Maqluba

Maqluba—or maglooba, maqloubeh, or makloubeh—is a celebratory rice dish I published in my first book. Mama Dina, my husband’s mother, served her Jordanian version to my parents when our two families first met. 

In Arabic it literally means “upside down” or “turned over,” referring to the way the pot is turned over and lifted to reveal a cake-shaped tower with layers of rice, chicken or lamb, cauliflower, eggplant, and sometimes potatoes. It’s a generous dish that is truly a labor of love. And because my girls adore it, I had to find my own maqluba mojo with Mama Dina’s help. 

I make a couple of shortcuts by using boneless chicken thighs and by roasting the vegetables rather than frying them—not traditional, but still delicious. 

Maqluba is a weekend recipe perfect for a Sunday afternoon when you can give it the love it deserves. Once it’s revealed, serve it right away with a big salad or a dollop of yogurt on the side. It’s a beautiful showstopper that never fails to bring joy to the table.

Ingredients for Maqluba

Though maqluba is definitely celebration-ready, you won’t need to spend a fortune or hunt down expensive or hard-to-find ingredients to make it. Here’s everything you’ll need: 

• Basmati rice This long-grain basmati rice cooks up fluffy and aromatic, helping the layers stay distinct when you flip the pot. Rinse it well to remove extra starch for the best texture.
• Kosher salt and black pepper: Essential for seasoning every layer, from the chicken to the vegetables and rice, to bring all the flavors into balance.
• Eggplant: Sliced and roasted, eggplant adds a creamy texture and subtle sweetness that contrasts beautifully with the savory rice and chicken.
• Cauliflower: Roasted until caramelized and golden, cauliflower brings nutty flavor and hearty texture. 
• Extra virgin olive oil: You’ll use olive oil at almost every step of the recipe: to roast the vegetables, brown the chicken, and bring richness to the rice. Make sure to choose a high-quality olive oil to infuse this dish with the best flavor.
• Chicken thighs: Boneless chicken thighs stay juicy and flavorful, even through long cooking. If you prefer, you can mix in chicken breasts.
• Spices: Warm, fragrant ground allspice and cinnamon perfume the rice and chicken with a subtle sweetness and depth. Bay leaves and green cardamom pods add complexity to the cooking broth. Ground turmeric gives the rice its unmistakable golden color and distinctive aroma.
• Onion and garlic build a flavorful base for the chicken stock, adding sweetness and rich, savory flavor as they cook.
• Water is essential to cook the rice. There’s already so much going on that I always just use water, but you can also use chicken stock. 
• Tomatoes: Layered at the bottom of the pot, sliced fresh tomatoes add moisture and a burst of acidity that helps balance the rich flavors.
• Blanched almonds: Lightly toasted in olive oil for garnish, these add crunch and a lovely nutty flavor to finish the dish.
• Parsley, sprinkled on top of the finished dish, adds a welcome touch of green. 

How to Make Maqluba

Yes, making maqluba requires a lot of steps, but I promise that none are very time consuming or difficult. Still, I wouldn’t recommend this dish if you’re on a tight schedule, or you’ll just be stressed. Make this dish when you can enjoy the process! Here’s the step-by-step breakdown. 

Prep the Rice and Vegetables

• Prep the rice: Rinse 2 cups basmati rice through a colander or sieve until the water runs clear, then put in a medium bowl and cover with cold water by at least 1 inch. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and let sit for 10 minutes or so. Drain well.
• Meanwhile, salt the eggplant. Trim 1 medium globe eggplant and slice it into 3/4-inch rounds. Season the eggplant slices on both sides with about 1 teaspoon salt and arrange them on a clean work surface or large tray. Let sit for 20 to 30 minutes to “sweat” any bitterness. With a paper towel, wipe the eggplant dry, removing the excess salt.
• Get ready to roast the vegetables. Position a rack in the center of the oven and another one below it. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly brush two large sheet pans with olive oil.
• Season the cauliflower. Trim and core 1 large head of cauliflower (2 1/2 pounds) and cut it into florets. In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower florets with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 cup of the olive oil. Transfer the cauliflower to one of the sheet pans and spread the florets in a single layer, making sure every floret is touching the pan. Arrange the eggplant slices on the other sheet pan in a single layer.
• Roast the veggies: Add the cauliflower and eggplant to the heated oven and roast until the eggplant is soft, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the eggplant from the oven. Keep the cauliflower in the oven and raise the heat to 450°F. Roast the cauliflower until soft and charred in some parts, about another 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven.

Prep the Chicken

• Meanwhile, season the chicken. Place 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, or a mix of thighs and breasts in a large bowl and season with a scant teaspoon each salt and black pepper. Add 1 teaspoon ground allspice and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Toss to coat well. 
• Sear the chicken. In a nonstick 8-quart pot with a lid that is about 6 inches deep (or similar vessel of at least that depth), heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the chicken and 1 roughly chopped medium yellow onion, and cook over medium-high heat, tossing around, until the chicken is browned on both sides and the onion is tender and lightly caramelized, 8 to 10 minutes total.
• Simmer the chicken. Add 3 large sliced garlic cloves, 2 dried bay leaves, 3 lightly crushed green cardamom pods, and 5 cups water to the pot with the chicken. Season with a big pinch of salt (about 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon), and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cover the pot. Let the chicken simmer for 20 minutes. Then remove the chicken from the pot and set it on a large plate. Strain the cooking liquid through a sieve set over a bowl to reserve the liquid. Discard the bay leaves, onion, and cardamom pods. 

Put it All Together

• Layer. Wipe the bottom of the pot clean. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and arrange 1 or 2 vine-ripened medium tomatoes, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds, on the bottom of the pot, followed by the eggplant slices, the cauliflower, and the chicken. Pour in the rice on top (it will fill in the spaces between the chicken and vegetables), then sprinkle on 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric, 1 teaspoon ground allspice, and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
• Cook the Maqluba. Measure 2 cups of the reserved cooking liquid and pour over the rice. Push the rice and chicken down gently in the pot; you should be able to see the liquid rise up to the level of the rice, barely covering parts of it. If needed, add a little bit more cooking liquid (about 1/4 cup). Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook for about 10 minutes. Turn the heat to low, cover the pot, and cook until the rice has absorbed all the liquid and is tender, about 30 minutes. When the rice is done, turn off the heat, leave the lid on the pot, and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Toast the almonds. In a small skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 cup whole blanched almonds and cook, tossing gently, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a spoon, transfer them to a plate lined with a paper towel.
• Flip! When ready to serve, carefully remove the lid of the pot and place a large, round serving platter on top of the pot (the platter needs to be larger in diameter than the pot). Using both hands, quickly invert the pot so that the platter is now on the bottom (call for help if you need it here; the pot may be heavy). Gently tap the bottom of the pot to help coax the rice and veggies to release. Carefully remove the pot to reveal the maqluba! Top with the toasted almonds and a sprinkle of chopped parsley and serve.

Make it Your Own 

Once you understand the upside-down layering method, maglooba welcomes all kinds of variations. Here are a few ideas. 

• Swap in lamb or beef: Use lamb shoulder or beef cubes in place of chicken for a richer flavor. Many recipes use lamb or beef as the default choice.
• Make it vegetarian or vegan: Even without the chicken, maglooba makes a great vegetarian meal. You can add 1 cup of cooked brown lentils or cooked chickpeas to the rice for a little more protein. 
• Use different vegetables: You can roast and layer-in any vegetables you like: bell peppers, zucchini, or carrots in addition to or instead of eggplant and cauliflower. Or try potatoes. They work in my tahdig recipe, and I’m sure they’d be delicious here, too. 
• Flavor with alternate spice blends: If you have baharat, use that in place of the individual spices in the recipe.  

What to Serve with Maqluba

For a full Mediterranean spread, pair thsi Maqluba recipe with something bright and herby like my three-ingredient Mediterranean Cucumber Tomato Salad or Fattoush Salad. The crisp vegetables and citrusy dressing cut through the richness of the dish and add a burst of color to the table. A tangy Balela Salad would also be a good fit! 

If you’re making this a centerpiece dish to a family celebration, follow it up with my no-churn saffron and pistachio ice cream or Faloodeh, a refreshing Persian dessert that’s basically a rose water and lime granita with rice vermicelli.