Middle Eastern Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Mansaf
The national dish of Jordan, made of lamb cooked in a sauce of fermented dried yogurt.
Contains common allergens
In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.
Instructions
6 steps- 1
If using a solid jameed block, crush it into pieces and soak in warm water for 2 hours, then blend into a smooth liquid.
- 2
Place the lamb in a large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam. Add cardamom pods, reduce heat, and simmer for 45 minutes.
- 3
Pour the blended jameed into the pot with the lamb. Boil vigorously for 5 minutes, then reduce to a gentle simmer for 1 hour, uncovered, until the lamb is fall-off-the-bone tender.
- 4
In a separate pot, melt 1 tbsp ghee, stir in the rinsed rice with a pinch of turmeric, add 3 cups water, and cook until tender.
- 5
In a small pan, toast the pine nuts and almonds in the remaining 1 tbsp ghee until golden.
- 6
To serve: layer the flatbread on a large round platter, moisten with a ladle of the hot jameed sauce, spread the rice evenly on top, arrange the meat over the rice, and garnish generously with the toasted nuts. Serve extra sauce on the side.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
62/100
Works for many families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving940
Calories
52 g
Protein
61 g
Carbs
53 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Mansaf is the national dish of Jordan and a centerpiece of Bedouin hospitality, traditionally served at weddings, funerals, and major gatherings on a communal platter. Its defining element is jameed, a hard dried fermented yogurt that is reconstituted into a tangy, savory sauce in which lamb is cooked. Eating it from a shared platter, often by hand, is as much a ritual of generosity as a meal.
Listahan note
This version builds the signature tangy jameed yogurt sauce and simmers lamb until falling-apart tender, served over rice and flatbread the traditional way. It leans into the distinctive sour-savory yogurt that sets mansaf apart from every other lamb dish.
Technique cues
- Temper the yogurt sauce by stirring it constantly in one direction as it heats so it does not curdle or break over the lamb.
- Simmer the lamb low and slow until it is spoon-tender, since the dish is meant to fall off the bone.
- Toast the nuts and warm the flatbread separately so the assembled platter has crunch and a base to soak up the sauce.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- While the lamb simmers tender, reconstitute the jameed, cook the rice, and toast the nuts so the platter assembles all at once.
- Make-ahead
- Cook the lamb and sauce a day ahead, since the flavor deepens, and reheat gently before plating.
- Leftover move
- Shred leftover lamb into the sauce and serve over fresh rice, or wrap it in flatbread with the yogurt sauce.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Simmer the lamb and sauce in one large pot, and assemble on a single platter to keep the celebration dish from sprawling across the kitchen.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
lamb
the centerpiece
Purpose: Bone-in lamb is the heart of mansaf, its richness standing up to the tangy yogurt sauce.
Handling: Use bone-in shoulder or leg pieces and simmer until falling apart.
Adaptation: Bone-in goat is traditional in many regions, and beef chuck works as a milder substitute.
jameed or thick yogurt
defining tangy sauce
Purpose: The fermented dried yogurt gives mansaf its singular sour, savory flavor that no other ingredient replicates.
Handling: Reconstitute dried jameed in water, or blend thick yogurt with a little broth as a substitute.
Adaptation: A mix of Greek yogurt, sour cream, and a splash of lemon approximates jameed when it is unavailable.
rice
the base
Purpose: Rice forms the bed that soaks up the tangy sauce and carries the lamb.
Handling: Rinse and cook until fluffy, sometimes tinted with a little turmeric or saffron.
Adaptation: Bulgur is used in some households for a nuttier base.
flatbread (shrak or markook)
the foundation layer
Purpose: Thin flatbread lines the platter and soaks up sauce, an essential structural part of the dish.
Handling: Warm and lay it across the serving platter before the rice goes on.
Adaptation: Any thin flatbread or large pita works to line the platter.
toasted almonds and pine nuts
crunchy garnish
Purpose: The nuts add texture and a festive finish to the rich, soft dish.
Handling: Toast in a little ghee until golden and scatter over the top.
Adaptation: Toasted slivered almonds alone work if pine nuts are pricey or unavailable.
Technique notes
- Stir the yogurt sauce in one direction only and never let it boil hard, which is the traditional trick to keep it from splitting.
- Ladle warm sauce over the finished platter at the table so it stays glossy and the bread underneath soaks it up.
- A little ghee or samneh in the rice and over the lamb adds the richness that makes mansaf feel like a feast.
Ingredient swaps
- Jameed substitute
- Blend Greek yogurt with sour cream and a little broth and lemon when authentic dried jameed cannot be found.
- Beef direction
- Use bone-in beef shank or chuck for a milder, more available take on the simmered meat.
- Lighter direction
- Use leaner lamb leg and skim the fat from the sauce for a less rich version.
Serve alongside
- Simple cucumber and tomato salad
- Pickled vegetables
- Extra warm flatbread
- Plain yogurt
- Mint tea
- Ayran yogurt drink
- Arabic coffee with cardamom
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Mansaf keeps in the fridge for up to three days, with the lamb and sauce stored together and the rice separately. Reheat the lamb and sauce gently over low heat, stirring so the yogurt does not break. Freeze the lamb and sauce for up to two months and cook fresh rice when serving.
Equipment
- Large heavy pot or Dutch oven
- Large serving platter
- Wooden spoon
- Small skillet for toasting nuts
Make this household-aware
Listahan Pro checks this recipe against your household's allergens, finds pantry-aware swaps, builds the shopping list, and helps you plan the week around it.
Plan it in Listahan
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