🧀 Shanklish
Shanklish is a Levantine aged cheese, shaped into balls, coated in dried thyme or chilli and left to mature until firm and pungent. For the classic mezze salad it is crumbled and tossed with finely chopped onion and tomato, then dressed generously with olive oil. The result is salty, tangy and sharp, eaten with fresh vegetables alongside other mezze.
Diets
Allergens
Contains (in a typical recipe):
What it is made of
Recipe
Ingredients
- 150 g shanklish cheese
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 tomatoes, finely diced
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- A pinch of chilli flakes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Method
- Crumble the shanklish into a bowl with a fork, breaking it into small pieces.
- Add the onion, tomato, thyme and chilli and toss gently.
- Drizzle with olive oil just before serving and eat with fresh vegetables.
How to make it lighter
- Shanklish is rich and salty, so a small portion with plenty of tomato and onion goes a long way.
- Use 1 tbsp olive oil instead of 2 — each tablespoon is about 120 kcal.
- Scoop it with cucumber slices or lettuce leaves.
History
Shanklish is a traditional cheese of the mountain and coastal villages of Syria and Lebanon, where it was traditionally made to preserve surplus milk. Today it is a familiar part of mezze spreads throughout the Levant.
Count it in one photo
Point your camera at the table — Me Nutrition recognises Shanklish and every other dish, with calories and macros for each. Ate only half? Slide it.
Download on the App StoreSimilar dishes
Values are estimates per 100 g for a typical recipe; home and restaurant versions vary. Diets and allergens are worked out from the ingredients of a typical recipe — always check with whoever cooked the dish. Not medical advice. Nutrition data: Me Nutrition dish database v13. How we count →