Yemeni cold yogurt-bread salad: torn lahoh (or any flatbread) layered with cold buttermilk-yogurt sauce flavored with garlic, mint, cilantro, lime, and salt — served as a cooling Ramadan iftar starter or summer side. Refreshing, tangy, and uniquely Yemeni in its yogurt-forward presentation.
Shafoot is the universal Yemeni summer cold dish. The dish reflects Yemen's hot climate and the cooling properties of yogurt; the lahoh (or pita) acts as a sponge that absorbs the yogurt while retaining textural interest. Sold at every Yemeni Ramadan iftar table; eaten across the country during the summer.
Spoon up shafoot — cold creamy yogurt clinging to softened pita, scattered with fresh mint, cilantro, dill. Bite: bread is soft-spongy from the absorbed yogurt, tangy-cool, garlicky, lime-bright, with the cooling herbs. Pomegranate seeds (if added) burst with sweet-tart juice. Olive oil drizzle provides richness. The Yemeni Ramadan iftar dish — designed to instantly cool and hydrate after a long fast.
Yogurt-bread sponging is the key technique — the bread absorbs liquid via capillary action while maintaining some structural texture. Fresh herbs (mint, cilantro, dill) provide cooling volatile aromatics. Buttermilk thinness allows the bread to absorb faster; pure yogurt would be too thick. Acidity from lime and yogurt enhances the cooling perception.
Variations
Cucumber shafoot adds diced cucumber for extra freshness. Tomato shafoot is sweeter from added tomato. Festival shafoot uses pomegranate seeds and pine nuts on top. Modern restaurant version is plated in a glass for visual layers.
On the Palate
Where Shafoot sits in the Yemeni flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4
How it's made
8 steps · 20 min active + 5 min waiting
- 14 min
Tear 4 lahoh (or 4 large pita) into 2-cm pieces. Spread in a flat serving dish.
Watch outTear the bread, don't cut it — the ragged edges drink up more of the yogurt sauce while the pieces still hold their shape.
- 27 min
Make yogurt sauce: in a bowl, whisk 500 g full-fat plain yogurt + 100 ml buttermilk + 4 minced garlic cloves + ½ cup chopped fresh mint + ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro + ¼ cup chopped fresh dill (optional) + juice of 1 lime + 1 tsp salt + ½ tsp black pepper.
- 32 min
Taste; adjust salt and lime. Should be tangy-fresh-herbaceous.
- 41 min
Pour the yogurt sauce evenly over the torn bread.
- 51 min
Toss gently — the bread should absorb the yogurt but retain some texture.
Watch outFold gently just until the bread is coated — you want it to soak up the yogurt but still keep a little bite, not turn to mush.
- 66 min
Refrigerate 5 min to chill.
- 73 min
Just before serving, drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil and sprinkle with: 1 tbsp sumac, 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds (optional, traditional), 1 finely chopped tomato (optional).
Watch outDrizzle the oil and scatter the sumac and pomegranate only right before serving — do it early and the topping goes soggy and dull.
- 81 min
Serve immediately while still cool, with extra lime wedges and bread on the side.
