Maqluba (Makloubeh) with Lamb (Arabic Rice Dish)

You may have heard of Maqluba (also known as makloubeh, maqlooba, maqlouba), a prevalent Middle Eastern rice dish from Palestine that is sure to impress. It consists of seasoned rice, baked vegetables like cauliflower, potatoes, eggplant, and tender pieces of lamb. All these flavors make for a spectacular dish served by flipping over the pot into the serving platter. The reveal makes maqluba unique, hence the name, which quite literally means upside down. This dish may sound intimidating, but it is pretty simple to execute. It is SO delicious and worth making! If you prefer chicken over lamb, check out my chicken makloubeh recipe.

So, what is Maqluba (Makloubeh, Maqloubeh)?

Maqluba is a common Arab rice dish, especially in Palestinian and Jordanian households, prepared by layering rice, veggies, and meat into a pot. It is then cooked and known for flipping the pot onto the serving platter, where the beautiful layers are revealed and often topped with toasted nuts and parsley as garnish. This meal is always served with plain yogurt and Arabic salad.

Every family makes maqloubeh differently, making it a versatile and flexible dish. In our family, we always enjoyed it with fried eggplant, cauliflower, and potatoes with lamb. I now do the same but prefer baking the vegetables for a healthier spin. My favorite part of makloubeh, and I am sure many of you who have tried, may agree, is the bottom of the pot. It gets a nice crust and lots of flavors. We always fight over the bits that get stuck in the pot if and so that happens. So, don’t fret if you don’t reveal the most perfectly shaped maqluba and some remains in the pot. It is just as delicious!

What vegetables are used in Maqluba?

The three most common vegetables are sliced eggplant, cauliflower florets, and potato slices. However, other versions use carrots, chickpeas, onions, or seasonal vegetables. Personally, the most authentic way, and my favorite combination, is the eggplant, cauliflower, and potato. Sometimes, I skip out on the potatoes as I find cauliflower and eggplant the most essential and try to avoid a carb-on carb. You will always find tomato slices at the bottom of the pot too. These serve the purpose of protecting the other layers but also adding beautiful color and additional flavor.

There are no rules that you must follow, just preferences. The recipe I am sharing with you is the same recipe my mom would make for us. Maqluba is also very common during Ramadan. Often, it is the first meal made in most Palestinian households in the Holy month. It is filling and has everything you need in one pot, from the grain to veggies to protein, and everyone loves it!

What meat should be used for Maqluba?

Lamb is what is typically used for this dish. In our household, we use bone-in medium size pieces of lamb shoulder. That is what you would request of the butcher. Lamb shoulder will yield better results than lamb leg pieces in most stew recipes. I almost always use lamb shoulder in my Arab meals, whether cauliflower stew or qidreh. It is not very common to use beef, and I wouldn’t recommend using it either, as lamb is more flavorful and tender.

Some people shy away from using lamb or are intimidated by cooking it, but it is straightforward and not gamey in this recipe. The lamb is prepared in two steps for makloubeh. First, it is cooked in a broth with bay leaves, cardamom, onions, and seasonings until tender, which takes roughly 2 hours. Any residue is skimmed off from the top of the pot, as pictured below, so the broth is clean of any gamey flavor. It is then taken out of the broth and layered into the pot with the other components, taking on flavor from the rest of the ingredients. The lamb truly comes out perfectly in this maqluba with lamb.

What type of rice & spices are used for Makloubeh?

The rice used is essential, as it is a rice dish. For makloubeh, long-grain rice is preferred and most commonly used, such as the basmati variety. However, you can mix rice, such as Egyptian rice, with basmati rice (half of each). It also yields an excellent outcome, or just one or the other. Just be sure to adjust the cooking liquid ratio appropriately.

For Makloubeh, the rice is often seasoned with turmeric for color, seven spice for various Arab flavors, salt, pepper, and cumin. In some recipes, the broth is seasoned rather than the rice, but that is not how we have always made it in my family. The broth leftover from the lamb will be so flavorful since it has bay leaves, onions, cardamom, allspice, and the lamb. That, with the rice seasoning, will yield a delicious maqluba.

TIPS FOR MAKING MAQLUBA

• Use a non-stick pot, preferably wider than narrow. This allows for a more seamless flip and reveal of the makloubeh. I still prep my pot with nonstick spray as an extra measure.
• Use a plate that fits the pot to cover the rice while it cooks. This keeps all the components intact while it simmers. I use this method when cooking grape leaves or cabbage rolls as well.
• Use the recommended spices for the lamb broth and the rice. It will give makoubeh its distinct flavor. There are also all-purpose Makloubeh spices at Arab grocery stores, but I prefer to make my own.
• Don’t be discouraged if the flip doesn’t come out perfect. It will still be so tasty!

If you try this recipe or have questions, please leave them below in the comments section. I would appreciate a review and star rating if you make any of my recipes! Send your remakes to my Instagram page for me to see and share!