Lebanese Onion and Walnut Bread Recipe
Lebanese onion and walnut bread is a soft, delicious bun generously filled with sweet caramelized onions and crunchy walnuts. It’s the perfect balance of nutty, slightly sweet, and deeply savory --- perfect with tea, alongside soups, or as part of a mezze spread.
Servings: 6
Calories: 453kcal
Equipment
- Baking Tray (10.5 x 15.5 inches)
- Medium to Large Pan
Ingredients
Dough:
- 200 grams all-purpose flour (about 2 & 1/4 cups)
- 100 grams bread flour (about 2/3 cup)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup milk, warm
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon yeast, heaping
Filling:
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 to 5 medium onions (3 to 3 & 1/2 cups thinly chopped)
- 1 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
- 3/4 to 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- salt, to season
Instructions
For the dough:
- Combine the yeast with warm milk, then set it aside until it becomes foamy.
- Combine the flour and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a stand mixer bowl, or a regular bowl if kneading manually.
- Add the yeast mixture, honey, and 4 tablespoons of warm water, then mix.
- Start kneading when you see a dough forming.
- Turn it into a smooth ball and place it in an oiled bowl.
- Cover with a clean kitchen cloth and set aside until it doubles in size.
The onion & walnut filling:
- Heat the olive oil in a medium to large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the chopped onions and saute until they have shrunk a bit.
- Add the cinnamon powder and ground allspice, and mix --- lower the heat to avoid burning the spices.
- Make sure you mix the onions often and continue cooking until the onions have completely softened and caramelized --- this typically takes at least 45 minutes.
- Taste and add salt to balance the filling's overall flavor.
- Add the toasted walnuts and mix.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside to cool the filling.
Assemble and bake:
- Punch the center of the dough to deflate.
- Divide the dough into 6 equal portions and do the same thing with the filling.
- Flatten (roll) each portion of the dough (it should be big enough to accommodate one portion of the filling and allow for folding).
- Place the filling in the middle and fold the sides to close the bun.
- Form it into a ball and place it on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, leaving some space between them.
- Cover with the kitchen towel and set aside until the buns become puffy. This typically takes 30 to 45 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 200°C (375°F).
- Sprinkle a bit of flour on the buns.
- Place them in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes until they sound hollow when tapped on the side.
- Remove your tray of Lebanese onion and walnut bread from the oven and transfer it to a rack to cool --- serve!
Notes
- Cook’s Tip: Do not rush the cooking of the onions. Setting the heat to high generally makes the onion slightly bitter rather than sweet.
- Refer to the post for more tips and suggestions.
Nutrition
Calories: 453kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 211mg | Potassium: 301mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 58IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 3mg