Ceremonial mix of minced meat, vegetables, coconut and spices
Explore the Dish
Lawar is one of Bali’s most traditional dishes: a finely chopped mix of vegetables (often long beans or jackfruit), grated coconut, minced meat and a complex base genep spice paste, all tossed together. It comes in many forms — from fiery red lawar to vegetable lawar — and is a cornerstone of the nasi campur plate.
Lawar is intensely flavoured: herbal, spicy, nutty from the toasted coconut, and aromatic with kaffir lime and lemongrass. The classic ceremonial “red” lawar traditionally includes fresh blood, while everyday and vegetarian versions do not.
You will almost always meet lawar as a component of nasi campur rather than a standalone plate. Vegetarian lawar (lawar sayur or lawar nangka with jackfruit) is widely available and excellent.
Lawar is deeply tied to Balinese ceremony, traditionally prepared by men in the temple kitchen ahead of festivals. Its preparation is communal and ritual, and the dish remains central to Balinese identity.
Nasi campur & babi guling warungs
📍 Ubud / Gianyar
Lawar is at its best alongside babi guling at traditional warungs.
Traditional Balinese restaurants
📍 Ubud / Seminyak
Restaurants offering both meat and vegetarian (nangka/sayur) lawar.
Ubud vegetarian warungs
📍 Ubud
Excellent jackfruit and vegetable lawar for meat-free diners.
| Venue Type | IDR | USD (approx.) | INR (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Street cart / warung | 15,000–35,000 IDR | $0.9–$2.2 | ₹85–₹195 |
| Local warung (sit-down) | 42,000–63,000 IDR | $2.6–$3.9 | ₹235–₹350 |
| Mid-range restaurant | 70,000–112,000 IDR | $4.4–$7.0 | ₹390–₹620 |
| Hotel / tourist restaurant | 122,000–210,000 IDR | $7.6–$13.1 | ₹680–₹1165 |
Vegetarian lawar (lawar sayur, or jackfruit lawar “lawar nangka”) is common and delicious. The classic version may contain meat and, traditionally, blood — ask.
“Lawar sayur” for the vegetable versionJain note: Balinese cooking uses garlic, shallots and shrimp paste (terasi) widely. Jain travellers should ask for dishes without onion, garlic and terasi — easiest at vegetarian warungs in Ubud.
A traditional Balinese mix of chopped vegetables, grated coconut, spice paste and (often) minced meat, served as part of a meal.
Ceremonial “red” lawar (lawar merah) traditionally does; everyday and vegetarian versions do not. Ask if you want to avoid it.
Yes — lawar sayur (vegetable) and lawar nangka (jackfruit) are common and delicious.
Medium to hot — it carries the full warmth of Balinese spice paste and chilli.
Almost always as one element of a nasi campur plate rather than on its own.
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