Top 10 Saudi Arabian foods – with recipes

Saudi cuisine doesn’t do subtle. It’s slow-cooked, spice-heavy, and served in portions that assume at least three unexpected guests. From the central deserts to the southern coast, every region brings its own set of flavors, whether it’s hearty wheat stews from Najd, fire-roasted fish from Jazan, creamy rice dishes from Hijaz, or street snacks that demand a second round.

So, if you’re curious about what’s cooking behind that amazing smell, here are 10 Saudi dishes well worth trying:

Ful Medames

In the world of Saudi Arabian cuisine, Ful Medames is a humble hero worth getting to know. It’s the food of early mornings, late-night cravings, and quiet breakfasts shared over mint tea. Cheap, filling, and way more satisfying than a bowl of beans ought to be, this hearty breakfast staple is a reminder that the best meals don’t always need ceremony.

A classic Ful Medames consists of slow-cooked fava beans mashed into a thick, creamy stew, with a dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and a pinch of cumin. Modern variations, however, offer endless topping options: chopped tomatoes, chilies, cucumbers, fresh green onions, olives, or a hard-boiled egg if someone’s feeling particularly parched.

Whichever rendition lands on your plate, Ful Medames does exactly what it’s meant to. It’ll feed you well, fill you up, and make you forget how early that early morning really is.

Make your own Ful Medames

• Try your hand at this Egyptian Ful Medames recipe
• This Ful Medames recipe will give you the full umami flavor
• Follow along with this Ful Medames recipe on YouTube

Mutabbaq

You’ll smell Mutabbaq before you see it… Hot oil, sizzling dough, a whiff of spiced meat drifting down the street like an open invitation. A star of Saudi Arabia’s street food scene (especially in the western Hijaz region), these pan-fried pockets of joy look like folded crepes but eat like savory pies. And they’re the perfect go-to snack for when you’re hungry now.

The traditional version contains minced meat (usually beef or lamb), chopped leeks or scallions, onions, garlic, and egg. Seasoning contains black pepper, cumin, and a little chili if the cook’s in the mood. The filling gets tucked into thin dough, folded into a neat square, and shallow-fried on a griddle until golden crisp.

Like all great street foods, Mutabbaq comes in many forms. Some versions are vegetarian, while others flip the script entirely and go sweet with banana, soft cheese, or sugar. But whatever filling you choose, one thing’s guaranteed: crispy edges, chewy layers, and a bite that hits way harder than it looks.

Make your own Mutabbaq

• Give this step-by-step photo recipe a whirl
• Here’s a savory Mutabbaq recipe to tickle your taste buds
• Visit YouTube for this banana Mutabbaq recipe

Matazeez

If you ever find yourself in central Saudi Arabia and smell something rich, meaty, and just a little bit garlicky coming from the kitchen, it’s probably Matazeez (or Mataziz). This Najdi soul food is part stew, part dumplings, and 100% able to hit the right spot.

It starts with a thick tomato-based stew, usually made with lamb, chunks of squash or pumpkin, and a generous hit of spices (think black lime, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom). Then, the real star of the dish is added to the bubbling pot: hand-torn dough (like the Italian maltagliati, but slightly different). As it cooks, the thin sheets soak up all that broth, going soft at the edges but staying chewy in the center.

Matazeez is served with a drizzle of ghee or, for an added twist, a side of spicy tomato sauce (daqqous).

Make your own Matazeez

• Try your hand at this traditional Matazeez recipe
• Go for simplicity with this Matazeez recipe
• You can’t go wrong with this Mataziz recipe on YouTube

Kabsa

Crowned as the national dish of Saudi Arabia, Kabsa is the undisputed showstopper of the Kingdom’s food scene. This dish is unapologetically built to impress; it’s layered, fragrant, and often served on a platter big enough to double as a coffee table.

In essence, Kabsa is long-grain basmati rice with slow-simmered meat – chicken, fish, lamb, or even camel if you’re visiting somewhere traditional. Most people also add tomatoes, raisins, and toasted almonds for that extra crunch. But the real magic is in the spice mix, of course. Black lime, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves, and a dash of whatever the matriarch refuses to reveal, creating that rich, memorable flavor that’ll have you craving for more.

Like most food in Saudi Arabia, kabsa is a dish meant to be shared. There’s no polite portioning, no going back for seconds – you just start and stop when there’s nothing left.

Make your own Kabsa

• Try your hand at this Kabsa recipe
• Give this classic Kabsa recipe a whirl
• Watch how to make Kabsa on YouTube

Saleeg

Originally from the western Hijaz region, Saleeg is creamy, comforting, and criminally underrated outside Saudi Arabia. You could think of it as a Saudi spin on risotto, except that it has fewer steps, more flavor, and comes with a roasted chicken or lamb casually laid on top.

This dish is made from short-grain rice, slowly cooked in a mix of water, milk, and chicken broth until it turns rich and velvety. Seasonings usually contain salt, black pepper, cardamom, and a touch of butter, though some families throw in a clove or two for extra warmth.

Saleeg is then served with roasted chicken or lamb, a drizzle of ghee, and some daqqous on the side. While it might not be the flashiest of dishes, one spoonful in, and you’ll get why it doesn’t need to be.

Make your own Saleeg

• Follow this step-by-step photo recipe for a classic Saleeg
• Here’s another Saleeg recipe with easy-to-follow photos
• Feast your taste buds on this traditional Saleeg recipe

Thareed

Known by many names – fareed, rid, taghrib, tashrib, tashreeb, tharid – this humble dish is one of the Gulf’s oldest culinary traditions and is famously said to be a favorite of the Prophet Muhammad. But despite its ancient roots, Thareed still holds its own at modern tables, especially during Ramadan or family events.

The concept is simple: torn flatbread dropped in a slow-cooked stew of meat, vegetables, and aromatic spices. As it simmers, the bread soaks up the broth, and the stew thickens into something unapologetically rustic and impossibly satisfying. Expect notes of black lime, turmeric, cardamom, and whatever family-secret ingredient got thrown in last minute.

You won’t always see Thareed listed on flashy restaurant menus, but when it shows up at a shared table, it rarely sticks around for long.

Make your own Thareed

• The New York Times features this Thareed recipe
• Here’s an authentic Thareed recipe for vegetarians
• Why not try out this traditional Thareed recipe

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Makshin Deerak

Makshin Deerak is a fiery food dish from the southern shores of Saudi Arabia that doesn’t mess around. Named after the deerak fish (i.e., the narrow-barred Spanish mackerel), this seafood delicacy is bold, richly spiced, and unapologetically coastal.

The prep is half the drama. A whole fish (cleaned and scored) is rubbed down with a deep red spice mix made from garlic, chili, coriander, cumin, black pepper, turmeric, dried herbs, and citrus. It’s then stuffed with more spices, caramelized onions, and a fragrant rice mixture that’s been cooked in broth. Next, the fish baked or steamed until the meat is flaky and the rice is infused with all that ocean flavor.

You can find Makshin Deerak in Jazan homes, local seaside restaurants, and occasionally at weddings or weekend feasts. It’s not everyday food, it’s event food… The kind of dish that brings people together and gives them something to talk about long after the bones are picked clean.

Make your own Makshin Deerak

• Give this Makshin Deerak recipe a whirl

Sayadieh

Another seafood dish that dominates every dinner table around the Saudi coast is Sayadieh. Its name literally means “fisherman’s dish,” and true to form, it’s hearty, practical, and packed with the kind of flavor that’s been passed down through generations.

The dish has a deep, golden brown rice base, cooked with fish stock and caramelized onions. On top, you’ll find a fried or baked fish (whatever the catch of the day is), seasoned with turmeric, cumin, coriander, and a decent kick of black pepper. The magic is in the balance: a smoky, savory rice that’s rich but never heavy, and the tender fish that flakes apart with the lightest touch.

Served with a squeeze of lime and maybe some daqqous, Sayadieh is simple yet deeply satisfying and will keep you coming back for more.

Make your own Sayadieh

• Try to resist this Sayadieh recipe (you can’t)
• Cook along with this Sayadieh recipe on YouTube

Qatayef

Qatayef are a Ramadan food staple across the Arab world, including in Saudi Arabia, often making their appearance after sunset and vanishing before Eid rolls around.

They start as small, spongy pancakes cooked on just one side, so the top stays soft and bubbly. Once they’re slightly cooled, they’re filled with sweet cheese and chopped nuts (or both!) and folded into a crescent. Depending on your preference (and how much time you’re willing to spend at the stove), you can either serve them fresh and soft or deep-fry them to golden, crispy perfection. You just need to add a final drizzle of rose-scented sugar syrup to seal the deal.

Qatayef are often shared with friends and neighbors as a reward for a day of fasting. More than a treat, they’re a sign that the iftar has truly begun.

Make your own Qatayef

• Try your hand at this foolproof Qatayef recipe
• Here’s a classic Qatayef recipe with nuts
• Feast your taste buds on this Qatayef recipe

Kunafa

Crispy, gooey, and just a little over-the-top, this much-loved Middle Eastern treat is the kind of thing you think you’ll have “just a bite” of… and then suddenly half the tray is empty. Blame the texture, blame the syrup, blame your complete lack of self-control. Whatever the case, Kunafa doesn’t judge.

At its base, this dessert has shredded phyllo dough (or semolina, depending on the region) with a layer of soft white cheese. It’s baked until the top is golden and covered in syrup, the moment it leaves the oven.

Kunafa isn’t just from Saudi Arabia, and there are many variations across the region. Some contain cream or nuts, others have crushed pistachios on top. Some lean crispy, others lean soft. But no matter which you go for, all of them are absurdly addictive.

Make your own Kunafa

• Follow this classic Kunafa recipe for a delicious treat
• Give this step-by-step Kanufah recipe with photos a whirl
• Go for something smaller with this Kunafa cups recipe