Kitchens around the world
Palestinian Recipes
Olive oil, za'atar, sumac and big shared platters. Palestinian food is simple, homey and rooted in the seasons.
About Palestinian
Palestinian cooking leans on olive oil, seasonal vegetables, legumes and bread. Well-loved dishes include maqluba, an upside-down rice dish, and musakhan, chicken with onions and sumac on flatbread. Meals are often served family style on a large tray.
Za'atar, sumac, lentils, chickpeas, tahini and good olive oil are common. Compared with its neighbors, Palestinian food is often more rustic and olive-oil forward, with regional dishes from the coast to the hills. It overlaps with Jordanian, Lebanese and Syrian cooking but has its own signature dishes.
Questions folks ask
What is maqluba?
Maqluba means upside down. Rice, meat and vegetables are cooked in a pot, then flipped onto a platter.
What is musakhan?
It is roasted chicken with sumac and lots of onions, served over flatbread.
What is za'atar?
It is a blend of dried herbs, sesame seeds and sumac, often mixed with olive oil for bread.
Kitchen tips
- Use good olive oil for finishing, since it shows in the flavor.
- Brown the vegetables for maqluba so they hold together.
- Let maqluba rest a few minutes before flipping.
- Cook onions slowly for musakhan until soft and sweet.
- Mix za'atar with oil and spread it on warm bread.