Hindbeh bil Zeit — Print Recipe

Sauteed dandelion greens braised in olive oil with caramelized onions, a humble yet deeply flavorful Lebanese vegetarian dish. Served cold with a squeeze of lemon, it showcases the beauty of simple village cooking.

Ingredients

500g dandelion greens or chicory, washed and chopped
2 large onions, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Pita bread for serving

Instructions

1 Wash the dandelion greens thoroughly in several changes of water to remove all grit, then roughly chop them and boil in salted water for ten minutes until tender.
2 Drain the cooked greens well, pressing out as much excess water as possible using the back of a spoon against a colander to prevent a watery final dish.
3 Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat and slowly cook the sliced onions for fifteen to twenty minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are deeply golden and caramelized.
4 Add the drained greens to the caramelized onions in the skillet and saute together for five minutes, allowing the greens to absorb the sweet onion flavor and olive oil.
5 Transfer to a serving plate, squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top, drizzle with extra olive oil, and serve at room temperature with warm pita bread.

Did You Know?

Dandelion greens have been foraged and eaten in Lebanese mountain villages for centuries, and foraging for hindbeh in spring is still a beloved family tradition in rural Lebanon.