Main Dishes
Vegetable Biryani
Get the Recipe: Vegetable Biryani
Mujadara, Lebanese lentils with caramelized onions
This earthy Lebanese dish has a rock-star following, and with good reason. The healthy quotient is as high as it could be, rivaled only by mujadara's super-delicious flavors. Cracked wheat can be used in place of the rice, and happens to be my favorite way to eat mujadara.
Lebanese Moussaka – Sauteed Eggplant – Musakka3at Batinjan
This recipe showcases the Lebanese version of the popular Moussaka eggplant sautee.
Green Beans and Olive Oil Saute – Loubieh Bi Zait
“Loubieh bi zait” which literally translates to “green beans in oil” is a typical Lebanese “villager” vegetarian dish.
In its simplest form, it’s nothing more than green beans sauteed with onions, olive oil, 7-spices and some salt. Don’t be surprised at the amount of olive oil in this recipe though, that’s how it really is and that is the whole point. But make sure to use only high quality extra virgin olive oil.
Vegetarian Stew of Okra – Bemieh
Okra is a commonly available veggie in Lebanon, and therefore the culture packs a few different ways of enjoying flavorful and rich sautes or stews made with it. Some of the traditional Okra recipes include the addition of meat (ground or chunks or lamb meat) along with a side of rice and vermicelli.
In this post we’re featuring a basic vegetarian fried Okra recipe.
Serve the Okra stew with a side of rice.
Green beans or “loubyeh” are highly consumed in Lebanon and cooked in different recipes either with meat or vegetarian. Spring season announces pulses harvest such as green beans, broad beans, chickpeas and others, which may be consumed raw but also cooked.
Green bean stew can be prepared with or without meat, usually chopped in cubes. We bring you here the vegetarian version of it, served with rice on the side.
Get the Recipe: Green beans stew (loubyeh w rez)
Vegan Stuffed Veggies in Tomato Sauce
You might have figured out by now how much we enjoy stuffed food in the Lebanese Cuisine. I can name a long list of our dishes that require stuffing. Grape Leaves and Cabbage are not the only one.
Stuffed Zucchini, for example, comes in the form of various dishes, be it cooked in Yogurt or in Tomato Sauce or in the Lemony Sauce of Stuffed Grape Leaves.
And they are all yummy!
Tabouli salad or Tabbouleh is a simple salad of very finely chopped vegetables, lots of fresh parsley and bulgur wheat, all tossed with lime juice and olive oil.
Get the Recipe: Tabouli Salad (Tabbouleh)
Fattoush is a Lebanese version of bread salad that includes crumbled pita chips, (fattoush means "crumbled bread" in Arabic) and all the ingredients are tossed with a lemon juice and olive oil dressing that's seasoned with powdered Sumac. Sumac (soo-mack) has a slightly lemony flavor, and it's the Sumac, the lemon, and the fresh herbs that really bump this salad up to something memorable you'll want to make over and over.
Get the Recipe: Fattoush (Lebanese "Crumbled Bread" Salad with Sumac and Pita Chips)
Balila / Chickpea salad
You can vary on the recipe by replacing the chick pea with dried, small broad beans, in which case the dish is known as ful mudammas. If you choose to use broad beans, follow the same instructions as below but crush the beans lightly when you are mixing them in with the dressing.
This Middle Eastern vegetable salad is a delicious vegetarian dish that is healthy, light and refreshing.
Get the Recipe: Middle Eastern Vegetable Salad
A dish of all season, refreshing in hot summer days, great companion of grills, and suitably appealing for your Christmas dinner celebration!
It is refreshing indeed, and delicious and nutritious. We love it with Lebanese Pita Bread, as a salad for grills, as a side dish or in the Mezza menu.
Get the Recipe: Lebanese Mtabal Eggplant Salad
This salad is fantastic, a real celebration to the colors. It’s refreshing and filling.
Usually fried aubergine soak up a lot of oil. In this salad, we will just oven grill them to keep their flavor.
Get the Recipe: Batenjen El Raheb
Lebanese Green Bean Salad
Tired of your family refusing to eat green beans? Serve them up Lebanese style with this healthy, tangy recipe.
Grape leaves stuffed with vegetarian mix and cooked in a sour tangy sauce. It tastes sour because of the lemon Juice and the pomegranate molasses. Served cold as an appitizer.
These Lebanese potatoes cast the baked spud in a whole new light. Crisp, spicy and fresh, they are the star of the show and should have their own accompaniments rather than being one themselves.
Get the Recipe: Spicy Lebanese potatoes (batata harra)
Baba Ghannouj / Grilled Eggplant
Some tips to help you produce a superior Baba Ghannouj. Grilling the eggplants over an open fire will produce the smoky flavor that is so typical of this dish, though the smoky flavor will come through to a certain extent if you cook them under the grill in your oven. It is important to let the grilled flesh drain for a while to get rid of the excess liquid; and finally, once this done, you need to mash the flesh with the back of a fork to retain texture. The dip will be too smooth if you use a food a processor.
Get the Recipe: Baba Ghannouj / Grilled Eggplant
This Ramadan serve more profitable potato dishes by using Knorr Mashed Potato; it is used in this Batata Muhamara recipe to create a twist but has many other applications e.g. in classic dishes like croquettes or cottage pie. Pomegranate molasses and walnuts complement the roasted capsicum in this recipe brilliantly. View full recipe below.
Get the Recipe: Batata Muhamara
Hummus Dip
Hummus is a Levantine dip or spread made from cooked, mashed chickpeas or other beans, blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic. It is popular in the Middle East and in Middle Eastern cuisine around the globe.
Get the Recipe: Hummus Dip
Lebanese Falafel
Falafel is a very delicious Middle-Eastern gourmet appetizer that has become popular in the West over the past several years. It’s made from a deep fried paste of chick peas, fava beans, and a mix of onions and different herbs and spices.
Get the Recipe: Lebanese Falafel
Spinach fatayer
Mezze is more than just food, it's a way of life. Learn secrets to the art of grazing with this tasty recipe.
Get the Recipe: Spinach fatayer
Zaatar Manakeesh
Manakeesh/ Manoosheh is a popular Middle Eastern bread which is originally from Labanon.It is a version of arabic pita bread topped with the very delicious and flavourful spice blend -Zaatar. Zaatar is a blend of different spices like -thyme, oregano, sumac,coriander,toasted sesame seeds,Marjoram,cumin and salt.
Get the Recipe: Zaatar Manakeesh
Lebanese Tomato Salsa (Banadurah Harrah)
An unusual spicy dip. Serve with fried eggplant, herby meat balls or just on its own with pita bread.
Get the Recipe: Lebanese Tomato Salsa (Banadurah Harrah)
Tahini sauce (Salatet tahina)
Tahini sauce is made from tahini - a sesame seed paste. Tahini sauce is thinner and used in pita sandwiches, marinades, and dips. Tahini sauce is very easy to make. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator and it will keep for about two weeks.
Get the Recipe: Tahini sauce (Salatet tahina)
Darra - Lebanese Roasted Corn
Back home in Lebanon during the summer, one of the treats we had was when a funny little man would come to our village, setup his brazier with charcoal and sell Darra (Arabic for roasted corn). If you didn't get there early, it was gone.
Get the Recipe: Darra - Lebanese Roasted Corn
Falafel is a very delicious Middle-Eastern gourmet appetizer that has become popular in the West over the past several years. It’s made from a deep fried paste of chick peas, fava beans, and a mix of onions and different herbs and spices.
Get the Recipe: Lebanese Falafel
Mezze is more than just food, it's a way of life. Learn secrets to the art of grazing with this tasty recipe.
Get the Recipe: Spinach fatayer
Manakeesh/ Manoosheh is a popular Middle Eastern bread which is originally from Labanon.It is a version of arabic pita bread topped with the very delicious and flavourful spice blend -Zaatar. Zaatar is a blend of different spices like -thyme, oregano, sumac,coriander,toasted sesame seeds,Marjoram,cumin and salt.
Get the Recipe: Zaatar Manakeesh
An unusual spicy dip. Serve with fried eggplant, herby meat balls or just on its own with pita bread.
Get the Recipe: Lebanese Tomato Salsa (Banadurah Harrah)
Tahini sauce is made from tahini - a sesame seed paste. Tahini sauce is thinner and used in pita sandwiches, marinades, and dips. Tahini sauce is very easy to make. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator and it will keep for about two weeks.
Get the Recipe: Tahini sauce (Salatet tahina)
Back home in Lebanon during the summer, one of the treats we had was when a funny little man would come to our village, setup his brazier with charcoal and sell Darra (Arabic for roasted corn). If you didn't get there early, it was gone.
Get the Recipe: Darra - Lebanese Roasted Corn
Lebanese Noodles And Potatoes With Garlic
This is one of the richest garlic dishes one can ever find! It is however a smooth balanced garlic taste, and not biting.
Lebanese Garlic Sauce - Toum
This is the All-Famous Lebanese Garlic Sauce - aka toum - Which is Used as a Dip With Chicken Shawarma and Other BBQs.
Lebanese Vegetarian Potato Kibbe
Lebanese cuisine is famous for offering a wide array of Kibbe dishes. For those who are not familiar with the term, Kibbe generally refers to ground meat mixed with burghul (cracked weat), spices and herbs and then baked, fried or grilled into an amazingly savory dish. In this recipe, we’re going to feature a vegetarian version of Kibbe patties made with potatoes and chickpeas. Featured in the photo below are Kibbe Patties with Tabbouleh Salad.
Get the Recipe: Lebanese Vegetarian Potato Kibbe
Vegetarian Fasolia Beans Stew – Fasolia bi Zait
In Lebanon this dish is commonly known as “Fasolia at’aa” or “Fasolia bi zait” which translate to “vegetarian Fasolia” and “Fasolia with oil.”
Fasolia is a variety of red beans or pinto beans that you can commonly find in supermarkets. For this recipe pick the beans with tan/lighter color if possible, or as a second best pick red beans. And if you have control over it, pick beans that are new, and haven’t been stocked for a very long time.
Get the Recipe: Vegetarian Fasolia Beans Stew – Fasolia bi Zait
Get the Recipe: Lebanese rice and noodles
Lebanese roast cauliflower and sweet potato casserole
Roast vegies and easy crispy spirals of Lebanese bread are the secret to this beautifully spiced Middle Eastern casserole. It's easy to make up to 2 days in advance (see notes for instructions)
Get the Recipe: Lebanese roast cauliflower and sweet potato casserole
Get the Recipe: Lebanese Bulgur
Soup
Lemon, lentil and spinach soup
You will love this simple, hearty, healthy soup with the wonderful taste of the spinach and the lemon.
In Lebanon this dish is commonly known as “Fasolia at’aa” or “Fasolia bi zait” which translate to “vegetarian Fasolia” and “Fasolia with oil.”
Fasolia is a variety of red beans or pinto beans that you can commonly find in supermarkets. For this recipe pick the beans with tan/lighter color if possible, or as a second best pick red beans. And if you have control over it, pick beans that are new, and haven’t been stocked for a very long time.
Get the Recipe: Vegetarian Fasolia Beans Stew – Fasolia bi Zait
Fava Beans and Chard – Foul b Selek
“Foul b Selek” is a Beirut recipe prepared mainly by the end of winter season when swiss-chard is still available and spring fava beans are harvested. It is a balanced vegetarian starter rich in protein and iron. It is best enjoyed cold with some lemon juice that helps increase the iron absorption.
Jabaliyeh Tomato seasoned with garlic & sumac
In Lebanon, Jabaliyeh Tomatoes, or Heirloom tomatoes, are commonly served in local restaurants as mezze. However, they can also be served as a salad or decorate any other salad with the seasoned tomato slices.
Lebanese rice and noodles
This traditional Lebanese side dish is a taste and texture sensation of noodles, rice, pine nuts, tomatoes and spices.
Roast vegies and easy crispy spirals of Lebanese bread are the secret to this beautifully spiced Middle Eastern casserole. It's easy to make up to 2 days in advance (see notes for instructions)
Fried Cauliflower With Tahini Sauce
This is a different way to offer cauliflower as an appetizer or with the main meal. The combination of the lightly fried florets with the tangy tahini sauce is delicious. The cauliflower can be fried early in the day. Refrigerate loosely covered until needed. Reheat at 400° for 5-7 minutes. Serve as directed. The tahini sauce can be prepared up to 3 days in advance. Recipe courtesy Classic Lebanese Cuisine.
Lebanese Bulgur
"This delicious recipe is from Burt Green and is my favorite way to eat whole wheat bulgur. It easy and fabulous as a side dish for a wide variety of meat or vegetarian meals. Please try this."
Get the Recipe: Lebanese Bulgur
Soup
Lebanese Vegetable Soup
This tasty homemade vegetable soup is great for the cold winter!
You will love this simple, hearty, healthy soup with the wonderful taste of the spinach and the lemon.
Get the Recipe: Lemon, lentil and spinach soup
Hearty Lebanese Whole Grains Stew – Makhlouta
Makhlouta is a traditional Lebanese stew made from at least 5 types of whole grains.
Get the Recipe: Hearty Lebanese Whole Grains Stew – Makhlouta
Makhlouta is a traditional Lebanese stew made from at least 5 types of whole grains.
Get the Recipe: Hearty Lebanese Whole Grains Stew – Makhlouta