Yemen Recipes
Clay-oven breads and bubbling stone-pot stews. Not sure what to eat in Yemen? Start with Fahsa, Mandi, Bint al-Sahn and Masoub. Here are 8 authentic Yemen recipes, each from a specific region, with cultural context and dietary substitutions for every table.
8 recipes
SaltahSana’a, Yemen · medium · 1 h 5 minA bubbling stone-pot stew crowned with whipped fenugreek froth (hulba) and fiery green sahawiq, Yemen’s national dish.
Saltah MasoubSana’a, Yemen · easy · 25 minMashed flatbread and ripe banana bound with honey and topped with cream, nuts, and dates.
MandiSana’a, Yemen · medium · 1 h 55 minSmoky spiced rice and tender meat traditionally cooked in an underground oven, a celebrated dish of Yemen and the Gulf.
Bint al-SahnSana’a, Yemen · advanced · 1 h 15 minMany paper-thin layers of buttery dough baked and drenched in honey and scattered with nigella seeds, Yemen's honey cake.
FahsaSana’a, Yemen · medium · 3 hA bubbling Yemeni lamb stew served in a hot stone pot and crowned with hilbeh, whipped fenugreek foam, with hawaij spice.
ZurbianSana’a, Yemen · advanced · 2 h 30 minA Yemeni celebration biryani: saffron rice layered with yogurt-marinated lamb and potatoes, finished over low heat.
Shafoot (Yemeni Flatbread in Herbed Yogurt)Sana’a, Yemen · medium · 2 h 15 minSpongy lahoh flatbreads soaked in a cold, green yogurt and buttermilk sauce blended with garlic, chili, coriander, mint and spring onion, topped with pomegranate seeds.
Sahawiq (Yemeni Fresh Chili and Tomato Relish)Sana’a, Yemen · easy · 10 minTomato, green chili, garlic, cumin and coriander crushed together into a coarse, fiery fresh relish, spooned beside rice, bread, beans and meat at almost every Yemeni meal.
📋 Teaching Yemen?A free, printable Country of the Week guide for the classroom: geography, a kid-friendly recipe, and discussion prompts.
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