Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

Traditional MENA dishes highlight of iftar tables

Traditional MENA dishes highlight of iftar tables

The holy month of Ramadan offers an opportunity for families and friends to gather and share convivial moments around a table adorned with delicious dishes and tasty desserts for iftar or sahoor.

All practicing Muslims in Lebanon, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia invite and are invited for iftar comprising traditional dishes influenced with regional flavors. Dates are an immediate source of energy and often the first food consumed when breaking the fast.

In Lebanon, the usual offering includes rice with chicken, known as riz a djej; shorba, often a lentil soup; kebbe, meat mixed with bulgur; moghrabie, also called Lebanese couscous; sambousseks with meat or cheese; hummus to be nibbled on with pita bread, chips, crackers, or slices of toasted baguette; and tabbouleh and fattouch, the stars of Lebanese salads.

The most popular Lebanese dessert during Ramadan is kallaj, a speciality that is baked only on this occasion. In Sidon, pedestrians crowd the pastry shops, attracted by this dessert displayed in the windows, often eaten with a cup of jallab, a fruit syrup made from carob, dates, grape molasses, and rose water.


In Morocco, harira soup, made with lamb and vegetables, is a staple on the table. The country is also famous for using aubergine in a wide range of recipes, such as aubergine puree served with batbout, a Moroccan bread roll, aubergine lasagne and zaalouk, and salad.

For dessert, the must-have is the chebakia, the Moroccan flagship Ramadan pastry. Moroccans enjoy this rolled pastry, also known as the Moroccan cookie or donut, almond briouates, sweet or savory puff pastry flavored and decorated with chopped almonds, and many other delicious pastries such as meloui and msemen that are similar to pancakes.

Iftar has a very particular taste in Tunisia. The tchich, a Tunisian tomato-based barley soup with soft pieces of octopus and dried mint, melts in the mouth and offers delicious flavors. This soup is usually served on special occasions such as weddings and Ramadan.

A classic Tunisian iftar spread comprises of swabaa fatma, also known as Fatma’s fingers, which are crispy fried sticks made of thin dough and filled with various fillings; rouz jerbi, another well-balanced and nutritious dish that consists of rice and a variety of vegetables and proteins of choice with Tunisians often opting for shrimp; and brik, stuffed filo pastry.

For a sweet treat, zlabia with orange blossom water is a particularly exquisite Tunisian favorite.

Similar to their Tunisian neighbors, Algerians also enjoy briks during the holy month. A delicious and very popular starter, ideal for serving on any Algerian table during Ramadan, briks are always accompanied by shorba frik — inherited from the Ottoman period — which is a traditional Algerian soup made of crushed green wheat.

A favorite side dish at the Ramadan table, couscous is prepared with lamb or beef simmered with chickpeas, onions, carrots, squash, and a variety of spices.

The kalb el louz, a pastry from Constantine, is a dessert that is unanimously appreciated in Algeria, and is enjoyed with mint tea. An irresistible delicacy and an important source of energy, zlabia is also popular among Algerians, as well as Tunisians, during Ramadan.

Whether in Beirut, Tunis, Algiers, or Rabat, the religious, cultural, linguistic, and historical links between these countries confirm a unique culinary authenticity that is highlighted and promoted during Ramadan.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
High-Stakes Trump-Putin Summit on Ukraine Underway in Alaska
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
×