The 20 most famous dishes of Lebanon
Lebanese cuisine is the Levant's ambassador to the world, with its famous mezze, fresh herbs, olive oil and lemon, balancing simplicity and generosity.
1Tabbouleh
A salad of finely chopped parsley with bulgur, tomato, mint and onion, dressed with lemon and olive oil.
2Hummus
Chickpeas blended silky-smooth with tahini, lemon and garlic, served with olive oil and paprika.
3Fried Kibbeh
Torpedo-shaped shells of bulgur and lamb stuffed with minced meat, pine nuts and onion, fried until crisp.
4Fattoush
A mixed salad with toasted or fried bread, sumac and pomegranate molasses — the freshest of Levantine salads.
5Moutabal
Fire-roasted, smoky aubergine mashed with tahini, lemon and garlic.
6Shish Taouk
Chicken cubes marinated in garlic, lemon, yoghurt and paprika, grilled on skewers and served with garlic…
7Manakish Za'atar
Flatbread spread with za'atar and olive oil and baked — Lebanon's favourite breakfast.
8Falafel
Patties of ground chickpeas and fava beans with parsley, coriander and spices, fried crisp and served in…
9Lebanese Kafta
Minced meat with parsley, onion and Lebanese seven-spice, grilled on skewers.
10Warak Enab (Stuffed Vine Leaves)
Vine leaves rolled around rice, parsley, tomato and mint, cooked in lemon and olive oil and served cold.
11Kibbeh Nayyeh
Very fresh raw lamb pounded fine with bulgur and spices, served with olive oil, mint and spring onion — a…
12Lebanese Mloukhieh
Whole jute leaves cooked with chicken, coriander, garlic and lemon, served with rice and vinegar-soaked…
13Sfiha Baalbakiyeh
Square open pies filled with meat, tomato and pomegranate molasses — the speciality of Baalbek.
14Fatteh Hummus
Toasted bread topped with warm chickpeas and a yoghurt-tahini-garlic sauce, finished with pine nuts fried in…
15Beef Shawarma
Slices of beef marinated in vinegar and spices, seared and served in bread with tahini, parsley and sumac…
16Mujaddara
Lentils and rice or bulgur cooked together and crowned with deeply browned crispy onions — food for paupers…
17Kibbeh bil Sanieh
Two layers of kibbeh dough with a meat and pine-nut filling, cut into diamonds and baked in a tray.
18Knafeh bil Jibn
Semolina or shredded pastry over melting akkawi cheese, soaked in syrup and served hot in a sesame bun.
19Maamoul
Eid cookies of semolina and ghee filled with pistachio, walnut or date, pressed in carved wooden moulds.
20Meghli
A rice pudding spiced with caraway, cinnamon and anise, served to celebrate a newborn and topped with coconut…