Food

48 Essential Middle Eastern Recipes

Bust out the spices and ready the chickpeas—here are our best recipes from the Middle East

Updated: July 10, 2017

You may know hummus and baba ghannouj but have you heard of torshi seer? Spanning the vast region east of the Mediterranean, the Middle East's cuisine include those of Israel, Iraq, and Azerbaijan, which some call the world's last great undiscovered cuisine. Try your hand at the region's greatest dishes, including spiced chicken kebabs—food is always more fun on a stick—and a Persian tamarind-stuffed fish.

For a sweet cap-off to your Middle Eastern feast, learn how to make baklava and a Persian cantaloupe drink that can easily be converted into the perfect summer cocktail. From Azeri lamb stew to Persian roast chicken, our best Middle Eastern recipes are bursting with flavor appropriate for any season.

In the Syrian Jewish kitchen, this Middle Eastern basic gets a sweet-and-sour spin. In the warmer months, try to find and use fresh grape leaves; they are more tender and flavorful than the jarred types. Out of season, jarred leaves are a fine substitute (we prefer the Orlando brand). Get the recipe for Beef Dolmas with Apricots and Tamarind »Matt Taylor-Gross

This dish will make you dust off the grill in preparation for spring, and the taste of pomegranate will remind you of warm days on the way. Get the recipe for Cauliflower Shawarma Berber »Matt Taylor-Gross

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