Middle Eastern

Soaked, dried chickpeas, blended with a flurry of herbs and spices, are key to the best homemade falafel.

These meatballs made of beef, rice, and split peas are stuffed with dried fruit and braised in a flavorful tomato sauce—a hearty, satisfying labor of love.

This Iranian bread recipe is fluffy and tender, with saffron (and a pinch of turmeric) providing a vibrant color and subtly sweet, honey-like scent.

Turn a few pantry and fridge staples into this good-any-time-of-day meal.

These Middle Eastern meat-stuffed pitas get their earthy, spiced flavor from baharat, a blend typically comprised of cumin, allspice, black pepper, and more.

Inspired by the flavors of qorma-e-sabzi, an Afghan spinach stew, this simple soup relies on pantry staples and a box of frozen spinach.

Make the most of these salty, tangy, one-and-done flavor boosters.

A snickerdoodle-like exterior with a surprise filling of honey-sweetened, gently spiced pistachios.

Store-bought pita stands in for the more traditional lavash base in this version of lahmacun–a popular street food in Syria, Turkey, and elsewhere in the Middle East.

Tender Turkish Adana-style kebabs are an essential addition to your summer grilling.

Molly Yeh’s turkey burgers are genuinely juicy, supremely crispy, flavored like falafel, and browned in a skillet for ultimate ease.

This flavorful dinner salad—inspired by the street food favorite—is made super speedy with the addition of store-bought rotisserie chicken.

Tangy whey, refreshing cucumber, and a sweet-tart sekanjabin syrup made from apple cider vinegar come together to form a seriously drinkable beverage.

The hands-off process of straining yogurt overnight yields labneh, a thicker, creamy spread you’ll use in everything from dips to dressings.

Inspired by Middle Eastern mujadara, this rice and lentil pilaf gets a seasonal spin thanks to a tumble of spring-y green vegetables and flavorful tadka.

Crispy on the outside, herby on the inside, these simple flatbreads are inspired by Armenian jingalov hats, which are just as delicious as they are fun to say.

So easy you’ll never buy hummus again.

The famous lentil and rice dish is versatile and takes well to a number of grain and bean substitutions. Don’t skimp on the sizzled spiced onions.

This speedy skillet dinner flavored with harissa and tahini makes the most of ground beef and pita chips.

Sponge cake takes a bath in sweet saffron-infused milk, emerges sunshine-yellow and ready to feed a crowd.

Shawarma-style roast chicken at home? You deserve it. No rotisserie required.

Serve this spring-y Persian kuku, full of tender leeks and zucchini, with warm flatbread or on a sandwich.

The best part of these Turkish-style poached eggs on a bed of crispy bread and creamy yogurt is the garlicky spiced brown butter that gets drizzled on top.

When you bake this Middle Eastern dessert in a muffin tin rather than a party-size round, everyone gets as much of the crispy-crunchy, ghee-soaked pastry as possible.