Recently I’ve shared lots of light and refreshing dishes like Korean cucumber salad, Italian Panzanella salad, and Thai green papaya salad. But, this time, I’m going back to all things hearty and wholesome with this simple vegetarian maqluba (aka upside-down layered rice). This dish has you layer vegetables and meat (soy mince in this case) underneath rice, then baking it to allow all the flavors to meld before flipping it over to serve, allowing all the juices from the vegetables to sink back into the rice for tons of flavor. At the moment, I’m loving the combination of tomato and eggplant: tomato eggplant pasta, grilled eggplant halloumi wrap with salsa, and now this maqluba recipe – it’s a combination I’ll come back for time and time again! When paired with other veggies, high-protein soy mince, and hearty rice, this is a wonderful dish for the entire family!
What Is Maqluba?
Maqluba (also sometimes spelled like maqloubeh, maqlooba, maqlouba, and maklouba, among others) is a type of Levantine rice dish, traditionally from Iraqi, Lebanese, Syrian, Palestinian, and Jordanian cuisine – and most often served during levant. It is usually made with meat, fried vegetables, and rice, layered in a pot, then flipped over to serve. That’s where the name comes from – Maqluba means “upside-down.” This particular version of this Middle Eastern rice recipe is meat-free, relying instead on traditional vegetables including tomatoes and eggplant, and a meat alternative (soy mince, in this case). Cauliflower and potatoes are other popular additions.
The Ingredients
Soy Mince: this vegetarian version uses soy mince. For a more traditional version, you can use lamb or beef mince instead. Alternatively, omit it entirely for a vegetable version and add more vegetables (like chickpeas) instead. Vegetables: I used a simple and traditional combination of eggplant, tomatoes, and onion. Rice: I use basmati rice, which is the standard choice for maqluba. However, you could use brown rice or another rice that you have on hand. I recommend using long-grain rice, as shorter ones can be mushier when baked. Stock: I used a homemade stock cube that I dissolved in water. You can alternatively use another stock cube, tub, or liquid stock. Spices: I used a combination of cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Oil: needed to coat the vegetables and for cooking in the pan – olive oil or avocado oil both work well. For vegetarian maqluba, you could use ghee. Pine nuts: technically optional, but toasted pine nuts make for an excellent garnish to this “maklouba”/maqluba.
Optional Add-ins
Other vegetables: there are several popular vegetables used for maqluba, including cauliflower and potato. Zucchini, carrots, peppers, spinach, and chickpeas could also be used. If you use cauliflower, bake it with the eggplant. For peppers, cook them with the onion. For heat: you could add in some chili powder, chili paste, or finely sliced chilies. Aromatics: you can optionally add in some garlic (or garlic paste), use a bay leaf when doing the initial cook of the rice, or even add 1-2 Tbsp of tomato paste for extra flavor. You can also experiment with other spices like green cardamom or allspice. Cheese: for a vegan version, use a dairy-free cheese like this vegan feta. Or use dairy cheese. You could also add lentils and dried fruits like raisins to the dish.
How to Make Vegetarian Maqluba
Step 1: Prepare the vegetables
First, slice the eggplant into ¼-½ inch pieces (about 1 cm), brush lightly with oil, and then place in a single layer of a parchment-lined baking tray and bake at 350ºF/180ºC for 35 minutes. Traditionally, the eggplant would be fried in a bit of oil – but baking is healthier. Check out more tips on how to cook eggplant in the oven or Air Fryer here. Meanwhile, slice the onion and tomatoes, prepare the vegetable stock (combine the cube with hot water), and rinse your rice until the water runs almost clear. To do this, I place the rice in a large bowl and cover it with water. Then, swish the rice to remove the starch, drain, and repeat 2-3 times until the water is almost clear.
Step 2: Cook the ingredients
Chef’s Tip: you can proceed with the steps below while the eggplants are still baking in the oven. In a large pot, heat up the oil over medium heat, then add the onion and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Then, add the soya mince, salt, pepper, and cinnamon, and stir. Cook for 4-6 minutes until the mince is almost cooked through. Then add the rice and about 1/2 of the vegetable stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 10-12 minutes. The rice should be only par-cooked at this point. Alternatively, you can cook the minced soy and onion mixture separately from the rice and layer it up when baking in the next step. Chef’s Tip: at this point, the eggplants should also be done baking. Place the baked eggplants, the sliced tomatoes, the rice and soy mince mix, and the rest of the veggie stock next to each other on your working surface. You are now ready to layer the maqluba.
Step 3: Layer and bake the maqluba
In a tall, lightly greased oven-safe dish (like a cake pan; 8-9 inches/20-23 cm across works well), layer the tomato slices, baked eggplant (tightly arranged and slightly overlapping), and rice mince mixture. Then top it all with another eggplant layer and tomato layer. Finally, pour over the rest of the vegetable stock. Finally, bake in the oven for 30 minutes at 350ºF/180ºC. During this time, lightly toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet until golden and fragrant.
Step 4: Invert and serve the maqluba
Once baked, flip the baking dish over onto another serving dish and top with the toasted pine nuts and optionally some fresh herbs.
How to Serve
You can enjoy this vegetarian maqluba alone or serve alongside other dishes like this cucumber yogurt salad, Fattoush salad, tomato and cucumber salad, Shirazi salad, etc. In general, a yogurt (or labneh – topped with a bit of za’atar perhaps) and green salad is all that’s needed to serve alongside this hearty Arabic rice dish.
How to Make Ahead and Store
Make ahead: there are several ways that you can cut down on the prep of this dish by making elements in advance. For example, you can bake the eggplant in advance and store, covered in the refrigerator for up to two days. Likewise, the onion and soy mince mixture can be cooked 2-3 days in advance and stored, covered in the fridge. You can also prepare the entire dish a day in advance. Add 2-3 Tbsp of water or stock back to the dish before reheating in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until heated through. Fridge: store any leftover vegetable maqluba in the refrigerator, covered for 2-3 days. Freeze: allow to cool, then transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to a month. Allow to thaw in the refrigerator before reheating. Reheat: reheat the vegetable maqluba in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of water to help soften the rice again. The vegetables will be softer after freezing, but the taste is still amazing!
Recipe Notes & Variations
Use a non-stick baking dish: this makes it easier to flip out and maintain a beautiful presentation. You should also make sure the dish isn’t too narrow, or else the rice may now be cooked through evenly. If the rice is undercooked: I recommend using a teaspoon to test a little of the rice before serving it. If it’s underbaked, add extra ¼-1/2 cup water or stock and return to the oven for a further 15-20 minutes. Don’t under-season: it’s crucial to season every layer of the vegetable maqluba so that it doesn’t taste bland. Depending on how salty your stock is, adjust the seasoning accordingly. Pack it tightly: if you want the maqluba to turn out well, then make sure to pack it tightly into the baking dish, pressing it down with a spatula. Experiment with grains: once you have the method sorted with rice, you can experiment with other grains like freekeh, farro, or bulgur (adjusting the cooking time and stock amount).
Other Simple Rice Recipes
Rainbow vegetarian bibimbap Kimchi fried rice BBQ jackfruit donburi bowl Simple breakfast fried rice (with egg) Veggie burrito bowl Cilantro lime rice Lebanese rice with vermicelli Easy Vegetable Rice Pilaf (Yellow Turmeric Rice | Vegan)
If you try this vegetarian maqluba recipe, I’d love to hear your thoughts/questions below. Also, I’d appreciate a recipe card rating below, and feel free to tag me in your recipe recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
