Culture, ritual, and flavor—enough to make you curious, hungry, and ready to cook.
Middle Eastern cooking is a mosaic of mezze and fire—falafel crisp outside and soft within, shawarma carved into warm bread, hummus waiting for a swirl of oil. Fattoush crackles with toasted pita. Labneh cools the heat. Zaatar dusts everything it loves. The table fills from the edges inward until conversation has to lean over bowls.
You travel flavors from Levantine herbs to Gulf hospitality, from Egyptian comfort to shared Levant street nights. Kebabs perfume courtyards in the mind. Stews simmer with warm spice. Sweets drip with syrup and pistachio green.
What cooks adore is the invite-everyone energy. Mezze means many small joys. Grilling becomes social. Bread is sacred. Feeding people feels like the point of the day.
Middle Eastern food at home turns dinner into a landscape of dips, grills, and salads—and leftovers become tomorrow’s best lunch wraps.
Our best free recipes
Cook the showpieces first.
These are the signature dishes we are proudest of—the ones that make people fall for Middle Eastern cooking and reach for the full cookbook afterward. Each opens a free recipe page on ComidaTime (p=site).
Why this one: Crisp herb falafel is mezze magic in a bite—the free recipe that makes the full Middle Eastern volume feel essential for hosts.
Middle Eastern Falafel is a beloved street food staple across the Levant, known for its crispy exterior and tender, flavorful interior. Typically made with a blend of ground fava beans, onion, garlic, and parsley, these golden-brown delights are seasoned with cumin and salt, capturing the essence of the region's vibrant flavors. In homes, falafel is prepared with the same care as in bustling street stalls, where sal…
Why this one: Spice-laden shawarma wrapped in bread is celebration street food at home; one platter and you’ll crave every grill chapter in the book.
Lamb Shawarma is a Levantine classic, typically found spinning on vertical rotisseries in bustling shops across the region. This home version captures the essence of those street-side delights, bringing the flavors of the Levant into your kitchen. Crafted by hand, the salt is measured by instinct while the richness of fat is celebrated, creating a dish meant for sharing around the table. Expect each bite to be a sym…
Why this one: Silky hummus is the dip that starts every gathering; mastering it free opens the door to the cookbook’s wider mezze universe.
Creamy Hummus is a staple of the Middle Eastern mezze spread, where it is lovingly prepared with a careful hand and a generous spirit. This dish, deeply rooted in home kitchens, is the centerpiece of gatherings, offering a sense of comfort and warmth. The recipe you find here mirrors the way family cooks approach it, with ingredients measured by intuition and a table set for sharing. The hummus should be smooth and…
Why this one: Sumac-bright fattoush with crisp pita is freshness that wakes a feast—the free classic that proves salads can be showpieces too.
Fattoush Salad hails from the kitchens of Damascus, where it's a staple of home-cooked meals, crafted with a simplicity that belies its vibrant taste. It's a dish that thrives in the company of family and friends, made to be shared around a table that celebrates the abundance of fresh vegetables and crispy pita. The salad should burst with the tang of sumac and the richness of olive oil, balancing the crispness of c…
After you taste the free recipes, this is the book that keeps the adventure going—at your table, for the people you cook with and for.
Authentic Middle Eastern Cuisine by Yassine Sbiti, from ComidaTime International Cuisines, spans mezze, grills, stews, breads, sweets, and the stories of a region that feeds with open hands. Free recipes are your first taste of that abundance.
The book helps you cook for gatherings after free showpieces—complete methods, home-cookable authenticity, and breadth from weeknight falafel to full mezze celebrations.
You’ll want to own it when Middle Eastern flavors become your way to celebrate: herbs, fire, yogurt, and a table that never looks finished.
A gift that keeps feeding the table. Authentic Middle Eastern Cuisine is a beautiful present for hosts, newlyweds, parents who love to cook, friends who collect cuisines, and anyone who lights up when the kitchen fills with company. Give the Kindle edition for an instant surprise, or the print edition for a keepsake that stays on the counter—either way, you’re giving recipes, stories, and an invitation to cook together.
Authentic recipes written for home cooks—complete ingredients and full methods
Cultural stories that make every dish make sense
Enough breadth to host a celebration or cook a quiet weeknight
A memorable gift for cooks, hosts, and anyone who loves gathering around food
Part of ComidaTime’s International Cuisines series - curated by Yassine Sbiti
