Culinary Arts
Saudi dishes are nutritionally rich, with ingredients sourced from the local environment, and wheat is considered one of the main components found in most Saudi dishes.
The main Saudi dishes consist of yogurt, milk, ghee, butter, honey, dates, vegetables, rice, and meat, although meat was rare in the past. Yet, these simple ingredients have resulted in dozens of unique and flavorful recipes.
National Dishes
Jareesh: A Saudi national dish made from crushed wheat cooked with yogurt, garnished with caramelized onions, dried lime, and ghee.
Maqshoosh: A Saudi national dessert consisting of small, sweet bread balls made from whole wheat flour, served with honey and ghee.
Regional Dishes
Kubaybat Hail (Hail Region): Grape leaves stuffed with rice or cracked wheat, simmered in meat broth, and seasoned with local spices, including the Hail pepper blend.
Marqooq (Riyadh Region): A stew featuring meat and a medley of vegetables, accompanied by dough made from whole wheat flour.
Kleija (Qassim Region): Whole wheat flour biscuits, hollow and filled with date syrup (a thick, sweet date extract), and flavored with cinnamon, dried lime, and ginger.
Regional Dishes
Sayadiyah (Tabuk Region): Rice cooked with caramelized onions, fish broth, and spices, served with fried fish, garlic, and lemon alongside rice and appetizers.
Maghsh (Jazan Region): A stone pot used to cook meat and vegetables in a clay oven, served with bread.
Saleeg (Makkah Region): White rice cooked in meat broth.
Hassawi Rice (Eastern Province): A unique red rice variety grown exclusively in the Al-Ahsa region of Saudi Arabia, cooked with meat, dried shrimp, or fish.