The beauty of global cultures lies in the incredible variety of foods they bring to the world. Each region harnesses its native ingredients, crafting dishes that become essential parts of its culinary heritage. In this article, we’ll explore the vibrant world of Levantine cuisine, which offers a unique blend of flavours that have captivated taste buds for centuries.
But first, what exactly is the Levant? Geographically, it encompasses countries such as Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, and Jordan. These nations share not only a similar dialect but also a closely-knit cultural and culinary identity. Levantine cuisine is rich in traditional ingredients like tahini, olives, chickpeas, and feta cheese, which give its dishes their distinctive and unforgettable flavours.
It’s important to note that while some believe Egypt to be part of the Levant, it is a separate region. Though there are similarities between Egyptian and Levantine food, such as shared ingredients and cooking techniques, they are distinct in both dialect and culinary tradition.
In this article, we’ve curated 12 classic Levantine dishes you can try, offering you a culinary passport to the flavours of the Middle East. From hearty meals to savoury street food, prepare to embark on a journey that celebrates the rich traditions of these Arab lands. Let’s dive into the tastes and textures that make Levantine cuisine a global favourite!
The culinary techniques of the Levant are as diverse as its flavours, shaped by centuries of tradition and local adaptations. Here are some quintessential methods that define Levantine cooking:
From kebabs to vegetables, grilling is a favoured technique that enhances the natural flavours of fresh ingredients. The use of charcoal adds a distinct smoky taste, synonymous with Levantine street food.
This method is essential for dishes like Mansaf and Kibbeh, where meats are cooked slowly to achieve tenderness and allow spices to infuse fully.
A popular technique is to stuff vegetables such as zucchini, eggplant, and vine leaves with a mixture of rice, meats, and spices, then simmer them in flavorful broths or sauces.
Preserving vegetables like cucumbers, turnips, and olives in brine or vinegar is a common practice, adding crunchy, tangy sides to meals.
By mastering these techniques, you can recreate the authentic taste and texture that distinguish Levantine cuisine.
Similar to most cuisines around the world, there are a lot of succulent plates to fall in love with when it comes to Levantine food. However, the ingredients used and the cooking style make the Levantine dishes so unique. Levantine cuisine gained a lot of popularity worldwide, given its highly nutritious value. So, let’s go through the best dishes to try from this incredible region.
Levantine dishes include lots of highly nutritious salads with a tasty spin that gives them a unique flavour. Tabbouleh is one of the most popular Levantine salads, especially in Lebanon and Syria. It consists of tomatoes, cucumber, lots of parsley, onion, bulgur, and mint. All of these ingredients are chopped into small pieces to make eating easier.
Things don’t just end here. This deliciously nutritious salad is seasoned with lemon juice, olive oil, and sweet pepper, making the salad anything but dull. Variations may occur across different regions, where some people prefer adding lettuce or using semolina. We cannot stress enough how healthy and nutritious this salad dish is, not to mention its unique flavour.
Fattoush is another famous salad from Levantine cuisine that has a savoury flavour and is an excellent option for vegetarians. Unlike tabbouleh, fattoush is more prevalent in Lebanon than in any other Levantine country. However, it is still consumed among all communities in the Levant and even far beyond that.
Fattoush salad consists of mixed greens and vegetables, including lettuce, tomatoes, onions, cucumber, parsley, bell peppers, and mint leaves. It is seasoned with olive oil and lemon juice to boost the flavour. The vegetables in this dish are cut into large pieces, including pieces of “Khubz,” bread in Arabic. The bread is more often toasted, adding a nice crunch to the salad. In some regions, people call it the “bread salad.”
“Shawarma” comes from the Turkish word “çevirme,” which means “to spin,” and that is how this popular Middle Eastern dish is made. The meat cut is put into a cone-like shape and turns slowly while the meat is cut into finely thin slices. It is one of the most popular sandwiches in Levantine cuisine, especially in Syria and Lebanon.
The origin of shawarma has been debated, claiming that this food idea originated in Turkey during the Ottoman Empire and then found its way into the Arab world. Others believe it to be Greek since it bears a great resemblance to their gyros. No matter where shawarma comes from, its palatable taste is agreed on by most food lovers, if not even all of them.
Falafel is one of the most popular street food in the Middle East, especially in Egyptian and Levantine cuisines. These deep-fried balls are made from either broad beans or chickpeas. In some cases, it is made from both of them together. Falafel has gained more popularity for being suitable for most vegan and vegetarian diets.
The origins of falafel may not be clear, but many people deem it Egyptian, and others claim it is a Levantine dish. In any case, this doesn’t stop people from enjoying these highly nutritious patties laden with fibre that can offer you satiety at any given time. The best part is that falafel plays many roles; it can be an appetiser, a snack during midday, or a fulfilling sandwich for dinner.
Mana’eesh is the popular form of man’oucheh, a typical dish from Levantine cuisine. It is also sometimes called Fatayer in some regions, including Egypt. Some people believe it to be the Middle Eastern version of pizza, for it is a spread-out dough with several ingredients that go on top before it enters the oven to get baked to perfection. Well, they sound pretty much alike.
Mana’eesh comes in different shapes and sizes, with a wide array of ingredients used to offer various tastes that are all equally tasty. Man’oucheh is more commonly topped with any type of meat, either ground beef or chicken, along with cheese, thyme, tomatoes, and bell peppers. There is also a vegetarian version where there is no meat and only cheese with various greens. It can be eaten either sliced like a pizza or folded like a sandwich.
Kibbeh is a delectable appetiser served before the main course and one of the most popular in Levantine cuisine and other Middle Eastern regions. This dish is based on ground meat shaped into croquette-like balls and fried to golden perfection, or shall we say brown in this case?
Kibbeh mixes ground beef, bulgur, onions, herbs, and grains. They are all grounded and mixed with wheat, which helps the delicacy hold its oval ball-like shape. It is then fried and served alongside the main dishes. This meal has lots of nutritional value since it provides the body with sufficient protein, minerals, and vitamins.
Mansaf remains one of the most beloved Levantine dishes, deeply rooted in Jordanian culture and widely enjoyed across the Levant and the Arabian Gulf. Recognised as Jordan’s national dish, it continues to hold significant cultural and social importance, often served at major gatherings, celebrations, and even diplomatic events. Its popularity has surged in recent years, with an increasing presence in international food festivals and restaurants beyond the Middle East.
While it may initially resemble Saudi Kabsa, Mansaf is distinct in both preparation and flavour. This hearty dish features fragrant yellow rice topped with tender lamb, which is slow-cooked in a rich sauce made from jameed, a fermented, dried yoghurt that imparts a deep, tangy flavour.
Infused with aromatic spices, the dish achieves a unique balance of robust, savoury notes that perfectly complement the rice, making it a deeply satisfying and culturally significant meal.
“Mujaddara” is an Arabic word that means “marked” or “spotted,” describing how this dish looks. It is a traditional dish in Levantine cuisine that is served across different countries. However, it originated in Lebanon and is deemed one of its popular national meals. Mujaddara also happens to be an ancient food that goes way back in time and is known in the rest of the Middle East.
This dish is a recipe where lentils and rice meet together, and before you even ask, no, it is not the same thing as Koshari. However, it is still a vegetarian dish, where rice, lentils, and onions are cooked together and soaked in herbs and yoghurt to provide a rich flavour.
Ful Medames are fava beans cooked in a stew and served alongside flavourful ingredients that make the dish irresistible. It is a typical dish in Levantine cuisine, although people perceive it as the national dish of Egypt. Well, it seems that the Levantine and Egyptian cuisines go hand in hand when it comes to appetising dishes.
Ful medames is simply known as ful. It is cooked in so many different ways, which sets the Levantine version apart from the Egyptian one. In the Levant, ful has deemed a salad served with raw vegetables like tomatoes and cucumbers along with boiled eggs. Challah, a type of loaf bread, is also served to give the meal a carb boost.
Mezze is not a single dish but rather a selection of small plates that act as appetisers or hors d’oeuvre before the main course. In scarce instances, it serves as a meal on its own. Mezze is more or less similar to tapas in Spanish cuisine.
These small platters often serve bite-sized foods, finger foods, or Levantine dips. They can be anything from a small dish of ful medames, falafel bites, and French fries to hard cheeses, meatballs, or stuffed olives. The dips are usually the most famous ones in the Levant: Baba ghanoush and tahini. Pita bread is always served on the side to give the meal a more robust edge.
Raheb is a kind of salad widely served in Lebanon and other Levantine regions. It is also usually part of the platters served as a mezze. This kind of salad is based on roasted eggplants and is native to Lebanon more than other countries of the Levant. Interestingly, the word “raheb” is Arabic for a monk, and we have no idea what’s the connection between the dish and its name.
The dish contains a selection of roasted eggplants and aubergines along with finely chopped tomatoes, pickles, onion, cucumber, and parsley and is dressed with lemon juice and a generous dash of extra virgin olive oil.
Lentils are widely used in the Middle East to make a variety of dishes, including the renowned lentil soup. Lentil soup is a huge part of Levantine cuisine; however, it is also a staple in the Middle Eastern region, acting as the predominant dish during the cold seasons. It is eaten as either a starter or a main course. Well, most of the Levantine dishes can be both ways.
This soup is made of broth and several spices, including cumin and lentils, of course. The addition of cumin helps digest the lentils much more easily. The soup is heated until it gets thicker, offering a creamy look and taste. Lemon juice is squeezed over it to flavour the soup, then served alongside pita bread.
Dipping sauces are unique in flavouring up your meal, giving it a succulent spin that takes your taste buds on a fascinating trip through different relishes. Levantine cuisine has its fair share of dips used with most dishes, especially bread-based ones. While tahini and baba ghanoush come at the top of the list, there is more to Levantine dips than just these.
Baba ghanoush is a famous dipping sauce in Levantine cuisine. It is also called baba ghanouj, especially in Arabic-speaking countries, including Lebanon and Egypt. This dip is usually served as an appetiser before the main course is out. It pairs well with different meals and sandwiches. In many cases, people of the Levant eat it by dipping pita bread into it and enjoying its authentic taste.
This sauce is deemed vegetarian since it is made from one of the most highly nutritious vegetables, eggplant. The eggplant is first baked or broiled until it softens up. This eases the process of peeling and mashing its insides. It then gets mixed with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and tahini sauce.
Tahini is one of the most popular condiments in the Middle Eastern region, especially the Levant. It is commonly used alongside the traditional dishes of Levantine cuisine. If you have ever tried oriental food in the Arab world, chances are you already know how it tastes. Tahini pairs well with falafel, beef shawarma, and kofta.
It is made by grinding toasted hulled sesame seeds, which gives it that bitter, nutty flavour with mildly sweet notes. It is mixed with other ingredients like olive oil, minced garlic, cumin, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Just like baba ghanoush, it is usually eaten with toasted pieces of pita bread and serves as an appetiser. It is also used to create other dipping sauces, including baba ghanoush and hummus.
Hummus is yet another creamy paste that is quite popular in Levantine cuisine. It pairs perfectly with crunchy veggies or pita bread like every other Levantine paste. The flavour of hummus can be described as rich and robust, given the presence of garlicky notes that give it its aromatic taste.
As previously mentioned, hummus needs tahini to be added to the creamy texture of a dipping paste. It is made by cooking chickpeas until they soften a little, then they get mashed and blended with tahini, garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice. Although it consists of tahini, it has a distinctive flavour that cannot be compared to other sauces.
“Toumeyya” is derived from “Toum,” the Arabic word for garlic. This condiment is one of the most famous in Levantine cuisine. It is used as an alternative to mayonnaise, lacking the egg ingredient. Also, it is renowned for being a staple flavour-up to chicken shawarma, yet it is still used alongside kebabs and grilled meat.
Toumeyya is made from loads of raw garlic blended with lemon juice, oil, water, and salt. It is stirred well until it thickens and reaches this perfect creamy texture. Not only is toumeyya a delicious sauce from Levantine cuisine, but it also pairs well with different dishes and is easy to make in a snap.
Muhammara is another Levantine sauce that originated in Syria. Turkish cuisine also seems to lay claim to the Muhammara. However, the Syrian version is quite different from other variations used worldwide, for it uses dried peppers that grow in Aleppo. The sauce is mildly spicy and is commonly eaten with pita bread or grilled beef.
Walnut is, surprisingly, among the ingredients used to create this red pepper sauce, giving it a mild nutty flavour.
Similar to Baba ghanoush, moutabal is a condiment based on eggplants, yet it has a different taste and texture. It is a famous Levantine dip used with pita bread as an appetiser. Having a dipping sauce with pita bread before the main course seems to be the prevalent Levantine tradition, and we absolutely love it.
Moutabal or mutabal is made from eggplants mixed with tahini sauce, lemon juice, Greek yoghurt, salt, and crushed garlic. It has a thick texture, falling between baba ghanoush and hummus, yet it has a deeper aroma and smokier taste.
Levantine cuisine is renowned for its rich tapestry of flavours, largely due to its dishes’ diverse array of spices. These spices do not just add flavour; they tell a story of the region’s history and cultural interactions. Key spices include:
This tangy spice, made from dried and ground berries, adds a lemony zest to salads, meats, and dips and is often used as a table condiment.
A unique blend of herbs, sesame seeds, and sumac, za’atar is sprinkled on bread like mana’eesh or used to season meats and vegetables.
Often used in meat dishes, these spices impart a warm, sweet flavour that balances the savoury notes typical in Levantine cuisine.
This aromatic spice is a staple in both sweet and savoury dishes and is a key ingredient in traditional Levantine coffee.
Understanding and using these spices can elevate your cooking, bringing authentic Levantine flavours to any dish.
Levantine cuisine offers a rich tapestry of flavours and traditions that reflect the diverse cultural heritage of the Levant region. From the aromatic spices that define its dishes to the communal dining experiences that bring people together, Levantine food is more than just a culinary style; it’s a celebration of history, community, and the joy of sharing meals.
Whether you’re savouring a simple dish of hummus or indulging in a hearty serving of Mansaf, each bite tells a story of the region’s vibrant past and its enduring culinary traditions. By exploring Levantine cuisine, you’re not only enjoying delicious food but also connecting with a cultural legacy that has been passed down through generations.
So gather your friends and family, and embark on a flavourful journey through the heart of the Middle East with the exquisite dishes of Levantine cuisine.
Levantine cuisine encompasses traditional dishes from Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Jordan, and parts of Turkey. It is celebrated for its fresh ingredients like olive oil, herbs, and vegetables. Popular dishes include mezze platters, hearty stews, and grilled meats.
Levantine dishes stand out for using fresh herbs, spices, and ingredients like sumac, pomegranate molasses, and za’atar. While sharing similarities with other Middle Eastern cuisines, they focus on lighter, more aromatic flavours. The cuisine balances textures and tastes for a distinctive culinary experience.
Levantine cooking features staple ingredients like chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and parsley, along with spices such as sumac and za’atar. These flavours come together in iconic dishes like hummus, falafel, and tabbouleh.
Traditional Levantine dishes include hummus, falafel, tabbouleh, fattoush, shawarma, and kibbeh. Each dish highlights the region’s rich culinary heritage and use of fresh, aromatic ingredients.
Levantine cuisine is traditionally served communal-style, with multiple dishes presented together for sharing. This approach allows diners to enjoy a variety of flavours and textures. It also fosters a social and cultural dining experience central to Levantine food.
Ciaran Connolly Spencer Dock Food Market Overview The Spencer Dock Food Market pops up at Central Square behind the National Convention Centre. Irish Village Markets hand-picks vendors, so you’ll find a pretty wide mix of international street […]
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