Middle Eastern

Dry vermicelli is toasted in lots of butter to create extra nutty flavor and richness, a method used in pilaf traditions across communities.

A light, delicate, and barely sweet Persian rice flour cookie with finely ground pistachios and freeze-dried raspberries for color.

This tahdig is dressed up with cranberries and woody herbs for a Thanksgiving-y, festive feel.

This refreshing drink Sohla El-Waylly often uses to break fast during Ramadan gives all kinds of holiday vibes.

This Persian stew of tomatoes and spiced eggplant is just the warming dish you need on a cool, fall night.

Doogh, a salty-tangy Persian yogurt drink, is the perfect antidote to a humid summer afternoon. It’s traditionally made with dried mint (and sometimes dried rose petals and/or black pepper), but this recipe employs fresh mint for a boost of bright flavor and color. This drink can be made with flat water, but club soda adds a refreshing fizzy finish.

This Persian rice dish, known as kateh gojeh farangi, is the ideal late summer comfort food. The cinnamon tames the natural acidity of tomatoes, creating a sweet-savory aroma and flavor.

Saffron’s deep crimson threads add an intense sunset-orange hue and rich aroma to whatever it touches, but the downside is that it’s very expensive. This dish from recipe developer Yasmin Fahr uses a saffron technique taught to her mother by her mother and then passed on to her. By gently grinding the saffron threads, then mixing them with water, you can create a saffron liquid that makes a little bit of the expensive spice go a longer way (and it helps the threads dissolve better). If you don’t like fish skin, it’s easier to remove after you cook it.

These sautéed tomatoes are rich, silky, and endlessly versatile. 

You’ve heard of fully loaded baked potatoes, right? RIGHT? That’s what we’re doing with these grilled eggplants.

You’ll find all the flavors of Middle Eastern shish barak (tiny lamb and pine nut) dumplings here, but made simpler and brighter with help from dried pasta and plenty of fresh dill.

A fragrant, sweet-and-sour, perfectly acidic roast chicken. 

A Palestinian staple of slow-cooked chicken smothered in sweet, silky onions and bright, lemony sumac, served on top of flatbread for sopping up all the flavors. 

There's literally nothing this earthy, crunchy spread can't improve.

I’ll eat Taste of Persia’s ash reshteh even on sweltering New York summer days.

This recipe is inspired by mujadara, a simple combination of lentils, rice, and onions that exists in various forms across the Middle East. It's comforting but not too rich, and it's fresh and vegetarian without relying on many perishable ingredients. In other words, it's the perfect meal for the nights in between holiday parties.

Comal Heritage Food Incubator changes up its menu nearly every day, but you must go on Fridays for its Middle Eastern menu.

Not just scrambled eggs, but buttery, soft-scrambled eggs with tzatziki and a spice sprinkle that you never knew you needed.

An irresistibly creamy hummus with a spiced pistachio dukkah on top.

It’s nutty, super creamy, and near-savory.

Peak-season tomatoes along with chickpeas, toasted almonds, and harissa make for a complete flavor bomb in just one skillet.

Lots of toasted pita for scooping up everything is nonnegotiable.

This is a cookbook you’ll sit down and read for hours.

Soaking softens whole grains and shortens cooking time; feel free to sub farro, brown rice, or barley.