Manakish (singular man'ousheh) is Lebanon's beloved answer to pizza — supple rounds of yeasted dough slicked with a paste of zaatar and olive oil, then baked in a blazing oven until the edges crisp and the herb topping turns intensely fragrant. The name comes from the Arabic verb 'to engrave,' referring to the fingertip dimples pressed into the dough that trap pools of herby oil. At Lebanese bakeries, manakish emerge all morning long, eaten on the spot folded around fresh tomato, cucumber, and mint, or carried home for family breakfast. The dough is forgiving and the topping takes seconds, making this one of the most rewarding breads a home baker can master.
Serves 6
Combine the flour, warm water, yeast, salt, and 3 tbsp olive oil in a large bowl and mix into a shaggy mass. Knead on a lightly floured surface for about 8 minutes until smooth, supple, and slightly tacky. Cover and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour, until doubled.
The water should feel comfortably warm to your wrist, around 38°C — hotter water can kill the yeast and leave you with dense flatbreads.
Punch the risen dough down gently and divide it into 6 equal pieces. Shape each into a tight ball by cupping it under your palm and rolling, then cover with a towel and let rest 10 minutes so the gluten relaxes and rolling becomes effortless.
Roll each ball into a thin oval or round, about 5mm thick, directly on parchment paper so transferring is easy. Press your fingertips firmly all over the surface to create shallow dimples — these wells catch the zaatar oil and prevent the dough from ballooning in the oven.
Stir the zaatar with 2 tbsp olive oil until it forms a loose, spreadable paste — add more oil if it looks dry and crumbly. Spoon it generously over each flatbread and spread to within 1cm of the edges, leaving a thin bare rim that will puff and brown.
The paste should glisten; dry zaatar scorches and turns bitter in the oven, while well-oiled zaatar toasts gently and stays aromatic.
Bake at 220°C on a preheated baking sheet or pizza stone for 12–15 minutes, until the rims are golden, the bottoms are crisp and spotted, and the zaatar is bubbling slightly. Bake in batches rather than crowding the oven, which traps steam and softens the crust.
A preheated stone or upside-down baking sheet mimics the stone floor of a Lebanese bakery oven, giving the base its signature crisp snap.
Serve the manakish hot from the oven, folded in half around slices of fresh tomato and cucumber the way street vendors do. Fresh mint leaves, olives, or a smear of labneh tucked inside all make excellent additions.
Buy zaatar from a Middle Eastern market or a fresh, high-turnover spice shop — fragrance fades fast, so store it sealed in a cool, dark place.
Don't skimp on the topping oil; the zaatar must be a glistening paste or it will burn and taste dusty.
A 30-minute cold ferment overnight in the fridge after the first rise gives the dough noticeably better flavor and chew.
Eat manakish within minutes of baking — like all flatbreads, they're at their absolute peak warm and crisp.
If your oven runs cool, finish the breads 1–2 minutes under the broiler to blister the topping properly.
Top with shredded akkawi or mozzarella cheese (man'ousheh jibneh), the second-most popular bakery flavor in Lebanon.
Spread half with zaatar and half with cheese for the beloved 'cocktail' combination.
Bake plain, then spread with labneh and sprinkle with mint, cucumber, and olive oil for a fresh, cooling version.
Mix finely sliced green onion or a pinch of Aleppo pepper into the zaatar paste for extra bite.
Manakish are best eaten fresh and warm. Leftovers keep wrapped at room temperature for 1 day or frozen for a month; reheat in a 180°C oven for 5 minutes to revive the crisp base.
Manakish trace back centuries in the Levant, when village households would prepare dough at home and carry it to communal ovens for the morning bake, topping rounds with the family's own zaatar blend. The bread became the defining breakfast of Lebanon, sold from dawn at every neighborhood furn (bakery). Today it's an emblem of Lebanese identity at home and across the diaspora, from Beirut street corners to bakeries worldwide.
Zaatar refers both to a wild thyme-like herb native to the Levant and to the spice blend made from it — dried herb mixed with tangy ground sumac, toasted sesame seeds, and salt. Blends vary by family and region; Lebanese versions tend to be heavy on sumac's lemony sourness. Buy it at Middle Eastern markets, or make your own with dried thyme, oregano, sumac, and sesame.
Yes — manakish dough improves with time. After kneading, refrigerate it in an oiled, covered bowl for up to 48 hours; the slow, cold fermentation develops a deeper, slightly tangy flavor and better texture. Take the dough out about an hour before shaping so it loses its chill, then divide, roll, top, and bake as normal.
Over-baking or rolling too thin are the usual causes. The breads need just 12–15 minutes — pull them when the rims are golden, not deep brown, since they firm up further as they cool. Also check that your dough was soft and slightly tacky after kneading; a stiff, over-floured dough bakes into cracker territory rather than tender flatbread.
Absolutely — a heavy skillet or saj-style griddle works well. Cook the topped flatbread in a covered, preheated dry pan over medium heat for 4–6 minutes until the base is crisp and spotted and the surface is set. The lid traps heat to cook the zaatar topping. This stovetop method is closer to how saj manakish are made in Lebanese mountain villages.
Per serving (200g / 7.1 oz) · 6 servings total
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