
The Best Arabic Kunafa
I love to make this with my family! it is just so fun!
A not-so-authenic cheese kunafa made with everyoneβs favorite nabulsi cheese! Crunchy shredded pastry filled with an ooey gooey mixture of mozzarella and a secret ingredient that keeps the cheese from hardening even after it cools. A rose blossom water scented sugar syrup, sweetens and perfumes this scrumptious Middle Eastern favorite.
To recap, kunafa (or konafa, kanafeh, knafeh) is a Middle-Eastern/ Mediterranean pastry made from shredded, vermicelli-like phyllo dough that crisps up into this beautifully golden dessert when baked. It almost always, comes with a surprise filling and sweetened with simple syrup.
Pastry shops and home cooks have been getting really creative with kunafa innovations lately. And so have I π
I hop[e you enjoy this easy recipe that tastes amazing really, it is one of the best desserts in the world!!

Kunafa
Ingredients
- 2 cups Kunafa strands
- 50 grams butter (3 tablespoons)
- 1/4 cups shelled, unsalted pistachios
- 1 grain mistaka Β (Ω Ψ³ΨͺΩΨ©) or 1 ball
- 2 cups grated cheese mixture (mixtureΒ of mozzarella, Nabulsia or AkkawiΒ cheese)
For The syrup:
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tsp rose water or flower water
- 1/2 tbsp lemon juice for thickening
Instructions
- grate Cheese
- pound your mistaka until it is powdered (or grainy/ sandy)
- combine the cheese with your Mistaka
- On Medium Heat, in a large pan: melt the butter
- On top of the butter add the kunafa strands so that the butter is combined with the strands
- then evenly distribute the buttered Kunafa strands across the pan
- add the sweet Mistaka Cheese
- turn heat to a low simmer and cover your pan every while turning the kunafa so it does not burn
To Make syrup
- combine all the ingredients in a sauce pan
Continue the kunafa pastry
- once the cheese is melted turn of heat
- Flip the Pastry onto a large plate the Kunafa Strands are facing upwards
- add the syrup (or until your desired sweetness)
- add some pistachios as decorationserve warm
serve warm


11 Comments
Nimeh
We tried this and it is really delicious! Thanks NumNum
Numnum
Your welcome! Glad you enjoyed it!
Yasmine
Good Job Numnum <3
Numnum
Thank you! Glad to see that your enjoying our redesign!
Ghada hindawi
Good job numnumππΌππΌππΌππΌππΌππΉππ½ππ½ππ½
Numnum
Thank You! Glad to see your enjoying recipes:)
Seedo Zuhair
Great recipes, good job Numnum
Seedo Zuhair
Numnum
Thank you so much seedo π
Asd
Beautiful
Saeed
Looks delicious. Will try it soon. Thanks for sharing
Numnum
Thanks, Can’t wait to see what you make