Food In Israel: Top 10 Dishes From Falafel To Shakshuka

Food in Israel offers a taste of the country’s rich history and diverse culture. Israeli cuisine combines flavours from the Middle East, Mediterranean, and Jewish cooking, creating a variety of delicious dishes. You can find tasty meals like falafel, hummus, shakshuka, and malabi, each with its own unique story and tradition. The famous food is not only delicious but also a reflection of the country’s culture, making it a great way to experience Israel.

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10 Famous Food In Israel

Here are the 10 best food in Israel, each known for its rich taste and local popularity for you to try during your trip:

1. Hummus

An image of Hummus is a creamy spread made from chickpeas, one of the most famous foods in Israel.

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Hummus is a creamy, smooth spread made from chickpeas blended with tahini, garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil. It is often served as a dip with warm pita bread or as part of a larger meal. In Israel, hummus is enjoyed at any time of the day, from breakfast to dinner, and is often topped with olive oil, paprika, or fresh parsley. Many restaurants serve hummus with vegetables, falafel, or grilled meats, making it a versatile and beloved dish in Israeli cuisine.

Best Places To Try: Tel Aviv, Haifa, Acre
Dish Variations: Masabacha (chunky hummus), Hummus with ful (fava beans), Hummus with mushrooms, or spiced minced meat

2. Falafel

An image of Falafel, deep-fried balls made out of chickpeas, one of the best foods in Israel.

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Falafel is a famous food in Israel made from chickpeas or fava beans mixed with spices, onions, and herbs, then formed into small balls and deep-fried to golden perfection. This crispy, savoury treat is typically served on pita bread with various toppings such as salad, pickles, and tahini sauce. Falafel is known for its satisfying crunch on the outside and soft texture on the inside. It is a favourite among locals and visitors, offering a quick and tasty vegetarian meal.

Best Places To Try: Tel Aviv, Nazareth, Jerusalem
Dish Variations: Falafel in pita, falafel in laffa, falafel with tahini, or falafel with pickled vegetables

3. Shakshuka

An image of Shakshuka, a dish with poached eggs in spicy tomato sauce, often served with bread.

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Shakshuka is a classic Israeli breakfast dish with poached eggs in a rich, spicy tomato sauce. The sauce is made by cooking tomatoes with peppers, onions, garlic, and a blend of spices like cumin and paprika. Often served in a sizzling pan, shakshuka is topped with fresh herbs and sometimes crumbled feta cheese. It is traditionally eaten with warm bread to scoop up the flavourful sauce. The dish is loved for its comforting combination of eggs and spices, perfect for a hearty start to the day.

Best Places To Try: Tel Aviv, Jerusalem
Dish Variations: Green shakshuka with spinach, shakshuka with feta, spicy shakshuka, and shakshuka with merguez sausage

4. Sabich

An image of Sabich, a sandwich with fried eggplant eggs and salad, one of the best foods in Israel.

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Sabich, a popular food in Israel, is a sandwich made from pita bread. It is stuffed with layers of fried eggplant, hard-boiled eggs, fresh salad, and tahini sauce. This delicious combination is seasoned with pickles and amba, a tangy mango sauce that adds a unique flavour. The dish has its roots in Iraqi Jewish cuisine but has become a popular street food in Israel. Sabich is known for its rich, savoury taste and is often eaten for breakfast or lunch. It offers a satisfying balance of flavours and textures in every bite.

Best Places To Try: Tel Aviv, Ramat Gan, Holon
Dish Variations: Classic sabich, sabich with boiled potatoes, sabich with extra eggplant, or sabich with spicy amba sauce

5. Jachnun

An image of Jachnun, a slow-cooked Yemenite pastry served with tomatoes, eggs, and spicy sauce.

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Jachnun is a traditional Jewish Yemenite pastry, typically eaten on Shabbat. It is made from rolled dough and then slow-cooked overnight to become soft and slightly crispy. The dish is served with grated tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, and a spicy zhug sauce. Jachnun is a hearty breakfast or lunch, offering a rich, comforting taste. The slow cooking process gives it a unique texture and flavour. This makes it a beloved part of Israeli cuisine, especially in Jewish Yemenite communities.

Best Places To Try: Jerusalem, Be’er Sheva, Ashdod
Dish Variations: Jachnun with grated tomato, with hard-boiled egg, with zhug, or with labneh

6. Bourekas

An image of Bourekas, flaky pastries, which are one of the most famous foods in Israel.

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Bourekas are delicious, flaky pastries that are a popular snack in Israel. These pastries are filled with a variety of ingredients, such as cheese, potatoes, spinach, or even meat, and then baked to a golden, crispy perfection. Bourekas are often served as an appetiser or snack, especially during holidays or family gatherings. They can be enjoyed warm or at room temperature and are usually topped with sesame seeds, which add a pleasant crunch. Bourekas are loved for their simplicity, versatility, and satisfying taste.

Best Places To Try: Tel Aviv, Haifa, Rishon LeZion
Dish Variations: Cheese-filled, potato-filled, spinach-filled, and mushroom-filled bourekas

7. Kebabs

An image of Kebabs, grilled skewers of spiced minced meat, typically lamb or chicken.

Photo: Amin Noubahar / Wikimedia Commons / Image For Representation Only

Kebabs in Israel are grilled skewers of minced meat, usually lamb or chicken, mixed with spices and herbs. The meat is shaped onto skewers and grilled over an open flame until perfectly cooked and slightly charred. Kebabs are commonly served with pita bread, fresh salad, and tahini sauce. They are a popular choice for lunch or dinner and are often enjoyed during family gatherings or barbecues. The savoury, smoky flavour of grilled kebabs makes them a staple in Israeli cuisine and a favourite among locals and visitors.

Best Places To Try: Jerusalem, Acre, Nazareth
Dish Variations: Lamb kebabs, chicken kebabs, beef kebabs, and kebabs with herbs and spices

8. Malabi

An image of Malabi, a creamy dessert made from milk and cornflour, flavoured with rose water.

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Malabi is a traditional Israeli dessert that is creamy and refreshing. It is made from milk, sugar, and cornflour, creating a smooth, pudding-like texture. The dessert is flavoured with rose water, which gives it a delicate floral taste and is often topped with chopped nuts, coconut flakes, or syrup. Malabi is typically served chilled, making it a perfect treat for warm weather. Its light texture and sweet, floral flavour have made it a popular dessert choice in Israel, especially during holidays or special occasions.

Best Places To Try: Tel Aviv, Haifa
Dish Variations: Malabi with rose syrup, with coconut flakes, with chopped pistachios, or with date syrup

9. Israeli Salad

An image of a fresh mix of cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, and parsley, dressed with olive oil.

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Israeli salad is a fresh, vibrant dish with finely chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, and parsley. It is often dressed with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, creating a simple but flavourful accompaniment to many meals. The salad is served as a side dish alongside falafel, hummus, or grilled meats, offering a refreshing balance to richer dishes. Israeli salad is a staple in Israeli homes and restaurants, loved for its crisp texture and ability to complement a wide range of dishes.

Best Places To Try: Jerusalem, Tel Aviv
Dish Variations: Classic Israeli salad, salad with feta, with olives, or with pomegranate seeds

10. Challah

An image of challah, a sweet, braided bread made with eggs, sugar, and a golden crust.

Photo: Przemysław Wierzbowski / Wikimedia Commons / Image For Representation Only

Challah is a sweet, braided bread central to Jewish cuisine, especially during Shabbat and Jewish holidays. Made from eggs, flour, sugar, and yeast, it has a soft, slightly sweet flavour and a rich texture. The bread is often braided into beautiful shapes and sometimes topped with sesame or poppy seeds. In Israel, challah is enjoyed on Shabbat dinners and is often eaten with dips or used to make sandwiches. Its soft, fluffy texture and slightly sweet taste make it a beloved treat for many.

Best Places To Try: Tel Aviv, Bnei Brak, Jerusalem
Dish Variations: Plain challah, raisin challah, whole wheat challah, and challah with sesame or poppy seeds

The food in Israel has a wide range of flavours, each showing the country’s lively culture and history. From tasty falafel to sweet malabi, Israeli food has something for everyone and promises a memorable experience. If you plan to explore Israel, book your trip with TripXL today for a travel experience that dives deep into the country’s food and culture.

Cover Photo: Athena mukherjee / Wikimedia Commons / Image For Representation Only

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