Za’atar Manakeesh are a Levantine flatbread topped with a tantalizing blend of aromatic herbs, toasted sesame seeds, and sumac, known as za’atar.

This modest yet aromatic flatbread has become a beloved dish in Egypt, brought by waves of Palestinian, Lebanese, and Syrian migrants who have found a home in Egypt over the past century. Their culinary influence has enriched Egyptian cuisine, making Za’atar Manakeesh a popular and cherished addition. Manakeesh become all the more popular when copts observe a meatless and dairy-free diet to celebrate St. Mary fasting (August 7-22), or any fasting throughout the year.

What is Za’atar

Za’atar literally means oregano in English but it has another significance in Middle Eastern cuisine. Za’atar is a spice mix of dried thyme, oregano, majoram, sumac, toasted sesame seeds, salt, and pepper. Also, there are also some other variations that include cumin and coriander.

There are some good quality Za’atar now in grocery stores and Middle Eastern.  However, since the pandemic started I order mine online from Amazon. For full disclosure, this blog is an Amazon Associate.

Zaatar is so versatile, and many Middle Easter bloggers have used it creatively in their recipes. Check this Za’atar Pop by May Kahsish, the talented food blogger behind Almond & Fig.

What is Manakeesh 

Manakeesh, also known as manakish or mana’eesh, derives its name from the Arabic word “manaqish” (مناقيش),  is the plural of Mankousha or Man’ousha, which means “to sculpt” or “to carve out.” This name refers to the traditional preparation method where the dough is pressed and indented with fingertips or a tool before adding toppings such as za’atar, cheese, or minced meat. 

Ingredients of Manakeesh Zaatar

• Yeast: Use dry yeast to create soft, and fluffy flatbread dough, Proof yeast by mixing it well with warm water and sugar and let it sit on the kitchen counter for 3-5 minutes. If the yeast is healthy and active, the mixture will become frothy and foamy and ready to be used in the recipe.
• Warm Water: The perfect temperature for warm water to proof yeast is typically between 100°F to 110°F (38°C to 43°C). This range provides an ideal environment for the yeast to activate and start fermenting without killing it. Using water that is too hot (above 120°F or 49°C) can kill the yeast, while water that is too cool (below 95°F or 35°C) might not activate the yeast effectively. Use a kitchen thermometer to ensure the water is within the ideal temperature range.
• Sugar or honey: You either need sugar or honey to mix it with the warm water to activate the yeast.
• All Purpose Flour: Use a good quality of all-purpose flour for the best results.
• Salt: To bring up the flavors in the manakeesh, the addition of a pinch of salt is necessary.
• Canola Oil:  Oil helps keep this flatbread so moist and fluffy.
• Olive Oil: Blend the Zaatar blend with olive oil to create a spreadable paste over your manakeesh or flatbread.
• Zaatar Blend: This blend consists of dry thyme, dry oregano, dry marjoram, and toasted sesame seeds, all bound together by the tangy zest of sumac. The ingredients may vary according to the country of origin and brand.

How to Make Manakeesh Zaatar

• Proof Yeast 

Dry Active Yeast

Proof Yeast.

Mix the yeast, warm water, and sugar in a mixing bowl and stir until are ingredients are combined. Cover with a plastic film or towel and let it proof for 15 minutes or until the mixture is foamy and frothy.

• Incorporate the Oil into the Flour 

Sift the dry ingredients: flour and salt over a large bowl. Make a well in the center and drizzle the oil in a large mixing bowl. With your hands, rub the flour and oil together until the flour is thoroughly coated with the oil.  The flour-oil mixture should look like wet sand.

Mixing the Oil into the Flour

The Flour-Oil mixture looks like wet sand

• Make the Dough

Add the yeast-water mixture to the dry ingredients, and knead with your hands or with a stand mixer fitted with the hook attachment until a soft ball comes together.

• Let the Dough Rise 

Transfer the dough to a lightly oil coated container, cover the container with a clean tea towel or/and a plastic stretch tite, and let the dough rise for 3o minutes to 60 minutes in a warm place like inside a turned off oven until it doubles in size.

• Shape the Dough 

Divide the dough in two equal dough balls. Pinch the ends of each one to form a dough ball and roll them over your kitchen counter to smooth their surfaces. Let the two dough balls rest for 20 minutes, always covered with a tea towel. Over a flour dusted surface, roll out each dough ball with a rolling pin into a 8 inch diameter and  1/2 inch thickness. Let each disk rest for 20 minutes until you prepare the Zaatar topping and preheat the oven.

• Prepare the Zaatar-Olive Oil Topping 

Mix 1/3 cup of olive oil and 1/4 cup of Zaatar blend in a bowl until they form a spreadable paste, similar to the consistency of pesto.

• Bake the Dough 

You can either bake manakeesh on stove top, ideally in a cast iron skillet without flipping it or you can bake it to perfection in a preheated oven at 450 ° F degrees for no more than 10-12 minutes, or until the edges become golden brown.

Manakeesh Variations & Substitutions 

• To cut the calories of that delicious yet rich bread, you can use whole wheat flour in addition to the all purpose flour. However, you might need additional warm water to knead the dough.
• You can use different toppings such as Egyptian duqqah and spiced ground meat to make Lamajun.

Frequently Asked Questions 

•  Can I freeze the Manakeesh?

Yes you can freeze the baked mankeesh in ziplocks separated by parchment paper.

• How can I reheat frozen manakeesh?

Defrost frozen manakeesh in the fridge and reheat it in a toaster or an air fryer for 2-3 minutes.

• What to serve Mankeesh With? 

Ideally, serve Manakessh over a board of cheese, labnah, pickles, and vegetable sticks.

 More Vegan Breakfast Ideas  

• Egyptian Bisara
• Foul Medames 
• Pickled Turnips 
• Halabesa: Chickpea Soup 
• Duqqah 
• Eggplant Dip 
• More vegan recipes HERE

Disclaimer:
Chez Nermine blog is an Amazon Associate. We earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. Our commission doesn’t affect the  price of the product you purchase.

Vegan Mankeesh Zaatar Recipe

Nermine Mansour

Mankeesh (also spelled Manakish, Mana'eesh, or Manakeesh) is a traditional Levantine flatbread topped with a spread of Zaatar blend and olive oil.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Resting Time 1 hour hr

Course Breakfast

Cuisine Mediterranean

Servings 10 People

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Equipment

• 1 Sheet Pan
• 1 Cast Iron Skillet (10 inch)
• 1 Rolling Pin
• 1 Dough knife

Ingredients

  

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For the Manakeesh (Flatbread)

• ▢ 3 cups all purpose flour
• ▢ ½ teaspoon fine sat
• ▢ ⅓ cup canola oil , more for coating the bowl
• ▢ 3/4-1 cup warm water , more water if needed
• ▢ 1 tablespoon dry active yeast
• ▢ 1 tablespoon white sugar or honey

For the Zaatar-Olive Oil Topping/spread

• ▢ ⅓ cup olive oil , extra virgin
• ▢ ¼ cup Zaatar Blend

Makes: 9inch0 x 0inch round

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Instructions

 

Make the Dough

• Sift together the all purpose flour and salt over a sizable bowl and make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
• Drizzle the canola oil in the well and start incorporating with your hands the flour into the oil until all the flour is coated with the oil and its texture resembles wet sand. You can a stand mixer fitted with hook attachment for this step and the following steps. Set it aside until you proof yeast.
• Mix the yeast, warm water, and sugar or honey in a mixing bowl and stir until are ingredients are combined. let it sit on your kitchen counter for 5 minutes until the mixture is foamy and frothy.
• Drizzle the yeast-water mixture into the flour-oil mixture and knead with your hands or with a stand mixer until a soft dough comes together. Add more warm water while kneading of the dough is still dry and not soft enough.
• Transfer the dough to an oil coated large container, drizzle a spoonful of oil on top and cover it with a clean tea tower and/or plastic wrap, and let the dough rise in a warm place for 1 hour.
• Divide the dough in two equal dough balls. Pinch the ends of each one and roll the dough ball to smooth their surface. Let the two dough balls rest for 20 minutes, always covered with a tea towel. Over a flour dusted surface, roll out each dough ball with a rolling pin into a 8 inch diameter and 1/2 inch thickness. Let each disk rest for 20 minutes until you prepare the Zaatar topping and preheat the oven or preheat your cast iron skillet on stove top.

Prepare the Zaatar-Olive Oil Topping/Spread

• Mix the Zaatar blend and the olive oil in a small bowel and spread evenly one tablespoon at a time over each dough disk.

Assemble the Manakeesh & Bake

• Bake the bread on stove top in a hot/preheated cast iron pan set on medium-low heat or lay the manakeesh on a baking sheet and pop them in a preheated oven at 450° F. Bake for 12 minutes or until the edges become lightly golden.
• Serve the bread hot or warm with a platter of cucumber, cherry tomatoes, pickles, and cheese and/labneh.

Nermine's Notes

1- Don't rush the dough rising time. The dough should double in size and that would take an hour at least, depending on how warm your kitchen is. 

2- For a better rolling experience, Let dough balls rest before you roll them out, and when you roll out the dough to disks, let the latter rest as well before baking. When the dough rests, it becomes so much easier to handle. 

3- Don't over bake the manakeesh so they don't dry out. 

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Keyword Vegan breakfast, Vegan Faltbread, Zaatar Mankeesh