I was looking for something different and fun to prepare for a group of friends that are coming over to watch the game together.
So, I decided to make an Easy Lebanese spread, a mezze or meze (a selection of small plates, usually served in Lebanon, Turkey, Greece, and lots of other countries).
For this mezze, I served: Fried kibbeh, Raw Kibbe or Kibbeh Nayyeh, spiced olives, my tabbouleh, fattoush salad, cabbage rolls or Malfouf, Lebanese Grape Leaf Rolls, simple hummus, Baba ghanoush, and fresh pita bread chips.
Typically, Lebanese restaurant meals begin with a wide array of mezze – small savory dishes, such as dips, salads, and pastries.
The mezze is typically followed by a selection of grilled meat or fish.
First, spiced olives, choose your favorite olives, and then marinate them in smashed garlic, a dash of cumin and smoked paprika, a splash of olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper, and garnish with chopped fresh parsley. Trust me, you won’t regret this.
Make your own pita chips, by cutting fresh pita bread in half, length wide and then in small wedges, sprinkle with salt and a splash of olive oil, toast in your oven until golden. (you could enhance the flavor by adding chopped fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, parsley, coriander).
I bought at a Lebanese restaurant called “La Libanesa” my fried Kibbeh, but in case you are wondering these are minced beef or lamb with cracked bulgur wheat, filled with herbs and spices, here is a recipe form Olivia’s Cuisine.
Another thing I bought already made is this dish is called Lebanese Raw Kibbe – Kibbeh Nayyeh it is a raw beef with bulgur and herbs and spices, here is a recipe from Mama’s Lebanese kitchen.
Here is my husband favorite Lebanese salad, I think without a doubt. It’s called Fattoush is a bread salad made from toasted or fried pieces of pita bread combined with mixed greens and other vegetables, such as radishes and tomatoes.
The vegetables are cut into relatively large pieces compared to tabbouleh which requires ingredients to be finely chopped. Sumac (Lebanese spice) is usually used to give fattoush its sour taste.
Note: Sumac is a tart, citrusy spice, is used widely in Lebanese cuisine. It is used as a major souring agent, is rubbed on to kebabs before grilling and may be used in this way with fish or chicken or as topping in salads, is available at specialty foods stores and Middle Eastern markets.
Ingredients
- Dressing:
- 4 teaspoons ground sumac soaked in 4 teaspoons warm water for 15 minutes
- 3 tablespoons or more fresh lemon juice
- 2 small garlic cloves minced
- 2 teaspoons or more white wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon dried mint
- 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- salt
- Salad:
- 2 pita breads halved, toasted until golden brown, broken into bite-size pieces
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
- 3 medium ripe tomatoes chopped
- 1 cucumber quartered lengthwise, thinly sliced crosswise
- 2 purple onions thinly sliced
- 2 Baby romaine lettuces or 1 small head romaine lettuce, trimmed
- 2 cups loosely packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves
- Ground sumac optional
Instructions
- For dressing:
- Combine sumac with soaking liquid, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, garlic, salt, 2 teaspoons vinegar, and dried mint in a small bowl. Gradually add oil, whisking constantly, until well blended.
- For salad:
- Place pita pieces in a medium bowl; pour oil over and toss to coat. Season pita to taste with salt.
- Mix tomatoes, cucumber, onions, salad, herbs in a large bowl. Add 3/4 of dressing; toss to coat, add more dressing if needed. Season with salt. Add pita; toss once. Sprinkle sumac.
Hummus is made from cooked, mashed chickpeas or other beans, blended with tahini (Sesame seed paste), olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic. The basic and simplest hummus recipe is very easy to make :
Ingredients
- 1 15- ounce can chickpeas rinsed
- 1 clove garlic
- 3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for serving
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 2/2 tablespoons tahini sesame seed paste; optional
- salt
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- In a food processor or a blender, puree the chickpeas and garlic with the olive oil, lemon juice, tahini, and salt to taste, mix until smooth and creamy.
- Add 1 to 2 tablespoons water as necessary to achieve the desired consistency.
- Transfer to a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with the paprika before serving.
Here is the recipe for my Tabbouleh I made a while ago, you can always add more chopped mint, coriander and parsley leaves. Here is my recipe for the Baba ghanoush:
Ingredients
- 3 small or 1 large eggplant
- 1 large clove garlic minced
- 1 lemon the juice
- 2 tablespoon Tahini paste
- salt
- 2 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
- olive oil for roasting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to high broil in the oven.
- Slice your eggplant in half and place on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of sea salt. Roast for 5-10 minutes, until the eggplant is softened and golden brown. Remove from pan, spoon out the flesh and place into a food processor. It should be soft and tender and the skin should come off easy.
- Add lemon juice, garlic, tahini, a pinch of salt and mix until creamy. Add parsley last and pulse to incorporate. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
The malfouf or rice and meat-filled cabbage rolls are delicious here are two different recipes that I love, the first from Suzy over The Mediterranean dish and the other one from Maureen over Rose water and Orange blossoms. And the Lebanese Grape Leaf Rolls a beautiful recipe from Maureen over Rose water and Orange blossoms.
26 thoughts on “Easy Lebanese spread”
What a fantastic spread! Your friends are in for a treat! I used to live in Abu Dhabi and had spread like this often back then – but it’s been awhile – I had to stop by your post when I saw the title – takes me back! Delicious!
Shashi! thank you for stopping by! at our house we love Lebanese, my husband’s best friend lives in Abu Dhabi, we visited him a while ago just only to find that there was not local food like in Lebanon or Morocco, but food from all the countries that are near by or that have large communities working abroad! We do love this spread!! love the lebanese flavors!
Oh man, I know where I’m coming to watch the game this weekend, Gaila! This spread…I’m going to be daydreaming about everything in here all day long! 🙂 I love me a good Mediterranean appetizer…and you’ve taken this to the next level. I’m intrigued about marinating the olives though. I’ve never done that! Do you just use standard jarred (unflavored) olives and then drop them into your own marinade??
Hello David!! Yes I use the jarred ones unflavored and add my favorite marinades. This one here is really good, you can play with your favorite flavors, herbs and spices.
Oh my goodness, I cannot decide what I should eat first:) Everything looks and sounds great. Indeed, I can live on dips, bread, and little appetizers. Of course, my favorite here would be Baba ghanoush. And also, I’d like to grab some cabbage and grape leaf rolls. I’ve eaten something similar, and I like this stuff. Nicely done, Gaila!
Hey Ben! I know, even for me it was difficult choosing what to eat first!! just delicious!
I am obsessed with LEBANESE FOOOODDDD! Go check my Yelp account – hahahahaha!
Gigi! hahahahaha great mind think alike!!! we love Lebanese then! this is always a hit when I do it at home!
OMG!!! When does the party start on Sunday because I’m coming over! LOL! Luckily we live only 20 mins from a fantastic Lebanese restaurant and we always get a vegetarian spread just like this. I never even thought about trying to make it at home but I’m doing it now. Your Hubby has good taste too because fattoush is my favorite also 🙂
Karrie! you lucky girl!! well if you see each recipe at once, you’ll see they are not that hard to do! and you can always count on your Lebanese restaurant to buy the more time challenging dishes! ?
OMG! What a spread!!! I wanna dive right in and try everything! I gotta try marinating olives at home. I always have them in the fridge and love ’em! You’re making me hungry 🙂 Have a great weekend!!
Dawn!! I love olives also and I discovered this recipe in Morocco! they have the most amazing olives over there! it’s totally worth it.
I absolutely LOVE a good spread, and this one looks just perfect, Gaila! Seriously, SO much deliciousness going on here!! I just want to devour each and every thing! You hosting a party this weekend? Because I’m inviting myself over. 😉 Cheers!
Girl, come on over! mi casa es tu casa! ????
I don’t know any dish from the Lebanese cuisine. However, this recipe blew my mind, Gaila. Can’t wait to try it.
Agness! thank you for stopping by!! Lebanese food is delicious, a lot of different spices but no too spicy! you should try this!
LOVE Middle Eastern foods and with a great International Market near me I get to go through the aisles and explore all the fun new stuff one never sees in most general stores here. This spread is amazing Gaila. The fried Kibbeh and fattoush look wonderful. 🙂
Thank you Kevin! I love to spend time in specialty supermarkets, cause there you tend to finds wonderful things out of your knowledge and comfort cooking zone! Have a nice weekend!
This looks like a feast for royalty, Gaila! I’m coming to your house for the big game! Pinned!
Ahh Rachelle! thank you darling! ?
I love Lebanese food and your Lebanese spread sounds like a veritable feast. I have a question regarding the sumac. I have it and just it often but have never soaked it…is that a common thing to do?
Hello Karen, and thank you for stopping by, I am use to soaking it when marinating meats, cause it can be over powering the rest of the spices, but I guess that depends on personal tastes, It’s used in everything from dry rubs, marinades, and dressing. But its best use is sprinkled over food before serving.
I feel like I’m sitting at my MIL’s table! She came to this country from Lebanon when she was 18 which means this is what we eat at “Sito’s” house! We’re spoiled every time we dine at Mona’s and you have nailed this mezze, my friend!
Ahhh Annie! you’re too sweet! Thanks my dear!
I have been making Lebanese spread for a few years, and this is the best recipe I have found.
Thank you Alma!! for stopping by and your kind words! I am glad you liked it