My Cookbook: Souk to Table 
Maqluba (Makloubeh) with Lamb (Arabic rice dish)
Maqluba, meaning “upside down” in Arabic, is a traditional Middle Eastern rice dish layered with spiced meat, vegetables, and rice—then flipped dramatically before serving. When I make it, I usually tell everyone they’re getting both dinner and a show. While it may look like a complicated dish, my version breaks it down step-by-step so you can confidently make this flavorful and traditional meal at home. Many 5-star reviews later, this recipe is a reader favourite and the perfect one for you to try!
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5-STAR READER REVIEW
“Hands down THE best Makloubeh recipe on the internet! The whole spices (I used bay, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper and green cardamoms) lend an insane flavor to the dish without needing any additional spices. The warmth of the spices were also great for the aroma they imparted in my kitchen, but best of all was being able to enjoy it with family and loved ones. No leftovers so a repeat for later this week 😊 Shukran! ”
—Antonio
My Mom is the Maqluba Master
We are addicted to maqluba at our house, and lucky for us, my mom is quite possibly the best at it. She made us this Iraqi-style maqluba growing up, although maqluba is known to be an authentic Palestinian dish. Our maqluba is always red (tomato paste!) and usually made with lamb (but yes you can definitely use bone-in chicken) and infused with whole spices that really make it incredible. Served with Jajik or a fine chopped salad and wow – you have an incredible meal.
The idea behind layering the vegetables and meat underneath the rice then cooking everything together allows all the flavours to beautifully melt into each other. It’s cooked low and slow to give time for the flavours to develop and for the rice to steam very well. Before we get into the recipe, let’s address some important notes about Maqluba that helped me nail it.
Vegetables Are The Star Component!
The vegetables used in maqluba are eggplant, potato, and cauliflower, though there really isn’t a “correct” list – you can definitely throw in whatever you like, with the exception of eggplant. The flavour of eggplant is so important for a great maqluba. I personally love adding onions and peppers because it amps up the vegetable flavours and adds a delicious sweetness. Tomato slices are also typically used at the very bottom of the pot to help prevent anything from sticking.
Best Meat and Rice to Use
My favourite type of meat to use is bone-in lamb shoulder or veal shoulder. They’re tender and create an amazing stock that is used to cook the rice. You can also use bone-in chicken pieces (any cut will do), which also turns out delicious but will require less cooking time. As for rice – long grain basmati rice, always! Why? Because it has way less chance of clumping up and will remain separate grains through the long cook time.
Your Type of Pot… Actually Matters!
The best tip I can give is to use a non-stick pot. It is MUCH easier to flip it and get a clean release. It helps to have a pot with straight edges and one that is more wide than narrow. This will ensure that the steam/heat doesn’t have to travel as far up as it would if the pot was narrow and tall, and you get a more even cook on the rice. If the pot is really tall, the top layer of rice will be harder to cook through. If the only pot you have is a narrow one, try to make a smaller amount so you don’t stack it too high!
Ingredients and Notes!
I recommend bone-in lamb shoulder or bone-in veal shoulder for the most tender meat. As for vegetables, I love using eggplant, potato, onion, pepper and tomatoes. I never skip any of those! You can choose to add cauliflower instead of the potato.
I use whole spices to cook the meat in and create the stock. You don’t have to use all of them, but I highly recommend using the cinnamon sticks, green cardamom, and bay leaves. I also like to throw in some whole allspice, peppercorns or cloves if I have them. And then when we cook the stock further I add in the turmeric, salt and black pepper.
The Step by Step Process
Making maqluba is actually easy, but it requires several steps, pre-cooking all the elements, and a few important cooking notes. I suggest you read these instructions very carefully to make sure it comes out perfect. Typically, vegetables are fried before layering. However, I love roasting them because its lighter and easier, yet still yields a delicious result. Here’s how it goes:
- Prepare the eggplant and the potato by washing them, slicing them, drizzling with some oil and salt, then roasting them at 450F for 30 minutes. If you’re using cauliflower, roast it the same way.
2. Get started on cooking the meat and creating the stock. Sear the meat in some oil, then add water and whole spices and pressure cook it for 10 minutes if using lamb or veal (less time if using chicken). If you don’t have a pressure cooker, simply allow the meat to boil on medium high heat for 40-60 minutes, until tender. This will depend on the type of meat you have.
3. Prepare the onions and peppers by slicing them into thin wings and cooking them on the stove top with some salt and oil for a few minutes until they soften.
4. After the meat has cooked, remove it and set aside. Strain the stock from the whole spices and then add the turmeric, salt, pepper and tomato paste in. Mix well and add some water if you need to adjust the total amount of liquid you need (Make sure you follow my exact amount in the recipe card!). The colour of the stock should be a deep orange.
5. Now you can start layering all the vegetables, meat and rice together in the pot. Start with a bit of oil drizzled on the bottom. Then add tomato slices, eggplant, potato, meat, onions and peppers, then the rice. Finally, pour the stock on top and it should come up to just above the rice. If it doesn’t – add a bit of water so that it does.
6. Cook the maqluba on medium high heat for about 8-10 minutes until you start to see the water bubbling. Then immediately cover it and reduce the heat to low. Ensure your pot is covered well – you can also use a towel to cover it and ensure the steam doesn’t escape. It will cook on low heat for 50 minutes.
7. Turn off the heat and allow the maqluba to rest for a few minutes. Then, using a flat tray with slightly raised edges, place it on top of the pot and use both hands to flip it over onto the tray. Keep the pot in place upside down for a few minutes to allow gravity to do the work. This will help keep the maqluba in shape. Then slowly start raising the pot to release the maqluba. You’re done!
Make Ahead Tips for Hosting
Maqluba is the perfect dish to serve at gatherings and dinner parties and impress your guests. And there’s a lot you can do ahead of time to make it much easier on yourself:
- Roast the eggplant and potato (or cauliflower) ahead of time and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days
- Either cut up the onions and peppers ahead of time and store in an airtight container or you can also cook them and store them, also for up to 2 days
- Cook the meat and create the broth ahead of time, store in an airtight container for up to 2 days
All you have to do the day-of is to assemble and do the final cook.
If you tried these recipes, please consider leaving a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page – I’d love to hear from you! You can also hop on over to Instagram and say hello!
Maqluba (Makloubeh) with Lamb (Arabic rice dish)
Ingredients
For the meat and broth:
- 600 g – 900g of lamb or veal pieces, approx. 1.5 lbs to 2 lbs per preference – see note 1
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 pods green cardamom
- 3 bay leaves
- 4 whole allspice or black peppercorn, optional but recommended
- 4 whole cloves, optional but recommended
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3.5 teaspoons salt
- 1.5 teaspoons black pepper
- 3 cups water
For the Eggplant:
- 2 eggplants, approximately 700g
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
For the potato:
- 2 large potatoes
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
For the onions and peppers:
- 1 large onion
- 1 large bell pepper, red or orange, not green
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
For the rice:
- 2.5 cups basmati rice
- 5.5 cups total liquid, combination of the meat broth and additional water
- 1 tomato
For the garnish (optional):
- 1/2 cup slivered or blanched almonds, or pine nuts
- 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Start by preheating the oven to 450F
- Wash the eggplant and peel it every other stripe as shown in the ingredients photo. Cut into into thick slices, about half an inch thick
- Wash and peel the potatoes, and cut them into roughly half inch thick circles
- Place the eggplant and the potato on a lined baking sheet. Sprinkle them with salt and combine them with the oil (the amounts under the ingredients section). Bake for 30 minutes.
- Wash the meat and sear it on medium high heat using the 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the 3 cups of water and all the whole spices and pressure cook for 10 minutes. If you are not using a pressure cooker, boil on stove top covered on medium heat for 40-60 minutes until tender.
- Cut the onion and pepper into wings or slices. Cook with the oil in a pan over medium heat for 7 minutes until softened. Set aside.
- Once the meat is cooked, remove it and set aside. Strain the stock from the whole spices.
- To the hot stock (in a bowl or a pot), add the turmeric, salt, black pepper and tomato paste. Mix well to combine and add additional water to reach the 5.5 cups required. I do this by using a measuring cup to measure the total amount of stick then top it up with water until I reach 5.5 cups
- Wash the rice several times until the water runs clear. Drain it and set aside
- Cut the tomato into slices
- To layer the maqluba, start by adding 2 tablespoons of oil to the bottom of the pot, then add the tomato slices, followed by eggplant, potato, meat, onions and peppers, then the rice
- Pat the rice down firmly, then pour the stock on top. Pat down again using a wooden spoon to ensure the stock is fully covering the rice
- Place the pot on medium high heat and allow it to start bubbling, which should take 5 minutes or so
- Once it is bubbling, cover it and decrease the heat to low. Ensure the pot is well covered by also adding a towel on top, especially if your pot has any holes. Cook for 50 minutes.
- After 50 minutes, turn heat off and allow maqluba to rest for 5-10 minutes. If you open it and realize your top layer of rice is undercooked or under seasoned, read the troubleshooting section
- When ready to serve, find a large tray with raised edges and place it on top of the pot. Use both hands and place them on each handle while holding the tray down. In a swift motion, flip the pot over (have someone nearby to help you if you need it). Leave the pot flipped over the tray for a few minutes and allow gravity to slowly drop the maqluba
- Lift the pot very slowly to help keep it intact. Serve with yogurt or Jajik and enjoy!
Notes
- You can substitute chicken for the lamb or veal. Use the amount you like, but 600g at a minimum to get a good tasting stock
- You can cook the meat in a pressure cooker or instant pot for faster results. But if you don’t have one, cook it on the stove top for 40-60 minutes until tender (or less for chicken)
- For the vegetables, you can increase the amounts listed if you prefer more (it will not impact the rice and liquid ratio, so leave those the same)
- Use a non stick pot with straight sides for best results
- If you’re using short grain rice, there is a higher risk it will stick together and mush, therefore be sure to adjust the water ratio accordingly
- This recipe yields 6 generous adult servings. But it will depend on how much your household eats. You can halve or double the recipe by clicking numbers at the top right of the recipe card
This was exactly what I wanted it to be! I halved the recipe because I wanted to cook it in my small rice cooker. I omitted the onions, peppers, tomatoes, and tomato paste for personal preference. Added all spice powder instead of the whole spice. I should have added a potato but I didn’t have any and my rice cooker is really small. Still came out great!
I’m so glad you loved the result, and thanks so much for sharing your adjustments. 🙂
One of the best recipes with a different taste from subcontinent’ Pulao or biryani. Thanks.
Glad you loved it!
Delicious as all of Amina’s recipes! She is my go to for easy and delish no fail recipes!
So delicious! Easy to follow the recipe and made Ramadan complete having Maqluba. Definitely sharing this recipe with friends and family! Thank you! Eid Mubarak! 🌟🌙
delicious!!! thank you
This was a show stopper, everything about it was 10/10. The flavors were chefs kiss and just came together so nicely
Came out delicious! Your steps are easy to follow and love so the tip/explanations!
So glad to hear Nafeesa, thanks so much for leaving us a review!
This recipe was fantastic! The rice on top was slightly under at first but I just left the lid on longer and covered it with a rag and the steam finished it up just right.
Hi Alicia! So glad you loved it! And you managed that undercooked top layer of rice like a pro – that is exactly how to fix it. It is harder for the steam to travel all the way to the top, and the type of pot used actually matters in this case. Thanks so much for leaving us a review!
I printed out an earlier version of your recipe a year ago and finally got the courage to try it using a kilo of chicken thighs on the bone. The instructions were extremely clear and helpful. I used jasmine instead of basmati rice, and roasted a little cauliflower and a carrot with the veggies. Everything came out perfectly!
I had to add 2.5 cups of water to the broth’s 3 cups to make the 5.5 cups; the result was underspicing, in my opinion. Coupled with more than enough rice, next time I’ll use only 2 cups of rice, and 4.4 cups of liquid total. Maybe I’ll add a tablespoon of baharat.
The earliest recipe is in a 13th century cookbook by Muhammad al-Baghdadi, so I assume an Iraqi origin.
Hi Don! Wow – look at that masterpiece! What an amazing photo. Thank you so much for sharing it with us! You are right – many traditional recipes trace back to the “book of dishes” by Al-Baghdadi. Thanks for your notes on the rice and broth amounts. You are right, adding more water to the broth does lead to under seasoning. Sometimes to fix that, I taste the total mixed broth before adding it in to make sure it tastes visibly salty (even when I make it sometimes I get less or more broth, depending on how long I cooked the meat etc). Thanks a lot for your review and notes!
This is a fantastic recipe! I followed it almost exactly but also added stuffed grape leaves toward the bottom because that’s how my Kurdish friends always make it. I added a little more liquid to compensate for that. The stock from the lamb is so rich and the flavors are amazing!
Wow! Look at that masterpiece! I am so intrigued by adding stuffed grape leaves at the bottom – that sounds incredible! Thank you so much for your review Aubrey!