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Shakshouka is a delicious combination of eggs poached in a spicy tomato sauce. Although it has an unusual name, the dish is straightforward and easy to make. It is usually made in a skillet in which onions, tomatoes, and spices are cooked until they form a delicious tomato sauce.
Eggs are then added directly to the tomato sauce and poached until done. Merguez sausage can also be added to the dish. It is believed that shakshouka originated in Tunisia, but the dish is well-known and commonly eaten throughout North Africa and the Middle East as well.
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Ful medames is an ancient, pre-Ottoman and pre-Islamic national dish of Egypt, a traditional breakfast food consisting of slowly simmered fava beans seasoned with a squeeze of lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and selected spices. Some remnants of the dish were found in the 12th Dynasty Pharaonic tombs in Egypt, and any food that has been found in an ancient tomb must have been a wildly popular culinary treat.
Because it is a breakfast food that is also good for breaking the fasting, the dish is extremely popular during Ramadan. Although it's an Egyptian dish, it is also prepared throughout North Africa and the Middle East. Ful medames is a staple of the Egyptian diet, so much that the price of beans is regulated by the government in order to ensure that they are affordable to the poorest citizens.
Jachnun is a traditional Yemenite Jewish pastry or flatbread (or something in-between) of Adeni Jewish origin. The Yemenite Jewish immigrants have also popularized the dish in Israel. It's traditionally served for breakfast on Shabbat morning. The dough is made with a cobination of flour, white sugar, water, and margarine.
In the past, whole wheat flour, clarified butter (samneh), and date syrup were used instead of the ingredients for the modern Israeli version. The dough is rolled thinly, coated with margarine, then rolled. The rolls are placed in a pot lined with stale bread, which is used to soak up excess oil, then baked overnight at low temperature, usually with a few oven-baked eggs on top.
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The sweet and savory balaleet is a breakfast dish that can be found in the Arab states of the Persian Gulf. It is typically made with vermicelli, eggs, cardamom, saffron, butter, and water, but it can also include rosewater, nuts, dried fruits, and honey.
The aromatic mixture is topped with an omelet and served hot or cold, usually for breakfast. During the month of Ramadan, however, it is also served for dinner.
MOST ICONIC Balaleet
Masoub is a Yemeni dessert that is popular throughout the Arabian peninsula. In its basic form, the dish consists of mashed bananas and bread that are usually enriched with butter, cream, spices, honey, and dates. Masoub is traditionally served on large plates, and it is meant to be enjoyed as a communal meal.
It is often served as a breakfast dish, and usually comes garnished with cream, condensed milk, nuts, or honey.
Kubaneh is a popular Yemeni-Jewish bread consisting of flour, sugar, salt, and butter. It is traditionally served warm for breakfast. The bread comes in two varieties: folded (the dough is shaped into balls, combined with butter, and rolled in a spiral) and monkey bread (balls of dough are dipped in butter and placed in the pan).
Kubaneh is often topped with powdered sugar or served with tomato salsa.
Areeka is a traditional dessert that is prepared with a combination of mashed dates and crumbled bread such as khubz, while the additions usually include cream, condensed milk, honey, and spices. This filling dessert can be enjoyed for breakfast or as a light snack, and it is typically drizzled with honey and garnished with slivered almonds.
Interestingly, some variations are topped with grated cheese.
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Maqshush is a traditional Arabian dessert and breakfast dish made from wheat flour, ghee, and honey, molasses, or sugar. It's commonly enjoyed in Saudi households during breakfast and also on cold and rainy days. The dish consists of small wheat flour nuggets generously mixed with ghee and sweeteners for a sweet and rich flavor.
Maqshush symbolizes tradition and comfort, bringing families together around the breakfast table. It is considered Saudi Arabia's national dessert due to its deep cultural significance, popularity, and wide availability of ingredients. In essence, Maqshush embodies the simplicity and warmth of Saudi culture, providing a sweet and comforting start to the day.
Khabeesa is a popular Omani dish consisting of milk, semolina, and butter. The dish is additionally flavored with rose water, saffron, and cardamom. It is often topped with fried cashews. Khabeesa is traditionally served for breakfast on Eid days.
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Aseeda or asida is a moist, pasty dough consisting of wheat flour or sorghum, water, yogurt, salt and sunflower oil that is then served with a variety of accompaniments, such as honey, butter, dates or even a savory version with meat stew, depending on regional preferences.
The dish is traditionally eaten without any utensils. Using only one's fingers, aseeda is eaten from one bowl and shared communally. When preparing the dish, one must be careful and stir it continually, so it doesn't develop any lumps. One of the earliest recipes for the dish was written in the 13th century, and today aseeda is eaten either for breakfast, dinner or during the traditional festive ceremonies such as the aqiqah, celebrated by cutting the hair of a baby seven days after its birth.
TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “Top 10 Breakfasts in Arabian Peninsula” list until February 13, 2025, 1,053 ratings were recorded, of which 460 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.