Cuisine of Uttar Pradesh consists of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. The dishes have been influenced by Mughal cooking techniques. The Awadhi cuisine has similarities to those of Kashmir and Punjab. Uttar Pradesh is known for its Nawabi food. Nawabi food uses mutton, paneer and rich spices like cardamom and saffron. Kebabs, Dum Biryani and various Mutton recipes are well known. The Samosa and pakora has its origins in Uttar Pradesh. Awadhi is the cuisine of West-Central Uttar Pradesh found in the Awadh Region.

According to a 16th century study, the foods of the Gangetic plain are described as sattu (the flour of roasted pulses), and barley grits eaten with salt or sugar. Pulse preparations included the Bara (vada), mungauri (a mung vada), pakauri (pakoda), methauri , dubaki (identified as a boiled pakoda). The sweet dishes included the lapsi, a halva of wheat flour, kirora, a rice flour laddoo, and kesara, kesari-bath of rava.

The region is known for numerous sweet delicacies including the gulab jamun, jalebi and rasagulla. Fine grained motichoor laddoos and sesame-seed (tilkut) laddoos are also very popular sweets. Sweet crisp-fried bread made from wheat flour, the balushahi glazed with sugar, the date shaped khajur or khurma, the pua with molasses, and the pheni described as a frothy sweetmeat are other famous sweets of the region. Apart from these, the Halva or Kanchi, made from wheat flour, dried fruits and ghee and the candied gourd delicacy called petha are also noted in this region. Kheer (known as Bakir in U.P) made from rice, milk and sugar also appears in the sweet menu of this region. Other prominent desserts of this state include: Gujia, Kulfi, Sheer Qorma, Ghewar, Imarti and Petha.

Some of the popular dishes of this state are: Zamin Doz Macchli, Murg Mussallam, Lukhnawi Biryani, Dum Bhindi, Gobhi Mussallam, Sultani Dal, Rizala, Shab Deg, Kofta, Tehri, Korma, Raita, Nihari and Shorba. Sharbats is a popular juice in Uttar Pradesh. Popular sharbats include: Gurahl Sharbat, Rose Sharbat, Khas ka Sharbat. Tandoori Naan, tandoori roti, kulcha, taftan, sheermal, millet bread or roti and lachha paratha are other common items.