5 Lesser-Known Saudi Dishes That You Need To Have On Your Iftar Spread

Avatar

If you’re looking to expand your culinary horizons and delve deeper into the wonder that is Saudi cuisine, then you should continue reading, as boy do we have some food inspo for you.

1. Hininy

You’ll either love this or hate it—there’s no middle ground with this one. Normally prepared in winter (yup, season foods are a big thing in Saudi Arabia), the Najdi dish is made from dates, brown bread, ghee, cardamom, and saffron.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by rouaq | رواق (@rouaaq_)

2. Saleeg

This white-rice dish, cooked with broth and milk, is hugely popular in the mountainous city of Taif. This is comfort food like no other, providing warmth on the cold winter nights of Taif, where cold nights are common. It’s normally eaten with grilled chicken. This is a combo that’ll just make you go mmm.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Ebtisam Alhunaidi (@bombo_sa)

3.Matazeez

This Saudi Arabian delight is worth the dough! This flat dumpling dish soaks up all the delicious flavours of its rich meat and veggie stew, while a blend of exotic spices adds an extra kick of flavour. Sometimes, even truffles are thrown into the mix. This is perfectly suited for foodies who like to mix it up.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Food Lover (@saudimasterchef)

4. Jalamah

Saudi cuisine in the kindgom’s mountainous south is a whole different ballgame; there’s just so much variety here. A dish that’s hugely important here is jalamah. When Eid ul Adha comes, expect to taste this ostentatious dish that is cooked to perfection with a blend of Arabian spices that are sure to spice up your life! The dish comes with rice or flatbread on the side, ready to soak up all the flavorful goodness.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by food_@_holic (@g00dy_f00dy)

5. Maqshush

Up until a few weeks ago, no one had heard of Maqshush—okay, not no one but a lot of people. But lo and behold, it was recently named the national dessert of the country. Maqshush is made from wheat flour, ghee, and honey or sugar and is typically served for breakfast. Pretty simple, right? Wait until you taste it.

Shopping
See more
More like this

Support Lovin

Loyal Lovin readers can support Lovin so we can continue to share the stories of all amazing cities

Minimum custom amount to enter is AED 2

By donating, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service