A delicious soft dough topped with cheesy goodness and Za’atar with a hot cup of tea for breakfast. Does that sound dreamy? This Lebanese manakish recipe is so easy to make and I guarantee you’ll be so impressed by your own dough and manakish making skills once you try it. If you’ve been intimidated by dough before, it ends now.
The most popular one is Za’atar and cheese, but you can also get it with labneh, sausage, or ground beef. It’s bomb for breakfast with veggies and tea, and you can get it in small or large sizes. Think of it like a savoury pie, but flat like Fatayer. Speaking of Za’atar, it’s a dope spice blend with wild oregano, sesame seeds, and sumac that’s earthy and tangy. You can use it in so many ways, like this Honey Za’atar Chicken recipe that’s straight fire.
Learn how to make delicious Lebanese Manakish, a soft dough topped with cheese and Za’atar, with this easy-to-follow recipe. Here’s an article in pointers to guide you through the process:
What is Manakish / Manaeesh?
A Lebanese pizza or flatbread made with soft dough and topped with various toppings. The most common toppings are Za’atar and cheese, but you can also use labneh, sausage with cheese, or ground beef. Manakish are typically served fresh for breakfast with fresh vegetables and tea.
Let’s walk through this recipe!
- The dough is easy to make using instant yeast, and rises for 30 minutes.
- You can make the toppings by mixing Za’atar with olive oil or grating mozzarella and crumbling feta cheese.
- Roll out the dough into medium-sized flatbreads, add the toppings generously, and bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes.
- Keep them covered after baking to prevent them from drying out and serve warm.
Ingredients you’ll need:
- For the dough: flour, instant yeast, warm water, sugar, salt, and olive oil.
- For the Za’atar topping: Za’atar blend and olive oil.
- For the cheese topping: Akawi cheese (or a mixture of Feta and Mozzarella) and nigella seeds.
Step by step instructions on how to make Manakish:
- Mix the yeast with warm water and let it sit for 3-4 minutes.
- In a bowl, mix 1 cup of flour, the yeast and water mixture, and sugar. Set aside for 10 minutes.
- Add the remaining flour, olive oil, and salt, and knead for 3-4 minutes until the dough comes together.
- Let the dough rise for 30 minutes and divide into medium-sized balls.
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- Mix the Za’atar with olive oil and grate the mozzarella and crumble the feta cheese.
- Roll out the dough into medium-sized flatbreads, transfer to a floured baking sheet, and add the toppings.
- Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until the bottom is lightly golden.
- Sprinkle nigella seeds on top of the cheese topping and broil for a few minutes, watching closely to prevent burning.
- Keep them covered after baking to prevent them from drying out and serve warm.
FAQs and Expert Tips:
- You can use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast, but make sure it is still active by mixing it with warm water and seeing it rise and bubble.
- If you’re feeling lazy, you can use store-bought naan or pita bread and add the toppings for an easier version of Manakish.
- Za’atar is a blend of wild oregano, toasted sesame seeds, and sumac with a nutty, earthy, and tangy flavor.
- Akawi cheese is traditionally used for the cheese topping, but you can use a mixture of Feta and Mozzarella instead.
- Roll out the dough thinly, as it will rise slightly in the oven.
- Don’t forget to sprinkle nigella seeds on top of the cheese topping before broiling.
Storage and freezer instructions:
You can store manakish in an airtight container in the fridge, and just warm them up in the oven (or microwave) before serving again. Or you can place them in between parchment paper and place in an airtight container or a freezer bag and freeze them for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the oven and enjoy!
