Mbakbaka is what happens when Libya met Italy — and the result is one of the most interesting pasta dishes in the world. Short pasta tubes (originally the Italian maccheroni brought by colonial-era Italians) are cooked not in salted water but directly in a rich, spiced lamb broth with tomatoes, harissa, cumin, and coriander. As the pasta absorbs the broth, the sauce becomes gloriously thick and silky, coating every tube. The lamb pieces sit alongside the pasta. It's Libyan ingenuity at its finest — a dish born from cultural collision that has become the home cooking of a nation.
What Is Mbakbaka?
Mbakbaka (مبكبكة) — sometimes spelled mbakabaqa or mbakkabakka — is Libya's beloved pasta dish, one of the most popular everyday meals across the country. Unlike Italian pasta cooked in water and then sauced, mbakbaka is cooked entirely in the broth from the beginning, making it more similar to a risotto in technique than traditional pasta.
The key elements:
- The pasta: Short, thick tubes — typically penne or macaroni. Some families use rigatoni or vermicelli broken into short pieces.
- The broth: Bone-in lamb (or mutton) slow-cooked in tomato, harissa, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and garlic until deeply flavoured. The bones release collagen that makes the sauce incredibly silky.
- The technique: Raw pasta goes into the simmering broth and cooks directly in it, absorbing all the flavour and starch that makes the sauce thick.
- The finish: A drizzle of olive oil, fresh herbs (parsley or coriander), and sometimes a squeeze of lemon brighten the dish before serving.
The result is intensely savoury, warming, and filling — a dish that satisfies in the way only something cooked for hours can.
The Libyan-Italian Food History
Libya was an Italian colony from 1911 to 1943, and Italian culinary influence left a permanent mark on Libyan cuisine. Pasta — particularly macaroni, rigatoni, and vermicelli — became deeply embedded in Libyan home cooking, but always transformed through a North African lens. Mbakbaka is the most prominent result of this cultural exchange: Italian pasta, Libyan spices, Libyan technique, and Libyan identity.
Today, mbakbaka is eaten across Libya with pride — it's as Libyan as bazin, despite its Italian DNA. Some culinary historians note that Libyan mbakbaka actually preserves pasta-cooking techniques that Italian cuisine itself has largely abandoned. It's a living culinary history.
Best Mbakbaka in Dubai — 5 Venues
🥇 Best in Dubai
Beirut Restaurant — Al Rigga, Deira
Beirut Restaurant's Friday mbakbaka is a genuine pilgrimage for Dubai's Libyan community. The owner's mother makes the broth from scratch every Thursday evening — bone-in lamb simmered for four hours with tomatoes, cumin, harissa, and coriander until the broth is almost reduced to a thick sauce. On Friday morning, the pasta goes in and cooks for 45 minutes in this deeply flavoured liquid. The result is extraordinary: thick, silky, intensely savoury pasta tubes clinging to tender lamb pieces, with a heat level from the harissa that builds slowly and satisfyingly.
This is as authentic as mbakbaka gets outside of Libya. Arrive before 12:30pm — it sells out by 2pm without fail. The restaurant knows this and makes no apologies.
This is as authentic as mbakbaka gets outside of Libya. Arrive before 12:30pm — it sells out by 2pm without fail. The restaurant knows this and makes no apologies.
Order: Mbakbaka with lamb (AED 48) · Harira soup starter (AED 18) · Libyan mint tea
🥈 Runner Up
Casablanca Restaurant — Bur Dubai
Casablanca is the most accessible place to find mbakbaka in Dubai because they serve it daily — a rarity on this list. The Tripoli-born chef makes a version that uses short penne rigate (ridged penne that holds more sauce), and the broth gets an additional depth from merguez sausage slices alongside the lamb. Slightly less intensely reduced than Beirut Restaurant's version, but consistently excellent and available 7 days a week. The North African pastry selection for dessert is a fine way to end.
Order: Mbakbaka with lamb and merguez (AED 58) · Harira soup (AED 22) · Almond pastry (AED 28)
🥉 Third Pick
Desert Rose Café — Al Quoz
If the Deira or Bur Dubai options feel too far, Desert Rose in Al Quoz serves its mbakbaka on weekend mornings and early afternoons. The version here uses vermicelli-style short pasta rather than tubes — giving a slightly different texture (thinner, more delicate) but the same intensely spiced lamb broth. The café also serves bazin on the same days, making it the best single destination for exploring multiple Libyan dishes in one sitting.
Order: Mbakbaka (vermicelli style, AED 45) + Bazin (AED 60) · Two people, one unforgettable Libyan feast
How to Make Mbakbaka at Home — The Essentials
If you want to try mbakbaka at home before committing to the restaurant experience, here's what you need to understand:
The Core Components
Bone-in Lamb
The bones are essential — they release collagen that makes the broth thick and silky. Use lamb shoulder or neck with bones. Boneless meat produces a watery, thin sauce.
AED 45–65/kg
Harissa Paste
Libyan harissa is typically less oily than Tunisian harissa and more focused on dried red chillies, garlic, and cumin. Available at Carrefour, Lulu Hypermarket (North African aisle), and specialty stores in Al Karama.
AED 12–25/jar
Short Pasta Tubes
Penne rigate, small rigatoni, or macaroni. The ridges on penne hold the sauce better. Add the pasta raw to the simmering broth — never pre-cook it in water.
AED 5–12/packet
Whole Spice Blend
Cumin, coriander (ground), turmeric, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, whole black pepper. Some Libyan cooks add a small piece of dried lemon (loomi) for a subtle tartness.
AED 8–20/set
Mbakbaka vs Other North African Pastas
| Dish | Country | Pasta Type | Broth Base | Key Flavour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mbakbaka | Libya | Short tubes (penne, macaroni) | Lamb/tomato/harissa | Spiced, savoury, warming |
| Shorba Freek | Libya/Algeria | Freekeh grain | Lamb/chickpea | Smoky, earthy |
| Rechta | Algeria | Flat handmade noodles | Chicken/turnip | Delicate, aromatic |
| Berkoukes | Algeria/Morocco | Giant handmade pasta balls | Lamb/chickpea/vegetable | Hearty, stew-like |
| Tlitli | Tunisia | Small stuffed pasta | Chicken/merguez | Rich, multi-layered |
Frequently Asked Questions About Mbakbaka
How is mbakbaka different from Italian pasta?
The main difference is the cooking technique. Italian pasta is typically cooked in boiling salted water until al dente, then sauced separately. Mbakbaka is cooked raw directly in the lamb broth, absorbing all the flavour, fat, and starch from the beginning. This creates a much richer, more integrated sauce — you can't distinguish where pasta ends and sauce begins. It's a fundamentally different eating experience despite using similar ingredients.
Is mbakbaka spicy?
It depends on the cook's hand with harissa. Traditional mbakbaka has a warm, building heat rather than immediate fire — the harissa is cooked into the broth for a long time, mellowing its sharpness. Most Dubai restaurants serve a moderate heat level. You can usually ask for extra harissa on the side if you want more heat.
Can mbakbaka be made without meat?
Vegetarian mbakbaka exists but is less traditional. Some cooks make it with a chickpea and vegetable broth, which produces a different but still satisfying result. None of the Dubai restaurants on this list offer a vegetarian version — for vegetarian North African pasta options in Dubai, explore Moroccan berkoukes at Moroccan restaurants.
What's the best time to get mbakbaka in Dubai?
Friday lunch is the peak time — Beirut Restaurant in Deira is the gold standard destination. Arrive before 12:30pm. Casablanca in Bur Dubai serves it daily for lunch and dinner, making it the most accessible option if you can't make the Friday Deira trip. Weekends at Desert Rose Café in Al Quoz are another solid option.