Makhlouta

Published: Jul 14, 2025 · Modified: Jun 30, 2026 by Janelle Hama *This post may contain affiliate links. Disclosure

A hearty Lebanese bean and grain soup, makhlouta is the kind of dish that fills the kitchen with comfort and warmth.

Makhlouta isn't a dish most people outside Lebanon have heard of. The word means "mixed," in Arabic, which says it all: whatever beans and grains are in the pantry, simmered into one thing.

I first heard about it from a Lebanese neighbor with family in the mountains, where it was less a recipe than a way to get through winter on whatever was stored. There's no "correct" bean mix. The grandmothers making this didn't measure, they used what was left. If your ratio looks different from mine, you're doing it right.

It's a staple in Lebanese homes, the kind of hearty food that warms you through the cooler months. Similar comfort: my Lebanese white bean soup or freekeh soup.

I call it a stoup, somewhere between soup and stew. Once the rice and bulgur soak up two rounds of liquid, it's thick enough to coat a spoon. Came out thinner than you wanted? Give it more time on the heat, not more grain.

makhlouta bean and grain stew in a white bowl — Every bowl of this makhlouta is hearty, comforting, and just what you need on a chilly day.

Ingredients

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

What I love about makhlouta is how flexible it is. You can truly make it your own depending on what's in the pantry. I usually use a variety of beans and lentils, whatever I have on hand. This time, I had chickpeas, great northern beans, kidney beans, and brown lentils. A store-bought 5-bean mix or 15-bean soup mix works just as well if you don't want to source individual beans, the name means "mixed" for a reason, and there's no wrong combination here.

For the grains, I typically add a mix of short grain white rice and coarse bulgur (linked below in the recipe card). These grains help thicken the soup and turn it into an enjoyable one-bowl meal.

What ties everything together, though, is the onion. It's sautéed until caramelized and then slowly simmered with the legumes, releasing a sweet, rich flavor into the broth. "Deeply golden" undersells what you're actually looking for: the onion goes from translucent to pale gold to a color closer to caramel, and the smell shifts from sharp to sweet. If you can still smell raw onion, it's not ready. This step alone is responsible for most of the soup's depth of flavor, since nothing else in the pot is browned.

A splash of pomegranate molasses brings just the right tang to balance it all, and a hint of warm spices adds warmth and depth.

a bowl of bean grain stew with pickled cabbage — Albeit not traditional, I love eating my makhloota with sauerkraut - the contrasting flavors and texture work perfectly together.

What to Serve with Makhlouta

I love eating shorbet makhlouta with pickles, especially sauerkraut (as pictured - the contrasting flavors and texture work perfectly together), and or slices of fresh veggies. Others like to eat it with toasted pita bread chips or topping it off crispy fried onions without deep frying.

Janelle's Tips

Soak your beans overnight to speed up cooking. If you're using canned beans, rinse them well and reduce the cooking time accordingly. Canned beans work as a genuine shortcut here, just add them later in the cooking process since they don't need the long simmer dried beans require.
Soak the beans and the bulgur in separate bowls, not together. This is the one step people skip, and it's the one that actually matters. Bulgur softens far faster than dried chickpeas or kidney beans. Soak them together and you'll end up with mush on one end and undercooked beans on the other. Two bowls, same overnight soak, added back into the pot at different stages, that's the whole trick.
Stir regularly, especially toward the end, as the broth reduces and thickens. This helps prevent the grains from sticking to the bottom of the pot and ensures an even consistency.
If the soup thickens too much as it rests, just add a splash of water when reheating to loosen it up.
To make this gluten free, leave out the bulgur or replace it with more rice.

Storage

Makhlouta stores brilliantly, keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze in portions for up to 3 months. It's one of those soups that tastes even better the next day, since the grains continue to absorb the broth and the flavors settle.