Perfectly roasted, tender, that is stuffed with meat. Paired with white rice, salad and yogurt with cucumbers, this is the ultimate comfort meal. It’s gluten free too!

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I hesitated a lot before posting this this recipe here on the blog. I always felt it’s heavy, and not so much healthy. However, it’s a beloved dish in the Arabic cuisine, that YOU readers love a lot. And that’s because I always ate at mom’s. And I finally cooked it myself, my perspective has completely changed! I LOVED IT. It’s the ultimate com fort meal, and you can twist some things to make it healthier.

But this has started last year . Whenever my mom cooked it, I always skipped it, and ask mom if she can cook extra dish or I would just eat some leftovers, maybe some Mloukhyia (Jew’s mallow soup). and of course there were times, that I just simply had to eat it. So, last year, when I was in Jordan for a vacation, my mom made it for lunch, And she tried to convinced me to eat it. And I said to myself , I should grow up and eat it it like everyone else. and what actually happened , is I loved it. After so many years. I loved it 🙂

It’s a rich dish. First we peel the potato, the core it, and fill it with sauteed ground meat with onion and spices ( 7 spices is the most popular mix, I’ve link to it just before the recipe down, also I mentioned in the recipes notes , what’s the substitute). Then we fry it in a pan (shallow frying) to get a nice crunch and flavor. Then we roast it the oven  with chicken stock along with the potato, until it’s tender enough, but holding it’s shape.

It takes a long time to prepare, but it’s totally worth it. And it does feed a crowd, so it’s a perfect for gathering and potlucks. Or you can save yourself some delicious leftovers.

This meal has carbs, protein , and fats too. We usually have it with a side of yogurt and cucumber salad, and sometimes rice too.

There are other versions of this dish. Some families cook the potato with tomato sauce like my friend Sawsan, did. She is a food blogger, very talented, and have many recipes of Palestinian food on her blog. Look here how she cook it.

Roasted Potato

I’ve made few recipes here on the blog. Potato is usually used for appetizers in Arabic cuisine like batata harrah (spicy potato) or Mashed potato (mudammas potato) . Or we add it to roasted chicken or baked meatballs with tahini sauce. But in this recipe, potato if the star in a main dish that will blow you away! And you will cook it over and over!

Why potato is good for you :

While potato has a bad reputation, it can be really healthy for you, the method of cooking affect very much the calorie and fat content. Also, it’s more important for the diabetic persons to be aware of its high glycemix index value, and how many carbohydrate sit has. potato can be good for you:

• It’s high in potassium, and vitamin C. Also has good amounts of folate, iron, and fiber.
• It has many nutrients that are important for the body’s health, such as lutein that is good for eye’s health, and choline that reduce inflammation.
• If eaten on its own, baked, potato is considered low calorie food.

And I made delicious recipes with potatoes, check them here.

🇵🇸 Heritage Note

This stuffed potato dish appears in many Palestinian and Levantine homes, often prepared for gatherings or Fridays. Every family has its own version — some fry, some only roast, and some cook it in tomato sauce. This recipe is the one I grew up watching my mom make, and it’s filled with childhood flavors and memories.

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🌟 FAQs — Roasted Potato Stuffed with Meat (Middle Eastern Style)

1. Do I have to fry the potatoes first?

Shallow-frying gives the potatoes their golden color and deeper flavor, but you can skip frying and roast them directly for a lighter version. Just brush them with a little oil before baking.

2. Can I bake this dish instead of frying + roasting?

Yes. To make it healthier:

• Brush the cored potatoes with oil

• Roast them until lightly golden

• Then fill them and continue the recipe as usual
  They won’t be as crispy, but still delicious.

3. Can I use beef instead of lamb?

Absolutely. Ground beef works beautifully and gives a milder flavor.
Some families even mix beef + lamb for extra richness.

4. What type of potatoes work best?

Use large, firm potatoes that hold their shape after cooking — like:

• Russet

• Yukon Gold

• White potatoes

Soft or waxy potatoes may collapse during baking.

5. How do I keep the potatoes from breaking while coring?

• Use a vegetable corer or thin peeler

• Remove only the center (don’t make the walls too thin)

• Choose potatoes similar in size

• Work slowly

If one breaks → place it at the top of the tray; it’s still usable!

6. What spices should I use for the meat?

The classic Palestinian and Levantine blend is 7 spice.
If you don’t have it, you can mix:

• black pepper

• cinnamon

• cardamom

• coriander

• cloves

• cumin

• paprika

This blend gives the authentic flavor.

7. Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes! This dish keeps very well.
You can:

• Prep the filled potatoes the night before

• Roast them the next day
  Or cook the entire dish and reheat in the oven.

8. Does this dish freeze well?

Yes.
Cooked stuffed potatoes freeze beautifully for up to 2 months.
Reheat covered in the oven with a splash of stock.

9. What can I serve with it?

Traditional sides include:

• White rice

• Vermicelli rice

• Cucumber yogurt salad

• Plain yogurt

• Simple green salad

These balance the richness.

10. Is the dish gluten-free?

Yes, it is naturally gluten-free, as long as your spices are pure and not from a mixed seasoning with additives.

Yield: 6

Roasted Potato Stuffed with Meat

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes

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Ingredients

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• Potato 1 kg peeled and cored
• Ground meat 350 g, beef or lamb or a mix of both
• White rice
• Salt, black pepper, ground coriander, ground cinnamon, 7 spices*.
• onion 1 small minced
• Vegetable oil 4 Tb
• Chicken stock 150g

Instructions

1. In a big skillet, heat 2 Tb of vegetable oil on a medium heat,
2. Add minced onion, saute it until the color is translucent, then add meat and saute until all the red color go off .
3. Add spices, and mix well, then set aside.
4. While the meat is on the stove, peel the potato (optional, but you need to wash it thoroughly, if you want to keep the peel) core it with the vegetable peeler, but not too deep so it won't break
5. Then fill it with meat by a spoon or by your hands.
6. In the same pan, heat another 2 Tb of vegetable oil. Add potato and pan fry it, until you got a nice color.
7. Put the potato is a safe oven dish and pour chicken stock and potato core, for an hour at least. it depends on the potato size, and how much did you core it, and your oven dish too. So start checking after 45 minutes.
8. The potato needs to be tender, but hold its shape.
9. Serve it hot, with side of yogurt salad, or plain yogurt , and white rice.
10. Leftovers can keep good in the fridge up to 1 week, and freeze well too.

Notes

* or a mix or ground black pepper, cinnamon , cloves, cardamom , coriander, cumin, paprika

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

3

Serving Size:

1 grams
Amount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g