"Vegetarian Food in Pakistan: What to Order"

Vegetarian food in Pakistan is easy to find once you know what to order: daal (lentils), sabzi (vegetable dishes such as aloo gobi, bhindi and aloo matar), saag in winter, chana in all its forms, and breakfasts like halwa puri with chickpeas. Meat is the default on most menus, so the skill is in asking. Say clearly that you do not eat meat, chicken or meat stock, because "vegetable" dishes are sometimes cooked in yakhni or come with keema mixed in.

This guide lists the dishes that are reliably meat-free, the words to use when ordering, the traps to watch for, and where in the country vegetarians have the easiest time.

Can vegetarians eat well in Pakistan?

Yes. Pakistani home cooking has always been built on lentils, vegetables and bread, and meat-free meals are an everyday part of most homes. Daal chawal, lentils with rice, is the national comfort food. The difficulty is restaurants, where the menu is weighted to karahi, BBQ and biryani, and the vegetable section can be short.

It also depends on what kind of vegetarian you are. Lacto-vegetarians will find plenty, since dairy is everywhere. Vegans have a harder time: ghee, butter on naan, cream in daal and yoghurt are standard, and you will need to ask about each.

What vegetarian dishes should you order?

Daal

• Daal mash: white urad lentils, dry and buttery, a dhaba favourite.
• Chana daal: split chickpea lentils, thick and nutty.
• Masoor daal: red or brown lentils, the everyday home daal.
• Daal chawal: any daal with plain rice, often with a little achar and salad.

Sabzi

• Aloo gobi: potato and cauliflower.
• Aloo matar: potato and peas.
• Bhindi: okra, usually fried dry with onion.
• Baingan bharta: smoked, mashed aubergine.
• Mix sabzi: whatever is in season, a safe order at any roadside restaurant.

Saag and makai roti

In winter in Punjab, sarson ka saag, mustard greens cooked slowly in ghee, served with makai ki roti, maize flatbread, and a lump of butter. It is one of the best things to eat in the country from December to February.

Chana

Chickpeas appear at every meal. Cholay with puri at breakfast, chana chaat with onion, tomato and tamarind as a snack, chana pulao, which is meat-free when it is cooked in water rather than stock. Be careful with murgh cholay, a Lahori favourite, which is chickpeas cooked with chicken.

Rice

Tahari is a vegetarian rice dish, cooked with potatoes and the same spices as biryani. Matar pulao and chana pulao can be meat-free, but ask, because pulao is classically cooked in meat yakhni.

Sindhi dishes

Sai bhaji, spinach cooked down with chana daal and other greens, is the best-known Sindhi vegetarian dish and is often eaten with rice. Our sai bhaji guide explains it.

Breakfast and street food

Halwa puri with cholay, sweet halwa and achar is vegetarian, as is a paratha with yoghurt or achar. On the street, aloo samosay, pakoray, dahi bhallay, gol gappay and fruit chaat are all normally meat-free, though some samosay are filled with keema. Point and ask.

How do you ask for vegetarian food in Urdu?

English is understood in most city restaurants, but in a dhaba or small town these phrases help:

• "Main gosht nahin khata" (a man) or "Main gosht nahin khati" (a woman): I don't eat meat.
• "Murghi bhi nahin, machhli bhi nahin": not chicken, not fish either. Many people think of chicken and fish as separate from gosht, which usually means red meat.
• "Is mein gosht ya yakhni hai?": Is there meat or meat stock in this?
• "Sirf sabzi wala": only the vegetable one.
• "Anda nahin": no egg, if you avoid eggs.

Be specific rather than saying "vegetarian". The word is understood in cities, but a cook may assume chicken is fine, or that a little keema in the aloo does not count.

What should vegetarians watch out for?

1. Meat stock. Pulao, some daals and some sabzis are cooked in yakhni. Always ask.
2. Hidden keema. Aloo keema, matar keema and keema-filled samosay look like vegetable dishes from a distance.
3. Chicken counted as vegetable. Murgh cholay and "chicken vegetable" dishes are common.
4. Shared oil. Pakoray and samosay may be fried in the same oil as chicken rolls. Strict vegetarians should ask or accept it.
5. Ghee and butter. Fine for most vegetarians, a problem for vegans.
6. Eggs. Omelettes and fried eggs are part of many breakfasts, and some sweets contain egg.

Food hygiene matters more than meat for most stomachs. Our guide on whether street food in Pakistan is safe covers what to eat freshly cooked and what to skip.

Where is it easiest to be vegetarian in Pakistan?

Karachi and Sindh. Sindh has Pakistan's largest Hindu community, and Sindhi home cooking includes several well-known vegetable dishes, so it is the easiest region overall. Karachi's range of restaurants also means plenty of daal, sabzi and chaat.

Lahore. Meat-heavy at night, but excellent for breakfast (halwa puri and cholay), chaat and winter saag. Daal chawal is sold at Lakshmi Chowk among other places.

Islamabad. The most international menus in the country, with vegetable dishes, salads and pasta in sit-down restaurants.

Gurdwaras. The langar served at every gurdwara is always lacto-vegetarian and open to everyone free of charge, whatever their religion. Kartarpur, Panja Sahib in Hasan Abdal and Nankana Sahib all serve it; see our Kartarpur visit guide.

The northern areas. Simpler menus, but Balti and Hunza home cooking has several traditional breads and grain dishes without meat; see our guide to Balti food. On the drive, roadside restaurants nearly always have daal and mix sabzi.

Hardest: Peshawar and Shinwari restaurants, where the menu is lamb and little else, and BBQ streets in any city.

Is Pakistan a good trip for a vegetarian?

For a lacto-vegetarian who is happy to ask questions, yes. You will eat well and cheaply on daal, sabzi and bread, and some of the best food in the country, from winter saag to halwa puri, is meat-free. For strict vegetarians who cannot accept shared oil, or for vegans, it takes more effort: stay in places where you can talk to the cook, and keep snacks for long drives.

We advise telling hotels and drivers in advance, which makes the most difference in small towns. Our travel guide covers the wider practicalities, and our Pakistani food guide for visitors explains how meals work through the day.

Frequently asked questions