The best Lebanese flatbreads with zaatar or Manoush zaatar to make at home. These famous Lebanese street food pizzas are deliciously light with crispy edges, topped with fantastic za'atar and extra virgin olive oil spread. Their unique flavors will impress you, and they're so easy to make!
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What Is Manoushe Zaatar?
Manoushe means means "stamped" in Lebanese Arabic. It describes the nature of a flatbread, where you flatten the dough thin before cooking it. Manoushe, or Middle Eastern flatbread, is a very famous street food in Lebanese, with a very similar concept to a pizza where you can have a variety of toppings combo like feta cheese, minced meat, tomato, mint, and cucumber. The edges of these amazing Lebanese flatbreads are crispy, while the inside is light and a bit chewy. Are we salivating yet?
While there are varieties of toppings for Manoushe or Lebanese bread, the most famous one is with zaatar, hence the name Manoushe Zaatar, Lebanese flatbreads with zaatar, or even Lebanese pizza. Zaatar is a spice blend of dried herbs like thyme, oregano, marjoram, sumac, and toasted sesame seeds. The combination of tanginess, woody, nutty, and floral flavors, from the spices combined with the fruity flavor from extra virgin olive oil, brings this humble street food to a fantastic meal. Oh, we love that, don't we?
Why This Recipe Works
Being an interracial spouse has opened our eyes and minds to diversities in cultures, backgrounds, and food. We love trying new food when we dine out or travel in our motorhome. From those experiences, we research and recreate our favorites, like these amazing zaatar flatbreads, spinach and feta gozleme, whole-wheat garlic naan bread, and cheese roti canai. Here's why we keep making them!
Light flatbreads-These Manoushe Zaatar are thin and light with crispy edges. They're perfect for topping pizza and even used as wraps.
Easy-Like all street food, these amazing Lebanese zaatar flatbreads have easy ingredients and straightforward methods.
House oven-Traditionally, they're cooked on saj or tava, a domed metal griddle to achieve crispy edges and a light center. But we've tested and have been making them using our house oven and have gotten the same result! We've written detailed instructions and tips below.
Ingredients For This Recipe
Flour-Bread or high-protein flour, around 12-14% protein. It's the perfect flour when making yeasted bread or when it requires kneading like these Lebanese flatbreads, as the high protein content will make the bread elastic and light, just like in our amazing panettone, Malaysian roti canai flatbreads, chicken murtabak flatbreads, and beef murtabak flatbreads.
Oil-We highly recommend extra virgin olive oil for this Lebanese flatbread recipe because you want to taste its fruity flavor. When combined with zaatar, it's on another level!
Honey-Our secret to light Lebanese flatbreads! Just a bit goes a long way. It also helps to activate the yeast faster. Maple syrup or sugar works, too.
Yeast-We use instant dry yeast, which doesn't need rehydration. You add it directly with the rest of the ingredients. If using active and fresh yeast, rehydrate it with warm water with one teaspoon of sugar for 5 minutes until it's foamy. Use the same amount for active dry yeast. For the fresh yeast amount, multiply by 3.3, which for this Lebanese flatbread recipe will be around 17g.
⭐ See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Step-By-Step Instructions
1. Make the dough-If you're using cup measurements, use the spoon and level method to measure flour. Add all of the ingredients to a stand-mixer bowl. Use speed 1 to mix everything, then change to speed two and knead for 10 minutes. You'll have a sticky dough.
2. Rise the dough-Grease your hands with oil, to prevent the dough from sticking. Form the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly greased bowl. Cover it tightly with cling film and leave it to rise until it doubles its size, around 1-1.5 hours, depending on your kitchen temperature.
3. Prepare the topping and oven-Meanwhile, add zaatar and extra virgin olive oil in a bowl. Mix well and set aside. Preheat your oven to 480℉ (250℃) without the fan, placing the rack on the highest level with a pizza stone on it for at least 30 minutes before cooking these Lebanese flatbreads.
4. Assemble-Place the risen dough on a lightly floured working surface. Lightly form it into a log and cut it into six equal pieces. Form each piece into a ball, and cover them with a cling film to prevent them from forming a crust. Roll one ball into a thin circle, dusting it with some flour. Slide it onto a pizza peel. Put the topping on top, leaving ½ inch empty around the edges.
5. Bake-Carefully yet swiftly slide the Lebanese flatbread onto the pizza stone. Bake for 5-7 minutes, until the edges look golden brown. Slide the pizza peel underneath it and remove it from the oven. Then, continue assembling another flatbread and bake it. We recommend not letting the assembled flatbreads sit around as it might be difficult to move them onto the pizza peel and into the oven later. Easy, right? Enjoy your Lebanese flatbread!
Recipe Expert Tips
- Use the spoon and level method for cup measurements. This will avoid using excessive flour. We highly recommend using a kitchen scale as it's more precise.
- Roll the dough thin. You'll get big air pockets, and the Lebanese flatbreads will cook even faster!
- To prevent sticking. Grease your hands with oil when handling the dough to rise. Dust the working surface, the rolling pin, and the pizza peel with some flour when assembling the dough.
- Use a pizza peel and stone. We're baking this delicious Manoushe Zaatar in the house oven, mimicking the traditional tandoori-like oven. The pizza peel makes moving the thin Lebanese flatbreads easier, and the pizza stone helps to cook the bottom as fast as the top.
- Use the highest rack possible. This allows the flatbreads to be cooked within minutes, with high heat from the pizza stone and the top oven rod. You'll get a beautiful golden brown color and huge air pockets.
What To Eat It With
These Manoushe Zaatar are zaatar pizzas, so you can get creative with the toppings! However, the typical toppings combine feta cheese, meat, tomato, cucumber, and mint. Of course, the most famous is the spread of zaatar and extra virgin olive oil. We love to dip these delicious Lebanese flatbreads with labneh, a soft Middle-Eastern yogurt dip.
These fantastic street food flatbreads are often served for breakfast or lunch in Lebanese. But hey, who says you can't have them for snacks or whenever the mood hits you?
How To Store, Freeze, And Reheat
Store-These Lebanese zaatar flatbreads are best consumed when they're cooked. If you have balance, store them in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Freeze-In an air-tight container, in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
Reheat-Lightly sprinkle the Manoushe Zaatar flatbreads with some tap water. Reheat them for a few seconds in the microwave or the oven at 350℉ (175℃) for a few minutes. If you reheat them in the microwave, you'll likely lose the crispy edges.
Recipe FAQs
The pizza peel makes it easier to move the thin, raw Lebanese flatbreads in and out of the oven, and the pizza stone is so the flatbreads cook fast within minutes, giving them beautiful golden colors and crispy edges. However, you can bake them on a baking tray. Alternatively, use a smoking hot iron cast skillet. Cook one side for 1-2 minutes, flip it, spread the topping, and continue cooking the other.
You can use a combo of dried thyme, oregano, marjoram, and toasted sesame seeds with a total of 5 tbsp. Add some lemon zest to give that tangy touch.
Zaatar is a spice blend of dried thyme, oregano, marjoram, toasted sesame, and sumac. Its flavors combine tanginess, woody, nutty, and floral. Now, you can use it in so many ways! Use it to marinate chicken, meat, or lamb. Use it as seasoning when cooking rice, pasta, eggs, or wraps.
More Flatbread Recipes
⭐ If you tried these Lebanese Flatbreads (Manoushe Zaatar) or any other recipe on our website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it went in the comments below!
Watch How To Make Them
📖 Recipe
Lebanese Flatbread (Manoushe Zaatar)
Video
Ingredients
Dough
- 3 cup (390 g) bread flour
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon (5 g) instant dry yeast
- 1 cup (250 ml) warm water
Topping
- ⅓ cup (32 g) za'atar
- ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
Dough
- Add all of the ingredients into a stand-mixer bowl. Use speed 1 to mix everything and then change to speed 2 and knead for 10 minutes. You'll have a sticky dough.
- Grease your hands with some oil, to prevent the dough from sticking. Form the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly greased bowl. Cover it tightly with cling film and leave it to rise until it doubles its size, around 1-1.5 hours, depending on your kitchen temperature.
Prepare Topping And Oven
- Meanwhile, add zaatar and extra virgin olive oil in a bowl. Mix well and set aside. Preheat your oven to 480℉ (250℃), without the fan, placing the rack on the highest level with a pizza stone on it, for at least 30 minutes before cooking these Lebanese flatbreads.
Assemble
- Place the risen dough on a lightly floured working surface. Lightly form it into a log and cut it into 6 equal pieces. Form each piece into a ball, and cover them with a cling film to prevent them from forming a crust.
- Grab a ball, and roll it into a thin circle, dusting it with some flour as you go if it's sticky. Slide it onto a pizza peel. Put the topping on top, leaving ½ inch empty around the edges.
Bake
- Carefully yet swiftly slide the Lebanese flatbread onto the pizza stone. Bake for 5-7 minutes, until the edges look golden brown. Slide the pizza peel underneath it, and remove it from the oven. Then continue assembling another flatbread, and bake it.
- We recommend not to let the assembled flatbreads sit around as it might be difficult to move them onto the pizza peel, into the oven later. Easy, right? Enjoy your Lebanese flatbread!
Stove
- Alternatively, you can use an iron skillet. Heat it on medium-high heat until smoking hot, place the flatbread, and cook for 1-2 minutes. Flip it, spread the topping and continue cooking the other side.
Notes
- Roll the dough thin. You'll get big air pockets and the Lebanese flatbreads cook even faster!
- Use a pizza peel and stone. We're baking this delicious Manoushe Zaatar in the house oven, mimicking the traditional saj, a metal griddle. The pizza peel makes it easier to move the thin Lebanese flatbreads, and the pizza stone helps to cook the bottom as fast as the top.
- Use the highest rack possible. This allows the flatbreads to be cooked within minutes, with the beautiful golden brown color and huge air pockets.
- Use the spoon and level method for cup measurements. This will avoid using excess flour.
- We highly recommend using a kitchen scale as it's more precise.
Nutrition Facts
The nutrition facts provided are an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Originally published on Mar 7, 2019. Updated with improved text and pictures on Feb 24, 2024.
Gilda Ruesten says
Tasty. We had this at a restaurant once and we loved it.
I am glad that I can make it at home now.
Bea & Marco says
Yay! Thanks, Gilda!
Nathan J Kearney says
I've been making this weekly for the last month. I live in Brisbane, Australia but previously lived in Melbourne where you can get Lebanese pizzas cheaply in many suburbs. I'm so glad that I can make them at home now as they're non-existent or massively overpriced where I live now
Bea & Marco says
So happy to hear that, Nathan. I totally understand you. We live in a town where "outside" food/restaurants is almost non-existence, and that's why we make them at home. Glad that you're enjoying the them, thanks!
Kathleen says
Thanks I have just purchased a pizza stone so excited to try your recipe..many thanks
Bea & Marco says
Awesome! Hope you'll like it as much as we do!
AngeC says
Haven’t had in ages!!! (Store bought)
Can’t wait to try myself as no premade near me here. Thanks!
Bea & Marco says
Hope you'll like it as much as we do!
Johnny says
These are excellent. I used to live in the middle east and would have these with cheese. Akawi and mozzarella mix.
I made these this afternoon and the came out absolutely perfectly.
Brilliant recipe. Thank you ever so much.
Bea & Marco says
I'm happy to have your stamp of approval, Johnny! Thank you so much!
Ron says
no. . . I hopefully, I will try it.
I comment because it reminds me of my childhood. My mother would make this with leftover dough from making Lebanese meat pies (fatia).
Gary says
This is an excellent recipe. The Za'atar came out more tasty than any we have had in bakeries or restaurants.
My wife agrees and she lived in the middle east.
I used a 15 inch perforated pizza pan for baking and managed to fit 3 on the pan.
The dough is a bit stiffer to work with than the usual bread doughs I make, but well worth the effort.
Thank you for this great recipe!
Bea says
Yeay 🙌, happy to know that your wife approves! Thank you so much for your feedback. If you're into breads, perhaps you'd like my no-knead focaccia, it's one of our readers' favourite. Have fun!
Chris Pederson says
I would like to try this flatbread with minced meat and feta cheese toppings. I am not a good cook or baker. I'll find a restaurant that sells this stuff and try it there.
Bea says
Cool, maybe one day you feel like making it yourself.
Marilyn MacArthur says
This was my first time making flatbread, and although one air bubble got a bit out of control they turned out fabulous! I used the convection setting on my oven, timed for 5 minutes was perfect. Here’s hoping my book club cohorts enjoy it as much as we do.
Bea says
Yeay! Here's to the first flatbread and many more to come! Glad that you guys liked it, thank you Marilyn!
Yola says
Oh I forgot to ask, if we don’t have a kneading machine ,how long by hand ?
Bea says
You can knead by hands until the dough is smooth and springy, around 10-15 minutes of really good kneading. Hoe it helps.
Yola says
How long for it to rise double? An hour?
Bea says
It depends on the temperature of your kitchen, between 40 minutes to 1 1/2 hours. Hope it helps.
Nicole says
Hi! Can you use store bought pizza dough?
Bea says
Hi Nicole! I haven't tried but I don't see why not.
Fee Abero says
I love your videos. It makes everything so accessible. I've always wanted to try flatbread, but now I feel like I can do this. Thank you for giving me the the courage to try!
Jasmin Z. says
Hi Bea,
Like your other recipes this flatbread is fantastic! I made the za'atar of my own with thyme, sumac, roasted sesame seeds and salt! I served it with hummus and some salad-absolutely delicious!
Best wishes from germany
Jasmin
PS: the oat muffins for my daughter an the choclate cheesecake for my son were delicious too!
Bea says
Hi Jasmin! I love it that you made your own za'atar. Sumac is extremely difficult to find here. I'm happy to know that you're loving the flatbreads and that your kids loved the sweet treats also 😀 . Thank you so much Jasmin, happy weekend!