Arabic breakfast food recipes known for its varied cuisine spanning many nations and for its mouthwatering and nutrient-dense offers. Whether you live in the Middle East or North Africa, you will find a wonderful assortment of Arabic breakfast cuisine ideas to prepare with bread, olive oil, cheese, yogurt, and so much more.
I loved tasty and nutritious Arabic breakfasts free of processed meat or junk food when living in Kuwait. Vegetables, legumes, cheese, and bread abound in our Middle Eastern breakfasts—along with such fatayers, hummus, manakish, and more.
5 Arabic Breakfast Food Recipes
1. Zaatar Bread
Made with dried thyme, sesame seeds, sumac, and salt, zaatar bread is a Middle Eastern flatbread with a savory toping. A wonderful snack or compliment to Middle Eastern cuisine, the bread is cooked till crispy outside and soft within.
What Is Zaatar
A mixture of salt, sesame seeds, marjoram, thyme/oregano, and sumac is called zaatar, a plant native to the Middle East. Because thyme and zaatar have such a similar flavor and aroma, some people confuse the two. Despite coming from the same plant family, they are regarded as distinct spices.
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Recipe Pieces
With the exception of the topping, preparing a manakish dough recipe for Zaatar Bread is identical to creating a pizza. The components for a Zaatar Manakish dish are listed below.
- White Flour- I am using an all purpose flour white flour which is similar type of flour when making my mini pizza or greek flatbread.
- Salt and Sugar- This will contribute to the bread's sweetness and saltiness.
- Instant Yeast- This will help grow the dough
- Water- For mixing the flour of the rest of the ingredient
- Extra Virgin Olive oil- The olive oil is used for the making a dough and mixing the zaatar herbs.
Ingredients
For Making A Dough
- 3 cup of white flour
1 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoon of sugar
1 tablespoon of instant yeast
2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1 ¼ cup of water
For Zaatar Topping
- 5 tablespoon of zaatar
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
NOTES
- Do not combine the yeast with boiling water since this will destroy the yeast and hinder the dough's development.
- To make the dough less dry, use an additional ¼ cup of water.
- If the dough adheres to your hands, add little more flour.
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2. Spinach Fatayer
A flavorful Middle Eastern pastry with seasoned spinach within is called a spinach fatayer. Usually soft, the bread offers a nice contrast to the flavorful spinach contents. Spinach fatayer, when baked to golden perfection, is a tasty, portable delicacy that's ideal for eating as an appetizer or snack.
What Is Spinach Fatayer
An Arabic term for "spinach" is Sabanekh, while an Arabic word meaning "pies" is Fatayer. This fatayer sabanekh is popular and frequently consumed in Jordan, Palestine, and most Middle Eastern countries, despite its origins in Lebanon.
This Lebanese spinach pie and other similar pastry meals are available in most restaurants and street food stands in Kuwait and Jordan, where I used to reside. I've had and tasted a number of them, including cheese, zaatar, halloumi, seasoned ground beef, and various meat-based pies.
Ingredients
Dough for the Fatayer
- 2 cup All purpose flour.
- 2 tablespoon Extra Virgin olive oil.
- ½ teaspoon Salt.
- 1 tablespoon Sugar.
- 1 tablespoon Instant yeast.
Spinach Fillings
- 500g fresh spinach.
- ¾ cup chopped red onion.
- 1 tablespoon of sumac spices.
Add 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. - salt, and black pepper to taste.
NOTES
- If you don't have fresh spinach, you may substitute frozen spinach.
- If you do not have sumac spice, you may use 2 tablespoons lemon juice.
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3. Cheese Fatayer
Middle Eastern pastries called cheese fatayer are filled with a delicious mixture of feta, eggs, and mozzarella cheese. A gooey filling is encased in soft dough, resulting in a mouthwatering combination of textures and tastes. Cheese fatayer, a delicious snack or appetizer that honors the deliciousness of melted cheese, is baked till golden.
The feta cheese and egg combine to give the Cheese Fatayer a savory taste with a hint of saltiness. Furthermore, when torn apart, the mozzarella cheese has a gooey or stretchy feel and a flavorful, gratifying bite. Additionally, the black cumin seeds provide the bread a nutty taste that enhances the flavor of the fatayer, and it is really warm and tender.
Recipe Pieces
Cheese: I apply two types of cheeses in this dish. First, I choose feta cheese, which has a little sour and acidic taste; mozzarella cheese has a milky taste with a creamy and stretched texture.
Egg: Together with mozzarella cheese, egg offers my cheese filling—which I blend throughout preparation—a smooth texture.
Black Cumin seeds: These seeds—also called Nigella seeds—bring nutty taste to my cheese, therefore improving the taste.
Other Ingredients: You also will want black pepper and salt for seasoning.
II. For The Dough
The dough components are the same whether creating manakish, flatbread, tiny pizzas, or any other type of fatayers.
Flour:For my dough, I call on all-purpose flour.
Olive Oil: Extra virgin olive oil tastes nutty and robust, hence that is what I want to use for the dough.
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How To Make The Dough
These are the instructions for making the dough. It will take ten minutes to combine the ingredients and knead them, and it will take one to two hours for the dough to double.
First, I put the all-purpose flour, salt, brown sugar, and olive oil in a big bowl, gave it a gentle stir, and then I put it aside.
I next put the instant yeast and warm water in a big cup, moved it into the basin, and gave it a gentle swirl. The dough was then soft and fluffy after five minutes of kneading it with clean hands. After giving it a fresh towel, I gave it an hour. I took the dough out and divided it into eight pieces with my hand when it had doubled in size. I then formed each piece into a ball and placed them away by covering them with a fresh cloth once again.
TIPS: If the dough is too sticky, add ¼ cup of flour and knead again. But the dough is too dry, you can add 2-3 tablespoons of water and knead again. In addition, brush the bowl with oil before placing the dough so it will not be sticky once it grew in size.
Ingredients
Ingredients for the Dough:
- 2 cups of white flour
- ¾ cup of water
- 1.5 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons of yeast
Pieces for Cheese Topping:
- One huge egg
- Half a cup of feta cheese
- 150 milliliters of mozzarella cheese
- One teaspoon of seeds from black cumin
- One teaspoon each of black pepper and salt
NOTES
- If dough is still sticky, add ¼ cup flour and knead. On the other hand, add two to three tablespoons of water and knead if it's too dry. To keep the dough from sticking while it rises, coat the bowl with oil before adding the dough.
- Steer clear of packing the cheese mixture too full as it might not be able to maintain its form and could crack when baked.
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4. Cheese Manakish
Cheese manakish is a delicious round bread from the Middle East topped with rich cream cheese and creamy mozzarella. The silky and cheesy filling is delightfully contrasted with the soft and fluffy bread. Cheese manakish, when baked to a golden perfection, is a delectable dish that may be eaten as a light, cheesy delight or as trending snack.
What Is Manakish
Cheese manakish is a delicious round bread from the Middle East topped with rich cream cheese and creamy mozzarella.
The silky and cheesy filling is delightfully contrasted with the soft and fluffy bread. Cheese manakish, when baked to a golden perfection, is a delectable dish that may be eaten as a light, cheesy delight or as a snack.
Recipe Pieces
When creating any kind of pizza or fatayer, the dough components remain the same for Cheese Manakish:
- Flour: I'm using white all-purpose flour.
- Brown Sugar:I like brown sugar since it is more organic than white sugar. Also, this will provide light sweetness to the dough bread.
- Yeast: The instant yeast will help to the double the size of the dough.
- Olive Oil: I'm using extra virgin olive oil. This softens and elasticizes the dough.
- Toppings: I topped with mozzarella and cream cheese.
Ingredients
- 3 cups white flour.
- 1 tbsp instant yeast.
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar.
- 1 teaspoon salt.
- 1 cup water.
- 2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
- 150g shredded mozzarella cheese.
- ¼ cup cream cheese.
- 1 slice of egg yolk.
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds.
NOTES
- If the dough is too stiff, add a few drops of water to the flour until it is soft enough.
- If you shape the dough into a flatbread with your hands, avoid flattening the edges. You want the flatbread's edges to be somewhat thicker than the middle. After that, brush the edges with egg yolk to turn them golden brown.
- If you are unsure about the directions, refer to the step-by-step images in the recipe article.
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5. Galayet Bandora
Galayet Bandora is a traditional Jordanian breakfast with sautéed tomatoes and meat at its foundation. To elevate the meal, I add potatoes and a variety of spices, cooking them with tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and, on occasion, chili peppers. The end product is a beautifully rich and tasty sauce, which is frequently served over flatbreads. This upgraded Galayet Bandora combines the simplicity of ingredients with a rich, regional flavor.
What Is Galayet Bandora
This is a classic Jordanian dish cooked in a skillet with olive oil, tomatoes, onion, and green pepper.
In Arabic, the word "Galayet" implies sautéed in a skillet, but "Bandora" signifies tomato. Understanding the name indicates that this is a sautéed recipe. This meal is also typically served as an appetizer.
When I lived in Jordan, most of these dishes were vegetarian since they had no meat. Some variants of galayet bandora, such as my father's recipe, include meat and spices to improve the flavor.
Recipe Ingredient
Since I'm adding meat and spices, my ingredient isn't typical, but it's still really tasty, and I know you'll enjoy it. The components for my version of the Galayet Bandora Recipe are listed below:
- Olive Oil.
- Onion.
- Canned Tomatoes.
- Chopped Beef Stew Meat.
- Chopped Potatoes.
- Cumin.
- Allspice.
- Cinnamon.
- Salt & Black Pepper.
This dish requires three essential ingredients: olive oil, onion, and tomatoes. I enjoy adding a lot of olive oil and onion since it enhances the flavor of the sautéed tomato meal. Also, instead of fresh tomatoes, I used canned crushed tomatoes because they are more handy and easier to use.
In addition, I use chopped beef stew meat and potatoes in my Galayet recipe. We all enjoy potatoes and pork, so adding these two items makes this dish much more appealing.
Ingredients
- 300g of finely sliced beef.
- One huge potato.
- 2 huge onions.
- 1/2 cup olive oil.
- 2 cups canned tomatoes.
- ½ teaspoon cumin.
- 1 teaspoon allspice.
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon.
- Salt and black pepper to taste.
NOTES
- If you don't have canned crushed tomatoes, you can substitute fresh tomatoes or tomato sauce.
- Adding potatoes to this meal is unusual, but it enhances its flavor.
FAQ's Arabic Breakfast Food Recipes
What is a typical Arabic breakfast?
A warm item like ful medames (stewed fava beans) or musabaha is typically included in a Levantine or Middle Eastern breakfast buffet. Fattet hummus is also quite tasty and well-liked. A classic Levantine breakfast meal, musabaha is made with warm, creamy chickpeas and tahini.
What are 3 traditional breakfast dishes?
- Waffles.
- French Toast.
- Pancakes.
- Dutch Baby Pancakes.
- Scrambled Eggs.
- Frittatas.
What is traditional Arabic food?
Middle Eastern staples like hummus, falafel, and kebabs are popular Arabic foods across the world. All of them originate from the traditional diet of the Bilad ash-Sham area, known as Levantine cuisine. Mezze, or tiny appetizers served at the start of a multi-course dinner, is the most characteristic feature of Levantine cuisine.
What are the 2 most popular breakfast foods?
In February 2022, about thirty-three percent of American poll participants said that their favorite breakfast item is eggs. Additionally, almost eighteen percent said their favorite breakfast meal is bacon or sausages.
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