Easy Iftar recipes for Ramadan: Three nourishing Fairtrade favourites

While fasting brings spiritual clarity, it also reminds me of the importance of caring for my body. After a long day of work and worship, Iftar becomes a cherished moment. A time to gather, be filled with gratitude, and enjoy wholesome food that replenishes and energises.

That’s why simple, flavourful, and nourishing recipes are my go-to during the month of Ramadan. I’d love to share with you, three of my all-time favourite and easy-to-make dishes that always find a place on my Iftar table.

The best thing is that you don’t need to travel far to find the main ingredients that make these recipes special.

In the following recipes, I use Zaytoun Fairtrade products, which are available via the Oxfam Online Shop. They may also be stocked in your local Oxfam Shop too.

These recipes aren’t just delicious and easy to make – they also support Fairtrade and Oxfam’s mission in fighting poverty and its deepest roots. By choosing Zaytoun Fairtrade ingredients, you also help support Palestinian farmers and producers.

Dates are an essential item for Iftar for many Muslims around the world. While this is rooted in religious teaching, dates also offer rich nutrients, making them an ideal food for Iftar. This recipe needs minimal preparation time, but is such a treat!

Ingredients

15 Zaytoun Medjoul dates

30 Zaytoun raw almonds, whole

10g Zaytoun raw almonds, crushed for sprinkling

Your favourite fillings (I used almond butter)

40g dark or white chocolate (optional)

Instructions

1. Carefully cut the dates lengthways – enough to remove the seed without cutting all the way through.
2. For this step, you can either fill the dates with whole almonds – two each – or add a teaspoon of your desired filling, then sprinkle with crushed almonds.
3. To make this go even further, you can melt some chocolate and, using a spoon, drizzle it over the filled dates.

Tip: this can work as a treat after Iftar as well, or as a gift for friends and family.

This is a must-try salad – my family absolutely love this recipe! It’s filled with essential nutrients and is really easy to make. Win-win! The best part about this recipe is it can be made with various ingredients. You can add olives, feta cheese, or crushed walnuts. Just make it your own!

Ingredients

60g Zaytoun freekeh

1 cucumber (medium)

1 carrot (medium)

Tomatoes (two small or one large)

1 red onion (small)

Parsley (half a bunch or 25g)

For marinating

1 lemon juice (large or 1 ½ medium)

1 tbsp vinegar

½ tbsp Zaytoun za'atar

Salt and pepper to taste

1½ tbsp olive oil

½ tsp dried oregano (optional)

½ tsp dried mint (optional)

Instructions

1. Wash the freekeh and boil in 2 cups of water for 10 minutes until cooked. Drain and wash with cold water to bring the temperature down. Leave to drain completely.
2. Peel the cucumber and cut it in half lengthways, then slice. Peel the carrot and grate or cut it thinly. Peel the red onion, cut it in half and slice lengthways. Chop the parsley (not too fine.)
3. Add all together in a large bowl with the cooled freekeh and mix.
4. In a small bowl, add all the ingredients for marinating, mix, and then pour over the salad. Mix well until all is incorporated.

Tip: you could make this ahead of time since it keeps well in the fridge for two days, making it easy to prepare a larger batch for later.

This takes me way back to my childhood! I love making these and gifting them to friends and family. Many of my friends and family enjoy za'atar, so it’s always well received.

Ingredients

360g all-purpose flour

3/4 cup warm water (180ml)

½ tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1 ½ tsp yeast

1/3 cup Zaytoun olive oil

2 tbsp yogurt

For the za'atar mix:

1/3 cup Zaytoun za'atar

1/4 cup Zaytoun olive oil

60g grated cheese (optional)

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, mix the yeast, sugar and 1/4 cup of warm water and let this set for 5-10 minutes until foam appears.
2. In a separate large mixing bowl, combine half of the flour and salt, then pour in the yeast mix and remaining water. Let this set for another 10 minutes.
3. Add the yogurt and the remaining flour. Knead in a stand mixer for 5-7 minutes, or knead for 7 minutes by hand on a non-stick surface. Cover and let it rest for 15-20 minutes until the dough rises.
4. Preheat the oven to 220°c (fan) and line a baking tray with parchment.
5. Split the dough into 6 or 8 pieces depending on the size you want.
6. Shaping one piece at a time, use your fingertips to create an inner large circle, then flatten the dough to make a round shape roughly 4-6 inches in diameter. Alternatively, you can use a roller to roll each piece in a round shape. It doesn’t have to be perfectly round.
7. Transfer onto the baking tray, then spread around 2 tsp of the za'atar mix without covering the edges. If you’re adding cheese, do this after the dough has baked so the cheese doesn’t burn.
8. Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden on the edge. Alternatively, you can use a frying pan to cook the bottom of each piece with a little oil until nice and golden from the bottom. Once all pieces are done, transfer to the oven for 5 minutes until golden on the edges from the top.
9. Serve with salad or simply on its own, and enjoy.

Tip: if you’re short on time, you can use ready-made thick pitta bread. Just make the za'atar mix, spread it generously on each pitta bread, and then bake in a pre-heated oven for 5-7 minutes or until the edges are golden.

These three recipes have been my favourites for a very long time, bringing back cherished childhood memories. They combine both great flavour and nutrients. I hope you try making them and enjoy them. Let me know which one you would try first!