As Ramadan approaches, the first question in any Egyptian home in Saudi Arabia is: "What are we having for iftar?" The answer has never been a single dish, because an Egyptian iftar is a whole table with its own order: something to break the fast, then a hot soup, starters, a main dish that gathers the family, and dessert at the end. In this article we have gathered Egyptian dishes for Ramadan iftar course by course, so you can build your table from the soup to the sweets, whether you cook at home or order in.
Ramadan 1448 AH is expected to begin around early-to-mid February 2027 by astronomical calculation, and the official date is set by the sighting of the crescent moon. So there is still time to plan your table at leisure.
In this article
- 1The order of an Egyptian iftar table
- 2First: breaking the fast and the drinks
- 3Second: soup, the first hot dish on the table
- 4Third: starters and salads
- 5Fourth: the main dish, the heart of Egyptian iftar food
- 6Fifth: dessert after iftar
- 7A balanced table for your day
- 8Common questions about the Egyptian iftar
- 9Where to find these dishes in Al Khobar
The order of an Egyptian iftar table
Before the dishes, here is the order many Egyptian homes follow:
| Stage | Its purpose | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Breaking the fast | Gently wet your mouth | Dates and water or a Ramadan drink |
| Soup | Warm and prepare the stomach | Lentil, orzo |
| Starters and salads | Freshness and balance | Green salad, arugula, grape leaves |
| Main dish | The heart of the table | Stuffed pigeon, molokhia, fatteh, casseroles, grills |
| Dessert | Ending the evening | Om Ali, kunafa, rice pudding |
In many homes dessert does not come straight away: it waits until after taraweeh prayers with a glass of tea, which spares people that heavy feeling.
First: breaking the fast and the drinks
Most people start with dates and water, then come the Ramadan drinks made in Egyptian homes: qamar al-din (apricot), liquorice, tamarind, sobia and hibiscus. These are Egyptian home customs we describe here as culture; they are not on the Rokn Warda menu.
And a widely shared piece of general advice: start gently, a glass of water and a couple of dates, and wait a few minutes before the heavy food.
Second: soup, the first hot dish on the table
Soup at an Egyptian iftar is not a luxury; it is the customary start that prepares the stomach after the hours of fasting.
Lentil soup
Lentil soup is the queen of iftar soups for Egyptians: lentils with vegetables and spices. In Egyptian homes it is usually eaten with toasted bread and a squeeze of lemon, and it is light and filling at the same time.
Orzo soup
Orzo soup is the lighter choice and children love it; in Egyptian homes it is usually made on a meat or chicken broth.
Trotters soup
If your family loves rich food, trotters soup appears on many tables, but keep it for a day when you are not planning a heavy main dish.
Third: starters and salads
This is where the table gets its colours:
- A green salad with Egyptian pickles; at Rokn Warda you will find it as the salad buffet to choose from as you like.
- Arugula and pomegranate salad for something fresh and lightly tangy.
- Stuffed grape leaves, eaten as small fingers before the main dish.
- Mombar, fried golden, for those who love the popular taste.
In many homes you will also find sambousek filled with cheese or minced meat; it is an Egyptian home dish for Ramadan, not on the restaurant's menu.
Fourth: the main dish, the heart of Egyptian iftar food
This is the part that makes one table different from another. The golden rule: one or two main dishes are enough, with side dishes, rather than filling the table with heavy food only.
Stuffed pigeon
The Egyptian feast dish par excellence, served as stuffed pigeon with freekeh or stuffed pigeon with rice. We explain the difference and which suits your gathering in stuffed pigeon in Ramadan: freekeh or rice?.
Molokhia
Almost no Egyptian Ramadan table goes without it. Ours comes as a molokhia casserole with a rich broth and a garlic and coriander tasha. If you are unsure what to serve it with, read Egyptian molokhia in Ramadan.
Fatteh
Toasted bread, rice, a vinegar and garlic sauce, broth and meat. There is beef fatteh, lamb shank fatteh and trotters fatteh. Fatteh is a heavy dish, so let it be the star and do not put another rich dish beside it. Its secrets are in Egyptian fatteh in Ramadan.
Casseroles
Casseroles suit iftar very well because they hold until maghrib and keep their heat in the clay. Among the best known are the okra and beef casserole, the moussaka and minced meat casserole and the macaroni béchamel casserole, which the little ones usually love. More in the best Egyptian casseroles for Ramadan iftar.
Mahshi
Mixed mahshi: cabbage, grape leaves, pepper, zucchini and eggplant. A dish that gathers everyone around the table; details in Egyptian Ramadan mahshi.
Grills
For something lighter than stews: kofta, kebab and chicken shish over charcoal, or mixed grills for the whole family. Read the best grills for Ramadan iftar.
Fifth: dessert after iftar
- Om Ali, warm, with milk, cream and nuts.
- Kunafa with cream or mango kunafa; the difference is in mango kunafa or cream kunafa?.
- Rice pudding, cold and easy on the stomach.
Qatayef are of course a symbol of Ramadan in Egypt, made at home and sold by sweet shops, but they are not on the Rokn Warda menu. We say more about all these sweets in Egyptian Ramadan desserts.
A balanced table for your day
| The day | Soup | Main | Dessert |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ordinary family iftar | Lentil | Molokhia or okra with rice | Rice pudding |
| A light day | Orzo | Kofta or chicken shish with salad | Fruit or none |
| A feast | Lentil or orzo | Stuffed pigeon with fatteh or mahshi | Om Ali or kunafa |
And some widely shared general advice: do not overdo it at the start, drink water at intervals between iftar and suhoor, and keep vegetables and salad next to the heavy food. If you have any health condition, ask your doctor what suits you.
Common questions about the Egyptian iftar
What is the most important dish on an Egyptian iftar table? There is no single dish, but soup comes first, and molokhia and stuffed pigeon are among the dishes that come up most in Egyptian homes in Ramadan.
Can I make a light Egyptian iftar? Yes: orzo soup, a salad and a grill such as kofta or chicken shish, without fatteh or heavy casseroles.
Dessert with iftar or after it? In many homes it waits until after taraweeh, which spares that heavy feeling.
When should I order so the food arrives before maghrib? Orders rise before maghrib in Ramadan, so order early and choose a time well ahead of the call to prayer.
Where to find these dishes in Al Khobar
Every dish linked above is on the menu of Rokn Warda restaurant in Al Khobar; our meat arrives fresh, never frozen, and the grills are cooked over charcoal. You can:
- Order from the menu for delivery in Al Khobar and Dammam, choosing "at a time I choose" so your order arrives before maghrib.
- Book a table for the family from the booking page.
- Request a big gathering or a company iftar from the events page.
Our Ramadan hours and iftar dishes will be announced before the month on the site and WhatsApp, so follow the Ramadan with Rokn Warda page. If you are preparing a full gathering, read a complete Egyptian Ramadan iftar menu: 15 dishes and Egyptian Ramadan feasts.
