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This is my mom’s authentic Lebanese molokhia recipe, a dish that has been a centerpiece in our home for as long as I can remember. Unlike the minced version popular in Egypt, the Lebanese style uses whole jute leaves that stay intact, creating a hearty stew with a unique, silky texture. It is a true labor of love, but the result is a comforting, lemon-infused broth that tastes like home.
As a Lebanese cookbook author, I take a lot of pride in getting our traditional recipes just right. I’ve spent years watching my mom in the kitchen, and we even filmed a video together to capture every secret she has for this stew.
After testing this dozens of times, I can promise that following her specific steps for cleaning and sautéing the leaves will give you a perfect, non-slimy result every single time.
If you would like to try more of our family favorites, you might enjoy my Lebanese okra stew (bamya), butter bean stew (fasolia), or pea stew (bazella).
Ingredients
These are the exact molokhia ingredients my mom taught me, and it’s absolutely irresistible! Paired with Lebanese rice and vermicelli, it becomes a hearty, nourishing meal that brings the comforting flavors of Lebanese tradition straight to your table.
For the Molokhia:
- Jute Leaves: While you can use fresh or frozen, dried whole leaves are my favorite because they rehydrate beautifully and provide the classic Lebanese texture.
- Garlic: We use a generous amount to build a fragrant base and a bright finish.
- Fresh cilantro: This is blended with garlic and chilies to create the signature flavor profile of the stew.
- Chili peppers: These are optional but provide a gentle, warming kick that balances the lemon.
- Lemons: You will use these throughout the process to clean the leaves and brighten the broth.
- Coriander seeds: Lightly crushed seeds add a warm, earthy aroma.
- Olive oil: Used for sautéing the leaves and the spice paste.
For the Chicken and Broth:
- Whole chicken: Simmering a whole chicken provides the most flavorful, clean stock and tender meat for the stew.
- Aromatics: A mix of onion, celery, carrot, fresh ginger, lemon peel, and bay leaves keeps the broth clear and fragrant.
- Spices: Cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, and cloves add deep warmth to the chicken.
How to make Molokhia
Step 1: Cook the chicken
Start by preparing your chicken and homemade stock. Begin by giving the chicken a good rub with salt and lemon juice. Place the whole chicken in a large pot, cover it with water, and bring it to a boil for just a few minutes. Discard this first round of water to ensure a pure-tasting broth.
Rinse the pot, add the chicken back in with fresh boiling water, and toss in the onion, celery, carrot, ginger, lemon peels, and the spices. Lower the heat, cover and let it simmer gently until the chicken is tender and pulls away from the bone (about 45 minutes). Remove the chicken to cool. Shred it into bite-sized pieces and strain the golden broth into a clean bowl. Set both the broth and chicken aside.
You can use pre-cooked chicken breast to save time, but I highly recommend using a high-quality chicken stock to maintain the depth of flavor.
Step 2: Prepare the Jute leaves
If you’re using fresh jute leaves, skip soaking; if you’re using frozen jute leaves, skip both cleaning and soaking.
If you are using dried leaves, sift through them to remove any large stems or yellowed bits. Soak the leaves in warm water with a splash of lemon juice for about 15 to 30 minutes. Then rinse and squeeze them repeatedly until the water runs completely clear.
For the best texture, I like to briefly dry the squeezed leaves in a low oven or in batches in the microwave until they are no longer feeling too wet.
Once dry, sauté the jute leaves in batches with olive oil and coriander seeds, stirring to coat them well. This adds depth to the flavor and gives the leaves a nice texture.
Step 3: Make the spice paste
Create your flavor base by pulsing the garlic, fresh cilantro, and chili peppers in a food processor until you have a coarse, fragrant paste.
Step 4: Sauté the paste and Jute leaves
In a pot, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic-coriander paste and cook briefly until fragrant. Add the sautéed jute leaves and stir until evenly coated and warmed through, 1–2 minutes.
Step 5: Simmer everything together
Pour the hot chicken stock over the sautéed leaves, add the shredded chicken, and a fresh squeeze of lemon juice. Bring the pot to a very gentle simmer. Cover and cook on low heat until the leaves are tender and the flavors have fully melded.
Avoid a rolling boil, as high heat can affect the texture of the leaves. During the final five minutes of cooking, stir in the remaining garlic-cilantro paste for a fresh burst of aroma.
Serve your hot molokhia over a bed of Lebanese rice with vermicelli or simple jasmine rice. It is traditionally enjoyed with a side of raw onions and pita bread, with plenty of extra lemon wedges at the table for squeezing over each bowl.
My tips
- Rinse until clear: When working with dried jute leaves, continue rinsing and squeezing until the water is no longer green or cloudy to ensure a clean flavor.
- The lemon trick: Adding lemon juice to the soaking water and again when adding the stock is the best way to prevent the stew from becoming slimy.
- Sauté in batches: Do not crowd the pot when sautéing the leaves. Coating them evenly in oil ensures they stay intact and silky.
- Finish with fresh paste: Saving a small amount of the garlic-cilantro paste to stir in at the very end adds a layer of fresh flavor that cooking alone cannot provide.
Storage
Fridge: Store any leftover stew in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Let the pot cool completely before moving it to the fridge to preserve the color.
Freezer: This stew freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. You can even freeze it in individual portions with the vermicelli rice for an easy grab-and-go meal.
Reheat: Thaw overnight in the fridge and warm gently on the stovetop. Avoid letting it reach a rapid boil while reheating to keep the leaves tender.
More hearty Lebanese stews
If you try this Molokai recipe, I would really appreciate a star rating and short review below. It truly supports my work and helps others find the recipe.
Mom’s Authentic Lebanese Molokhia
Ingredients
For the molokhia
- 6 oz dried Molokhia (dried jute leaves)
- 2 heads garlic about 1
cup peeled cloves - 2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 tablespoon crushed coriander seeds
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 red chili pepper
- 2 lemons juiced
For the chicken
- 3 lb whole chicken
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 lemon for rubbing the chicken
- 2 lemon peels small
- 1 onion medium
- 1 stalk celery
- 1 carrot medium
- 1 cinnamon stick medium
- 2 bay leaves small
- 4 cardamom pods
- 5 cloves
- 1 inch fresh ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 8 cups water enough to fully cover the chicken during cooking.
Instructions
- Rub chicken with salt and lemon and place in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil for about 4 to 5 minutes, then drain and discard the water to ensure a clean stock.
- Return the chicken to the pot with fresh boiling water, onion, carrot, celery, ginger, lemon peels, and all the spices. Bring to a boil and simmer covered for approximately 45 minutes to an hour until the chicken is tender. Remove the chicken, shred the meat, and strain the broth into a bowl.
- For dried leaves, sift through to remove stems. Soak in warm water with a little lemon juice for about 20 minutes. Rinse and squeeze the leaves repeatedly until the water runs clear. Pat the leaves dry or briefly warm them in the oven or microwave for a couple of minutes (in batches) to remove excess moisture.
- Sauté coriander seeds in a little olive oil, then sauté the jute leaves in batches (2-3 minutes). Set aside.
- In a food processor, process the garlic, fresh cilantro, and chili peppers into a coarse paste.
- Heat olive oil in a wide pot over medium heat. Add most of the garlic-coriander paste and cook until fragrant (2-3 minutes).
- Add the sautéed jute leaves, stirring to coat them thoroughly in the paste. Pour in the hot chicken stock and the lemon juice, and stir in the shredded chicken. Simmer gently for 20 to 25 minutes.
- Stir in the remaining spice paste during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Adjust salt and lemon to taste. Serve hot over vermicelli rice with pita bread and raw onions.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What happened to the onions with vinegar/lemon juice that you put on top? What happened to the toasted pita bread that you break and put on top?
I’m Lebanese and that’s how my grandmother served it.
Chili peppers? I guess to each his own…
Hi Dorian, I am also Lebanese and this is how my mom make it :-). hope you have a wonderful day!