Vegan Manakeesh made three ways. Arabic flatbread baked with different toppings. Classic Za’atar Manakeesh, Cheesy Parsley Fatayer, and Meatless Lahm b Ajeen (aka Sfeeha). A classic spread for breakfast or brunch on the weekend.
About The Recipe
- Dough made with 5 ingredients
- Great for breakfast or lunch
- Variety of toppings
What Is Manakeesh?
Manakeesh is a popular Arabic flatbread that’s baked with different toppings. Can be served open-faced (like the classic Za’atar), folded into triangles (like the cheesy parsley), and many others. Often enjoyed for breakfast or lunch, with a hot cup of tea and mint. The dough is naturally-vegan and made with only 5 ingredients. Creating a soft and pillowy feel to every bite.
Types Of Fillings
- Sfeeha (or Lahm b Ajeen): A hearty meaty mixture with a tangy kick.
- Classic Za’atar: A paste of za’atar mixed with extra virgin olive oil.
- Cheesy Parsley: Made of the two ingredients for a rich and herby melt.
Ingredients You Need
- Manakeesh Dough: Flour, olive oil, water, instant yeast, salt, and sugar. Find the full tutorial here.
- Classic Za’atar: Earthy za’atar mixed with extra virgin olive oil.
- Cheesy Parsley: Simple but delicious. Dairy-free mozzarella and fresh parsley.
- Lahm b Ajeen (Sfeeha): Using mushrooms and TVP to replace meat. Cooked with hearty tangy spice mix and mixed with parsley.
How To Shape Manakeesh
After making the Manakeesh dough, cut into 18 equal size balls of 25g each (make sure to weigh it using kitchen scale for best results). To make the classic Za’atar Manakeesh, roll a ball into a thin circle. For the triangular cheesy parsley Fatayer, shape it into an a thin oval. The Sfeeha can be shapes either in circles or ovals (up to personal preference). The important thing is that the dough must be rolled thinly before stuffing. Be sure to check the recipe card at the end for the instructions on adding each of the three fillings.
Related Recipes
Vegan Manakeesh Recipe
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Vegan Manakeesh 3 Ways
Course: Breakfast, BrunchCuisine: Arabic, Middle EasternDifficulty: Easy18
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minutesVegan Manakeesh made three ways. Arabic flatbread baked with different toppings. Classic Za’atar Manakeesh, Cheesy Parsley Fatayer, and Meatless Lahm b Ajeen (aka Sfeeha). A classic spread for breakfast or brunch on the weekend.
Ingredients
- For The Dough
2 cups (250g) all purpose flour, sifted
1 1/2 tsp instant yeast
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/4 cup (50ml) vegetable oil
1/2 cup (115ml) water, lukewarm
- For The Vegan Meat Mixture
1/2 cup dry TVP, rehydrated per package instructions
1/2 cup beefless broth (or vegetable broth with extra spices)
4 (115g) button mushrooms
40g (1/2 bunch) curly parsley, rinsed and dried
3 tbsp tomato paste
3 tsp pomegranate molasses
1/2 tsp seven spices
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt & black pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper, optional
Pinch of Mediterranean spice blend – if available
- For The Za’atar Olive Oil
1/4 cup za’atar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- For The Cheesy Parsley
50g vegan mozzarella cheese
20g (1/4 bunch) parsley, rinsed and dried
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350F (or 175C). Or use an air fryer with a bake option, reducing the time slightly.
- Making The Dough
- Add the sifted flour to a large bowl. Mix in the instant yeast. Add the salt and sugar and whisk again, making a well in the centre.
- Add the oil to the centre. Cover the flour on top and rub by hand to coat it all in oil. Go in with the water and knead to combine until smooth. It may look too wet at first and sticking to the fingers – that’s normal. Continue mixing and kneading to bring it together into a ball.
- Gently push down with your fist to flatten down into the bowl. Cover with food wrap and kitchen towel. Rest in a warm place (inside the pantry cupboard), allowing it to rise for an hour to double in size.
- Once the dough is ready, punch down and roll into a giant ball. Cut into 4 quarters, then continue cutting into 18 equal parts. Use a kitchen scale to weigh each for best results. Should be about 25g each. Form each into a ball, pinching the bottom and rolling to smoothen out. Place separated on a flat plate/tray, and cover in food wrap to rest for 15 minutes.
- COMPLETE THIS STEP ONCE THE FILLINGS ARE READY: Take one dough ball – keeping the rest covered. Place on a clean countertop, lightly dusted with flour. Gently push with your fingers to flatten down. Roll out into a thin circle or oval using a rolling pin. Place on a sheet pan (if baking in oven), or on a parchment paper (to be transferred to air fryer), then add the fillings.
- Making The Vegan Meat Mixture – Makes 7 Pies
- Rehydrate the dry TVP with boiling beefless broth (or vegetable broth and extra spices). Simply stir and let sit for 10 minutes to absorb.
- Gently rinse off the mushrooms and pat dry. Cut into slices and sauté with a little oil (or broth) for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid burning. Press down with a spatula near the end to remove excess liquids.
- Add the parsley into a food processor (stems included). Blend until finely chopped. Add the TVP and mushrooms and blend again into crumbles. Go in with the remaining ingredients for a final blend – scraping down the sides as needed. It should be a thick paste-like mixture that sticks together.
- Empty a heaping tablespoon of the filling on top of an oval-shaped dough. Gently press with the back of a spoon to spread around the edges.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges have a slightly golden crisp.
- Making The Za’atar Olive Oil – Makes 7 Pies
- Mix the za’atar with olive oil in a bowl until it’s almost paste-like.
- Spread a tablespoon’s worth on top of a circle dough, leaving a little space around the edges.
- Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until dough is cooked through and it’s light and soft.
- Making The Vegan Cheesy Parsley – Makes 4 Pies
- Add the parsley (stems included) to a food processor. Blend on high until finely chopped.
- Add the dairy-free mozzarella shreds. Blend again to chop down into bits and combine with parsley.
- Empty into a bowl. Add a heaping tablespoon on top of an oval-shaped dough. Gently press down with the back of a spoon, leaving space around the edges.
- Fold each end by pinching the sides together, shaping into a triangular boat.
- Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until cheese is melted and dough is baked.
Notes
- (1) Make sure to weigh the ingredients – especially for the dough – for best results.
- (2) The beefless broth adds a nice ‘meaty’ flavour to the TVP. If not available, simply replace with vegetable broth and add extra spices to the vegan meat mixture.
- (3) You may have leftover ‘meat’ filling once you’ve used up all the dough. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge to use later.
- (4) Baking times can be different for each of the 3 types of Manakeesh. The ‘meat’ one usually takes a couple extra minutes. While the cheesy filling may need less time to keep it nice and soft.
- (5) Oven vs. Air fryer: I use an air fryer with a baking option. Using the same temperature as a preheated oven, but baking at less time (because of the smaller basket size). Adjust accordingly.
- (6) The thinner you roll the dough, the crispier the edges get. Gently roll it out into a slightly thicker layer to keep it light, soft, and airy.
In This Post:
[…] soft and fluffy dough can be used for making many recipes. Including Manakeesh, Fatayer Sabanekh, Pizza, and […]
I’d love a little more info and baking instructions. How do you bake them? Do you heat up a stone or baking sheet in the oven? Do you use a room temp stone or baking sheet, put the bread on, and then bake like that?
Do you roll them out on the counter, and then add the filling while still on the counter? If so, how do you transfer to the oven without the filling going everywhere? If you use a preheated stone, do you roll out then dough, put it on the stone, and then quickly put the filling on top?
I love baking but I’m not familiar with this particular bread. Would love some more info. Thanks so much!
Hi Tony! Thank you for your comment. I just updated the instructions (Step 6 under Making The Dough). Essentially, the oven should be preheated while the baking sheet should be at room temperature. After rolling each dough ball on a clean countertop, transfer to the baking sheet, then add the fillings and take to the oven. Hope this helps – let me know if you have any other questions. Can’t wait to hear how the Manakeesh turns out for you! 🙂