118 middle recipes

Layered oatmeal bars with a brown sugar oat crust, chopped peanuts, semisweet chocolate, and caramel ice cream topping drizzled through the middle. Chewy, crunchy, and irresistible.

Roasted eggplant caviar dip with fresh tomatoes, garlic, basil, and a splash of soy sauce. A smoky, rustic Middle Eastern-style spread for pita or crackers.

Fraykee (freekeh) with toasted pine nuts, dry-roasted bulgur simmered with cinnamon and butter. A nutty, fragrant Middle Eastern grain side dish ready in 40 minutes.

Pine nut dressing with sauteed ground beef, onions, and toasted pine nuts tossed with orzo pasta. A savory, Middle Eastern-inspired stuffing ready in 20 minutes.

Tahini dressing for falafel with sesame paste, fresh lemon juice, garlic, and water. Four ingredients, creamy and nutty, ready in 5 minutes. The classic Middle Eastern drizzle sauce.

Strawberry Jello mold layered with bananas, crushed pineapple, walnuts, and a hidden sour cream layer in the middle. A retro party dessert that sets up firm and slices clean.

Homemade tahini from scratch with just toasted sesame seeds and oil. Smooth, nutty paste for hummus, baba ganoush, salad dressings, and Middle Eastern cooking. Keeps for months in the fridge.

Syrup-soaked semolina cake made with yogurt, toasted almonds, and butter, drenched in chilled lemon syrup while still hot. A beloved Middle Eastern dessert that serves 20.

Spicy bulgur salad with fresh tomatoes, fennel, radishes, herbs, and romaine in a cumin-cinnamon-cayenne lemon dressing. A tabbouleh-style dish with warm Middle Eastern spice.

Fried batilgian is egg-dipped eggplant fried in olive and vegetable oil until crisp outside and creamy inside. Just five ingredients for a classic Middle Eastern side.

Middle Eastern rice pilaf with cashews, raisins, dried apricots, and warm spices like cardamom and turmeric. A fragrant side dish with caramelized onions and a sweet-savory balance.

Quinoa tabbouleh swaps traditional bulgur for protein-rich quinoa, tossed with cherry tomatoes, fresh parsley, mint, cilantro, pine nuts and a bright lemon-olive oil dressing. A gluten-free Middle Eastern-style salad.

Salata tahina, a creamy Middle Eastern tahini sauce with crushed garlic, lemon juice, cumin, and parsley. Serve as a mazza dip, salad dressing, or drizzle for grilled meats.

Taskebab, a Middle Eastern beef and eggplant stew baked in tomato sauce with basil and oregano. Fried beef and eggplant slow-simmered until the sauce permeates every bite.

Saffron-laced pastina salad with pine nuts, currants, fresh mint, and orange blossom water. A fragrant Middle Eastern-inspired room temperature pasta side dish with turmeric and cumin.

Crispy phyllo triangles stuffed with spiced lamb, raisins, pine nuts, and warm cinnamon-cumin-allspice. A Middle Eastern-inspired appetizer that bakes lighter than fried, perfect for parties.