19 Nourishing Iftar Ideas to Break Your Fast Deliciously
1. Vegetable Lentil Soup
Hearty red lentil soup simmered with garden fresh vegetables and aromatic spices makes for the perfect nourishing soup to break fast with being easy on digestion yet incredibly satisfying. Simply sauté onion and garlic briefly before adding broth, diced tomatoes and vegetables like carrots, zucchini and spinach. Stir in red lentils and simmer until soft and thickened for a comforting first meal.
Ingredients:
- Olive oil
- Onion, garlic
- Vegetable broth
- Diced tomatoes
- Carrots, zucchini, spinach
- Red lentils
- Cayenne, cumin, coriander
Recipe
2. Hummus and Pita
Creamy protein and fiber packed hummus served with warm toasted wedges of fresh pita bread makes for satisfying appetizer to break fast with after long day of fasting conveniently ready to assemble with little work required. Simply purée chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini and garlic to smooth dipping consistency before offering alongside basket of whole wheat pita wedges lightly toasted or warmed ready for breaking and dipping freely.
Ingredients:
- Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- Lemon juice
- Tahini
- Garlic
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Whole wheat pita bread
Recipe
3. Date Apricot Smoothies
Refreshing creamy smoothies studded with natural sweetness from pitted dates and dried apricots prove perfectly nourishing first meal to break fast with offering hydrating fruits and yogurt blended together conveniently. Simply add pitted Medjool dates, dried apricots, banana, Greek yogurt, milk and honey into blender puréeing everything to fresh sweet smoothie ready for drinking through a straw as satisfying iftar.
Ingredients:
- Pitted Medjool dates
- Dried apricots
- Banana
- Greek yogurt
- Milk
- Honey
Recipe
4. Phyllo Pastries with Feta
Flaky baked phyllo pastries conveniently stuffed amply with salty briny Greek feta cheese and fresh dill offer perfectly satisfying hot appetizer ready conveniently to serve breaking fast. Simply layer sheets of phyllo brushed lightly with olive oil and top with crumbled feta and dill mixture repeating layers before baking through until golden and crispy becoming irresistible cheese bites.
Ingredients:
- Phyllo dough sheets
- Olive oil
- Feta cheese, crumbled
- Fresh dill
Recipe
5. Saffron Chickpeas with Rice
Aromatic saffron infused chickpeas ladled over steaming basmati rice makes simple yet incredibly satisfying first meal to break fast with offering spice rounded out by creamy nutty rice and fiber rich legumes together conveniently. Sauté onion and tomatoes briefly before adding chickpeas, saffron and seasonings simmering all with broth allowing flavors to develop fully before serving over freshly cooked aromatic basmati rice.
Ingredients:
- Olive oil
- Onion, diced
- Canned tomatoes
- Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- Saffron threads
- Vegetable broth
- Basmati rice
Recipe
6. Baked Samosas with Raita
Conveniently baked veggie stuffed samosas accompany cooling mint raita yogurt dip resulting in perfect little handheld appetizers ideal for breaking fast. Simply stir together potato, peas and spices before enclosing tightly into wonton wrappers brushing with oil and baking until golden. Fresh parsley mint raita ties everything together lending protein and cools down spicy samosas beautifully.
Ingredients:
- Potatoes, boiled and mashed
- Peas
- Wonton wrappers
- Olive oil
- Fresh parsley and mint
- Greek yogurt
Recipe
7. Chicken Biryani
Classic fragrant chicken biryani makes welcome first meal conveniently prepared in rice cooker resulting in perfect fluffy aromatic basmati rice studded generously with tender chicken pieces and saffron. Layer chicken, rice, sautéed onions in rice cooker adding desired spices, broth and salt before pressure cooking hands free meal ready fast as nourishing iftar centerpiece.
Ingredients:
- Boneless chicken pieces
- Saffron threads
- Basmati rice
- Onion, sliced
- Vegetable oil
- Chicken broth
- Garam masala
Recipe
8. Vegetable Pakoras with Raita Dip
Satisfying mixed vegetable fritters deep fried crispy and golden conveniently accompany cooling mint raita dip resulting in perfect appetizer first course with spice and vegetables balanced by creamy yogurt tying it all together deliciously. Simply dip cauliflower, potato, spinach into spiced chickpea flour batter before frying into crisp fritters ready for dunking into cool cucumber yogurt raita.
Ingredients:
- Cauliflower, potato, spinach
- Besan (chickpea flour)
- Fresh mint and cilantro
- Greek yogurt
- Cucumber
Recipe
9. Fattoush Salad
Nourishing garden fresh vegetables like cucumbers, tomatoes and radiant greens combine perfectly with crispy bite sized pieces of pita bread in lemon garlic dressing resulting in perfect light salad to break fast with full of nutrition. Top mixed greens and sliced vegetables with toasted pita chips first making croutons before tossing everything together with sumac, lemon, olive oil dressing for incredible salad balanced with pita crunch.
Ingredients:
- Mixed salad greens
- Tomatoes, cucumber, radish
- Toasted pita chips
- Sumac
- Lemon juice
- Garlic
- Olive oil
Recipe
10. Rosewater Rice Pudding
Creamy aromatic coconut milk rice pudding infused gently with rosewater and orange flower water makes for perfect light dessert or even breakfast ready to break fast with offering comforting spoonfuls ideal way to close out first post sunset meal. Simply stir together grains with fragrant waters, coconut milk and pistachios letting chill completely before enjoying floral pudding.
Ingredients:
- Short grain rice
- Coconut milk
- Rosewater and orange flower water
- Pistachios
Recipe
11. Nut and Seed Energy Bars
Wholesome pressed date puree binds together perfectly with mixed nuts, puffed grains and dried fruits conveniently no bake required resulting in naturally sweetened portable bars full of protein and sustained energy breaking fast with something sweet yet still nourishing. Simply stir stick ingredients together with touches maple syrup before packing tightly into bars chilling set for on the go nibbling.
Ingredients:
- Pitted dates
- Mixed nuts and seeds
- Puffed quinoa
- Dried apricots, cherries, cranberries
- Maple syrup
- Coconut flakes
Recipe
12. Fruited Couscous Salad
Light and fluffy couscous grains combine perfectly with sweet mixed fruits like apricots, golden raisins and pomegranate arils for the essence of Moroccan flavors ready to break fast with as special fruit centered salad offering unique twist on grains. Simply stir together couscous with orange blossom water first before folding in gently sliced fruits and crisp sliced almonds toasted conveying perfect blend sweet and nutty once chilled.
Ingredients:
- Couscous
- Orange blossom water
- Diced apricots
- Golden raisins
- Pomegranate arils
- Slivered almonds
- Orange zest
Recipe
13. Whole Roasted Fish
Whole fish artfully arranged over bed of lemons conveniently roasts encased beautifully in light lemony broth basting gently resulting in flaky mild fish ready for breaking apart in segments made conveniently suitable for sharing family style as special meal to break fast with. Sear aromatics and tomatoes first before nestling fish atop the mixture topping everything with good olive oil, lemons, bay leaf gently roasting fish through making brothy roasted whole fish centerpiece.
Ingredients:
- Whole fish variety (snapper, branzino etc)
- Onion, celery, carrots
- Tomatoes, smashed
- Lemons
- Fresh herbs
- Quality olive oil
Recipe
14. Tomato Basil Soup with Croutons
Soothing tomato soup gets kicked up with fresh aromatic basil and cubes of toasted crusty bread conveniently baked with melty cheese eliciting essence of comfort food ready for ladling mingling broth and bread bites ideally as first nourishing meal to break fast with after sundown conveniently. Simply stir together canned crushed tomatoes before heating gently with broth and basil then bake cheese bread cubes separately perfect pairing of components for soup.
Ingredients:
- Crushed canned tomatoes
- Vegetable broth
- Heavy cream (optional)
- Fresh basil leaves
- Croutons with melted cheese
Recipe
15. Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad
Light and refreshing quinoa salad packed conveniently with garden vegetables like cucumber, tomato even chickpeas then showered in loads of fresh parsley and mint makes perfectly nourishing flavorful dish ready to serve breaking fast offering bounty of textures flavors beautifully with bright lemony dressing. Simply fold herbs and vegetables gently together with cooked ancient grains for incredibly tasty clean tasting salad.
Ingredients:
- Cooked quinoa
- Tomatoes, cucumber
- Chickpeas (optional)
- Flat leaf Italian parsley
- Fresh mint leaves
- Lemon juice
- Olive oil
Recipe
16. Fresh Fruit and Honey Platter
Bountiful sliced seasonal ripe fruits artfully arranged raw offering natural carbohydrates conveniently ready to enjoy anytime once sundown breaks fasting period resulting in perfect way to replenish sugars gently paired with touch honey dip if desired also symbolic of sweet new start once Ramadan begins after previous day’s fast beautifully.
Ingredients:
- Assortment of ripe seasonal fresh fruits like berries, stone fruits, grapes
- Honey for drizzling
Recipe
17. Green Lentil Dal
Warming and incredibly cozy spiced lentil stew makes perfect first meal to break fast with conveniently being vegetarian and packed with protein ready to spoon over steaming basmati rice for complete addition use convenient electric rice steamer if available. Simply combine lentils with warm spices blooming in simmering tomato coconut milk mixture creating incredibly flavorful dal ready in 30 minutes to ladle over fluffed grains.
Ingredients:
- Green lentils, rinsed
- Diced onion
- Diced tomato
- Garlic and ginger
- Coconut milk
- Spice blend (cumin, coriander etc)
Recipe
18. Falafel Sandwiches
Crispy well seasoned chickpea fritters get stuffed conveniently into soft warm pitas enveloping all favorite accompaniments like hummus, mixed pickled turnips even tahini sauce resulting in perfect portable sandwich convenient for breaking fast with incredibly tasty and satisfying. Either bake or fry falafel until hot and crisp before assembling pitas with sauces vegetables to preference for customize at home version take out.
Ingredients:
- Chickpea falafel fritters
- Pita bread rounds
- Hummus
- Tahini sauce
- Pickled turnips
- Tomatoes, cucumbers, onions
Recipe
19. Labneh Dip
Creamy herbed yogurt cheese offers perfect base to break fast app conveniently served alongside basket of raw vegetables and toasted wedges of fresh pita for dipping freely customizable way to nourish offering contrast of components served cool room temp whichever preferred. Simply stir together Greek yogurt drained overnight with olive oil, garlic and fresh herbs like mint, dill or parsley ready for assembling vegetables and pitas for indulgent custom snack.
Ingredients:
- Greek yogurt, strained
- Olive oil
- Garlic
- Fresh mint or dill
- Assorted raw vegetables
- Whole wheat pita wedges
