Lebanon
23 recipes to explore
Silky Lebanese Hummus
Ultra-smooth, creamy hummus whipped from chickpeas, plenty of tahini, lemon, garlic and ice-cold water, swirled onto a plate and finished with olive oil, paprika, whole chickpeas and parsley. Perfect with warm pitta and crunchy vegetables.
Lebanese Tabbouleh
The real Lebanese tabbouleh: a vibrant, herb-packed salad of finely chopped parsley and mint with ripe tomato, spring onion and just a little fine bulgur, dressed with lemon and olive oil and scooped up with crisp lettuce leaves.
Baba Ghanoush (Smoky Aubergine Dip)
Aubergines charred until collapsing and smoky, then mashed with tahini, lemon, garlic and a little cumin into a silky dip. Finished with olive oil and parsley and scooped up with warm flatbread.
Manakish Za'atar (Herb Flatbread)
Lebanon's favorite breakfast: soft, chewy flatbreads spread with a paste of za'atar herbs, sesame and olive oil, baked until the edges turn golden. Fold one around tomato, cucumber, olives and fresh mint.
Kafta Skewers
Juicy minced lamb and beef mixed with lots of parsley, onion and Lebanese seven-spice, shaped onto skewers and grilled. Serve with warm pita, tahini sauce and a quick sumac onion salad.
Fattoush (Crunchy Bread Salad)
A bright, crunchy salad of tomatoes, cucumber, radishes, peppers, herbs and toasted pita chips, tossed in a tangy dressing of lemon, sumac and pomegranate molasses.
Fattet Hummus (Chickpeas with Yogurt and Crispy Pita)
Layers of crispy pita, warm chickpeas and a garlicky yogurt-tahini sauce, finished with pine nuts toasted in butter and a sprinkle of cumin and paprika. A favorite weekend breakfast.
Loubieh bi Zeit (Green Beans in Tomato and Olive Oil)
Green beans cooked slowly with onion, garlic and tomatoes in plenty of olive oil until soft and full of flavor. Served warm or at room temperature with bread.
Mloukhieh (Chicken and Jute Leaf Stew)
A comforting green stew of jute mallow leaves cooked in chicken broth with lots of garlic and cilantro. Served over rice with shredded chicken and a bowl of onions soaked in vinegar or lemon.
Malfouf Mehshi (Stuffed Cabbage Rolls)
Soft cabbage leaves rolled around a filling of rice and minced meat with allspice, then cooked slowly in a garlicky lemon and mint broth. Tangy, tender and very comforting.
Warak Silq (Stuffed Chard Rolls)
Swiss chard leaves rolled around a fresh filling of rice, chickpeas, tomato, parsley and mint, then cooked in lemon juice and olive oil. A meat-free favorite served at room temperature.
Beid bi Banadoura (Eggs in Tomato)
A simple Lebanese breakfast: ripe tomatoes cooked down with onion, garlic and olive oil, with eggs cooked right in the sauce. Scoop it up with warm pita.
Adas bi Hamod (Lemony Lentil and Chard Soup)
A hearty, tangy soup of green lentils, Swiss chard and potato, finished with lots of garlic fried in olive oil, cilantro and fresh lemon juice.
Ful Medames (Warm Fava Beans with Garlic and Lemon)
Warm fava beans and chickpeas, roughly mashed with garlic, lemon juice and cumin, then drizzled with plenty of olive oil. A filling Lebanese breakfast eaten with pita, tomatoes and fresh mint.
Riz bi Shaighriyeh (Rice with Toasted Vermicelli)
Lebanon's everyday rice: thin vermicelli noodles fried in butter until golden, then cooked with long grain rice into fluffy, buttery grains. The perfect side for stews.
Freekeh bi Djeij (Chicken with Smoky Green Wheat)
Chicken simmered into a rich broth, then roasted with a tomato glaze. The broth cooks freekeh, a smoky roasted green wheat, which is served under the chicken with toasted almonds and pine nuts.
Lahm bi Ajeen (Spiced Lamb Flatbreads)
Thin, crispy flatbreads topped with minced lamb, tomato, onion, pine nuts and a little pomegranate molasses, baked in a hot oven. Squeeze over lemon and roll them up to eat.
Fatayer bi Sabanekh (Spinach Pies)
Little triangle pies with a tangy filling of spinach, onion, sumac, lemon and pomegranate molasses. A classic mezze snack that is great warm or cold.
Beef Shawarma Wraps
Thin slices of beef marinated in yogurt, vinegar and warm spices, cooked fast in a very hot pan and wrapped in pita with tahini sauce, tomatoes, pickles and parsley. Lebanon's favorite street food, made at home.
Kabees Lift (Pink Pickled Turnips)
Crunchy turnip sticks pickled in a salty vinegar brine with a slice of beetroot, which turns them bright pink. The classic pickle tucked into falafel and shawarma wraps.
Mouhalabieh (Orange Blossom Milk Pudding)
A silky, cool milk pudding scented with orange blossom water, set in little bowls and topped with chopped pistachios and a drizzle of honey or syrup. Simple, light and very Lebanese.
Ma'amoul (Semolina Cookies with Walnut or Date Filling)
Crumbly, buttery semolina cookies filled with cinnamon walnuts or soft dates, scented with orange blossom and rose water. Baked for Easter and Eid and dusted with powdered sugar.
Awamat (Crispy Honey Dough Balls)
Little balls of yeasted batter fried until golden and crunchy, then dropped into a cool sugar syrup with lemon and orange blossom. Crispy outside, soft inside and very sweet.