Manakish is a Lebanese flatbread topped most classically with za'atar, a blend of dried thyme, sumac, toasted sesame, and salt mixed into a paste with olive oil and spread edge to edge before baking. It's an everyday breakfast food across Lebanon, sold fresh from bakeries every morning.
The dough itself is simple, close to a basic pizza dough, but the result depends heavily on oven heat. Bakeries use stone hearths that hit temperatures a home oven can't match, so getting close means cranking the oven as high as it goes and giving the stone real time to heat through.
Za'atar is the classic topping, but manakish also appears with a spiced ground meat topping called manakish bil lahme, worth trying once you've got the base dough down.
What Actually Matters
The oven needs to be as hot as it can physically go, preheated with the stone or sheet already inside for a full half hour. Manakish is meant to bake fast in the ferocious heat of a stone hearth, and a moderate home oven temperature turns it into a dry cracker instead of a soft, blistered flatbread.
Manakish (Za'atar Flatbread)
Serves 4. Prep 1 hour 20 minutes, cook 10 minutes, total 1 hour 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2.25 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 3/4 cup warm water
- 2 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for topping
- 1/3 cup za'atar spice blend
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, for the topping mix
Method
- Whisk the yeast and sugar into the warm water and let sit 5 to 10 minutes until foamy.
- In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Add the yeast mixture and 3 tablespoons olive oil and mix until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead 6 to 8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise 1 hour until doubled.
- Place a pizza stone or heavy baking sheet in the oven and preheat to the highest setting, at least 500 degrees F, for 30 minutes.
- Divide the dough into 4 pieces and roll each into a thin round, about 1/4 inch thick. Stir the za'atar with the remaining olive oil to make a spreadable paste and spread it generously over each round, right to the edge.
- Transfer to the hot stone or sheet and bake 6 to 8 minutes, until the edges are puffed and lightly browned and the base is cooked through. Serve warm.
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
Calculated estimate for one of four servings, not lab verified.
| Calories | Protein | Carbohydrate | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|
| 310 | 7 g | 38 g | 14 g |
Tips and Variations
Preheat the stone properly. Thirty minutes sounds long but it's what lets the stone actually transfer enough heat to blister the base quickly.
Roll thin. Manakish is meant to be thinner than a typical pizza crust so it cooks through fast in a short, hot bake.
Storage: best fresh, but keeps a day at room temperature wrapped, and reheats well in a hot dry skillet.
Variation: top with crumbled akkawi cheese alongside or instead of za'atar for a cheese manakish.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is za'atar?
Za'atar is a Levantine spice blend of dried thyme, sumac, toasted sesame seeds, and salt, usually mixed with olive oil into a spreadable paste for manakish.
Can I make manakish without a pizza stone?
A heavy, dark baking sheet preheated the same way works as a substitute, though a stone gives a slightly better, more even blister on the base.
Why is my manakish dry and cracker like?
The oven likely wasn't hot enough or the stone wasn't preheated long enough. High, sustained heat and a short bake time are what keep it soft rather than dried out.
Can I make the dough ahead?
Yes. The dough can rise slowly in the refrigerator overnight, which also improves the flavor. Bring it to room temperature before shaping.
What else can I top manakish with?
Ground spiced lamb or beef, crumbled cheese, or a mix of za'atar and cheese are all traditional variations alongside the classic plain za'atar topping.
More From Wine Drop Cookery
This recipe is part of the Lebanese recipe collection.
Who Is Writing This
I'm Chef Alan. I have spent 35 years in professional kitchens, I have formal culinary education in New Hampshire, and I have been honored as a 6-Time 4-Diamond Chef. More about me here.
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