

Ping Pa

Whole grilled fish stuffed with lemongrass and herbs, charred over charcoal.

#23

Khao Piak Sen

A comforting chicken noodle soup with thick, chewy tapioca-rice noodles.

#24

Mok Pa

Fish mixed with herbs and a spicy paste, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed.

#25

Khao Jee

A crusty baguette-style bread filled with pâté, herbs, and pickled vegetables.

#26

Khao Tom Lao

Sticky rice dumplings filled with banana or taro, wrapped in banana leaf and boiled.

Help build Laotian cuisine on What To Eat

What To Eat is community-built. If you know Laotian food — dishes we've missed, better descriptions or authentic recipes — we want your knowledge.