Sri Lanka · COOKING CLASSES

The 15 Best Sri Lankan Cooking Classes

61 tours  ·  from $17

Eleven dishes, one coconut scraper and a market walk first. The 15 classes below are priced and honest about how much you cook against how much you watch, and which ones send you home with the recipes.

Ella: Traditional Sri Lankan Cooking Class - Fresh ingredients and the Sri Lankan spice box
Cooking Classes, Cooking Classes in Ella, Ella Tours, Tour Reviews

Ella: Traditional Sri Lankan Cooking Class

1.Traditional Sri Lankan Cooking Class

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 788 reviews · 2 hours · from $19Our pick

Join Ranjani, also called Ranji, in an open-air kitchen in Ella for a two-hour Sri Lankan cooking lesson. You will prepare dishes such as dhal, curry, coconut sambol, string hoppers, hoppers, or honey roti, learn about spices and their health uses, then eat together from banana leaves. Recipes arrive by WhatsApp.

“This cooking class is great, very homely and we learnt lots about traditional Sri Lankan cooking with yummy food at the end! We learnt about local traditions and was overall a great hands on experience thank you”

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Organic cooking class sigiriya (kumara & family) - Cooking several curries over a wood fire
Cooking Classes, Cooking Classes in Sigiriya, Sigiriya Tours, Tour Reviews

Organic cooking class sigiriya (kumara & family)

2.Organic cooking class sigiriya (kumara & family)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 650 reviews · from $28Top rated

At Kumara and Thanuja’s family home in Sigiriya, you’ll tour an organic garden, learn about spices and herbal plants, and help prepare a multi-dish Sri Lankan meal. Expect curries, sambal, string hoppers, dessert, a traditional table setting, and a warm family welcome. The class lasts about two and a half hours and costs $28.

“Fantastic host Kumara - very knowledgeable, all food grown in his garden and made farm to table. Best thing I’ve done in Sri Lanka!”

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Kandy Village Cooking Class - The short ride out to the village
Cooking Classes, Cooking Classes in Kandy, Kandy Tours, Tour Reviews

Kandy Village Cooking Class

3.Kandy Village Cooking Class

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 536 reviews · from $25

Meet at Kandy Municipal Central Market, choose vegetables, spices, and chicken or fish with Shyama, then cook several Sri Lankan dishes in a traditional village kitchen. Pickup may be available, but confirm the return plan. The three-hour class welcomes solo visitors, couples, and groups of up to 15.

“It was a very special cooking class, starting with a visit to the market and buying what we were going to prepare. We had lots of interesting tips as we went around the market stands, making it a very lively event. But then, the cooking class waRead more”

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Sea waves sri lankan cooking class - Key points at a glance
Cooking Classes, Cooking Classes in Galle, Galle Tours, Tour Reviews

Sea waves sri lankan cooking class

4.Sea waves sri lankan cooking class

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 467 reviews · from $59

Meet Susanthi and an experienced local chef for a three-hour Sri Lankan cooking class near Unawatuna. Visit fish and vegetable markets, choose fish or chicken and five vegetables, blend spices, prepare coconut milk and curries, then eat your meal in an open kitchen with jungle views. The class is listed as private, though group size should be confirmed.

“great experience and atmosphere, from buying ingredients to a great tasting lunch, the lady of the house was a great cook and in a good mood!! I recommend”

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Ella: Sri Lankan Cooking Class with Neranji at Homestay - From rice and coconut milk to a full plate
Cooking Classes, Cooking Classes in Ella, Ella Tours, Tour Reviews

Ella: Sri Lankan Cooking Class with Neranji at Homestay

5.Sri Lankan Cooking Class with Neranji at Homestay

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 276 reviews · 2 - 3 hours · from $19

Join Neranji in her home kitchen in Ella for a two to three hour, hands-on Sri Lankan cooking class. You will prepare curries, sambols, salads, papadom, or coconut roti, learn traditional spice and coconut milk techniques, then eat the meal together. Recipes and selected spices are included.

“An amazing experience!! Absolutely fantastic from Start to finish, Neranji was so kind and welcoming and explained everything so well to us. We learned so much about Sri Lankan cuisine and the food was so well prepared and we were involved in everything. Definitely the best cooking class in Ella and you won’t be disappointed, such good value for money and you enjoy the food afterwards. A must try when in Ella!!”

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Cook with Wasantha - A second stop for fresh fish
Cooking Classes, Cooking Classes in Galle, Galle Tours, Tour Reviews

Cook with Wasantha

6.Cook with Wasantha

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 248 reviews · from $30

Meet Wasantha in Unawatuna for a four-hour Sri Lankan cooking experience. With Wasantha and her family, you’ll visit vegetable and fish markets, learn to make coconut milk and fluffy rice, then prepare four vegetable curries plus tuna or chicken. The small group, capped at 10, finishes with a buffet lunch and recipes to take home.

“Ist was the best cooking class we ever did. The trip to the market was amazing and Wasantha teached us real slow and good to understand. She is really kind and made it interesting. The Food was incredible delicious.”

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Ella : Cooking class with amazing Spice Garden Tour - From cinnamon and vanilla to the fireplace
Cooking Classes, Cooking Classes in Ella, Ella Tours, Spice Garden Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Ella : Cooking class with amazing Spice Garden Tour

7.Cooking class with amazing Spice Garden Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 239 reviews · 4 hours · from $32

Tour a family-run 2.5-acre spice garden with guides such as Sam, Senaka, or Upulu, then join a small-group cooking class in Ella. You’ll make coconut milk by hand and prepare rice, curries, sambol, banana chips, and papadam over a traditional fireplace before eating together.

“Very nice spice gardeb tour and interactive cooking workshop.”

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Sajee’s Place Cooking Class - Meeting Sajeeva and Suzy in the kitchen
Cooking Classes, Cooking Classes in Sigiriya, Sigiriya Tours, Tour Reviews

Sajee’s Place Cooking Class

8.Sajee’s Place Cooking Class

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 237 reviews · from $35

At Sajee’s Place in Sigiriya, Sajeeva and Suzy guide you through a hands-on Sri Lankan cooking class. You may prepare seasonal vegetable curries, chicken or fish curry, coconut sambol, rice, lentils, and fresh coconut milk while learning how local spices work. The class lasts about three hours and ends with your own cooked meal.

“Sajee en zijn vrouw waren ongelofelijk. Ze leerden ons zes verschillende curry’s en bijgerechten maken. We kregen heel veel uitleg. Onze zonen van 10 en 13 verveelden zich geen minuut. Zelf kokosmelk maken, zelf rijst en linzen wassen, zelf Read more”

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Colombo Cooking Class - A ten-dish menu, from hoppers to dessert
Colombo Tours, Cooking Classes, Cooking Classes in Colombo, Tour Reviews

Colombo Cooking Class

9.Colombo Cooking Class

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 151 reviews · from $60

Cook at least 10 Sri Lankan dishes with Piumi and her family in a private Colombo home setting. You will prepare curries, egg hoppers, traditional desserts, and more, with ingredients supplied. Choose a 10am lunch class or 4pm dinner class, then sit down to eat what you made.

“Very interesting insight into Sri Lankan life and the important role food and cooking plays in daily life. Piumi is an excellent cook and teacher. I’m vegetarian and she showed me how to prepare and cook ten different vegetarian curries and the resulting lunch was delicious. Can very highly recommend this tour.”

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Galle Unawatuna Cooking Class - Starting with Sri Lankan ingredients
Cooking Classes, Cooking Classes in Galle, Galle Tours, Tour Reviews

Galle Unawatuna Cooking Class

10.Galle Unawatuna Cooking Class

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 142 reviews · from $30

Spend about three and a half hours learning Sri Lankan cooking in and around Unawatuna. You may visit a market, then cook rice, vegetable, fish, meat, and sweet dishes in a traditional home kitchen with local teachers including Madhu or Madha. Pickup is offered, groups are capped at 10, and lunch or dinner is included.

“What an incredible experience. This was so much fun and the food was by far the best we had in Sri Lanka. Everything was so well organized. It's such a beautiful kitchen too. I can't recommend this enough. Thank you to Madha for being such a wonderful teacher.”

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Market Tour and Hands-On Cooking Class Colombo - Choosing your menu before the cooking begins
Colombo Tours, Cooking Classes, Cooking Classes in Colombo, Market Tours in Colombo, Shopping Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Market Tour and Hands-On Cooking Class Colombo

11.Market Tour and Hands-On Cooking Class Colombo

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 140 reviews · from $80

Join chef and host Nim for a five-hour Colombo food experience. Choose a menu, shop at a local market, then prepare and eat a five-course Sri Lankan meal at Villa Ivy Crest. You’ll learn family cooking methods, dining etiquette, and practical spice tips, with recipes and a certificate to take home.

“Nim organised transport from our Colombo hotel to his local market .That worked seamlessly! Market shopping was fun,with Nim being most informative about a whole range of fruit and vegetables that were unfamiliar to us. Upon arrival Read more”

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Cooking Class: Sajee’s Place Cooking Class sigiriya - Cooking rice, dhal, and the first curries
Cooking Classes, Cooking Classes in Sigiriya, Sigiriya Tours, Tour Reviews

Cooking Class: Sajee’s Place Cooking Class sigiriya

12.Cooking Class: Sajee’s Place Cooking Class sigiriya

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 117 reviews · 3 hours · from $36

At Sajee’s Place near Sigiriya, Sajee and his wife Suzy guide you through a hands-on Sri Lankan rice-and-curry class. You prepare dhal, chicken or fish curry, three vegetable dishes, a stir-fry, coconut sambol, rice, and papadams, then eat together and receive recipes for home.

“Sri Lankan flavours - from spice to delicious food Sajee and Suzy did an amazing job explaining the spices and vegetables used in Sri Lankan cuisine. We explored different techniques on how to get the best flavours and create 7 authentic Sri Lankan dishes. They were both always ready to ask any questions we had and also just gave general cooking tips. Giving us also insight into the importance of food in their and others daily life. We really enjoyed our time and would very much recommend this to anyone wanting to learn more about Sri Lankan food. Side note: Spice tolerance is adjusted on the fly so nothing to…”

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Organic Cooking Class sigiriya home Kitchen(Kumara & family) - Kumara and his family set the tone
Cooking Classes, Cooking Classes in Sigiriya, Sigiriya Tours, Tour Reviews

Organic Cooking Class sigiriya home Kitchen(Kumara & family)

13.Organic Cooking Class sigiriya home Kitchen(Kumara & family)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 116 reviews · from $28

At Kumara and his family’s home in Sigiriya, you’ll gather organic garden ingredients, learn about homemade Sri Lankan spices, cook several curry dishes on a wood stove, and share the finished meal. The class lasts about two hours, costs $28, and welcomes groups of up to 10 people.

“It was a really nice cooking class with such a nice and warming teachers that knew everything about herbs and taste. You will have a great time with them if you book this cooking class and learn some nice recipies as well.”

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Private Traditional Sri Lankan Cooking Class in Kandy with Hotel Transfers - Starting with hotel pickup and a cup of tea
Cooking Classes, Cooking Classes in Kandy, Kandy Tours, Private, Tour Reviews

Private Traditional Sri Lankan Cooking Class in Kandy with Hotel Transfers

14.Private Traditional Sri Lankan Cooking Class in Kandy with Hotel Transfers

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 115 reviews · from $120

Spend about three hours with Chitra learning Sri Lankan cooking in a private Kandy class. Start with tea or coffee, study local spices and vegetables, choose a curry, then chop, cook, and eat together. Hotel pickup is offered, and vegan and gluten-free meals can be arranged.

“It was fantastic! The market tour was an awesome start, and the hotel transfers made it really easy. The couple who run the class are wonderful people - knowledgeable, kind, and able to answer every question. I'm so glad to have experienced it and gained a deeper understanding of Sri Lankan culture and cooking. Highly recommend!”

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Ella Sri Lanka : Mom's Kitchen Cooking class - The first steps: ingredients, tools, and Sri Lankan flavor
Cooking Classes, Cooking Classes in Ella, Ella Tours, Tour Reviews

Ella Sri Lanka : Mom’s Kitchen Cooking class

15.Ella Sri Lanka : Mom’s Kitchen Cooking class

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 113 reviews · 2 hours · from $20

At Mom’s Kitchen near Ella, Kamala and her daughter Irosha teach you to prepare several Sri Lankan curries, rice, coconut sambol, and papadum. You will chop, grind spices, cook over fire and gas, and eat the finished meal with views across the surrounding countryside. The small group is limited to six people, and recipes are shared for cooking at home.

“Would definitely recommend this experience to everyone that visits Ella! Truly authentic and Irosha and her mum were so kind and accommodating to our dietary requests! Traditional methods of cooking and gave us tips for cooking! The meal was delicious and we all had a part to play throughout the experience! A massive thankyou and would recommend to others!”

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