Israeli and Middle Eastern recipes Archives - Caroline's Cooking

Hawawshi (ground/minced meat pitas)

Caroline's Cooking — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 11:00:00 +0000

Hawawshi is a traditional Egyptian street food that's essentially a baked ground/minced meat pita sandwich. The spiced and vegetable-loaded meat filling is flavorful and the bread crisps up as it cooks. It's a delicious handheld snack or light meal. Many cultures have some form of either meat filled pie or sandwich that acts as a...

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Muhammara (red pepper and walnut dip/spread)

Caroline's Cooking — Fri, 01 Jul 2022 09:00:00 +0000

If you're new to muhammara, it's time to get familiar with this delicious red pepper and walnut dip/spread. Packed with flavor and so versatile, it's also super easy to make in your food processor. Hummus may be the most famous spread to come out of the Levant region, but there are definitely others worth trying....

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Chickpea fatteh

Caroline's Cooking — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 11:00:00 +0000

Chickpea fatteh is a traditional dish that is a great way to use up leftover pita, but really it's so much more. The simple combination of crisp pita chips, savory seasoned yogurt and chickpeas is a delicious mix of flavors and textures. Many cultures have developed dishes to use leftover, stale bread, such as Italian...

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Fattoush salad

Caroline's Cooking — Mon, 25 Apr 2022 11:00:00 +0000

Fattoush salad is a traditional Lebanese salad that you'll find all over the Levantine region, as well as around the globe. It's essentially a salad of crunchy vegetables and crisped-up pita bread, with a bright sumac dressing that really brings it together. No wonder it's such a favorite. I have long been a fan of...

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Spinach fatayer

Caroline's Cooking — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 10:00:00 +0000

Spinach fatayer are a kind spinach hand pie with simple ingredients yet plenty of flavor. Fatayer can also have other fillings but this vegan version is particularly popular in Lebanon and I can completely understand why. Perfect as part of a mezze meal, as a snack or any excuse you like. There's something about little...

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Dolmeh barge mo - Persian stuffed grape leaves

Caroline's Cooking — Tue, 01 Mar 2022 11:00:00 +0000

Dolmeh barge mo are the Persian version of stuffed grape leaves, with a delicious filling of rice, yellow split peas, herbs and meat. They make a great appetizer and work well with other small plates. This post may contain affiliate links, where we earn from qualifying purchases. See more details in the policy page. Most...

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Lebanese chicken and rice

Caroline's Cooking — Thu, 24 Feb 2022 11:00:00 +0000

Lebanese chicken and rice is a delicious combination of luscious rice cooked with ground meat and spices, shredded chicken and toasted nuts. All come together to make a dish packed with great flavors and textures. Best of all, while it might seem fancy, it's a lot easier than you might think. I've long been drawn...

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Lebanese seven spice (sabaa baharat)

Caroline's Cooking — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 11:00:00 +0000

Lebanese seven spice (sabaa baharat) is a blend of spices that add warm, aromatic flavor to a range of dishes. The exact mix can vary a little, and you can adapt to taste as well. You'll soon find you want to add it to soups, rubs and more. Many countries make use of the odd...

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Manakish (Lebanese za'atar flatbread)

Caroline's Cooking — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Manakish za'atar are delicious flatbread from the Levantine region topped with olive oil and za'atar. The oil and herbs add lots of aromatic flavor, making this bread perfect to snack on either as-is or with simple toppings. I've long enjoyed za'atar, both the herb and the more common blend which includes sumac and sesame. Both...

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Za'atar spice blend

Caroline's Cooking — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Za'atar spice blend is a popular and versatile mix from the Levant region that's also so easy to make. And once you've made some, you'll soon be adding it to everything! If you're anything like me, you may find your herb and spice collection has a habit of growing all by itself. Even at the...

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Za'atar chicken

Caroline's Cooking — Mon, 04 Jan 2021 11:00:00 +0000

This za'atar/ zaatar chicken is easy to make, wonderfully moist and the flavors are gentle but fragrant. It's a delicious way to prepare chicken that pairs well with a whole range of sides. I wasn't brought up with Middle Eastern flavors, but they are definitely ones I have grown to love. Like Spanish food, which...

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Limonana (mint lemonade)

Caroline's Cooking — Mon, 15 Jun 2020 10:00:38 +0000

Limonana is an easy mint lemonade from the Levantine/Middle East region. It comes together in no time, and the mint makes it extra refreshing - just what a warm summer's day needs. Being brought up in the UK, lemonade meant Sprite/7-UP and similar sodas/fizzy drinks. Then when I first came across what lemonade was in...

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Musakhan (Palestinian sumac chicken)

Caroline's Cooking — Fri, 17 Apr 2020 10:00:04 +0000

Musakhan is a classic Palestinian chicken dish, with a wonderful combination of tart sumac and gently sweet onions. This sumac chicken is easy to prepare, comforting and delicious! The Levant and Middle East region is well known as a melting pot in so many ways, both good and bad. That's also true of many foods...

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Umm Ali

Caroline's Cooking — Mon, 10 Feb 2020 11:00:34 +0000

Umm Ali might be relatively unknown elsewhere, but it's one of Egypt's favorite desserts. It's easy to make and is very much like a bread pudding with nuts and raisins mingled in - so delicious! Towards the end of last year, I was doing the relatively typical look back over the year and gathering thoughts...

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Hummus kawarma (hummus with lamb)

Caroline's Cooking — Thu, 25 Jul 2019 10:30:55 +0000

Whether you make your own or buy from the store, it's easy to make your hummus more of a meal with this easy hummus with lamb recipe. The warm spices make the topping so tasty! It's funny to think that hummus wasn't always so widely known. These days, of course, you'll find it everywhere, but...

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Kisir - Turkish bulgur salad

Caroline's Cooking — Mon, 24 Jun 2019 10:30:46 +0000

Kisir is a simple, flavor-packed Turkish bulgur salad. It has some similarities to tabbouleh but with it's own distinct and delicious tart-savory flavors. Great as a meze dish or a side. I first had kisir in a Turkish restaurant in London a number of years ago. It was described on the menu as a Turkish...

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Shakshuka hummus

Caroline's Cooking — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 10:30:48 +0000

What happens when two already tasty Mediterranean favorites collide? You get one deliciously comforting dish! Shakshuka hummus is perfect for brunch, lunch or anytime. Before we went to Israel around 18 months ago, I naturally did a bit of digging on what we should eat. Many dishes were already familiar, like hummus and falafel, but...

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Lamb kofta (köfte)

Caroline's Cooking — Mon, 16 Jul 2018 22:10:30 +0000

These lamb kofta (köfte) are an easy mix of lamb, herbs and a few spices. They have just enough seasoning to add that bit of something without taking over from the lamb's flavor. Serve with salad, in pita or however you like, they make a delicious meal. I've mentioned more than once that lamb is...

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Roasted eggplant with tahini

Caroline's Cooking — Wed, 09 Aug 2017 10:00:27 +0000

Roasted eggplant with tahini is a delicious appetizer or mezze dish that you'll find in Israel and other parts of the region. It's incredibly easy to make and full of fantastic flavor. If you saw my Israeli salad recipe earlier in the week, you might have got the sense I am feeling slightly proud of...

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Israeli salad

Caroline's Cooking — Mon, 07 Aug 2017 10:00:42 +0000

Israeli salad is an incredibly simple combination that's deliciously fresh. It's an iconic tomato cucumber salad that you'll find everywhere in Israel from alongside breakfast to in your pita with warm falafel. It's similar to other crunchy chopped salads in the region and perfect as a side to so many dishes. This post may contain...

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Pomegranate tabbouleh

Caroline's Cooking — Tue, 28 Mar 2017 11:00:52 +0000

Tabbouleh is a wonderfully fresh Middle Eastern side salad, packed with herbs, tomato & cucumber. Here the lemon-oil dressing gets an extra tang from pomegranate. Healthy and delicious. This post may contain affiliate links, where we earn from qualifying purchases. See more details in the policy page. For a long time now, I have had...

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Kleicha (Iraqi date cookies)

Caroline's Cooking — Fri, 02 Dec 2016 10:30:53 +0000

If you haven't heard of kleicha, these Iraqi date cookies are a bit like fig Newtons but with a wonderfully aromatic cardamom undertone. And prettier, too, with their elegant spiral shape. They're addictively good! If you're a regular here, you might remember that I participated in a couple of virtual cookie exchanges last year, including...

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Lahmacun - Turkish pizza/flatbread

Caroline's Cooking — Sun, 31 Jan 2016 11:00:27 +0000

Lahmacun or Turkish pizza (flatbread) is an easy and delicious dish - a thin base topped with a deliciously seasoned meaty topping. Perfect finger food. I'm not quite sure when I first had lahmacun, but I definitely remember one of the more memorable times I had it was on a work visit to Cyprus a...

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Baba ghanoush (eggplant dip/spread)

Caroline's Cooking — Fri, 29 Jan 2016 12:30:43 +0000

Baba ghanoush (or baba ganoush) is one of many dips/spread that's a staple on mezze plates. This eggplant dip tastes so creamy, with a wonderful smokey flavor, but it's entirely vegan. Easy, versatile and moreishly delicious. This post may contain affiliate links, where we earn from qualifying purchases. See more details in the policy page....

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Beefed-up shakshuka

Caroline's Cooking — Sun, 03 May 2015 13:18:25 +0000

This shakshuka has added ground beef, complimenting the herb and spice flavors, tomatoey sauce and eggs, to create a thoroughly satisfying, delicious dish. What is shakshuka? Shakshuka (or shakshouka) is a delicious dish that is a popular favorite in Israel, thought to originate from Tunisia. It has a sauce base of tomato, pepper and onions...

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Lamb pilaf

Caroline's Cooking — Sun, 05 Apr 2015 12:11:15 +0000

This delicious lamb pilaf, based on the traditional Afghan/Uzbek dish, is an easy, one pot meal that's packed with flavor. Even better, it's a great way to use up leftover roast lamb. I know I have been reminiscing about my time in Spain a bit recently, between the fantastic romesco sauce for the calçotada and tapas...

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