Manakish

 ( Arab Cuisine ) 

Manakish (), or in singular form man'ousheh (), or other spellings, is a popular Levantine pastry, consisting of dough topped with za'atar, cheese, or ground meat. It can be sliced or folded, and it can be served either for breakfast or lunch.

Traditionally, women would bake dough in a communal oven in the morning, to provide their family with their daily bread needs, and would prepare smaller portions of dough with different toppings for breakfast at this time.

Manakish are popular across the Levant,

and can also be found in neighboring regions, and centers of Levantine emigration.

In 2023, manakish was inscribed to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists as an emblematic Lebanese cuisine in Lebanon.

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Etymology The word manaqish is the plural of the Arabic word manqūshah (from the root verb naqasha 'to sculpt, carve out' or engrave), meaning that after the dough has been rolled flat, it is pressed by the fingertips to create little dips for the topping to lie in.

Massaad, Barbara Abdeni (2019). 9781623719326 ISBN 9781623719326

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History Its origin is from Lebanon, an Arab cookbook from the 10th century mentions recipes for flatbreads, and thyme and olive oil.

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Classic toppings

• Za'atar (). The most popular form of manakish uses za'atar (ground dried thyme, oregano, marjoram or some combination thereof, mixed with toasted sesame seeds, salt, and other spices such as sumac) as a topping.
  David Bender (2025). 9780199234875, Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199234875
  The za'atar is mixed with olive oil and spread onto the dough before being baked in the oven. Za'atar manakish is a breakfast favorite in Levantine cuisine.
  (2025). 9781558322271, Harvard Common Press. . ISBN 9781558322271
  (2025). 9781864503333, Lonely Planet. . ISBN 9781864503333
  It is also served as part of a mezze, or as a snack with a glass of mint tea and feta cheese on the side.
• Cheese (). There are two main types of cheese used on manakish: akkawi () and kashkaval (). Za'atar is occasionally added to cheese manakish to enhance its flavor.
• Lahmacun ( also known as lahmacun) also called sfiha. Manakish topped with lamb are served for lunch due to their heavier contents. The mincing lamb is mixed with tiny pieces of diced tomato and vegetable oil, and the manakish is optionally served with ground pepper or pickles and yogurt.
• Chili pepper ( or فلفل حر).
• Kashk (). This is a mixture of fermented drained or dried yogurt and finely ground wheat that can be used by itself or in combination with other toppings, such as walnuts or onions, spread onto the bread.
• Spinach (), Swiss chard ().
• Eggs, sometimes the bread has a ridge to prevent spilling, sometimes combined with cheese, this is sometimes called Iqras beid or Kras beid ().

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See also

• Feteer meshaltet
• Focaccia
• Khachapuri
• Lahmacun
• Musakhan
• Matnakash, a flat bread from Armenia. While the word may be related to manakish, matnakash is plain (no topping).
• Pita
• Pizza
• Quesadilla

Categories: Arab Cuisine, Levantine Cuisine, Lebanese Cuisine, Syrian Cuisine

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