Sumac Onion and Chickpea Manakish

Name: Sumac Onion and Chickpea Manakish
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 11 min
Total time: 1 h 11 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Lebanese
Ingredients: 3 cups (360 g) bread flour, spooned and leveled into the measuring cup; 1½ tsp (5 g) instant yeast; 1 tsp (4 g) granulated sugar; 1½ tsp (9 g) fine sea salt; 0.9 cup (220 ml) water, warm, about 100°F (38°C), comfortable to the touch; 2 tbsp (28 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tsp (5 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, for greasing the bowl; 2 tbsp (16 g) bread flour, for dusting; 1 large (about 7 oz) (200 g) large red onion, halved and sliced into very thin half-moons; 3 tbsp (21 g) ground sumac; 1 medium (85 g) lemon, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) juiced; cut the rest into wedges for serving; ½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt; 1½ cups (one 15-oz can) (240 g) canned chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and patted dry; 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 2 cloves (6 g) garlic, finely grated or minced; 1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin; ¾ tsp (4 g) kosher salt; ¼ tsp (½ g) black pepper, freshly ground; 2 tbsp (18 g) sesame seeds, toasted (optional); ¼ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves and tender stems, finely chopped; 1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Soft, chewy flatbreads topped with tangy sumac-marinated red onion and a garlicky, lightly crushed chickpea spread, baked hot until the edges blister. A vegan Levantine-style take on manakish that works as a light dinner, a mezze spread, or a lunchbox treat.

Prep: 1 hr
Cook: 11 min
Wait: 1 hr 15 min
Total: 2 hr 26 min
Makes: 8 flatbreads (6-inch / 15 cm each), serving 4 as a meal

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the dough
3 cups (360 g) bread flour, spooned and leveled into the measuring cup
1½ tsp (5 g) instant yeast
1 tsp (4 g) granulated sugar
1½ tsp (9 g) fine sea salt
1 cup (220 ml) water, warm, about 100°F (38°C), comfortable to the touch
2 tbsp (28 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp (5 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, for greasing the bowl
2 tbsp (16 g) bread flour, for dusting
For the sumac onion
1 large (about 7 oz) (200 g) large red onion, halved and sliced into very thin half-moons
3 tbsp (21 g) ground sumac
1 medium (85 g) lemon, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) juiced; cut the rest into wedges for serving
½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt
For the chickpea topping
1½ cups (one 15-oz can) (240 g) canned chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and patted dry
3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves (6 g) garlic, finely grated or minced
1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin
¾ tsp (4 g) kosher salt
¼ tsp (0.5 g) black pepper, freshly ground
To finish
2 tbsp (18 g) sesame seeds, toasted (optional)
¼ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves and tender stems, finely chopped
1 tbsp (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing

Equipment (9)

Large mixing bowl
2 half-sheet baking sheets (18×13-inch / 46×33 cm)
Rolling pin
Medium bowl for the onion
Medium bowl for the chickpeas
Fork or potato masher
Kitchen scale (optional, but helpful for dividing the dough evenly)
Pastry brush
Clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap

Steps

Before you start

Read the timing: the dough needs about 60 minutes to rise, and the oven needs 30 minutes to preheat with the baking sheets inside, so start the oven partway through the rise.
Use two rimless or rimmed 18×13-inch (46×33 cm) baking sheets (half sheets). Preheating them gives the bottoms a crisp, bakery-style base.
Drain and rinse the canned chickpeas, then pat them dry. Wet chickpeas make a soggy topping.
Use a vibrant, deep-red sumac. Pale, brownish sumac tastes dull and often contains extra salt.

1
Mix the dough
- In a large bowl, whisk the bread flour, instant yeast, sugar, and fine sea salt.
- Add the warm water and the 2 tablespoons (28 ml) olive oil.
- Stir with a wooden spoon or your hand until no dry flour remains and a shaggy, sticky dough forms.
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Ready when: No dry flour is visible and the dough forms a rough, shaggy mass.
Tip: Water hotter than about 115°F (46°C) can damage the yeast. It should feel pleasantly warm, not hot.
2
Knead until smooth
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter.
- Knead for 8 minutes, pushing it away with the heel of your hand, folding it back, and turning it a quarter turn each time.
- Use only as much of the 2 tablespoons dusting flour as needed to prevent sticking.
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Ready when: The dough is smooth, slightly tacky but not sticky, and springs back slowly when you poke it with a finger.
Tip: Resist adding too much flour. A slightly soft dough bakes into a more tender flatbread.
3
First riseOven 475°F / 245°C
- Rub the 1 teaspoon (5 ml) olive oil around a clean large bowl.
- Add the dough, turn it once to coat, and cover the bowl with a damp towel or plastic wrap.
- Leave it in a warm spot for 60 minutes.
- About 30 minutes into the rise, place both baking sheets on the middle and lower oven racks and preheat the oven to 475°F (245°C) so the sheets get fully hot.
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Ready when: The dough has doubled in size and a fingertip dent springs back slowly.
Tip: In a cool kitchen, set the bowl in the oven with only the light on to create a gentle warm spot. Remove it before preheating.
4
Marinate the sumac onion
- While the dough rises, combine the sliced red onion, the 3 tablespoons (21 g) sumac, the 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice, and the ½ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl.
- Massage with your fingers for about 1 minute until the onion starts to soften and turns deep ruby.
- Let it sit for 15 minutes.
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Ready when: The onion slices are limp, glossy, and evenly coated in red-purple sumac, with liquid pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
Tip: Do not drain the liquid. It carries the sumac flavor and keeps the onion from drying out in the oven.
5
Make the chickpea topping
- In a second bowl, add the dried chickpeas and crush about half of them with a fork or potato masher so the mixture is chunky, with some whole chickpeas remaining.
- Stir in the 3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil, grated garlic, cumin, ¾ teaspoon salt, and black pepper until it forms a spreadable, textured mixture.
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Ready when: The mixture is chunky and holds together when pressed, with a glossy sheen from the oil.
Tip: Do not purée the chickpeas. The mix of whole and crushed ones gives a pleasing texture and prevents a pasty topping.
6
Divide and restOven 475°F / 245°C
- Gently press the risen dough down to release the large air bubbles.
- Divide it into 8 equal pieces (about 75 g / 2¾ oz each).
- Roll each piece into a smooth ball by cupping your hand over it and rolling in small circles on the counter.
- Cover the balls with a towel and rest for 10 minutes.
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Ready when: The balls are smooth and puffy, and a lightly pressed fingertip leaves a slow-fading dent.
Tip: Skipping the rest makes the dough snap back when you roll it, producing thick, uneven rounds.
7
Roll the rounds
- On a lightly floured counter, roll each ball into a round about 6 inches (15 cm) across and ¼ inch (6 mm) thick.
- Place 4 rounds on each of two sheets of parchment paper cut to fit the baking sheets (or on a lightly floured board).
- Press your fingertips firmly all over each round to create dimples, leaving a ½-inch (1 cm) rim.
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Ready when: Each round is an even thickness, with dimples across the surface and a slightly raised rim.
Tip: The dimples hold the topping in place and stop the center from puffing up like a pita.
8
Top the flatbreads
- Spread about 2 tablespoons of the chickpea mixture over each round, staying inside the rim.
- Spoon the sumac onion over the chickpeas, dividing it evenly, along with a little of its liquid.
- Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds if using.
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Ready when: Each round is covered edge to edge inside the rim with a thin, even layer of topping.
Tip: Keep the topping thin. Heavy toppings keep the center doughy and can make the flatbreads hard to transfer.
9
Bake the manakishOven 475°F / 245°C
- Working quickly, use the parchment to slide two papers (4 flatbreads each) onto the two hot baking sheets.
- Bake at 475°F (245°C) for 10 to 12 minutes, swapping the sheets between racks and rotating them halfway through, until the edges are deeply golden and the bottoms are browned.
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Ready when: The rims are puffed and golden brown, the onion edges are slightly charred, and the bottoms are browned and firm when lifted.
Tip: If the toppings start to blacken before the dough browns, move the sheet to a lower rack for the last 2 minutes.
10
Finish and serve
- Brush the hot rims of the flatbreads with the 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil.
- Scatter with the chopped parsley.
- Let them cool for 3 minutes on a rack, then serve warm with the lemon wedges for squeezing.
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Ready when: The rims are shiny with oil and the flatbreads are cool enough to hold without the topping sliding.
Tip: A squeeze of lemon right before eating brightens the sumac and cuts through the olive oil.

Good to know

Tips

Preheating the baking sheets is the key to crisp bottoms. Slide the parchment onto them rather than placing the dough on cold pans.
Pat the chickpeas thoroughly dry before mixing. Excess water thins the topping and steams the dough instead of letting it crisp.
If the dough shrinks while rolling, cover it and rest it for 5 more minutes, then roll again.
For a more traditional touch, add 1 tablespoon of za'atar to the chickpea topping.

Make ahead

Make the dough up to 24 hours ahead: after kneading, place it in the oiled bowl, cover tightly, and refrigerate. Bring it to room temperature for 45 minutes, then continue with dividing. The sumac onion and chickpea topping can be prepared up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated in covered containers.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 4 hours, loosely covered. Refrigerator: up to 3 days in an airtight container. Freezer: up to 2 months, wrapped individually in foil, then in a freezer bag. Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 6 to 8 minutes (10 to 12 minutes from frozen) until warmed through and the crust crisps.

Substitutions

bread flour → all-purpose flour. Use the same weight (360 g). The flatbreads will be a bit softer and less chewy.
ground sumac → 1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest plus 1 tbsp extra lemon juice. Gives a similar tang, though the color and the earthy flavor will differ. Keep the amount of salt the same.
large red onion → thinly sliced shallots or sweet yellow onion. Shallots are milder. Yellow onion will be less colorful but works if marinated the full 15 minutes.
instant yeast → active dry yeast. Use the same amount, but dissolve it in the warm water with the sugar for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy before adding to the flour.