Many Sephardi dishes use ground mutton or beef. Cooked, stuffed and baked vegetables are central to the cuisine, as are salads, various kinds of beans, chickpeas, lentils and burghul (cracked wheat). Rice takes the place of potatoes.

Also served are: vine leaves, olive oil, lentils, fresh and dried fruits, herbs and nuts, and chickpeas. Fresh lemon juice is added to many soups and sauces. Many meat and rice dishes incorporate dried fruits such as apricots, prunes and raisins. Pine nuts are used as a garnish.

Herbs and spicesCumin, cilantro, and turmeric are very common in Sephardi cooking. Caraway and capers are used. Cardamom ("hel") is used to flavor coffee. Chopped fresh cilantro and parsley are popular garnishes. Chopped mint is added to salads and cooked dishes, and fresh mint leaves ("nana") are served in tea. Cinnamon is sometimes used as a meat seasoning, especially in dishes made with ground meat. Saffron is used in many varieties of Sephardic cooking, as well as spices found in the areas where they have settled. Desserts and beverages

Tiny cups of Turkish coffee, sometimes spiced with cardamom, are often served at the end of a festive meal, accompanied by small portions of baklava or other pastries dipped in syrup or honey. Hot sahlab, a liquidy cornstarch pudding originally flavored with orchid powder, is served in cups as a winter drink, garnished with cinnamon, nuts, coconut and raisins. Arak is the preferred alcoholic beverage. Rosewater is a common ingredient in cakes and desserts. Malabi, a cold cornstarch pudding, is sprinkled with rosewater and red syrup.

Pickles and condimentsOlives and pickled vegetables, such as cucumbers, carrots, cabbage, cauliflower, are a standard accompaniment to meals. Amba is a pickled mango sauce. Small pickled lemons are a Moroccan delicacy.

Shabbat and holiday dishes

On Shabbat, the Jews of North Africa serve chreime, fish in a spicy tomato sauce. As cooking on Shabbat is prohibited, Sephardi Jews, like their Ashkenazi counterparts, developed slow-cooked foods that would simmer on a low flame overnight and be ready for eating the next day. The oldest name of the dish is "chamin" ("hot"), but there are several other names. Its Ashkenazi counterpart is called cholent. Shavfka is another Sephardi dish that has an Ashkenazi counterpart, namely kugel. Bourekas are often served on Shabbat morning. Pestelas, sesame-seed topped pastry filled with pine nuts, meat and onion, are also traditional.

Here are the names of popular Sephardi dishes:

Albondigas
Baba ghanoush
Baklawa
Bourekas
Chamin
Chreime
Couscous
Falafel
Fazuelos
Ful
Haminados
Halva
Hummus
Kibbeh
Kubbana
Kubbeh
Lahoh
Malabi
Ma'amoul
Matbucha
Moroccan cigars
Moussaka
Mofletta
Pescado frito
Sabich
Sahlab
Sambusak
Shakshuka
Skhug
Sofrito
Stuffed cabbage
Tabbouleh
Tagine
Yaprah

Resources

Top Categories

Product

Company