The flavors of tomato and onion manakeesh are bold and satisfying, which is quite surprising given the simplicity of these beloved Lebanese vegetarian flatbreads.
Any enthusiast of Lebanese cuisine must be familiar with the irresistible flatbreads adorned with an array of savory toppings.
IMO, zaatar manakeesh stands as the undisputed crown jewel of the flatbreads, its flavor is a chef's kiss. I have yet to come across someone who hasn't been blown away by its exceptional taste.
While this particular type of manouche (singular) might be the most renowned, there are other delightful variations, such as this one featuring ripe tomatoes and onions (aka basal w banadoura mana'ish), offering a tantalizing combination of sweet, tangy, and bitey flavors.
There's no excuse not to whip up a batch of vegetable manakeesh. I can almost guarantee you'll find all the necessary ingredients in your kitchen, especially if you regularly cook Middle Eastern food.
Highlighted Ingredients
The complete list of ingredients with measurements, can be found in the full recipe card below.
I particularly enjoy crafting petite vegetable manakeesh by dividing the manakish dough into 10 equal portions. Whenever I prepare manakeesh, I like to prepare a few different toppings, as the dough serves as an excellent base for a variety of flavors.
For the topping, finely diced fresh ripe tomatoes and onions take center stage. I prefer to maintain a 50:50 ratio of these ingredients, although this can be adjusted according to personal preference, typically leaning towards a higher proportion of tomatoes as some folk find the onions overpowering.
These vegetables are complemented by ground sumac, which lends an unforgettable sour note (I use it consistently in my recipes, try this one if you need to buy some).
Additionally, I love incorporating fresh mint leaves for a refreshing flavor, and the vibrant green specks they visually add.
Janelle’s Tips
Given that oven performance can vary, the baking time typically ranges from 5 to 6 minutes. The ideal indication of doneness is achieving a golden brown hue along the edges of the manakeeh bread.
Once each tomato and onion manakeesh is ready, the edges will have a delicate crispiness which will gradually soften as they cool down.
These flatbreads are best enjoyed warm, but they are still delightful at a later time. Simply wrap them in parchment paper to prevent the bread from drying out.
Enjoy these for breakfast or lunch with foods like breakfast chickpeas, fresh veggies and a cup of warm tea.
Storage
After cooling to room temperature, store the vegetable manakeesh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
To reheat, simply place them in the oven at 250°C (482°F) until warmed through.
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
Tomato and Onion Manakeesh
Ingredients
- 1 Manakish dough make the recipe exactly as is as the amount of topping in this recipe is for 10 small manakeesh
- 1¼ cup Ripe tomatoes finely diced
- 1¼ cup Onion finely diced
- 2-3 tablespoon Fresh mint leaves finely chopped
- 1¼ teaspoon Ground sumac
- 1¼ teaspoon Salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon Cracked pepper
- 2-3 tablespoon Olive oil
Instructions
- Prepare the manakish dough as instructed to make 10 small manakeesh pizzas.
- Whilst the dough is proofing, prepare the topping in a mixing bowl by combining the finely diced tomatoes and onions, sumac, olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh mint leaves.
- Once the manakeesh dough has been rolled out to approximately 15cm (6") in diameter with a 3mm (⅛") thickness. Transfer the dough base to a floured sheet pan, or bakers peel, then add the dimples with your fingertips.Add approximately a ¼ cup of topping to the dough, ensuring that only a tiny amount of juice is in the topping, spread it out over the dough, leaving a ½cm (¼") perimeter on the edge.Use the back of a spoon to gently push the tomato and onion topping into the dough, this will help it stick to the dough whilst baking.If using a bakers peel transfer it to the bakers stone in the oven otherwise bake on a flour dusted sheet pan in a preheated 250°C (480°F) fan-forced oven for 5-6 minutes or until the edges are just light golden brown (see notes below). Serve immediately. Otherwise wrap in parchment paper (which will keep them soft) until consumed. See storage information in the article above.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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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amy
would this work with a quinoa flatbread?
Janelle Hama
I've not tried to give you firm answer 🙂
Jan
When I bake these, I can count on zero leftovers