RecepieplanningMiddle Eastern cooking for real weeks
Warm spices, legumes, and shareable sides. 10 middle eastern recipes ready to browse below.
About this cuisine
Middle Eastern home cooking leans on chickpeas, tahini, herbs, and slow-built aromatics. For weekly planning, dips and salads stretch across lunches while mains stay simple.
Weeknight tip: Keep tahini-lemon sauce ready — it turns roasted vegetables into dinner.
Where you'll find it
- Lebanon
- Syria
- Jordan
- Iraq
- Gulf kitchens
Pantry staples
- Tahini
- Cumin
- Chickpeas
- Lemon
- Parsley
- Rice
From this kitchen
Browse dishes tagged middle eastern in the Recepieplanning library, then download the app to fold them into a personalized week.
MediumChicken Shawarma Plate
Chicken thighs marinated in yogurt, lemon, and warm spices, then roasted until deeply caramelized at the edges. Sliced thin and served over salad and rice, it's a fragrant, satisfying plate that tastes like it came from a street cart.
MediumFalafel Wrap
Crisp-shelled, herby falafel made from soaked dried chickpeas, fried until deep golden and stuffed into warm pita with tahini sauce and fresh vegetables. Requires an overnight soak, but the payoff is a truly crackly falafel you can't get from canned chickpeas.
MediumLamb Kofta
Ground lamb blended with grated onion, garlic, and warm spices, hand-shaped onto skewers and grilled until charred outside and juicy within. Serve with a cool yogurt sauce for a fragrant, quick dinner that feels special.
EasyCucumber Hummus Bites
Cool cucumber rounds topped with creamy hummus, smoky paprika, and fresh parsley make a light, refreshing appetizer or snack that comes together with no cooking.
EasyFul Medames Breakfast
A warming Middle Eastern breakfast of stewed fava beans mashed with garlic, lemon, and cumin, finished with olive oil, fresh tomato, and parsley. Scoop it up with warm pita for a simple, protein-packed morning meal.
MediumFul Medames Bean Breakfast
Egyptian-style ful medames — slow-simmered fava beans with garlic, lemon, and olive oil. A protein-packed Middle Eastern breakfast served with bread and boiled eggs.
EasyFattoush Herb Salad Lunch
Levantine fattoush salad with crisp pita chips, cucumber, tomato, and sumac dressing. A bright Middle Eastern lunch salad with plenty of crunch.
MediumLamb Shawarma Plate Dinner
Middle Eastern lamb shawarma spiced with cumin, paprika, and garlic, roasted and sliced for platters with tahini and pickles.
MediumMuhammara Pepper Side
Syrian muhammara — roasted red pepper and walnut dip with pomegranate molasses. A smoky, tangy Middle Eastern side spread for bread and grilled meats.
HardKnafeh Syrup Dessert
Crisp knafeh with shredded kataifi pastry, melted cheese, and rose-scented syrup. A iconic Middle Eastern dessert served warm with pistachios.
Plan a middle eastern-leaning week.
Recepieplanning personalizes around your diet, allergies, and dislikes — then builds one grocery list.