The Ultimate Guide to Middle Eastern Cuisine

Many staples of Middle Eastern cooking are simple: chickpeas, sesame seeds, olive oil, lemon, wheat, rice, dates and nuts, just to name a few. These unassuming ingredients combine to create some of the world’s most delicious dishes (but more on that below). For now, let’s take a closer look at the basic elements of Middle Eastern cuisine.

First up: spices. Middle Eastern food isn’t usually super spicy (as in hot), but it is heavily seasoned. Staple spice mixtures include baharat, made from a variable blend of cumin, pepper, paprika, cloves, cinnamon and more, and za’atar, which usually includes thyme, sumac and sesame seeds. You’ll also find coriander, cardamom, caraway, anise and many other spices.

Middle Eastern recipes often rely heavily on olive oil and fresh produce. Aubergines, tomatoes, peppers, squash and beets add colour to lots of traditional dishes, and dried fruits are common in both sweet and savoury recipes. Many healthy Middle Eastern foods also include plant-based proteins like chickpeas, lentils and fava beans.

The most common meat in the Middle East is probably lamb, though you’ll also find mutton and chicken (pork is less common for religious reasons). Many main dishes are served with rice, bulgur, freekeh (made from durum wheat) or flatbreads like pita, saj or lavash. As for dessert, common ingredients include dates, honey, nuts, seeds, rose water and orange blossom water.

Traditional Middle Eastern cuisine is an incredibly broad category, containing enough mouthwatering dishes to fill shelves upon shelves of cookbooks. Each Middle Eastern country has its own culinary traditions and classic recipes, but there are some specialties that form a common thread throughout the region – albeit with local variations and twists.

One such dish is falafel, which can be made with chickpeas or fava beans (or both) depending on the country. It’s often served with tahini, a creamy sauce made from sesame seeds, and hummus, which includes chickpeas, tahini, lemon and spices. All three may be served as part of meze (or mezze), an array of different dishes in small portions (sort of like Spanish tapas). 

Other common meze options are cheese, olives, baba ghanoush (roasted aubergine dip), kibbeh (ground meat and bulgur, usually formed into small fritters), dolma (stuffed grape leaves) and salads like tabbouleh (with bulgur, tomatoes, mint and parsley) or fattoush (with crunchy vegetables and pieces of fried pita bread).

Meat plays a leading role in many of the most common Middle Eastern main dishes. There’s shawarma (thinly sliced, spit-roasted meat of various types), shish kebabs (grilled meat skewers), mansaf (lamb with fermented yoghurt), makloubeh (upside-down rice with vegetables and meat) and kofta (minced meat shaped into small spheres or cylinders). 

There are also plenty of traditional Middle Eastern dishes that are vegetarian by nature. Try manakish (thin flatbreads topped with cheese or za’atar), Lebanese moussaka (stewed aubergine, chickpeas, tomatoes and onions) and mujadara (rice, lentils and fried onions). And when in doubt, the average meze spread usually has plenty of plant-based options.

We’ve already mentioned one of the most ubiquitous Middle Eastern street foods: falafel. Vendors are likely to sell it stuffed into a pita with veggies and sauces. Another common pita filling is shawarma, and you’ll also find kibbeh, kofta and shish kebabs on the streets of many Middle Eastern cities.

If you’re searching for a snack, look for manakish, arayes (baked or grilled pitas stuffed with ground meat) or fatayer (small pies filled with meat, spinach or cheese). And don’t overlook the wondrous world of Middle Eastern sweets, from the beloved baklava (filo pastry soaked in syrup or honey with nuts) to the super rich knafeh (crispy spun pastry with sugary syrup and cheese).

Taking a food tour is a fantastic way to sample as many Middle Eastern delicacies as possible. We offer a street food tour of Amman that includes hummus, falafel, grilled meats, cheese and locally made wine. Remember that if you’re visiting the Middle East during Ramadan, street food may be harder to come by.

When it comes to Middle Eastern drinks, the first thing that springs to mind is coffee – Turkish coffee, to be exact. Although Turkey itself is only sometimes considered part of the Middle East, its eponymous style of coffee is popular throughout the region. It’s made by boiling coffee directly in water without straining out the grounds, creating a super strong and thick drink.

There are also plenty of cold beverages to keep you cool on hot days (if you’re worried about the heat, check out our guide on when to visit the Middle East). Limonana is an icy mint lemonade; laban ayran is a salted yoghurt drink; and qamar al-din is a sweet apricot nectar popular during Ramadan. You’ll also find juices made from tamarind, pomegranate and other fruits.