I was glad to be cooking food from Syria, not just because I like Middle Eastern food, but also because it’s the last ‘S’ country! I had a general idea of what to expect, and discovered some dishes I’d never even heard of before.
Syria is located in western Asia, along the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. It shares borders with Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, Israel, and Lebanon. Because of its location, it has been an important center of trade and culture for thousands of years.
The area is home to some of the world’s oldest settlements and has been ruled by numerous civilizations, including the Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines. Damascus was founded in the third millennium BC and is considered one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It later became the capital of the Umayyad Caliphate, during which it developed into one of the most important cities in the Islamic world.
Syria became part of the Ottoman Empire in the early 16th century, and remained under Ottoman control until World War I. It was subsequently governed by France under a League of Nations mandate before gaining full independence in 1946. The Ba’ath Party took power in 1963, and the Assad family ruled the country for more than five decades, beginning with Hafez al-Assad in 1970.
Protests against Bashar al-Assad’s government began in 2011 and developed into a devastating civil war that displaced millions of people. In December 2024, opposition forces captured Damascus and Assad fled the country, bringing his family’s rule to an end. Syria is now undergoing a political transition under President Ahmed al-Sharaa, while continuing to face the enormous task of rebuilding after years of conflict.
What Do People Eat in Syria?
Syria shares many dishes with neighboring countries, such as Lebanon, Jordan, and Turkey. Its long history has also brought influences from Persian, Ottoman, and Mediterranean cooking. Common ingredients include bulgur, rice, chickpeas, lentils, lamb, chicken, yogurt, cheese, eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, and fresh herbs.
Olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, tahini, and pomegranate molasses are frequently used to add richness or acidity. Nuts and dried fruit also appear in both sweet and savory dishes, while spices such as cumin, cinnamon, allspice, and sumac provide warmth without necessarily making the food hot. Rich foods are often accompanied by fresh salads, yogurt, pickles, and brightly flavored sauces.
A meal may begin with mezze, a selection of small dishes intended for sharing. This can include dips, salads, cheeses, stuffed vegetables, pastries, and kibbeh. Flatbread is an important part of the meal and is often used to scoop food from communal plates (it can also be incorporated into other dishes). Lunch is generally the main hot meal of the day, while breakfast and dinner may feature simpler foods such as labneh, cheese, olives, hummus, eggs, and bread.
Hospitality is important to Syrian food culture, and meals shared with relatives or guests may last for several hours. Coffee or tea is commonly served afterward, often with fruit, nuts, or sweets made with ingredients such as pistachios, dates, sesame seeds, and fragrant syrups.
What I Made
- Sfeeha (Flatbread with Spiced Meat Topping)
- Horaa Osbao (Pasta with Lentils & Caramelized Onion)
- Muhummara (Roasted Red Pepper Dip)
- Baked Kibbeh (Bulgur Shell with Lamb Filling)
- Fatteh (Crispy Pita with Chickpeas and Yogurt Sauce)
Scroll down to read about other popular Syrian dishes I didn’t make!
Sfeeha (Flatbread with Spiced Meat Topping)
These flatbreads, or open-faced ‘pies’ as they are referred to in the recipe, are topped with a spiced meat mixture, sweetened with pomegranate molasses. Similar flatbreads are popular in other Middle Eastern countries, with a range of different shapes and toppings.
I started by making the dough. I combined warm water, sugar, and yeast and let it sit until the yeast was foamy. Then, I added the mixture to flour, sugar, salt, and vegetable oil, and kneaded until the dough was smooth. I left the dough to rise for around an hour.
Meanwhile, I mixed together the filling ingredients: ground beef, coriander, baharat, salt, pepper, paprika, pomegranate molasses, pureed onion, pine nuts, and diced red peppers and tomatoes. Baharat is a Middle Eastern spice blend, which typically includes black pepper, cumin, coriander, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, paprika, and cinnamon, though the ingredients can vary. I set the meat mixture in a strainer while I moved on to shaping the dough.
I divided the dough into small pieces and let them rest for another 15 minutes or so. Then, I rolled out each one to make flatbreads and topped them with the meat mixture. I baked them in the oven for nearly 10 minutes, I think, longer than the 5 minutes in the recipe.
I thought these were really good, though I would decrease the pomegranate molasses if I made them again.
The recipe I used is from Falafel Diva on YouTube.
Horaa Osbao (Pasta with Lentils & Caramelized Onion)
This pasta dish is flavored with caramelized onions, pomegranate molasses, and sumac, and served with crispy pita chips.
I began by cooking brown lentils just until they were al dente. Meanwhile, I cut a few whole wheat pitas into squares, tossed them with olive oil and salt, and baked them until crispy. I also caramelized the onions in olive oil.
I added sumac, dried mint, salt, and pasta (I used shells) to the pot with the lentils, and simmered until the pasta was done. Then, I stirred in half the caramelized onions.
In the pan I’d used for the onions, I briefly cooked minced garlic and cilantro in the remaining oil. Then, I added half the mixture to the pasta.
Finally, I added lemon juice and pomegranate molasses and stirred to combine everything.
I served the pasta topped with the reserved onions, garlic, and cilantro, alongside the pita chips.
This was a lot of work for a pasta dish, but it was really good, so it was worth it!
This recipe is from Zen & Za’atar.
Muhummara (Roasted Red Pepper Dip)
Muhummara is enjoyed in many Middle Eastern countries, but it is said to originate in the city of Aleppo, in Syria. It’s a dip or spread made from roasted red peppers, walnuts, pomegranate molasses, and breadcrumbs.
I started by roasting the peppers. I brushed red bell peppers with olive oil, then put them on a baking sheet and baked them for about half an hour, turning a couple of times, until the skin was blistered and starting to blacken. I put the peppers in a bowl and covered them. After they’d sat there for a bit, I rubbed off the skin and sliced the peppers into strips, discarding the seeds.
I added the roasted red pepper strips to my food processor, along with walnuts (which I’d briefly toasted), olive oil, tomato paste, breadcrumbs, pomegranate molasses, Aleppo pepper, sugar, sumac, salt, and cayenne pepper. I blended until I had a smooth past.
I served the muhummara with pita bread; I also found later in the week that it went well with my kibbeh (next dish) too!
I thought this was really good, and not too much effort either.
The recipe I used is from The Mediterranean Dish.
Baked Kibbeh (Bulgur Shell with Lamb Filling)
Kibbeh is Syria’s national dish, but it’s popular in other countries too. It’s made from ground meat and bulgur, and can be baked, fried, grilled, or cooked in yogurt. I used a recipe for fried kibbeh, but ended up baking it instead since I could just tell the mixture was too wet and frying wouldn’t work. See my Lebanon post for fried kibbeh where I ran into the same problem and fried anyway!
I began by soaking fine bulgur in cold water. Meanwhile, I minced some onion in my food processor.
I drained the bulgur and combined it with the minced onion, as well as ground lamb and baharat seasoning. I rolled this mixture into balls, then put them on a baking sheet and refrigerated them for the moment.
Next, I toasted some pine nuts and set them aside. Then, I browned more ground lamb for the filling. I added the toasted pine nuts, as well as parsley, salt, and baharat seasoning.
I let the filling cool a bit, then removed the lamb/bulgur dough from the fridge. I pushed each ball flat and added some of the cooked lamb mixture, then wrapped the dough around it and made kind of a football shape. This was the point when I realized frying these kibbeh would probably not be a good idea, due to how wet the dough was.
Once the kibbeh were all formed, I baked them in the oven until they seemed cooked through—about 20 minutes at 400°F.
I thought these were pretty good. I served them with plain Greek yogurt and cucumber.
The recipe I used is from National Dish.
Fatteh (Crispy Pita with Chickpeas and Yogurt Sauce)
This dish has toasted pita on the bottom, followed by chickpeas, then a chickpea-yogurt sauce, followed by more toasted pita and a hot ghee and pine nut mixture. I thought it seemed intriguing.
First, I simmered my chickpeas (which I’d cooked earlier) in water with garlic, cumin, a bay leaf, and salt.
Meanwhile, I cut up some pita, tossed it with olive oil, cumin, and salt, and baked it until crisp. I put about two-thirds of the pita in the bottom of my serving dish, and set the rest aside.
I took about a third of the cooked chickpeas and put them in my food processor, along with some of the water they’d been simmering in. Then, I added Greek yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. I also added the garlic cloves that had been cooking with the chickpeas, since I figure more garlic is almost always good. I blended up the mixture in the food processor until I had a smooth sauce.
I drained the remaining chickpeas and spread them evenly over the pita in my serving dish. Then, I poured over the yogurt sauce and topped with the rest of the crispy pita.
I heated the pine nuts and ghee briefly, then poured the mixture over everything and garnished with parsley and paprika.
This was way better than I thought it would be. It was amazing when it was still a little warm, but it reheated pretty well too (though the pita wasn’t so crisp then).
This recipe is from Taste of Sham.
Other Popular Syrian Dishes
- Kebab halabi – seasoned ground lamb or beef, formed on skewers and grilled. Usually served with rice, flatbread, grilled vegetables, tomato sauce, and yogurt.
- Kawaj – a baked vegetable dish, like a Middle Eastern version of ratatouille. Usually includes potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, onions, and bell peppers, and may include lamb or beef. It’s seasoned with Baharat or other Middle Eastern spices.
Final Thoughts
This was another very good week! I liked all the Syrian dishes I tried, but I’d go with the fatteh as my favorite.
Next time, I will be cooking food from Taiwan.