Lebanese Feast Recipes & Menu Ideas for a Midday Table

A Lebanese lunch is best built as a spread of shared dishes: a mezze platter with dips, salads and a grilled main, plus warm bread. For everyday midday meals, choose two or three components that can be prepped ahead, and balance creamy dips with fresh herbs, acid and smoky flavours.

How do you plan a Lebanese lunch menu?

Start with one substantial dish, such as a grilled main or a hearty salad, then add one or two dips and a crunchy salad or pickles. Serve everything with pita or Lebanese flatbread. A classic combination is hummus, tabbouleh and shish taouk (grilled chicken skewers), but you can mix and match according to what you have.

Choose a base from the mezze platter

A mezze platter is a selection of small dishes served together. For lunch, pick:

• Dips: hummus, baba ghanoush, labneh, muhammara.
• Salads: tabbouleh, fattoush, cucumber and yogurt salad.
• Grilled mains: kofta, shish taouk, lamb chops, or grilled halloumi.
• Extras: olives, pickled turnips, fresh mint, radishes, warm pita.

Balance flavours and textures

Aim for a mix of creamy (hummus, labneh), tangy (fattoush, pickles), fresh (tabbouleh, herbs), smoky (baba ghanoush, grilled meat) and crunchy (pita chips, cucumber, radish). This keeps the meal interesting and satisfying.

Essential Lebanese dips for lunch

Dips are the heart of a Lebanese lunch. They can be made in larger batches and kept in the fridge for several days, making them perfect for quick midday meals.

Hummus

Blend cooked chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic and salt with enough ice-cold water to reach a silky texture. Top with olive oil, paprika and chopped parsley. For a lunchbox, pack hummus in a small container and pair with vegetable sticks or pita wedges.

Baba ghanoush

Char whole eggplants over an open flame or under a broiler until soft and smoky. Scoop out the flesh, mash with tahini, lemon juice, garlic and salt. This dip has a deeper, smokier flavour than hummus and pairs well with grilled meats.

Labneh

Thick strained yogurt, seasoned with salt and drizzled with olive oil. Spread it in a sandwich or serve as a dip with za'atar and pita. Labneh can be made by straining plain yogurt overnight in a cheesecloth.

Salads that make a Lebanese lunch

Lebanese salads are bright, herb-heavy and refreshing. They balance rich dips and grilled dishes.

Tabbouleh

A parsley-based salad with fine bulgur, tomato, spring onion, mint, lemon juice and olive oil. Use mostly parsley and only a little bulgur. It keeps well for a day, but add the dressing just before serving to keep it fresh.

Fattoush

A chopped salad with lettuce, cucumber, tomato, radish, mint and toasted or fried pita pieces. The dressing is a sharp mix of lemon juice, olive oil and sumac. Fattoush is best assembled right before eating so the pita stays crunchy.

Cucumber yogurt salad

Diced cucumber and mint mixed with yogurt, garlic and a pinch of salt. It works as a cooling side for spiced grilled mains. This salad is also a good packed lunch component if kept cold.

Grilled mains for a Lebanese lunch

Grilled dishes are often the main event in a Lebanese lunch, but they can also be prepared ahead and served at room temperature.

Shish taouk

Chicken cubes marinated in yogurt, lemon juice, garlic and paprika, then grilled on skewers. Serve with garlic sauce (toum) and pickles. For a lunchbox, thread the cooked chicken onto short skewers or slice it off the skewer and wrap in pita with salad.

Kofta

Minced lamb or beef mixed with onion, parsley and spices like allspice and cinnamon, shaped around skewers and grilled. Kofta can be made as patties for easier packing. Pair with hummus and tabbouleh.

Grilled halloumi

Halloumi cheese slices grilled until golden and slightly soft. Serve with a squeeze of lemon and fresh mint. It is a good vegetarian main and can be eaten warm or at room temperature.

How to pack a Lebanese lunchbox

Lebanese food is well suited to packed lunches because many components taste good cold or at room temperature. Use separate containers to keep textures distinct.

Quick Lebanese sandwich ideas

If you do not have time for a full mezze platter, turn the same elements into a sandwich.

• Falafel wrap: Warm pita filled with falafel, hummus, chopped tomatoes, cucumber, pickled turnips and tahini sauce.
• Shish taouk wrap: Sliced chicken, toum, pickles and lettuce in pita.
• Kofta sandwich: Grilled kofta, hummus, tomato and parsley.
• Halloumi and vegetable wrap: Grilled halloumi, roasted red pepper, arugula and a smear of labneh.

Make-ahead Lebanese lunch components

Prep these on the weekend to assemble quick lunches during the week:

1. Make a batch of hummus and baba ghanoush; store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
2. Cook a pot of chickpeas or lentils for salads and bowls.
3. Marinate and grill chicken or kofta; keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
4. Wash and chop salad vegetables; store in airtight containers lined with paper towels.
5. Portion out olives, pickles and pita bread.

With these components on hand, you can create a different Lebanese lunch each day, from a full mezze platter to a quick wrap.