One-Pan Sautéed Mushroom and Garlic Manakish

Name: One-Pan Sautéed Mushroom and Garlic Manakish
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 2¼ cups (280 g) all-purpose flour; ½ teaspoon (2½ g) instant yeast; ¾ teaspoon (4½ g) fine sea salt; ½ teaspoon (2½ g) granulated sugar; ¾ cup (180 ml) warm water, 90–100°F (32–38°C); 1½ tablespoons (22 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 10 ounces (280 g) cremini mushrooms, cleaned, sliced ¼-inch thick; 6 ounces (170 g) oyster mushrooms, cleaned, torn into bite-sized pieces; 6 cloves (30 g) garlic cloves, minced; 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter; 1 medium (40 g) shallot, thinly sliced; 3 tablespoons (9 g) fresh thyme sprigs, leaves stripped from stems; to taste fine sea salt; to taste freshly ground black pepper; 1½ cups (150 g) Gruyère cheese, finely shredded; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Crispy, pillowy manakish flatbreads topped with a fragrant mixture of sautéed mixed mushrooms, roasted garlic, fresh thyme, and melted Gruyère cheese, finished in a single skillet. The result is a golden, bubbling cheese crust and tender mushrooms that release their umami as they cook down. Perfect as an appetizer, light lunch, or sophisticated snack that brings together the comfort of Eastern European flavors with Levantine bread tradition.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 35 min
Wait: 1 hr 30 min
Total: 2 hr 30 min
Makes: 4 manakish (serves 4 as a main course, 8 as appetizers)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the dough
2¼ cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon (2.5 g) instant yeast
¾ teaspoon (4.5 g) fine sea salt
½ teaspoon (2.5 g) granulated sugar
¾ cup (180 ml) warm water, 90–100°F (32–38°C)
1½ tablespoons (22 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
For the topping
10 ounces (280 g) cremini mushrooms, cleaned, sliced ¼-inch thick
6 ounces (170 g) oyster mushrooms, cleaned, torn into bite-sized pieces
6 cloves (30 g) garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter
1 medium (40 g) shallot, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons (9 g) fresh thyme sprigs, leaves stripped from stems
to taste fine sea salt
to taste freshly ground black pepper
1½ cups (150 g) Gruyère cheese, finely shredded
For cooking
2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

Equipment (5)

10–12 inch (25–30 cm) cast-iron or nonstick skillet
Medium mixing bowl
Sharp knife and cutting board
Microplane or box grater
Wooden spoon or silicone spatula

Steps

Before you start

Remove dough from refrigerator 30 minutes before shaping to allow it to warm slightly for easier handling
Preheat oven to 475°F (245°C) if using the oven-finish method as an alternative
Slice mushrooms into even ¼-inch (6 mm) pieces so they cook uniformly
Grate Gruyère cheese if not pre-shredded, for better melting

1
Mix dough
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 2.25 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour, 0.5 teaspoon (2.5 g) instant yeast, 0.75 teaspoon (4.5 g) fine sea salt, and 0.5 teaspoon (2.5 g) sugar.
- Add 0.75 cup (180 ml) warm water (90–100°F) and 1.5 tablespoons (22 ml) olive oil.
- Stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
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Ready when: dough comes together and is slightly wet but holds shape
Tip: Do not overwork the dough; it should remain slightly sticky.
2
Knead and rest dough
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic, adding flour as needed to prevent sticking.
- Form into a ball, place back in the bowl, cover with a damp kitchen towel, and let rise at room temperature for 60 minutes until puffy but not quite doubled.
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Ready when: dough has increased noticeably in volume and feels airy when poked
Tip: The dough should rise to about 1.5 times its original size; it will continue to puff in the pan.
3
Sauté mushrooms
- Heat 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil in a 10–12 inch (25–30 cm) cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Once shimmering, add 10 ounces (280 g) sliced cremini mushrooms and 6 ounces (170 g) torn oyster mushrooms.
- Sauté for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their liquid and the skillet is nearly dry, about 8–10 minutes total.
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Ready when: mushrooms are golden brown and any liquid has evaporated
Tip: Don't stir too frequently; let mushrooms caramelize for better flavor development.
4
Add aromatics
- Add 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter and 1 sliced shallot to the mushrooms.
- Stir and cook for 2 minutes over medium heat until the shallot begins to soften.
- Add 6 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Do not brown the garlic.
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Ready when: shallot is slightly softened and garlic is fragrant but not browned
Tip: Lower the heat before adding garlic to prevent burning, which makes it bitter.
5
Season mushrooms
- Stir in 3 tablespoons (9 g) fresh thyme leaves.
- Season to taste with fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Stir well and remove from heat.
- Let cool slightly while you shape the dough.
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Ready when: thyme is evenly distributed and mixture is well seasoned
Tip: Taste before seasoning—Gruyère will add saltiness, so start conservatively.
6
Shape dough discs
- Turn the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently divide into 4 equal pieces.
- Shape each into a ball, then use your fingertips to stretch and press each into a disk about ⅜-inch (10 mm) thick and 7–8 inches (18–20 cm) in diameter.
- The dough should be roughly the size of your skillet but slightly smaller.
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Ready when: four disks of uniform thickness, slightly smaller than the skillet diameter
Tip: Work gently so you don't deflate the risen dough; if it springs back, let it rest 2 minutes before stretching again.
7
Cook first manakish
- Wipe out the skillet (leaving a thin residue of oil) and heat over medium heat for 1 minute.
- Carefully place one dough disk into the skillet.
- Cook for 2–3 minutes until the bottom is light golden and set.
- Flip the dough and cook the other side for 1 minute.
- Spread ¼ of the cooled mushroom mixture over the top (about ⅓ cup or 80 ml), then sprinkle ⅜ cup (37.5 g) shredded Gruyère evenly over the mushrooms.
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Ready when: bottom crust is light golden; cheese begins to melt
Tip: Use medium heat rather than high so the dough doesn't brown too quickly before the cheese melts.
8
Melt cheese and finish
- Cover the skillet with a lid or aluminum foil (or invert a baking sheet on top) and cook for 2–3 minutes on medium-low heat until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the bottom crust is deep golden brown.
- Slide the manakish onto a cutting board or serving plate.
- Repeat with the remaining 3 dough disks and mushroom-cheese topping.
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Ready when: cheese is bubbling, bottom is deep golden, and dough is cooked through
Tip: Cover the skillet to trap steam and help the cheese melt evenly. If the bottom browns too quickly, lower the heat.
9
Rest and serve
- Let each manakish cool for 1–2 minutes on the serving plate before slicing.
- Serve warm, cut into quarters or halves.
- Pair with a fresh salad or yogurt sauce.
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Ready when: manakish is firm enough to slice without tearing
Tip: Don't skip this rest—it allows the crust to firm up and the cheese to set slightly.

Good to know

Tips

For a one-pan method, you can also skip the individual pan-cooking and instead transfer all shaped dough to a parchment-lined sheet pan, top with mushrooms and cheese, and bake at 475°F (245°C) for 12–15 minutes until golden and bubbly. This is faster but loses the skillet-sear crust.
Gruyère melts smoothly and won't become stringy; avoid using mozzarella, which can become gluey. For a nuttier, lighter crust, brush the dough with a very light coating of olive oil before toppping.
If your mushrooms release a lot of liquid, cook them longer in step 3 until the skillet is nearly dry. Excess moisture will soften the dough crust.
For extra flavor, save a small handful of the mushroom-thyme mixture to scatter on top just before serving, adding fresh texture and aroma.

Make ahead

Dough can be made up to 2 days ahead: after kneading (step 2), wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature for 30 minutes before shaping. Mushroom mixture can be prepared up to 4 hours ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator; reheat gently before topping the dough.

Storage & reheating

Best served fresh and warm. Store leftover manakish in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 8–10 minutes until warmed through. Not recommended for freezing due to texture changes in the dough.

Substitutions

Gruyère cheese, finely shredded → aged Cheddar or Emmental cheese. Use an equal amount of finely shredded cheese. Cheddar will give a sharper flavor; Emmental will be slightly nuttier.
oyster mushrooms → portobello mushroom or shiitake mushroom. Clean and slice thickly to match the weight. Shiitake will add deeper earthiness; portobello will be meatier.
fresh thyme sprigs → fresh rosemary or oregano. Use 2 tablespoons (6 g) rosemary (more robust) or 1.5 tablespoons (4.5 g) oregano (more herbaceous).
instant yeast → active dry yeast or fresh yeast. Use 0.75 teaspoon (3.5 g) active dry yeast or 0.5 ounce (14 g) fresh yeast. Instant yeast is finer and hydrates faster.