Mujadara, Lebanese Lentil Pilaf

Lebanese Mujadara Lentil Pilaf

This classic and beloved Lebanese Mujadara pilaf is made with lentils, caramelized onions, and rice or coarse bulgur. It’s both vegetarian and vegan. Mujadara is ultra-healthy, and is delicious topped with labneh (Greek yogurt), a fried or poached egg, arugula or watercress salad, or anything you come up with. Get the right lentils and bulgur…

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Pomegranate Glazed Sweet Potatoes

Pomegranate Glazed Sweet Potatoes make the A-list for their fabulous pomegranate molasses glaze, the ease of slicing and roasting, and the finishing touch of pomegranate seeds. A beautiful and absolutely divine tasting dish. I have never been shy about declaring my favorite dish on the Thanksgiving table: the candied sweet potatoes. No surprise this is…

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Lebanese-Style Chili

Lebanese-style chili gets its fabulous flavor from 7 Spice blend (find it here) together with chili powder. Our favorite legume–chickpeas!–is front and center. Finish with a dollop of labneh and a shower of fresh mint. My family is probably not unusual with our fervent conversations in the category of who-makes-what-best. One such conversation about chili–methods,…

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Shish Tawook, Grilled Chicken Skewers

Chicken Shish Tawook on skewers

Shish Tawook is a beloved Lebanese dish of grilled chicken skewers. So tender, and huge on flavor! The marinade is key, with several spices in a yogurt base imparting flavor through-and-through.  Oh how the Lebanese love their grills! This juicy, highly seasoned grilled chicken recipe is a traditional favorite. “Shish Tawook” means chicken skewers, and…

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Easy Strawberry Jam

Strawberry jam jar with berries

What makes my strawberry jam so easy? Just a few ingredients, a short cook time, and no canning. This is a jar of jam to make often and to love! The depths of my love of a jar of homemade strawberry jam knows no bounds. Strawberries cooking on the stove hold the aroma and flavor…

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Lebanese Grilled Kafta (Kofta)

Lebanese kafta on a platter

Lebanese Grilled Kafta (kofta) is like a meatball, flavored with onion and spices, formed on a skewer, then grilled. One of the many grill recipes the Lebanese are famous for! Even though a good hamburger is always, well, good!, I usually have plenty to critique: not enough flavor, too much between the bun to bite…

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Grilled Vegetable Platter with Lemon, Garlic & Mint

Grilled vegetable platter on a blue tablecloth

This showstopper of a grilled vegetable platter belongs on every table! It’s a snap to pull together. Use whole and large pieces of vegetables to make prep simple and quick. The vinaigrette finishes the grilled vegetable platter with another layer of mouthwatering flavor. When my sister offered to bring grilled vegetables to dinner recently, we…

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Cabbage Rolls in Tomato Broth

Cabbage rolls with tomato on a platter

The most traditional, most beloved stuffed Lebanese cabbage rolls in tomato broth are easy to make following these simple steps. To make my Garlicky Cabbage Rolls in a water-based broth, click here. So many cultures have their version of a cabbage roll, and with good reason. Cabbage makes the perfect wrapper for fillings, especially the…

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Avocado Hummus

Avocado hummus with olive oil and sumac in a round dish

Avocado hummus takes the best of two worlds–smooth, luscious hummus and silky, healthy avocado–to create flavor and texture magic! Find chickpeas with the peels already removed, along with excellent tahini and sumac, at my online shop here. I’ve always been a critic of anything labeled “hummus” that doesn’t include the very basis of hummus: chickpeas.…

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How to make yogurt.

Homemade yogurt, or Lebanese laban, MaureenAbood.com

Here is such a simple recipe for how to make successful yogurt. Homemade yogurt requires just two ingredients and no special equipment.  Ready to make your own yogurt at home?! It couldn’t be simpler. There are great reasons to make your own yogurt–it’s economical, and also: so much more flavorful than commercial yogurts. Yogurt, or…

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