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This Lebanese Potato Souffle, known in Arabic as Batata Soufflé, is a nostalgic recipe that holds a special place in my heart as it’s a dish I grew up eating. It’s basically a Lebanese version of Shepard’s pie made with layers of creamy mashed potatoes and a spiced ground beef filling, making it a true comfort food.
Table of Contents
- Why you’ll love this Lebanese Potato Souffle recipe
- Ingredients to make batata souffle with meat
- How to make Lebanese ground beef and potatoes
- Tips for making the best Lebanese souffle recipe with meat
- Popular substitutions & additions
- What to serve with your potato and meat souffle
- How to store & reheat Batata Soufflé
- Frequently asked questions
- More Lebanese recipes:
- Lebanese Potato Souffle Recipe
Lebanese Potato Souffle offers a perfect blend of flavors and textures, but it’s also a versatile dish that suits any occasion. Whether you’re planning a quiet family dinner or a lively gathering with friends, this dish will surely impress. This potato and beef recipe perfectly portrays Lebanese cuisine – comforting, delicious, and adaptable.
Why you’ll love this Lebanese Potato Souffle recipe
- It’s an authentic Lebanese recipe without hard-to-find ingredients. You can easily find all the ingredients for this recipe at your local grocery store. Just grab a bottle of 7-spice or make your own with my homemade recipe.
- Easy to customize. The savory filling of this dish is highly adaptable to meet your taste preferences. You can substitute the meat for a vegetarian alternative, customize the spices, add more veggies, or even top it with cheese for extra flavor.
- The ultimate comfort food. This potato souffle with meat perfectly captures the mouthwatering flavors of Lebanese cuisine. The spice blend in the ground beef filling is so unique with warming spices it’ll have you coming back for seconds (or thirds!).
Ingredients to make batata souffle with meat
- Potatoes: Peel the potatoes for a smoother consistency. I like to use Yukon gold because they are buttery and have great flavor, but any potatoes will do.
- Milk and butter: Used for the mashed potatoes.
- Ground beef: Using lean ground beef with lower fat content results in a meat filling that maintains its shape and texture without becoming too greasy.
- Mushrooms: This is not very common to be included in Lebanese batata soufflé, but my mom always added them growing up because the moisture from the mushrooms keeps the mashed potato layers from getting too dry.
- Breadcrumbs: Add a nice crunch on top. You can make your own breadcrumbs with this easy recipe.
- Seasonings: You’ll need 7 spice, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
How to make Lebanese ground beef and potatoes
This recipe is a breeze to make with just a few simple steps – mash potatoes, cook spiced ground beef, layer in a baking dish, and bake until golden breadcrumbs form a crispy top.
Cook potatoes and beef
- Boil the potatoes until fork tender, drain, and return to the pot with milk, butter, and seasonings.
- Mash them while still hot until smooth and creamy.
- Cook the onions until soft and translucent. They should have a nice caramelization to them.
- Add the ground beef and mushrooms to the skillet.
- Break down any large chunks until the beef is brown and cooked through.
- Season with 7 spice and salt.
Layering the casserole
- Spread half of the mashed potatoes onto the base of the prepared dish.
- Add the beef filling in an even layer on top.
- Then add the remaining mashed potatoes on top, being careful not to get the beef filling into the mashed potatoes to create even layers. Finish off with breadcrumbs sprinkled evenly on top.
- Bake uncovered until the potatoes are set, and the breadcrumbs are golden brown.
Tips for making the best Lebanese souffle recipe with meat
- Use a stand mixer to whip the potatoes. My mom would always whip the mashed potatoes in a stand mixer or food processor to get that authentic souffle texture. It incorporates more air into the mashed potatoes and makes them more fluffy.
- Prepare your baking dish. To prevent the souffle from sticking, grease the dish with butter or oil before assembling the layers.
- Don’t cut it right away. Allow the souffle to cool for a few minutes before serving to allow it to set and hold its shape.
- Make it ahead of time. You can assemble your Batata Souffle a day or two beforehand and refrigerate it. When ready to bake, let it sit on the counter for about 10 minutes to take the chill off, and add the breadcrumbs right before baking.
Popular substitutions & additions
- Add parmesan cheese on top. While my mom’s traditional recipe for Lebanese potato souffle was topped with only breadcrumbs, I think a layer of melted cheese on top would perfectly complement the creamy mashed potatoes and spiced meat filling.
- Incorporate more vegetables in the filling. To make it more like a traditional shepherd’s pie, you could add peas, carrots, or even spinach to the filling for more texture and nutrition.
- Adjust the spice. The 7 spice makes this recipe unique and delicious, but you can switch up the spices if you can’t find any. Choose your favorite warm spice blend to match the flavor of this spice, or make your own.
- Make it vegetarian. Replace the ground beef with a mixture of sautéed vegetables, lentils, or a vegetarian meat substitute such as crumbled tofu or tempeh.
- Use different ground meat. Try this potato souffle with ground chicken, turkey, or lamb.
What to serve with your potato and meat souffle
How to store & reheat Batata Soufflé
Cover the dish with plastic wrap or aluminum foil to store the leftovers.
To reheat, preheat your oven to 350°F, remove the wrap or foil, and bake for 20-25 minutes or until heated through. Alternatively, you can reheat individual portions in the microwave on high for 1-2 minutes.
How long will a beef and potato bake last in the fridge?
You can store leftovers for up to 3-4 days.
Can I freeze this whipped potato and ground beef dish?
Yes, you can freeze Lebanese ground beef and potato souffle for longer storage, making for a delicious freezer meal. To freeze, allow the dish to cool completely before tightly wrapping it in plastic wrap or aluminum foil or placing it in an airtight container.
When ready to reheat, thaw the souffle in the refrigerator overnight and bake it in the oven until heated. Note that freezing and reheating the souffle may alter its texture slightly, but it should still be delicious.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can use a different type of spice blend if you can’t find 7-spice. While 7-spice is a common Lebanese spice blend, you can substitute it with a blend of your choice. Just make sure that the spices you use complement the dish’s flavors and are not overpowering. Some good options for a substitute include a blend of cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, black pepper, and paprika or a blend of cumin, coriander, and turmeric.
Yes, you can use sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes to make a sweet potato souffle. However, keep in mind that sweet potatoes have a slightly different texture and taste than regular potatoes, so it may affect the overall flavor and texture of the dish.
Yes, you can skip using mushrooms in the spiced ground beef filling. The mushrooms add a layer of flavor and texture and are a traditional family addition, but the recipe will still turn out well without them. You can consider adding other vegetables of your choice to the filling
Lebanese Potato Souffle, or Batata Soufflé, is a beloved family favorite and a versatile, comforting, filling dish. With simple, easy-to-find ingredients and a customizable filling, it’s perfect for any occasion, from a cozy family dinner to a gathering with friends. Try this recipe and enjoy the taste of Lebanese cuisine in the comfort of your home – it’s so good!
More Lebanese recipes:
- Lebanese Mujadara
- Macarona bil laban
- Kibbeh in Yogurt Sauce
- Chicken Fatteh
- Cucumber Yogurt Sauce
- Falafel
- Stuffed Grape Leaves
- Labneh
- Shish Tawook
- Batata Harra
- Lebanese Chicken and Rice
- Ejjeh {Lebanese Omelette}
If you try this feel good Lebanese Potato Souffle recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. We would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!
Lebanese Potato Souffle
Ingredients
For the mashed potatoes
- 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and chopped
- ½ cup milk
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt divided
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
For the ground beef filling
For assembly and topping
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- Olive oil spray
Instructions
- Place the potatoes and 1 teaspoon salt in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain the potatoes, then return to the pot.
- Add the milk, butter, garlic powder, remaining salt and pepper and use a potato masher to mash.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil and cook the onions until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the beef and mushrooms and cook, breaking down any large chunks until the beef is browned, 8-10 minutes. Season with 7 Spice and salt.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with olive oil cooking spray.
- Spread half of the mashed potatoes onto the base of the prepared dish. Add the beef filling in an even layer on top. Then add the remaining mashed potatoes on top, being careful not to not to get the beef filling into the mashed potatoes in order to create even layers.
- Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top of the mashed potato layer and spray evenly with the cooking spray. Bake uncovered until the potatoes are set and the breadcrumbs are golden brown for about, 30-35 minutes.
- Allow it to cool for 10 minutes to let the layers set, and then cut into 12 squares and serve.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Delicious! Every time I make this I’m asked to share the recipe. We love this dish. A true comfort food for sure.
Aww, I’m so happy you love it!! Thank you, Marivi!
Excellent! I used pine nuts instead of mushrooms, because that’s how we make it at home. Honestly, most of Yumna’s recipes have become my go-to for Lebanese food.
Aww, I love that! Thanks so much, Natalie! Pine nuts sound like a great substitution, too. Yum!!
SO GOOD omggggg
You cant go wrong w meat and potatoes lol but the seasonings here really bring it together! So good
I have had a recipe for this for years, but it had a smaller amount of cinnamon in place of the 7 spice and also pine nuts or almonds in the meat mixture. I made your recipe with more onions and beef and no mushrooms this time. I use all melted butter instead of olive oil spray. I also coat the butter on the bottom and sides of the pan with regular bread crumbs before adding the potatoes. An easy way to do the mashed potatoes is by cooling or chilling them first, making big patties of them, and laying them in the pan with just a bit of spreading- same on top. I had a bunch of leftover mashed potatoes from Thanksgiving and used them, and it was great. Your Lebanese Malfouf Salad was the perfect accompaniment! My family loved it, including my Syrian father-in-law. Thanks so much for your recipes and all of your tips.
Love the idea of using melted butter! Thanks for sharing all your tips!
I made this today!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ So delicious!
I’m vegan, so I used Impossible grounds, vegan butter, and oat milk. I had two helpings!!
I also made up a batch of Lebanese 7 Spice. Thank you, Yumna!
You’re so welcome, Linda! I am glad you enjoyed it and love the vegan twist!
I see that I can omit mushrooms and add a different vegetable. Any suggestions on a vegetable that you think will go well here?
You can add in carrots, eggplant, zucchini, or whatever you have on hand. Can’t wait to hear what you think of it, Reem!
This is delicious! Any tips on spreading the top layer of mashed potatoes? That was the hardest part for me.