Looking to cut down the amount of time and work at Suhur? Here are a few Make Ahead Suhur Recipes that are filling, nourishing, delicious and can be prepped in advance.
In this post you will find easy to prepare dips that can be made ahead and reheated right before serving, baked bread and pastries as well as recipes that can be partially prepped in advance and finished right before serving. If you’re looking for more ideas, check out my Ramadan Recipes page.
Dips are perfect for suhur because they can be filling and keep you full for a long time. What’s great about these dips is that all the hard work can be made the evening before and all you would need to do is warm the dip up (if it’s to be served warm) or simply serve it right out of the fridge (if it’s to be served cold).
In addition to the typical homemade hummus, Muhamarra and Cacik (cucumber yogurt dip), here are some of my favorite dips:
5 from 4 votes
Ful Medames (Levantine Chickpea and Fava Bean Stew)
Ful Medames is a traditional, hearty and comforting breakfast stew of creamy fava beans and chickpeas dressed with herbs, spices and tomatoes. This recipe is both vegetarian and vegan and can be prepared as part of a much larger breakfast spread or meze.
A step-by-step guide on how to make labneh, the strained whole-milk yogurt spread popular in the Middle East and beyond. This recipe is both easy and truly authentic. Serve your labneh with blistered tomatoes, fresh cucumbers, good olive oil and za’atar. The possibilities are endless.
Musabaha is a popular Levantine breakfast dish of creamy warm chickpeas with tahini. It’s an affordable, comforting and hearty dish that will start your day off just right. My version is drizzled with a spiced Aleppo pepper oil and toasted pine nuts.
Labneh balls, or fresh shanklish, are a Levantine staple, very popular in Middle Eastern cuisine. This yogurt-based cheese is made by straining Greek yogurt until thickened, then rolling into balls and coating with herbs and spices. They're delicious as a snack or part of a meze!
Baked Breads and Pastries That Can Be Warmed Up Quickly
Bread and pastries are great suhur options because you can make them in advance and simply reheat them in a toaster oven when you need them. You can even make them in big batches well in advance and freeze them. All you need to do is reheat them at suhur time.
Savory authentic spinach fatayer (savory hand pies) are a Levantine staple and popular throughout the Middle East and beyond. These portable pastries are delicious and can be enjoyed any time of day.
A favorite side dish or appetizer in the Levant, beef sambousek or samboosa is a spiced meat-filled pastry that's fried for maximum flavor and the best texture. While this recipe needs a little time to make, more for the pastry, it's well worth it!
Savory authentic cheese fatayer (hand pies) are a Levantine staple and popular throughout the Middle East and beyond. They may look intimidating to prepare, but after you’ve made them once, you’ll be making them over and over again!
A flatbread by many names! Manakish (also spelled Manakeesh) is a Levantine flatbread topped with a mixture of za’atar and good quality olive oil and then baked in the oven. A Middle Eastern cuisine staple, it is fragrant and incredibly delicious.
These delicious and popular Middle Eastern pastries are filled with a flavorful mixture of cheese and herbs, and then fried or baked to perfection. The crispy exterior pairs perfectly with the gooey, cheesy filling, making Cheese Sambousek a crowd-pleasing snack that's perfect for any occasion.
Palestinian Taboon flatbread is a Levantine yeasted bread that is traditionally prepared in clay ovens or on hot stones. This recipe adapts the technique and makes it easy for home cooks to enjoy the flavors and traditions without having to build an outdoor oven.
Cheese Manakish is a Levantine flatbread topped with a mixture of melty and flavorful cheese and then baked in the oven. A Middle Eastern cuisine staple, it is comforting and incredibly delicious.
Turkish pide bread, or ramazan pidesi, is a traditional Turkish bread made with yeast that's typically served for iftar and sahur during Ramadan. This soft, round bread is topped with sesame seeds and features a distinctive basket-weave pattern on the top.
Steeped in history, Jerusalem Bagels are actually quite easy to make using standard pantry staples. Delicious and comforting, bake up a batch and enjoy them with za’atar, labneh, hummus, cream cheese, or with butter and jam.
One way to reduce the amount of time it takes to put food on the table for suhur is to prepare as much as possible the night before and assemble your final dish before serving.
This works great for dishes that lose their texture if they sit out too long or recipes that can’t be reheated well. Fattet Hummus is the perfect example.
5 from 4 votes
Fattet Hummus (Chickpea and Yogurt Fatteh)
Fattet hummus is a warm and comforting breakfast dish of toasted pita chips, chickpeas, hummus, yogurt and other toppings. Serve with other Levantine breakfast classics. This recipe comes together in less than 30 minutes!
Simple and delicious, Turkish Eggs (Çılbır) is a breakfast dish of perfectly poached eggs served over garlic infused yogurt, drizzled with hot spiced chili olive oil and garnished with fresh dill. Served with crusty sourdough or soft pita. Guaranteed, this will become part of your breakfast and brunch repertoire.
