These 10 dishes are a melting pot of deliciousness drawing from the Mediterranean, North Africa and everywhere in between.
Falafel
Crispy and filling, falafel is a great snack by itself, stuffed into pita bread or served atop fresh spring greens. Made from ground chickpeas and/or fava beans, these deep-fried bites of goodness are common in Middle Eastern cuisine. Interested in making your own falafel? Check out this recipe.
Baba ghanoush
Smooth and creamy, this spread made from cooked eggplants is the perfect balance of sweet and smoky. Dig in with some pita bread or fresh veggies and you’ve got yourself a lovely Levantine snack. Check out this epic baba ghanoush recipe from Cookie and Kate.
Shakshouka
A sunny-side-up egg on top of a rich tomato-based sauce, this North African dish makes for a hearty breakfast – but eating it for dinner is not out of the question. Dig into this dish with a spoon or slice of bread. Check out our recipe here.
Bourekas
These stuffed pastries can come filled with mashed potatoes, veggies or cheese and are often sprinkled with seeds. Turkish in origin, their Israeli form usually is made with phylo dough or puff pastry. Here’s an easy recipe for first-time boureka-bakers.
Kebabs
Grilled meats on skewers? Yes, please. Beef and lamb kebabs in particular are popular among Israelis. A restaurant in Israel was even named one of the best places for kebabs in the world by CNN. Check out these steak kebabs from Cooking Classy.
Israeli couscous
Also known as ptitim, Israeli couscous takes the traditional North African meal, plumps it up and adds some star ingredients from local farms: pomegranate seeds, peppers, zucchini and, of course, cherry tomatoes. A great meal for kids, couscous can be made healthier with the use of wheat flour. Smitten Kitchen has a great recipe that takes advantage of the slow-roasted grape tomatoes.
Khachapuri
These cheese- and egg-filled bread boats will sail you straight to happiness. Increasingly popular as a brunch food in Israel, khachapuri is a traditional Georgian dish. Try our recipe for this cheesy goodness.
Israeli salad
Colorful as it is simple, Israeli salad features diced tomatoes, cucumbers and onions in olive oil and a little lemon juice. Fresh and flavorful, it’s a great side dish or addition to a pita filled with falafel. Check out our simple recipe for Israeli salad!
Malawach
It looks like a pancake and tastes like a pastry — where can you go wrong? Malawach (also known as malawah) is a fried pastry that can be eaten with tomato sauce or honey. Check out this recipe for Malawach (Yemenite Jewish Pancakes) from Food52.
Israeli breakfast
A solid start to any day, the traditional Israeli breakfast comes in many varieties, but most spreads feature cheese and bread with local veggies and fruits like figs, dates, pomegranates, grapes, kiwis, bananas, apples, cherries, melons and pears. Get the Israeli breakfast recipe rundown via this great post by Serious Eats.
Originally Published Jul 26, 2021 12:03AM EDT
