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Home » Desserts

Meghli Traditional Lebanese Spiced Pudding

Published: Feb 14, 2024 · Modified: Jun 17, 2024 by Janelle Hama *This post may contain affiliate links. Disclosure

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Meghli is a celebratory dessert made of rice flour and spices. This traditional Lebanese spiced pudding is naturally vegan and gluten free.

Three bowls of moghli
Each mouthful of meghli is filled with spiced creamy pudding

What is Meghli?

"Meghli" is the Arabic word for "boiled," pronounced as "megh-lee."

Meghli is a cherished Lebanese traditional dessert, notably enjoyed during special occasions like the birth of a baby or Christmas festivities.

This spiced pudding, sometimes referred to as caraway pudding, is made from rice flour, simmered with a medley of warm spices including cinnamon, caraway, and anise. It's not just a treat; it's believed to support lactation (milk production), making it especially thoughtful for new mothers.

To elevate its nutritional profile, pre-soaked nuts are added, aiding digestion and providing a protein boost akin to snacking on soaked almonds.

If you're visiting a Lebanese household to celebrate the arrival of a newborn and to honor the mother, expect to be treated to the delicious flavors of Meghli.

Ingredients and Variations

Moghli Ingredients

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

Pudding

​White rice flour is the main ingredient which turns into a creamy pudding when cooked and then chilled, I also use it in this muhalebia pudding, which is milky.

Spices - a combination of ground caraway  and ground cinnamon is an excellent flavor in itself, you can also add ground anise seed.

Either purchase ground up or use a spice grinder to grind whole seeds. Do not skimp on the spices as they are the star flavoring.

Maple syrup is my preferred sweetener as this Lebanese dessert normally calls for white sugar.

Meghli ingredients

Topping

  • Choose a mix of walnuts, almonds, pistachios, and pine nuts, tailored to your preference. Ensure they are raw and unflavored.
  • Ensure all soaked nuts are peel-free, see the video.
  • For larger almonds, separate the two halves; smaller ones can be used as-is or purchased peeled. Soaking aids in removing the skin easily.
  • Walnuts may be challenging to peel; remove as much skin as possible after soaking.

Alternatively, sprinkle some finely crushed pistachio as the topping rather than soaking.

Optional Toppings

Sultanas, currants or raisins can also form part of the toppings.

Desiccated coconut is another choice to add to the topping.

a bowl of meghli with a spoonful of the side

How to Make Meghli

Soak the Nuts

Place all nuts in separate containers, submerge with cold water to soak, and refrigerate overnight.

Prepare the Pudding

Combine all dry ingredients in a pot. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk through.

rice flour, ground caraway, anise and cinnamon in a pot

Turn the heat on medium and whisk continuously until it thickens.

The consistency should be thick but pourable whilst it is warm (as per video).

Once thickened, turn off the heat and immediately pour into individual serving glasses (see notes).

meghli pudding in a pot with a whisk

Allow the meghli to cool to room temperature, as it cools down it will thicken considerably and set. Sometimes cracks will form on the skin, this is normal and will be covered by the coconut and nuts. 

meghl brown pudding in a pot and two serving cups

Add Topping

Drain the overnight-soaked nuts and peel off any skin. Add a layer of these soaked nuts on top of the individual puddings.

You can use crushed nuts if you prefer, these do not need soaking.

Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate. Serve meghli cold.

Pro Tips

Avoid bringing this rice pudding to a hard boil. Continuous stirring is required as rice flour thickens very fast and will clump if there is no motion.

Prepare the individual glass vessels before cooking, this will help you to work quicker with pouring. Fill each vessel ¾ full to allow for toppings.

When serving meghli, the toppings are integral to the overall dessert and must be substantial but not overwhelming.

FAQ

How long can I store meghli for?

Once cooled down to room temperature, Meghli stores in the fridge for approx. 4-5 days. Ensure that each portion is covered to avoid it drying out. Freezing is not recommended.

Do I need to use individual cups?

Serving meghli in individual portions is how it is traditionally done, however, there is no reason why it cannot be served in one big dish and then scooped out to serve. Though, aesthetically it may not be as nice.

three bowls of meghli topped with nuts

More Lebanese Desserts

Some of my favorite Lebanese desserts include;

  • Sahlab drink is warm sweetened thick milk popular across Levantine countries.
  • Rez bi haleeb - whole rice grains in milk pudding
  • Haytaliyeh - milky pudding
  • Atayef - stuffed Middle Eastern pancakes
  • Sfouf is a delicious Lebanese cake made with turmeric.

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

Three bowls of meghli

Meghli Traditional Lebanese Spiced Pudding

Meghli a celebratory dessert made of rice flour and warming spices. This traditional Lebanese spiced pudding is easy, naturally vegan and gluten free.
Print Pin Rate Save Recipe Saved Recipe
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Lebanese
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan
Prep Time: 12 hours hours
Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
Total Time: 12 hours hours 20 minutes minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Author: Janelle Hama

Ingredients

Pudding

  • 1 cup Rice flour
  • 1½ cups Maple Syrup
  • 1 tablespoon Ground cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon Ground caraway
  • 1 tablespoon Ground anise optional
  • 5 cups Water

Toppings

  • ½ cup Almonds raw
  • ½ cup Pistachio raw
  • ⅓ cup Dessicated coconut
  • 2 cups Water
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Instructions

Toppings

  • Place all nuts in separate soaking containers, fill with water, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Pudding

  • Combine all the dry ingredients in a pot. Then add the wet ingredients to dry ingredients and whisk through.
  • Turn heat on medium and whisk continuously until it thickens, approximately 15 - 20 min. Once thickened, turn off the heat and immediately pour into individual serving glasses (see notes). Allow these to cool down to room temperature.
  • Drain the soaking nuts and peel off the skins. Add a layer of desiccated coconut and arrange the soaked nuts on top of the pudding. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate until cold. Serve cold.

Video


Notes

Meghli should be thick but pourable whilst it is warm (as per video). As it cools down it will thicken considerably and set into a pudding. Sometimes cracks will form on the skin, this is normal and will be covered by the toppings.
Avoid bringing this rice pudding to a rapid boil. Continuous stirring is required to avoid clumps
Fill each vessel ¾ full of the pudding to allow for toppings.
When serving meghli, the toppings are integral to the overall dessert and must be substantial but not overwhelming.

Equipment

pot
pot
whisk
whisk

Nutrition

Calories: 359kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 24mg | Potassium: 318mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 40IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 124mg | Iron: 1mg

N.B., nutrition info is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. This will vary based on the specific ingredients you use.


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Reader Interactions

Comments

    5 from 5 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Gabi Aziz

    October 07, 2022 at 1:21 am

    Hello! Why is it necessary to soak the nuts? Is it a necessary step?

    Reply
    • Janelle Hama

      October 07, 2022 at 11:26 am

      Meghli is generally made with soak nuts to help with digestion. If you wish to skip, go for it, it will still be delish to eat.

      Reply
    • Moenyc

      November 12, 2023 at 8:05 am

      Is it possible to leave out caraway?

      Reply
      • Janelle Hama

        November 13, 2023 at 8:59 am

        Yes, this will only affect the taste

        Reply
  2. Leslie S

    November 18, 2021 at 6:47 am

    5 stars
    Mmm, I absolutely love this! What a great mix of spices. I found the almonds and pistachios complimented the rice pudding better than the walnuts, but perhaps that’s just personal preference. I recommend buying blanched (skinless) almonds. I soaked mine for two nights and still had trouble peeling them. Overall, this recipe has wonderful warming flavors and is easy to make.

    Reply
    • Janelle

      November 19, 2021 at 9:20 am

      Hi Leslie,

      So glad you enjoyed this meghli recipe and that's a great tip 🙂

      Have a lovely day.

      J

      Reply
  3. Angel

    May 17, 2021 at 4:18 pm

    5 stars
    First time making anything like this. The flavor in this is wow. I'm making this next month with a new baby on the way in the family. Thank you Janelle

    Reply
  4. Dimmi

    May 15, 2021 at 11:10 am

    5 stars
    I could not help myself, I made this, no celebration. Love the taste. I added extra nuts

    Reply
    • Janelle

      May 16, 2021 at 9:24 am

      Yay! I love extra toppings too. Pistachio and coconut. yum!

      Reply

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