Maftoul is a Palestinian dish prepared with hand-rolled couscous. It's prepared in various ways depending on the region. I like to serve this Maftoul recipe with torshi on the side and khubz for dipping! A drizzle of chermoula over the top is delicious too.
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Maftoul is a traditional Palestinian dish often called "Palestinian couscous." While it shares similarities with North African couscous, it has a distinct texture and preparation method. The name "maftoul" comes from the Arabic root "fa-ta-la", meaning "to twist" or "to roll," which describes the hand-rolling technique used to make this grain.
To Palestinians, maftoul is the ultimate comfort food, much like chicken soup is for many Americans. It's hearty, nostalgic, and deeply rooted in tradition. So, how about I show you how to bring a little bit of that warmth into your own kitchen?
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How Maftoul is Made
Unlike couscous, which is made from semolina, maftoul is prepared with bulgur wheat and flour (check out my bulgur pilaf recipe to learn more about bulgur). The process involves rolling bulgur in flour and water until small, pearl-like grains form, which are then steamed and dried in the sun.
Taste & Texture
Maftoul has a nutty, slightly chewy, and creamy texture. It absorbs flavors beautifully when cooked in a rich broth.
How It's Cooked & Served
Maftoul is traditionally cooked in broth, similar to rice, and served with a soup prepared with chicken, chickpeas, and various veggies in a spiced broth. It is flavored with aromatic spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and allspice.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Maftoul: If you have access to a Middle Eastern market, purchase maftoul there. Some non-Middle Eastern brands are made with semolina instead of bulgur, making them pasta instead of a grain. You can also purchase it online. Israeli couscous is not the same thing; it, too, is made with semolina. It can be substituted in a pinch.
- Chickpeas: One can of chickpeas, drained
- Onion: 3 medium onions
- Spices: I decided to use a 7-spice mix that contains a lot of the spices usually added to maftoul. My bahart spice mix is a great substitute. It's made with black pepper, cumin, coriander, paprika, allspice, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, and chile peppers.
- Other Vegetables: I added a chopped carrot and a few serranos to add a little heat, but those are optional. You can also add other vegetables, for example, zucchini or squash.
*See recipe card for full list of ingredients
How to Make Maftoul
Prepare Broth
Step 1: Season chicken with 7 spice (or baharat spice mix), salt, and black pepper. Heat olive oil in a 7-quart Dutch oven, then sear chicken on all sides until golden brown. Work in batches, then set chicken aside until needed.
Step 2: In the same pot, sauté ½ of a medium-diced onion until translucent, then add minced garlic, allspice berries, bay leaves, dill seeds, cardamom pods, and cinnamon stick. Toast for 30 seconds, then add chicken and cover with 7 cups of hot water.
Step 3: Bring mixture to a boil, then simmer (covered) over low heat for 30 minutes. Skim foam off the surface as needed. Remove chicken and set aside to cool, then strain broth through a fine mesh strainer and discard the solids. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, debone and shred into large chunks.
Prepare the Soup
Step 4: Clean the Dutch oven, then add olive oil and sauté the diced onion until translucent. Add carrots, serranos, and garlic; saute for a couple of minutes. Add shredded chicken and sauté for a few minutes longer.
Pro Tip: I like to keep the chicken in pretty big chunks, but it can be shredded into smaller pieces if preferred.
Step 5: Pour four cups of hot chicken broth into the pot, along with a can of drained chickpeas, 3 tablespoons tomato paste, and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir to dissolve tomato paste, then simmer soup over low heat for 15 minutes, covered.
Prepare Maftoul
Step 6: Meanwhile, add butter and olive oil to a 4-quart Dutch oven and heat over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté for 5 minutes or until golden. Add maftoul and sauté for a few more minutes. Pour the remaining 3 cups of hot broth into the pot and stir in salt and tomato paste to dissolve. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, over low heat for 20 minutes. Fluff before serving.
Pro Tip: If you have less than 3 cups of broth remaining due to evaporation, you can either add more water or some of the soup stock to make up the difference.
Serving Instructions
Add 1⅓ cups of maftoul to a serving dish and ladle soup over it. Garnish with chopped fresh herbs (optional) and enjoy! Although this dish is pretty filling, a Middle Eastern salad can be served as a side along with Middle Eastern pita bread for sopping up the yummy juices.
Recipe FAQs
While they look somewhat similar and are often used interchangeably in recipes, maftoul has a more traditional, handmade quality with bulgur at its core, while Israeli couscous is a more modern, factory-made product made with semolina and is more similar to pasta in texture.
Maftoul translates to "hand-rolled bulgur pearls".
If you can't find Maftoul, you can substitute it with Israeli couscous (Ptitim). Whole wheat pearl couscous, or course-ground (#4) bulgur. Orzo can also be used as a last resort.
Instead of shredding the chicken and adding it to the soup, another option is to broil the chicken after it's cooked, and serve it on top of the maftoul, then ladle the soup over it.
Pro Tips
- Buy authentic maftoul from a Middle Eastern grocery store. If possible, purchase a Palestinian brand. It's larger and coarser than Moroccan couscous and has a different texture from Israeli couscous.
- Let the maftoul rest after cooking it for about 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
- Try maftoul topped with toasted pine nuts or almonds, chopped parsley, and lemon wedges.
More Middle Eastern Recipes
If you enjoy this maftoul recipe, check out these other Middle Eastern dishes!
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Recipe
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Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Season chicken with 7 spice or baharat spice mix, salt, and black pepper. Heat olive oil in an 7-quart Dutch oven, then sear chicken on all sides until golden brown. Work in batches, then set chicken aside.
- In the same pot, sauté ½ of a medium diced onion until translucent, then add minced garlic, allspice berries, bay leaves, dill seeds, cardamom pods, and cinnamon stick. Toast for 30 seconds, then add chicken and cover with 7 cups of hot water.
- Bring mixture to a boil, then simmer (covered) over low heat for 30 minutes. Skim foam off the surface as needed. Remove chicken and set aside to cool, then strain broth through a fine mesh strainer and discard the solids. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, debone and shred into large chunks.
- Clean the Dutch oven, then add olive oil and sauté the diced onion until translucent. Add carrots, serranos, and garlic; saute for a couple of minutes. Add shredded chicken and sauté for a few minutes longer.
- Pour four cups of hot chicken broth into the pot, along with a can of drained chickpeas, 3 tablespoons tomato paste, and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir to dissolve tomato paste, then simmer soup over low heat for 15 minutes, covered.
- Meanwhile, add butter and olive oil to a 4-quart Dutch oven and heat over medium heat. Add diced onion and sauté for 5 minutes or until golden. Add maftoul and sauté for a few more minutes. Pour the remaining 3 cups of hot broth into the pot and stir in salt and tomato paste to dissolve. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, over low heat for 20 minutes. Fluff before serving.
- Add 1⅓ cups of maftoul to a serving dish and ladle soup over it. Garnish with chopped fresh herbs (optional) and enjoy! Although this dish is pretty filling, a Middle Eastern salad can be served as a side along with Middle Eastern pita bread for sopping up the yummy juices.
Nutrition
Notes
- I like to keep the chicken in pretty big chunks, but it can be shredded into smaller pieces if you prefer.
- If you have less than 3 cups of broth remaining to cook the maftoul, due to evaporation, you can either add more water or some of the soup stock to make up the difference.
- Buy authentic maftoul from a Middle Eastern grocery store. If possible, purchase a Palestinian brand. It's larger and coarser than Moroccan couscous and has a different texture from Israeli couscous.
- Let the maftoul rest after cooking for about 10 minutes before fluffing it with a fork.
- Try maftoul topped with toasted pine nuts or almonds, chopped parsley, and lemon wedges.
Kelly Methey says
This is such a delicious, unique and spicy meal in a bowl. There are lots of flavors going on and they are all work to make this so tasty. I have never had anything like this before. I had no idea there was such a thing as hand-rolled couscous. I kept thinking of little ladies making them and how much work they put into it.
Hilda has so many interesting and fantastic recipes that have really expanded my culinary horizons! This one is at the top of the list.
Hilda Sterner says
Thanks a million, Kelly! I am so glad you enjoyed it!
Kim says
Hilda made this dish for my husband and I. It was so delicious. Well done Hilda.
Hilda Sterner says
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to review it! 🥰
Hilda Sterner says
Give this recipe a try and let us know what you think!