Makhlouta is an amazing Lebanese whole-grain stew. It is made easily and quickly thanks to the Instant Pot’s help. It’s naturally vegan and can also be made gluten-free. This is pantry cooking at it’s finest my friends! You can use whatever grains you have on hand, and most importantly, it’s crazy good!
Makhlouta – Lebanese Whole-Grain Stew
World meet… Makhlouta! The best grain-based stew I know. ♡
Seriously, this stew is just the best. It’s made with whatever grains you have in your pantry, and it’s surprisingly delicious. It is so simple and savoury thanks to the fried onions and rich olive oil.
It’s also naturally vegan, and if you omit the bulgar and wheat berries, it can be made gluten-free. Makhlouta is loaded with lots of good-for-you protein, fibre, and nutrients. It’s the creamiest, coziest, warmest, most comforting whole-grain soup to come out of my kitchen in possibly forever.
And the best part?
It’s one of those simple basic recipes that you can whip up when your fridge is bare. You just need beans, grains, olive oil and onions. Because this soup is sooo basic, use the BEST olive oil you can find – preferably unfiltered and cold-pressed for maximum flavour and nutritional benefit.
Every time I make it, it is always, always a hit. So if you’re looking for a healthy, simple vegan recipe that everyone can enjoy this season, stock up on some beans and grains, grab your favourite olive oil and let’s make a big batch!
Tips for Making Makhlouta
Use a food processor. There are lots of onions in this recipe; a food processor with a slicing attachment is strongly recommended.
Soak onions in water. If you’re not using a food processor to slice the onions, then soak them in cold water before slicing. Also, use a very sharp knife to avoid the tears.
It makes for the absolute best leftovers; and also freezes beautifully (actually, I prefer it the next day).
What do you need to make Makhlouta – Lebanese whole-grain stew
The ingredients are simple standard pantry grains. You can mix and match to your taste if needed; however, here are the ingredients I used in my recipe:
- Dried chickpeas, beans & brown lentils
- Short-grain rice, wheat berries & bulgar
- Potatoes
- Onions
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Cumin
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Wow! Great recipe, it’s one of my favorites.
These days I love anything that doubles as delicious leftovers. I love the local Lebanese place and can’t wait to try making makhlouta at home.
I’d never tried anything like this but I knew my husband would love it–and me too, of course! I’ve also been super into my Instant Pot this winter so this is a definite winner for these cold cold nights!
A massive bowl of all the nutrients! I love this stew.
This is a nice bowl of goodness love all the ingredients and that it has lentils, I enjoy those a lot. This looks so tasty and chunky. I wish I had a bowl now.
I love bean stews and I love the idea of topping with the fried onions for some extra taste and texture.