Traditional Arab Vegan Dishes

Arab cuisine is thought to only feature meat dishes. However, the Middle East has a variety of dishes that are naturally vegan, and they date back to a time before the rise of veganism.

What is Veganism?

Veganism is a lifestyle that involves avoiding the use of animal-based products, which became particularly popular in the 2010s. A vegan diet is plant-based, which includes vegetables, fruits, grains, and nuts. However, the diet excludes foods that utilize animal-based products such as meat, dairy, and eggs.

Eating vegan food has various health benefits. The vegan diet reduces the chances of developing heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. This diet also improves digestion and helps maintain a healthy weight. Other than health benefits, switching to a vegan diet is environmentally friendly as it can help reduce climate change impacts from animal agriculture.

Although, people have created various recipes that are more vegan-friendly, here are some traditional Arabic dishes that are vegan by nature:

Traditional Arab Vegan Dishes

Hummus

Although its origins are heavily debated about, hummus is claimed to have originated in Egypt. It is a side dish made by blending chickpeas, tahini, and garlic until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy. Hummus is served with a topping of olive oil.

Falafel

Another dish of Egyptian origin, falafels are fried balls or patties of chickpeas served in sandwiches. Other than chickpeas, the recipe uses cumin, coriander powder, parsley, cilantro for flavour, and baking soda to give the patties are fluffy texture.

Fattoush

Fattoush was created in Northern Lebanon by farmers who fried leftover pita bread and tossed it with vegetables. The recipe still uses pita bread that is either baked or fried and it uses a combination of different vegetables that typically include lettuce, tomato, radish, cucumber, and parsley. For the dressing, use olive oil, sumac, fresh lemon juice, and salt and pepper.

Tabbouleh

Tabbouleh is a salad that has come from the mountain of Lebanon and Syria and dates back to the Middle Ages. Tabbouleh is made of chopped parsley, onion, tomato, bulgar, and mint. The salad is dressed with lemon and olive oil.

Ful Mudammas

Ful Mudammas or just ful is a dish of Egyptian origin. It is a stew of fava beans mixed with olive oil and cumin. Other popularly used ingredients for this stew include chopped parsley, chopped onion, and fresh lemon juice.

Mujadara

Mujadara is a dish of lentils and rice that dates back to Mesopotamia, which is modern-day Iraq. The recipe includes brown lentils, rice, onions, salt, and olive oil. The onions are caramelized and used as a topping for cooked lentils and rice.

Koshary

Koshary came to Egypt through British colonizers in the early 1900s and was originally a dish of lentils and rice brought by the Indians that accompanied the British colonizers. The recipe was modified by the Italian minority living in Egypt during that time because they added pasta to the dish. Therefore, the dish is now made of rice, lentils, and pasta, but some recipes also make use of chickpeas and tomato sauce.

Harira Soup

Harira soup originated in North Africa, but its specific roots are unknown. The soup is mostly consumed in Morocco and Algeria. The soup is made of tomato, lentils, and chickpeas and it is seasoned with ginger, cinnamon, and pepper.

Zalouk

Zalouk is a Moroccan dish that is made of roasted eggplant and tomatoes. The dish is seasoned with cumin, paprika, cilantro, lemon, and olive oil. Zalouk is usually served as a side dish to a main course.

Baba Ganoush

Baba Ganoush is a Lebanese dish that is also made of roasted eggplant. Other ingredients that are added to the dish are fresh lemon juice, olive oil, and spices like cumin and paprika.

Vegans from the Middle East do not have to look elsewhere for vegan-friendly recipes when traditional Arab cuisine provides a great variety of vegan dishes.