14 Of The Most Popular Traditional Lebanese Lent Dishes

The Great Lent that precedes Easter is observed among the Christian communities across Lebanon for over 2000 years, with some changes that have been implemented in recent decades to ease its dietary strictness.

Some families continue to abide by the old ways (cutting off fish and dairy from their diet) and some do not. Yet, one matter remains in common: People abstain from eating meat during all the Lent period. At home, the cooked meals are vegetarian or vegan.

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Known as "qate3", these meatless dishes have been passed down in the families from generation to generation, forming a big part of the Lebanese traditional cuisine and heritage; with some recipe variations.

These dishes are the most consumed family meals during this season among the Christian communities in Lebanon. They are very healthy meals with nutritious ingredients.

Here are the most popular ones among them:

#1 Mjadra / Mdadra

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This is a protein-rich dish of rice and lentils. It is cooked with fried onions, which gives it its particular flavor. It is then topped with caramelized onions and served with salad, often the fattoush, or Laban (plain yogurt)..

The Mjadra, which some regions call Mdadra, is also the Friday dish in many Lebanese households that fast on Fridays throughout the year.

There is a slight difference between the Mjadra and the Mdadra though, and it is mainly in the final step where the preparation is kept moist enough to be pureed.

#2 Loubieh Bil Zeit

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A vegetarian version of the Green Bean stew, this dish is often consumed with Lebanese vermicelli rice and comes in 2 different versions: cooked with tomato sauce or without it with a flare of lemon juice.

Note: Some in Lebanon called this dish Fasoulia bil zeit; not to confuse it with the dish below.

#3 Fasoulia Bil Zeit

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A red or white bean stew without meat, also consumed with Lebanese vermicelli rice.

#4 Kibbe Lakteen (Pumpin Kibbe)

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In this Lenten version of the baked Kibbeh, the recipe uses mashed pumpkin instead of meat, and Burghul (wheat). The center layer (filling) is usually a cooked blend of spinach (or chard), onion, chickpeas, and the added option of walnuts; with some slight variations depending on the recipe.

It is generally served with Fattouch salad.

#5 Kibbet Raheb (the Monk Kibbe)

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A popular dish in northern Lebanon, Kibbet Raheb is mostly prepared during Lent, thus its name. It's a protein-rich meal that consists of balls of flour and burghul (wheat) cooked with lentils and some fried onions to enhance its flavor. It is then flared with Lemon juice.

#6 A3dass Bil Hamod (Lentils in Lemon)

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Unlike what its name suggests, the a3dass Bil Hamod is not just a dish of lentils cooked in lemon juice. It is a nutrient-rich soup of chard, potatoes, lentils, and carrots, enhanced with lemon juice. It is quite fulfilling and super delicious. (A must-try!)

#7 Burghul Bil Banadoura (Wheat in Tomato)

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