Are you tired of scrambling for a quick and easy vegan meal on busy weeknights? Look no further than this ultimate 15-minute vegan Arayes recipe. Bursting with Middle Eastern flavors, this dish will satisfy your taste buds.
Whether you’re a dedicated vegan or want to incorporate more plant-based meals into your diet, this recipe is a must-try. In this blog post, you will find a step-by-step guide to creating this delicious Middle Eastern dish, along with tips for success and serving suggestions. But first, let’s find out what Arayes is.
What is Arayes?
Arayes is a popular Middle Eastern dish from the Levant region, specifically from Lebanon. It is typically made with pita bread, Arabic bread, meat, and various Middle Eastern seasonings. However, this vegan version of arayes replaces the meat with a delicious combination of vegan mince, onion, tomato, and spices. The result is a flavorful and hearty dish perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients for making the ultimate Vegan Arayes:
To create the ultimate 15-minute vegan Arayes, you’ll need just a handful of simple ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Pita or Arabic bread
- Vegan mince
- White or yellow onion
- Tomato
- Garlic
- Fresh parsley
- Olive oil
- Lemon zest
- Pomegranate molasses
- Spices: Lebanese 7-spice blends, cinnamon, smoked paprika, and cloves.
Notes & tips for success:
To ensure your vegan Arayes are a hit every time, here are some tips for success:
- Choose the proper bread: Pita or Arabic bread works well for this recipe. Opt for fresh, soft bread that will be easy to stuff and won’t tear apart when you grill it. I prefer to use Arabic bread for making authentic Lebanese thin and crispy arayes, but both are great options for making Arayes.
- Vegan mince: to make vegan Arayes, I have used Future Farm vegan mince. It resembles minced meat in texture and even looks! I like to test different vegan mince brands each time in other recipes, and this one works well in making Arayes, unlike the Plant Pioneers brand, which I have used in making Vegan eggplant fatteh, which tends to come in crumbles and that makes it perfect for fatteh. You can use any brand you prefer or have access to; honestly, store-bought vegan mince is convenient for making quick dishes, and for those just transitioning into a vegan diet, as I have mentioned, the texture and look resemble beef mince. However, it is not the “healthiest” option to go for, if you can make your vegan mince that will be a healthier option, I have a new recipe coming for Vegan mince that is quite versatile, and you can incorporate it into any dish you like to Veganize.
- Filling the pitas with the Vegan mince mixture: You can either fill the Arabic bread with a thin layer of the mixture and have authentic thin and crispy Lebanese Arayes or fill the pita bread with a thick and chunky layer of mince. My husband prefers this method, as for him, it is like having an Arabic burger.
- Don’t skip the spice mix! It is what makes these Arayes so unique and delicious.
- To cook the Arayes, you have two options: on the grill or in the oven. Traditionally, Arayes are prepared on the grill, and that’s what I went for. There is something about grilling that just makes food taste better!
Instructions:
Follow these steps to make the perfect vegan Arayes:
- Begin by roughly chopping the onion, garlic, tomatoes, and parsley.
- Add the chopped veggies to a food processor and pulse till all are finely minced, or you can finely chop them using a knife.
- Transfer the vegan mince to a big bowl, and add the finely minced veggies, olive oil, salt and pepper, spice mix, lemon zest, and pomegranate molasses. Using your hand, mix everything until combined.
- Cut the pita/Arabic bread into halves or quarters and brush the inside with olive oil.
- Fill in the pita bread with the vegan mince mixture.
- Heat a grill on the stovetop and brush it with olive oil. Brush each filled pita with olive oil on both sides before you place it on the grill to prevent it from sticking.
- Grill the arayes for 5 minutes on each side till crispy.
Serving suggestions and storing leftovers:
Serve your vegan Arayes hot off the grill with a side of your favorite dipping sauce, such as beetroot hummus or ketchup. You can even prepare a simple tahini-yogurt sauce by mixing plant-based yogurt with tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and water until it reaches a creamy consistency.
Arayes can be served as a hot appetizer before your main meal, alongside any dipping sauces above, or with a simple salad like Arabic salad or Quinoa tabbouleh. Together, they make a perfect, easy-to-make plant-based meal.
If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Later in the week, reheat them in the oven or on a skillet for a quick and easy meal.
If you make a big batch of vegan mince, you can store the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. This recipe is excellent for meal prep as well. When you need to make the Arayes, all you need to do is fill the pita bread, grill it, and serve it immediately.
If you want to stay ahead of your weekly meal prep, check out our easy-to-use and printable weekly meal planner!
Recommended Vegan recipes to try next:
Vegan Arayes Recipe
Ingredients
- 15 pcs pita bread
- 540 grams Future Farm Vegan mince
- ½ white onion medium
- 1 tomato medium
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 cup parsley
- ½ cup olive oil devided
- 1 tbsp Lebanese 7 spice blend
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp cinnamon powder
- ½ tsp cloves powder
- 1½ tbsp pomegranate molases
- 1 lemon zested
Instructions
- Roughly chop the onion, garlic, tomatoes, and parsley. Add the chopped veggies to a food processor and pulse till all are finely minced, or you can finely chop them using a knife.
- Transfer the vegan mince to a big bowl, and add the finely minced veggies, ¼ cup of the olive oil, salt and pepper, spice mix, lemon zest, and pomegranate molasses. Using your hand mix everything till all is well combined.
- Cut the pita/Arabic bread into halves or quarters and brush the inside with olive oil.Fill in the pita bread with the vegan mince mixture.
- Heat a grill on the stovetop and brush it with olive oil. Brush each filled pita with olive oil on both sides before you grill it. Place the Arayes on the grill and grill it for 5 minutes on each side till it's crispy. Serve Arayes with your favorite sauce or salad, check the post on serving suggestions.
Looks yummy and easy to make!