Have a Ramadan gathering and do not know where to start? Instead of thinking about every dish on its own, take a ready Egyptian Ramadan iftar menu of exactly 15 dishes, arranged on the table the way Egyptians are used to: soup, starters, mains and dessert. The list is made for gatherings and family get-togethers, and you can take all of it or pick from it to fit your guests.
If you want to understand the role of each stage of the iftar table and why we start with soup, first read the best Egyptian dishes for Ramadan iftar. Here we go straight to the list.
The complete Egyptian Ramadan iftar menu: 15 dishes
| # | Dish | Course | Why it is on the list |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Orzo soup | Soup | Light, and children love it |
| 2 | Lentil soup | Soup | Warm and filling |
| 3 | Green salad and pickles | Starter | Freshness next to the heavy food |
| 4 | Arugula and pomegranate salad | Starter | Tangy and light |
| 5 | Sambousek | Starter | A Ramadan home dish |
| 6 | Mombar | Starter | The popular taste that opens the appetite |
| 7 | Stuffed pigeon (freekeh or rice) | Main | The star of the feast |
| 8 | Beef fatteh | Main | The dish of occasions |
| 9 | Lamb shank with freekeh | Main | The grandeur of lamb on the table |
| 10 | Molokhia | Main | Ramadan feels incomplete without it |
| 11 | Okra with meat | Main | The taste of home cooking |
| 12 | Mixed mahshi | Main | Gathers everyone around the table |
| 13 | Mixed grills | Main | For children and those not used to stews |
| 14 | Om Ali | Dessert | Warm after iftar |
| 15 | Kunafa (cream or mango) | Dessert | Cool and refreshing |
All of these dishes are on the Rokn Warda menu except sambousek (number 5), which we include as an Egyptian home dish for Ramadan, not as something the restaurant sells.
Soups (1–2)
Start with two soups to please everyone: orzo soup for a light start and for children, and lentil soup for those who want something more filling. For a small gathering, one soup is enough.
Starters (3–6)
Starters go on the table before the call to prayer, so people find them ready:
- Green salad and pickles: at Rokn Warda it is the salad buffet, vegetables, sauces and Egyptian pickles of your choice.
- Arugula and pomegranate salad: lovely colour and a fresh taste.
- Sambousek: if someone at home makes it, set it out hot shortly before the call to prayer.
- Mombar: stuffed with rice and herbs and fried golden; it disappears from the table quickly.
Mains (7–13)
This is the biggest part of the list, and you do not have to make it all at once unless the gathering is large:
- Stuffed pigeon: stuffed pigeon with freekeh or stuffed pigeon with rice; the difference is in stuffed pigeon in Ramadan.
- Beef fatteh: ours is beef fatteh: toasted bread, Egyptian rice and beef with a vinegar and garlic sauce and broth.
- Lamb shank with freekeh: on the menu it is lamb shank with freekeh, a slow-cooked lamb shank with spiced freekeh.
- Molokhia: served as a molokhia casserole with a garlic and coriander tasha.
- Okra with meat: the okra and beef casserole in tomato sauce, served with Egyptian rice.
- Mixed mahshi: cabbage, grape leaves, pepper, zucchini and eggplant.
- Mixed grills: kebab, kofta and chicken shish over charcoal, the dish that pleases a guest who is still getting to know Egyptian food.
Desserts (14–15)
Om Ali, warm, and kunafa: kunafa with cream or mango kunafa. One warm sweet and one cool one, so everyone takes what they like.
Shrink or grow the menu to fit your gathering
| Size of the gathering | What to pick from the 15 | Number of dishes |
|---|---|---|
| Family iftar | One soup + two starters + two mains + one dessert | 6 |
| Medium gathering | One soup + 3 starters + 4 mains + one dessert | 9 |
| Big gathering | The whole list | 15 |
When you choose the mains, mix them: poultry (pigeon), meat (fatteh or lamb shank), a stew (molokhia, okra or mahshi) and a grill. That way every guest finds something they like. If you would rather swap one dish for another, the list is flexible; just keep that balance.
Setting the menu on the table
- A quarter of an hour before the call to prayer: dates, water, salads and starters on the table.
- At the call to prayer: the soup, hot, in bowls.
- After the soup: the mains come out hot all together, with the fatteh last so the bread does not go soggy.
- After taraweeh or an hour later: dessert with tea.
Order the menu from Rokn Warda
If you are not cooking, you can order these dishes from the Rokn Warda menu for delivery in Al Khobar and Dammam, choosing "at a time I choose" so the food arrives before maghrib. Our meat arrives fresh, never frozen. For large numbers, send us the details from the events page and we will agree on trays or a buffet with you; to have iftar with us, book from the booking page.
Our Ramadan hours and any dishes for the month will be announced before Ramadan on the site and WhatsApp; follow them on Ramadan with Rokn Warda. And if your gathering is big with different tastes, read Egyptian food for big Ramadan gatherings.
