Breakfast in Iraq ranges from sweet pastries and clotted cream to hearty bean and egg skillets, accompanied by fresh bread and hot sweet tea.
Popular morning dishes include:
- Kahi wa Geymar. Crispy, layered pastry (kahi) served with clotted cream (geymar), traditionally prepared from water buffalo milk in southern Iraq and the marshes. People drizzle it with date syrup (dibs) or honey. It is a classic Friday breakfast and holiday tradition in Baghdad and across central Iraq.
- Bagila bil Dihin (Tashrib Bagila). A filling dish of boiled broad beans in hot broth poured over shredded clay-oven tannour bread. Cooks top the bread with fried eggs, sizzling ghee or oil, and dried wild mint (butunj), served with sliced bitter orange, raw onions, and pickles.
- Makhlama. An Iraqi spiced egg skillet scrambled or baked with minced lamb or beef, onions, tomatoes, and herbs like parsley. A vegetarian version uses diced potatoes.
- Lighter spreads. Diamond-shaped samoon or flat tannour bread served with white cheese (jibn arab), olives, jams, or date syrup mixed with sesame paste (dibs wa rashi).
- Kurdish regional spreads. In Iraqi Kurdistan, breakfasts frequently feature mountain sheep and goat cheeses, local honey, walnuts, and herbs.
Allergen guidance. Traditional breakfasts contain common allergens including dairy (geymar, ghee, cheese), wheat and gluten (bread, kahi), eggs, and sesame (tahini). Broad beans cause severe hemolytic reactions in people with favism (G6PD deficiency). Recipes and cooking oils vary by cook. Always verify ingredients and allergy precautions directly with the kitchen before ordering.
Sources: Wikipedia: Kaymak, Wikipedia: Tashrib, Nawal Nasrallah: Delights from the Garden of Eden, Nawal Nasrallah: Bread.
Checked on 2026-11-05.