Food of United Arab Emirates
Emirati food draws on the desert, the sea and the old trade routes, with lamb, fish, rice, dates and spices from India and Persia. Dishes like machboos, harees and luqaimat are served at family gatherings, and Arabic coffee with dates welcomes guests. Modern cities add street food and global flavors alongside tradition.
Harees
Slow-cooked wheat and meat beaten into a creamy porridge, finished with ghee.
How to make Harees- Main dishes (6)
- Breakfast (3)
- Street food (2)
- Soups (1)
- Salads (1)
- Desserts and sweets (4)
- Drinks (3)
- Fruits and produce (3)
Staples
- rice
- lamb
- fish
- dates
- wheat
- flatbread
Signature flavors
- cardamom
- saffron
- dried lime
- cinnamon
- turmeric
- rose water
Main dishes
Slow-cooked wheat and meat beaten into a creamy porridge, finished with ghee.
Key ingredients: wheat, lamb, gheeFull guide →
Rice cooked with meat or fish and a mix of dried lime and warm spices.
Key ingredients: rice, lamb, dried lime, baharatFull guide →A creamy mash of chicken and rice flavored with spices.
Key ingredients: chicken, rice, ghee, cardamom
Whole roast lamb served on rice for large gatherings.
Key ingredients: lamb, rice, nuts
Bread soaked in a savory vegetable and meat stew.
Key ingredients: bread, lamb, vegetablesFish grilled over charcoal with lemon and spices.
Key ingredients: fish, lemon, cuminBreakfast
Sweet saffron vermicelli topped with an omelet.
Key ingredients: vermicelli, saffron, eggs, sugarSoft pancakes scented with saffron and cardamom.
Key ingredients: flour, saffron, date syrupSoft, slightly sweet bread served with cheese or honey.
Key ingredients: flour, yeast, milkStreet food
Marinated meat in bread with pickles and sauce.
Key ingredients: chicken, garlic sauce, picklesFull guide →
Chickpea fritters tucked into bread.
Key ingredients: chickpeas, herbsFull guide →Soups
A smooth, warming lentil soup with cumin and lemon.
Key ingredients: lentils, cumin, lemonSalads
Chopped tomato, cucumber and onion with lemon.
Key ingredients: tomato, cucumber, onion, lemonDesserts and sweets
Golden fried dough balls with date syrup.
Key ingredients: flour, yeast, date syrupFull guide →
A soft dough with ghee and date syrup.
Key ingredients: flour, ghee, date syrupToasted flour pudding with cardamom.
Key ingredients: flour, sugar, ghee
Shredded pastry with cheese and syrup, popular in cafes.
Key ingredients: kataifi, cheese, syrupFull guide →Drinks
Light coffee with cardamom and saffron.
Key ingredients: coffee, cardamom, saffronFull guide →
Strong spiced milk tea.
Key ingredients: tea, milk, cardamomFull guide →A refreshing yogurt drink.
Key ingredients: yogurt, water, saltFruits and produce
Dates from the Liwa and Al Ain oases, eaten with coffee.
Key ingredients: coffee pairing, syrupFull guide →
Fresh and dried figs.
Key ingredients: fresh, driedFull guide →Dried limes season stews and rice.
Key ingredients: stews, juiceDish guides from United Arab Emirates
More cuisines of Western Asia
- Armenia
- Azerbaijan
- Bahrain
- Georgia
- Iraq
- Israel
- Jordan
- Kuwait
- Lebanon
- Oman
- Palestine
- Qatar
- Saudi Arabia
- Syria
- Türkiye
- Yemen
Descriptions written by Intercontinental Chef. Dishes are listed as commonly eaten today; many are shared across neighbouring countries.
- Armenian Harisa: Ketone16, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Machboos (cropped): Miansari66, CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Iraqi Qoozi : aziz1005, CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Tharid. (cropped): Miansari66, CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Homemade Balaleet, 2023: Mohamed Toorani, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Shawarma 2: Vis M, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Falafels 2: Popo le Chien, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- EgFoodLentilSoup: Roland Unger, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- A large mixed salad: Gatorfan252525, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Sam'dan lokma tatlisi: elif ayse, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- عصيدة-قطيفية: Mustafa Al-Elq, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Künefe: elif ayse, CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- A dallah a traditional Arabic coffee pot with cups and coffee beans: Canbel, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Chai In Sakora: Dadhichbittu007, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Dates005: Nepenthes, CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
- Ficus carica L, 1771: Trew, C.J, Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
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