I'm sharing my family's amazing recipe for Lebanese greens known as hindbeh bi zeit. It's made with either dandelion greens, curly endive or chicory greens tossed in a lemon and garlic dressing, then topped with sweet, crunchy caramelized onions.

boiled chopped hindbeh topped with caramelised onions — A truly magnificent way to enjoy wild greens

Unbeknownst to me as a kid, my Lebanese family frequently savored naturally vegan dishes, and this is one of them.

Growing up, I didn't particularly enjoy eating wild greens, but I always loved the caramelized onions. As an adult, I can wholeheartedly say, I love this dish!

What is Hindbeh in English?

So, what exactly is Hindbeh in English? The Arabic word 'Hindbeh' refers to various leafy greens including endive, dandelion, chicory, and similar wild greens.

Traditionally, hindbeh is foraged in the mountains of Lebanon, where wild greens grow as far as the eye can see. Similar to how Lebanese folk love to forage and enjoy purslane in pastry.

It is also known as hendbe, hindbi, or hindbe.

two bunches of curly endive — Curly endive

What is Hindbeh bi Zeit?

So then, what about Hindbeh bi Zeit?

It's a popular side dish of leafy greens, also known as Lebanese dandelion salad or Lebanese greens, and it's prepared all over Lebanon.

Other parts of the Middle East and Mediterranean have their own versions too.

"Bi zeit" translates from Arabic to English as “in oil” hence this is “greens in oil”.

Lebanese cuisine has many bi zeit recipes including lubya bi zeit, which is made from green beans or foul akhdar bi zeit which is made of broad beans.

About The Ingredients

chicory, lemon, onion, garlic cloves, salt and oil on a white bench

The complete list of ingredients with measurements, can be found in the full recipe card below.

Let me start by saying that although I refer to them as "wild greens," they can be purchased from your local grocer.

The key ingredients for this dish are chicory, or curly endive, or dandelion greens. Wash them well before chopping them into pieces.

The color of the cooked greens will depend on which leafy green you use - see the pics for the different colors.

Some raw wild greens are naturally bitter, but boiling them will remove the bitterness.

Once the greens are cooked, they are dressed in a simple, yet amazing dressing of extra virgin olive oil, fresh garlic, fresh lemon juice, and salt. The ingredients of the dressing can be adjusted to suit your taste, it's similar to my basic Lebanese salad dressing.

Rich caramelized onions top the entire dish and take it to the next level.

Janelle's Tips

I do use a lot less oil than how my mother makes it, so you can add more if you like.

When caramelizing the onions, stir every few minutes to ensure they don't stick to the pan. You may wish to add more oil as needed.

The caramelization process can take a while depending on your stove, you can see from the below photos the stages.

sweating onions in a fry pan — Starting to caramelize the onions

frying chopped onions in a fry pan — Not quite there yet

caramelized diced onions in a fry pan — Sweet caramelised onions

Chop the greens small to make it easy to handle and eat.

Squeeze out as much liquid as possible so that the dish isn't soggy, you can see my little balls of squeezed out dandelion leaves.

chopped dandelion leaves in a green bowl

Serving Suggestions

Hindbeh bi zeit is generally enjoyed either wrapped up in Lebanese bread (pita bread) or using bread as a scoop. It is generally served at room temperature / cold.

Lebanese greens is also tasty with some freshly cut radish or pomegranate arils.

hindbeh in a sandwich — We love eating hindbeh bi zeit in a wrap - this was using curly endive

a plate of boiled dandelion topped with caramelised onion with a hand using bread to scoop some — Red veined dandelion version scooped with pita bread

Did you make this? I'd love to know! Leave me a comment below with a ★★★★★ star rating or tag @plantbasedfolk on social media.

Recipe

a white plate with steamed greens topped with fried onion and a side of Lebanese bread

Lebanese Greens Called Hindbeh Bi Zeit

An authentic Hindbeh bi Zeit, a Lebanese greens dish sautéed in a lemony garlic olive oil dressing topped with caramelized onions.

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Course: Main Course, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: Lebanese, Mediterranean

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 30

Servings: servings

Author: Janelle Hama

Ingredients

5-6 cups Water enough to boil the greens
1 kg Wild greens dandelion greens or curly endive or chicory leaves Washed and roughly chopped.
2 large Brown onions diced small
4-6 tablespoon Lemon Juice fresh, or to taste
2 cloves Garlic crushed, or to taste
½ teaspoon Salt or to taste
2-4 tablespoon Olive oil
1 medium Lemon for serving

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

In a large pot, on high heat, bring water to the boil and place the chopped greens. Turn heat to low-medium and simmer for about 5 - 10 minutes.
Place cooked greens in a strainer and run some cold water over them to cool them down. Using your hands, grab a handful of boiled hindbeh and squeeze out as much excess water as possible. Place each bunch aside until all the greens have been squeezed out.
Add olive oil and onion to a fry pan over high heat, and sweat. Once the onions are translucent and soft turn the heat down to a low-medium and a fry until dark brown. Stir every few minutes to avoid burning. This needs patience and is the longest step in this recipe.
In a mixing bowl, combine boiled and strained wild greens, half of the caramelized onions, lemon, crushed garlic and salt until evenly combined. Serve topped with the remaining caramelized onion. Enjoy as part of a mezze or with pita bread.