Madeleine Hull
Jordanian cuisine is heavily influenced by the country's historical connections to Turkey and the former Ottoman Empire, as well as the cuisines of groups who have settled in modern Jordan, including Armenians, Circassians, Iraqis, Palestinians, and Syrians. Jordanian food is also influenced by North African, Persian, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern cuisines. The most dominant style of eating in Jordan is mezze, which consists of small plates, salads, appetizers, and community-style eating, often with bread. Jordanian meals are abundant, and eating is often ritualised and drawn out. The national dish of Jordan is mansaf, a lamb dish cooked in fermented dried yogurt and served with rice or bulgur.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Influences | Arabic, Mediterranean, North African, Persian, Turkish, and Middle Eastern |
| Typical ingredients | Rice, yogurt, lamb, olives, herbs, spices, sesame, thyme, sage, mint, sumac, cumin, pine nuts, olive oil, honey, lemon, beef, chicken, chickpeas, tahini, garlic, onion, tomato, eggplant, zucchini, eggplant, carrots, potatoes |
| Dishes | Mansaf, Makmoura, Falafel, Hummus, Tabbouleh, Baklava, Warbat, Manakish, Ka'ak, Galayet Bandora, Karawiya, Labneh, Yalanji, Malfoof, Khubeizeh, Zarb |
| Drinks | Black tea, Arabic coffee (Qahwa sada), Turkish coffee, Lime-mint juice, Qamar eddine, Sahlab, Shaneeneh, Tamar hindi |
| Eating customs | Mezze (small plates, salads, appetizers, community-style eating), large shared platters, eating with hands, eating on the floor |
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What You'll Learn
Jordanian Mezze
Jordanian cuisine is a Levantine cuisine that shares similarities with the food of Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria, with influences from Turkey and the former Ottoman Empire. It is also influenced by the cuisines of groups who have settled in modern Jordan, including Armenians, Circassians, Iraqis, Palestinians, and Syrians. Jordanian food is also shaped by its history as a crossroads of cuisines, with Arabic, Mediterranean, North African, and Persian influences.
Mezze is a style of eating small plates, salads, and appetizers, shared with the whole table and aided by dipping and scooping with bread. It is the dominant style of eating in Jordan. Mezze plates are typically served before larger main dishes.
A Jordanian mezze might include any combination of the following:
- Soups, such as galayet bandora (fried tomato soup)
- Salads, such as tabbouleh
- Dips, such as hummus, labneh, and baba ghanoush
- Breads, such as khubz (pita), ka'ak (a ring-shaped bread covered in sesame seeds), and shrak (a thin Bedouin bread cooked on a hot iron griddle)
- Olives and olive oil
- Meat, such as chicken liver with pomegranate molasses, or kibbeh
- Pickled vegetables, such as carrots, cucumbers, cabbage, radishes, and cauliflower
- Fried or stuffed vegetables, such as makdous (oil-cured eggplants stuffed with nuts, garlic, and spices)
- Rice dishes, such as mujadara (rice, lentils, and onions, topped with herbs or nuts)
- Sweets, such as baklava (filo pastry filled with nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey) or kanafeh
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Jordanian Breads
Jordanian cuisine is heavily influenced by the cuisines of Turkey, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, and the former Ottoman Empire. It also reflects the cultures of groups that have settled in modern Jordan, including Armenians, Circassians, Iraqis, Palestinians, and Syrians. Jordanian food is known for its mezze, which are small plates, salads, or appetisers shared communally and often scooped up with bread.
Bread is a staple in Jordan, and it comes in many shapes and sizes. Here are some popular Jordanian breads:
Khobiz Taza
Khobiz taza, or "fresh bread" in Arabic, is a staple carb in Jordan, served alongside almost every meal. It is typically replaced by waiters throughout the meal to ensure it stays hot and fresh.
Pita
Pita is the most common type of bread in Jordan. It is a soft, slightly leavened flatbread baked from wheat flour with a pocket in the middle, perfect for stuffing with falafel or other fillings.
Ka'ak
A popular choice in Jordan, ka'ak is a sesame-covered bread baked in the form of a large ring or a wood-fired roll. The roll can be sliced open and filled with egg, cheese, and chilli sauce.
Shrak
Shrak is a traditional Bedouin flatbread that is popular in Jordan and the surrounding region. It is made by stretching the dough to a thin sheet and cooking it on a saj, a domed griddle that resembles an inverted wok. Shrak is both a daily bread and a utensil for Bedouins, used for dunking in olive oil and za'atar or for scooping up stews and saucy dishes.
Taboon
Taboon, also known as laffa bread, is a flatbread wrap used in many Jordanian cuisines. It is traditionally baked in a tabun oven and sold as street food, stuffed with fillings like hummus, falafel, or shaved meat.
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Jordanian Desserts
Jordanian cuisine is heavily influenced by the cultures of its neighbouring countries, including Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria, as well as historical connections to Turkey and the former Ottoman Empire. It also reflects the diverse groups who have settled in modern Jordan, including Armenians, Circassians, Iraqis, Palestinians, and Syrians. Jordanian food is known for its exciting flavours and textures, with a focus on fresh, high-quality ingredients.
When it comes to Jordanian desserts, there is a plethora of sweet treats to indulge in. Here are some of the most notable Jordanian desserts:
Baklava
Baklava is a classic Jordanian dessert that is also popular in many other countries in the region. It is made of thin layers of phyllo or filo pastry, filled with chopped nuts, and sweetened with syrup or honey. Baklava is a must-try when visiting Jordan, and you can find it in restaurants, bakeries, and street food stalls throughout the country.
Knafeh or Kunafe
Knafeh, also known as Kunafe, is a popular Arabic dessert found in Jordan. It consists of melted white cheese topped with a pastry or shredded wheat and soaked in sweet syrup. Knafeh is a gorgeous milk pudding made with rice and flavoured with rosewater. It is often topped with pistachios, ground cardamom, or sweet cherries.
Mahalabiyeh
Mahalabiyeh is a light and refreshing Jordanian dessert, especially suitable for warmer days. It is made with cornflour and topped with pistachios or chopped almonds. The name translates to "sweet of cheese," and it is similar to the dessert Halawet el jibn, which is made from rolls of sweet cheese stuffed with clotted cream and topped with pistachios.
Qatayef
Qatayef is a traditional Jordanian dessert, especially popular during Ramadan due to its crescent shape. It is a pancake-type dough stuffed with nuts, fried and drizzled with sugar syrup or honey. Qatayef is commonly found throughout the Middle East, but Jordanians often add cinnamon, giving it a unique flavour.
Halva
Halva is a popular Jordanian sweet that can be found all over the country. It has a crumbly texture and is made with tahini, sugar, and various added ingredients like nuts and chocolate. Halva is a typical Middle Eastern confection made from sesame flour and milk, often mixed with pistachios.
Warbat
Warbat is a type of baklava that is especially popular during Ramadan. It is made with layers of filo pastry stuffed with cream and drizzled with sweet syrup. Warbat is typically purchased from bakeries and enjoyed with a glass of black tea or a cup of Arabic-style coffee.
In addition to these unique desserts, Jordanians also enjoy fresh fruit as a sweet ending to their meals. Jordanian cuisine showcases a delightful array of flavours, colours, and textures, reflecting the country's rich cultural influences and hospitality.
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Jordanian Dips and Sauces
Jordanian cuisine is heavily influenced by the cultures of the Mediterranean, North Africa, Persia, and the Middle East. As a result, Jordanian meals are often shared and served family-style with an array of side dishes and dips.
Dips
Labneh is a popular dip in Jordan, made by straining yogurt to create a creamy, slightly salty spread with a unique texture that falls somewhere between spreadable cheese and Greek yogurt. It is typically served with pine nuts, herbs, and olive oil, but can also be sweetened with honey.
Moutabel is a roasted eggplant dip seasoned with tahini, garlic, lemon, and olive oil. It is similar to baba ghanoush but differs in its use of yoghurt and spice blends.
Fattet Hummus is another dip that is unique to the region. It is made with white pita soaked in broth and mixed with hummus, tahini, garlic, yogurt, and lemon juice, resulting in a whipped hummus texture.
Galayet Bandora is a dip made with fried tomatoes, olive oil, hot peppers, and garlic, often topped with pine nuts.
Sauces
Jameed is a form of dried yogurt unique to Jordanian cuisine and a key ingredient in mansaf, Jordan's national dish. It is made by drying yoghurt in the sun, then shaping it into round balls that are preserved and stored for later use.
Za'atar is a blend of spices that includes sumac, thyme, and sesame seeds, often mixed with olive oil and used as a sauce or dip for bread.
Matbucha is a sauce made with vegetables and aromatics cooked in olive oil and gently mashed into a coarse puree. It can include peppers, onions, eggplant, garlic, chiles, Aleppo pepper, paprika, brown sugar, and tomatoes.
Skordalia is a creamy, whipped spread made from potatoes, garlic, lemon, and olive oil, sometimes with walnuts or almonds.
Rengosalata is a variation of skordalia made with cured carp roe or herring eggs, breadcrumbs, and potatoes.
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Jordanian Drinks
Jordanian cuisine is influenced by its historical connections to the cuisines of Turkey and the former Ottoman Empire, as well as the cuisines of groups who have settled in modern Jordan, including Armenians, Circassians, Iraqis, Palestinians, and Syrians. As a result, Jordanian food and drinks are incredibly diverse.
Tea and Coffee
Black tea is a popular drink in Jordan, typically flavoured with na'na (mint) or meramiyyeh (sage) and sweetened with copious amounts of sugar. Arabic coffee, or qahwa sada, is also a popular drink, consisting of ground fire-roasted beans and cardamom served in small, espresso-sized servings. Turkish-style coffee is also enjoyed in Jordan and is significantly stronger than Arabic coffee.
Juices
Jordanians enjoy a variety of juices, including lime-mint juice, made from lemon and mint, and Qamar Eddine, an apricot juice typically served during Ramadan. Tamar hindi, a sweet-and-sour drink made with tamarind juice, is also popular during Ramadan.
Milk-based Drinks
Sahlab is a Jordanian drink made by boiling milk with starch from Orchis tubers, then covering it with smashed coconut and cinnamon. Shaneeneh is another milk-based drink, made from salty-sour aged goat milk yoghurt and served cold.
Alcohol
Alcohol does not feature prominently in Jordanian culture, but the country has a history of grape harvesting and wine-making. Jordanian wines, such as a Pinot Noir from St. George winery, are known for their drinkability.
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Frequently asked questions
Mansaf is Jordan's national dish and is served at every significant gathering, be it a wedding or a funeral. It is a lamb dish cooked in fermented dried yogurt and served with rice or bulgur.
Jordanian drinks include black tea, Arabic-style coffee, and tamar hindi, a sweet-and-sour drink made with tamarind juice and often served during Ramadan.
Jordanian cuisine is influenced by the cultures of groups who have settled in modern Jordan, including Armenians, Circassians, Iraqis, Palestinians, and Syrians. Some unique Jordanian dishes include makmoura, a dish of layered dough with lamb or chicken, onions, and spices; galayet bandora, a fried tomato soup; and yalanji, vine leaves stuffed with rice and vegetables.
