Vegan Iftar Recipes

Iftar, the meal to break fast during Ramadan, is a time for nourishing, flavorful dishes shared with loved ones.

Whether you're looking for hearty mains, refreshing sides, or satisfying sweets, these vegan iftar recipes bring traditional flavors without animal products.

Having grown up in a Middle Eastern family, I know that enjoying a meal that is both filling and wholesome after a long day of fasting is important, so I've compiled a list of vegan ramadan recipes that I think you'll like, some of my favorites include stuffed capsicums or zaatar puff pastries.

Vegan Iftar Soups and Porridges

Soups and porridges can prove to be a light way to break a fast after consuming a date.

Celery Carrot Onion Soup

A light and warming carrot and celery soup. Mildly sweet from the carrot, this vegan soup is low-fat, healthy and perfect for dunking freshly baked bread into.

Celery Carrot Onion Soup

Lentil Porridge

Lentil porridge is a savory and wholesome dish, offering a warming bowl of goodness made with lentils and rice.

Lebanese Mujadara Porridge

Lebanese Lentil Soup

My Lebanese family’s favorite authentic Lebanese lentil soup, known as shorbet adas, is a must-try! Made with red lentils, rice, fresh vegetables, and aromatic spices, this hearty soup is unrivaled in flavor.

Shorbet Adas

Vegan Iftar Salads

No iftar meal is complete without a side of fresh salad.

Authentic Fattoush Salad

This authentic Lebanese fattoush salad recipe is unchanged from my childhood, passed down from my mother, and from hers before her and so on.

Fattoush Salad

Maftoul Salad

This flavorful vegan maftoul salad combines toasted pine nuts, vibrant diced vegetables, sweet cranberries and herbs in a zesty lemon dressing.

Vegan couscous salad

Balela Salad

Balela salad is a classic Middle Eastern chickpea salad. Made with tender chickpeas tossed with chopped tomato, onions, herbs, and spices.

Salatat Balela

Quinoa Tabouli

A fresh twist on the traditional Lebanese tabbouleh, this vegan quinoa tabbouleh salad is a gluten-free adaptation of a family favorite.

Quinoa Tabouli

Vegan Iftar Sides

Light bites and refreshing sides are perfect for starting your meal:

Lebanese Vermicelli Rice

Vermicelli rice is a staple in Lebanese cuisine and the perfect side dish, made with just three simple ingredients. It features soft, buttery toasted vermicelli noodles intertwined with perfectly cooked, fluffy rice grains

Rice with Vermicelli

Lebanese Greens

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

Lebanese Greens

Baba Ganoush

My Lebanese family's authentic baba ganoush recipe uses simple ingredients to create a smoky eggplant dip that's perfect as an appetiser, with mezze, mixed plates, crudités, or crackers. This gluten free, and vegan dip is a staple in Middle Eastern cuisine.

Loubieh

Loubieh bi Zeit, beloved Lebanese green beans, are a classic dish featuring flavorful and tender green beans gently braised in a pot on the stovetop.

Loubieh bil zeit

Vegan Iftar Stews

Stews for iftar can be a warming and comforting way to fill up on delicious veggies and beans.

Bamia

Bamia is a classic Middle Eastern okra stew. This is a hearty Lebanese version made with tomatoes and without meat. Preparation is quick and easy. 

Lebanese Okra Stew

Sabanekh w Riz

Lebanese spinach stew aka sabanekh w riz is hearty, warming, and delicious. Using minimal ingredients and can be made in around 30 minutes.

Lebanese Spinach Stew

Bazella

This bazella w riz without meat is an easy vegan Lebanese pea stew recipe. Sweet peas and carrots simmered in a tomato base. Traditionally served over Lebanese vermicelli rice.

Bazella w riz

Faoulia

Lebanese fasoulia w riz, is a sumptuous and hearty red kidney bean stew in a lusciously thick tomato base seasoned with aromatic spices.

Fasolia

Vegan Iftar Mains

A well-balanced iftar often includes a warm, comforting dish. Here are some delicious plant-based options:

Kibbeh in a Tray

This delicious baked Lebanese vegetarian kibbeh is a perfect balance of savory and sweet, made with bulgur, potatoes, walnuts, onions, and sultanas (raisins). A family recipe passed down through generations, it’s full of traditional flavors.

Vegetarian Kibbeh

Stuffed Zucchini

Kousa mahshi is Lebanese Stuffed Zucchini. This recipe is my family’s recipe. Each zucchini is filled with spiced vegetables, toasted pine nuts and rice cooked in a delicious tomato broth. This is a vegan Lebanese recipe.

Mahshi Kousa

Falafel

Make the popular street food in your kitchen from scratch. This never-fail Lebanese falafel recipe is from my family’s recipe book. It is authentic and crunchy, made with chickpeas, broad beans, herbs, and spices.

Falafels

Stuffed Eggplant

Lebanese vegan stuffed eggplant is also known as "batinjan mahshi." Each eggplant is hollowed whole, stuffed with a vegetable and rice filling then simmered in a tomato broth until tender.

Mahshi Batinjan

Black Eye Beans with Greens

A traditional home-cooked Lebanese food of vegan black eyed peas with greens known as “selek bi loubieh”. The black eyed peas are simmered in garlic, cilantro and onions with chopped greens and finished with a squeeze of lemon for a flavorsome comforting meal.

Vegan Black Eyed Peas with Greens

Spiced Veggie Rice with Nuts

Easy Lebanese spiced rice with nuts and vegetables is one of my favorite ways to enjoy rice. It’s fluffy, filling, loaded with flavor and can be enjoyed as a side dish or a main. No more boring rice.

Vegan Lebanese Rice

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

I've modified my family's traditional Lebanese malfouf mahshi recipe to craft delectable vegetarian cabbage rolls suitable for those following a vegan diet. These tender rolls are cooked in a tangy, mint-infused broth that'll make you crave more.

Malfouf

Shawarma

Big, vibrant flavors define this vegan shawarma. Mushrooms are flavored and cooked with an authentic blend of shawarma spices, then served with fresh vegetables, pickles, fries, sauce, and a dollop of toum. This creates a wonderful feast, whether enjoyed stuffed in pita bread or a bowl.

Veggie Shawarma

Pearl Couscous

A Tempting moghrabieh recipe. Lebanese pearl couscous cooked with aromatic Middle Eastern spices, tender chickpeas and caramelized onions.

Moghrabieh

MMujadara Hamra

Mujadara Hamra hails from the South of Lebanon. It is a flavorsome dish made from caramelized onions, lentils and bulgur. Accidentally a vegan Lebanese recipe.

Red Mujadara

Mujadaret Riz

This authentic Mujadara recipe is Lebanese comfort food at its tastiest using pantry staples. Crispy caramelized onions top a bed of tender lentils and rice.

Rice and Lentils

Vegan Iftar Dessert

No iftar is complete without something sweet. Here are some plant-based options:

Baklawa

Baklawa, a mouthwatering dessert of layered golden filo pastry, with crushed walnuts and a drizzle of sugar syrup. This is the best baklawa recipe will ever need. Thank me later!

Filo Pastry With Walnuts

Walnut Stuffed Pancakes

Walnut atayef are crispy and sweet Middle Eastern pancakes stuffed with walnuts then drizzled in a fragrant simple syrup.

Atayef

Haytaliyeh

An authentic Lebanese milk pudding dessert converted to use plant based ingredients.

Cold Milk Pudding

Lebanese Rice Pudding

A delicious Lebanese rice pudding (riz bi haleeb) recipe. Learn how to make both the traditional and vegan versions of this cold creamy dessert.

Rez bi Haleeb

Vegan Semolina Cake

Vegan basbousa is a delightful Middle Eastern semolina cake soaked in sugar syrup, boasting a sweet and floral taste. The top layer is golden and crunchy, while the inside remains a soft, fluffy, and pale yellow.

Vegan Namoura

Lebanese Turmeric Cake

Sfouf is an easy Lebanese semolina cake with turmeric that is a gorgeous bright yellow color. This Lebanese cake is soft, quite tender and slightly crumbly. The semolina contributes to this cake's unique texture, giving it a slightly pleasant graininess. The exterior is crunchy and the interior is moist.

Vegan Sfouf