ExploFood · Asia
What to eat in Jordan
Five dishes to try in Jordan, the most typical first. Two are vegetarian.
Five dishes to try in Jordan
Mansaf منسف
Lamb cooked in fermented dried yoghurt sauce, served over rice and flatbread.
How to have it: The national dish for weddings and guests; traditionally eaten from a shared platter with the right hand.
Maqluba مقلوبة
Rice, chicken and fried vegetables cooked in a pot, then flipped upside down to serve.
How to have it: A Friday family lunch; served with yoghurt and salad.
Musakhan مسخن
Roast chicken on taboon bread soaked in olive oil, sumac and onions.
How to have it: Shared with Palestinian cuisine; eaten with your hands, especially in olive harvest season.
Falafel فلافل
Fried chickpea balls served in bread with hummus, tomatoes and pickles.
How to have it: Eaten for breakfast with hummus and ful; Hashem in downtown Amman is the famous spot.
Knafeh كنافة
Hot melted white cheese under semolina or shredded pastry, soaked in syrup.
How to have it: Habibah sweets in downtown Amman sells it by the slice; eat it hot, standing in the street.
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Questions
What food is Jordan famous for?
Mansaf (lamb cooked in fermented dried yoghurt sauce, served over rice and flatbread) comes first on our list, followed by Maqluba, Musakhan, Falafel and Knafeh.
What is the national dish of Jordan?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for Jordan is Mansaf: lamb cooked in fermented dried yoghurt sauce, served over rice and flatbread. The national dish for weddings and guests; traditionally eaten from a shared platter with the right hand.
Which dishes in Jordan are vegetarian?
Two of the five on this page are vegetarian as usually made: Falafel and Knafeh. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.
What street food should I try in Jordan?
Falafel (fried chickpea balls served in bread with hummus, tomatoes and pickles).
How reliable is this list?
The dishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, where you can also tick off the ones you have tried. Recipes vary by region and by family, so take it as a starting point.
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Tick off every dish you try in Jordan
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Get ExploDishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, with links to Wikipedia. Recipes and names vary by region.