Is msabbaha the same as hummus?

מסבחה uses very soft chickpeas mixed with tahini and leaves them whole or partly crushed. Plain hummus is processed to a smooth texture, although some restaurants place msabbaha over smooth hummus.

Are mashawsha and msabbaha the same dish?

Some restaurants use משאוושה and מסבחה as different names for the same dish. Other restaurants give משאוושה a different recipe, so read the description or ask מה יש במשאושה שלכם?

What is ful on an Israeli hummus menu?

פול is a fava bean dish, called broad beans in UK English. People with G6PD deficiency should ask whether ful is included in mixed plates such as מחלוטה or קומפלט.

Does hummus basar mean beef hummus?

No. חומוס בשר means hummus topped with hot meat, but the label does not identify the animal or cut. Ask איזה בשר יש במנה?

Is a komplet hummus plate vegan?

Not necessarily. קומפלט is a variable combination plate, and some versions include a hard-boiled egg. Check the restaurant description before ordering.

Israeli Hummus Menu Guide: Hebrew to English

Core Chickpea Plates

The usual sides at a hummus place: pita, onion, lemon and pickles

On the label or sign

חומוס: hummus
חומוס נקי: plain hummus
רק חומוס: just hummus

חומוס / חומוס נקי / רק חומוסPlain hummus plate

hummus / hummus naki / rak hummus

US English

plain hummus plate

UK English

plain houmous plate

What it is

חומוס is a smooth chickpea spread. Israeli restaurant hummus normally includes tahini.

The difference

חומוס נקי and רק חומוס mean a plate without a named topping. The words do not mean tahini-free hummus.

Common mistake

Do not order חומוס נקי expecting tahini-free hummus.

On the label or sign

חומוס טחינה: hummus with extra tahini

חומוס טחינהHummus with tahini

hummus tehina

US English

hummus with extra tahini

UK English

houmous with extra tahini

What it is

חומוס טחינה is a smooth hummus plate with an additional tahini portion or topping.

The difference

The word טחינה names the extra tahini on the plate. Tahini is already part of normal Israeli restaurant hummus.

Common mistake

Do not translate חומוס טחינה as plain hummus and miss the extra tahini.

Hummus with whole chickpeas, hummus gargarim

On the label or sign

חומוס גרגרים: hummus with whole chickpeas
חומוס גרגירים: hummus with whole chickpeas

חומוס גרגרים / חומוס גרגיריםHummus with chickpeas

hummus gargarim

US English

hummus topped with warm chickpeas

UK English

houmous topped with warm chickpeas

What it is

חומוס גרגרים is smooth hummus topped with whole warm chickpeas.

The difference

The base stays smooth. Msabbaha makes the soft chickpea and tahini mixture the body of the dish instead of a neat topping.

Common mistake

Do not order חומוס גרגרים expecting the whole plate to have a chunky texture.

On the label or sign

מסבחה: msabbaha
מסאבחה: msabbaha

מסבחה / מסאבחהMsabbaha

msabbaha

US English

msabbaha; warm chunky chickpeas with tahini

UK English

msabbaha; warm chunky chickpeas with tahini

What it is

מסבחה combines very soft chickpeas with tahini, garlic and lemon. The chickpeas stay whole or partly crushed instead of becoming a uniformly smooth paste.

The difference

Some restaurants serve מסבחה as a standalone coarse mixture. Exact consistency and chile level vary by restaurant.

Common mistake

Do not reduce מסבחה to hummus with a few chickpeas on top.

On the label or sign

חומוס מסבחה: hummus topped with msabbaha

חומוס מסבחהHummus with msabbaha

hummus msabbaha

US English

hummus topped with msabbaha

UK English

houmous topped with msabbaha

What it is

חומוס מסבחה can be a two-part plate with smooth hummus under or beside a coarser msabbaha topping.

The difference

Some menus list חומוס מסבחה separately from standalone מסבחה. Other restaurants use מסבחה for a different construction.

Common mistake

Do not assume every מסבחה order has a smooth hummus base.

Mashawsha, coarse warm chickpea and tahini

On the label or sign

משאוושה: mashawsha
משאושה: mashawsha
משוושה: mashawsha

משאוושה / משאושה / משוושה / משאואשהMashawsha

mashawsha

US English

mashawsha; coarse chickpeas with tahini

UK English

mashawsha; coarse chickpeas with tahini

What it is

משאוושה is commonly a Galilean or northern relative of msabbaha. Very soft chickpeas are lightly crushed and mixed with tahini.

The difference

Some restaurants treat משאוושה and מסבחה as the same dish under different names. Other restaurants use משאואשה for a combination of ful, chickpeas, tahini and hard-boiled egg.

Common mistake

Do not trust the name alone; ask מה יש במשאושה שלכם?

Ful and Combination Plates

Ful, stewed fava beans, with olive oil and lemon

On the label or sign

פול: ful or fava beans
פול מדאמס: ful medames
מכיל פול - אינו מיועד לסובלים מחוסר באנזים G6PD: contains fava beans and is not intended for people with G6PD deficiency

פול / פול מדאמסFul medames

ful / ful medames

US English

ful medames; stewed fava beans

UK English

ful medames; stewed broad beans

What it is

פול מדאמס is a separate fava or broad bean dish. The beans may be whole or mashed and seasoned.

The difference

פול is made from fava beans, not chickpeas. The Hebrew word sounds like the English word “full,” but the meanings are unrelated.

Common mistake

People with G6PD deficiency should not assume a mixed plate is chickpea-only and should ask whether פול is included.

On the label or sign

חומוס פול: hummus topped with ful

חומוס פולHummus with ful

hummus ful

US English

hummus topped with ful medames

UK English

houmous topped with ful medames

What it is

חומוס פול is smooth chickpea hummus topped with seasoned fava or broad beans.

The difference

חומוס פול combines two different pulses. The smooth beige base is chickpea hummus, while the darker topping is ful.

Common mistake

Do not read חומוס פול as “full hummus” or as hummus topped with more chickpeas.

A mixed plate of hummus, ful and masabacha, makhluta

On the label or sign

מחלוטה: mixed ful and chickpea plate

מחלוטהMakhluta

makhluta

US English

makhluta; ful mixed with warm chickpeas

UK English

makhluta; ful mixed with warm chickpeas

What it is

מחלוטה is a mixed pulse plate centered on ful and warm chickpeas. Some versions also include tahini.

The difference

A smooth hummus base is not guaranteed. חומוס פול, by contrast, places ful on smooth hummus.

Common mistake

Do not assume מחלוטה is another name for חומוס פול.

On the label or sign

משולש: three-way combination
חומוס משולש: three-way hummus combination
טריפל: triple combination

משולש / חומוס משולש / טריפלThree-way hummus plate

meshulash / hummus meshulash / triple

US English

three-way hummus combination

UK English

three-way houmous combination

What it is

משולש and טריפל describe a plate with three components. One cited menu uses hummus, msabbaha and ful, while other cited menus use chickpeas, ful and tahini.

The difference

The three components are restaurant-specific. The label does not guarantee a national recipe.

Common mistake

Read the listed components instead of treating משולש as a fixed combination.

On the label or sign

קומפלט: complete combination plate

קומפלטComplete hummus plate

komplet

US English

complete hummus plate; ask what is included

UK English

complete houmous plate; ask what is included

What it is

קומפלט is a combination plate. A typical version has hummus with ful and tahini, and some versions add a hard-boiled egg.

The difference

קומפלט is a menu convention rather than a fixed recipe. Egg may be present, so the name does not guarantee a vegan plate.

Common mistake

Ask what is included instead of assuming every קומפלט has the same ingredients.

Hot Toppings and Extras

On the label or sign

חומוס בשר: hummus with meat
חומוס עם בשר: hummus with meat

חומוס בשר / חומוס עם בשרHummus with meat

hummus basar / hummus im basar

US English

hummus topped with meat

UK English

houmous topped with meat

What it is

חומוס בשר is smooth hummus topped with hot seasoned meat. Cited examples use ground beef, ground lamb or finely diced lamb.

The difference

The word בשר does not identify the animal or cut. Some menus list חומוס שווארמה as a separate dish.

Common mistake

Ask איזה בשר יש במנה? instead of guessing beef, lamb or shawarma.

On the label or sign

חומוס שווארמה: hummus with shawarma
חומוס שווארמה טבעונית: hummus with vegan shawarma

חומוס שווארמהHummus with shawarma

hummus shawarma

US English

hummus topped with shawarma

UK English

houmous topped with shawarma

What it is

חומוס שווארמה is hummus topped with thin shawarma slices or strips.

The difference

Some menus distinguish חומוס שווארמה from generic חומוס בשר. A menu can also offer חומוס שווארמה טבעונית, where shawarma describes the style and the dish is explicitly marked vegan.

Common mistake

Check for טבעונית and the stated protein instead of assuming every shawarma topping is meat.

On the label or sign

חומוס פטריות: hummus with mushrooms

חומוס פטריותHummus with mushrooms

hummus pitriyot

US English

hummus with sautéed mushrooms

UK English

houmous with sautéed mushrooms

What it is

חומוס פטריות is smooth hummus topped with hot cooked mushrooms. A cited menu adds onion to fresh mushrooms.

The difference

The cited menu constructions place cooked mushrooms on top of hummus rather than blending mushroom flavor into the hummus.

Common mistake

Expect a cooked mushroom topping instead of mushroom-flavored hummus.

On the label or sign

חומוס צנובר: hummus with pine nuts
חומוס גרגרים וצנובר: hummus with chickpeas and pine nuts

חומוס צנובר / חומוס גרגרים וצנוברHummus with pine nuts

hummus tsnobar / hummus gargarim ve-tsnobar

US English

hummus with pine nuts

UK English

houmous with pine nuts

What it is

חומוס צנובר is hummus topped with pine nuts. Some versions also add warm chickpeas and lemon-garlic sauce.

The difference

צנובר names the pine nut topping. The restaurant may pair pine nuts with chickpeas or meat.

Common mistake

Do not mistake צנובר for a spice or another word for chickpeas.

On the label or sign

חומוס שקשוקה: hummus with shakshuka
חומושוקה: hummus and shakshuka combination
חמשוקה: hummus and shakshuka combination

חומוס שקשוקה / חומושוקה / חמשוקהHummus with shakshuka

hummus shakshuka / hummushuka / hamshuka

US English

hummus with shakshuka

UK English

houmous with shakshuka

What it is

חומוס שקשוקה is hummus topped with spicy shakshuka. Classic Israeli shakshuka combines a tomato base with eggs.

The difference

חומושוקה and חמשוקה are blended menu names rather than standardized recipes. The egg in classic shakshuka means the plate is not automatically vegan.

Common mistake

Check the description instead of assuming every coined spelling has the same recipe.

On the label or sign

ביצה: egg

ביצה / חומוס … ביצהBoiled egg add-on

beytsa / hummus … beytsa

US English

hard-boiled egg add-on

UK English

boiled egg add-on

What it is

ביצה is a hard-boiled egg added to another hummus plate. Egg can appear in קומפלט or as a separate addition.

The difference

A plate built mainly from hummus, ful or tahini can still contain egg.

Common mistake

Look for ביצה before treating a combination plate as vegan.

On the label or sign

מחומש: house combination name
חומוספיישל: house special name
מלטושה: house combination name

מחומש / חומוספיישל / מלטושהHouse combination names

mehumash / hummuspecial / maltusha

US English

No exact US name

UK English

No exact US name

What it is

מחומש, חומוספיישל and מלטושה are restaurant-created combination names. Their ingredients come from the menu description, not from a shared national definition.

The difference

One cited מחומש adds egg and pine nuts to a three-way plate. One cited מלטושה combines hummus with chicken breast and vegetables in chile sauce.

Common mistake

Read the ingredient description instead of trying to infer a recipe from the pun.

You want	Look for	Keep in mind
Plain hummus	חומוס נקי / רק חומוסhummus naki / rak hummus	Plain hummus normally still includes tahini.
Hummus with whole chickpeas	חומוס גרגרים / חומוס גרגיריםhummus gargarim	The hummus base stays smooth.
Coarse warm chickpeas with tahini	מסבחה / מסאבחהmsabbaha	Texture and seasoning vary by restaurant.
Northern-style coarse chickpeas with tahini	משאוושה / משאושה / משוושהmashawsha	The name may overlap with msabbaha.
Hummus topped with fava beans	חומוס פולhummus ful	Ful is fava beans, called broad beans in UK English.
Mixed fava beans and chickpeas	מחלוטהmakhluta	A smooth hummus base is not guaranteed.
Three-part combination	משולש / טריפלmeshulash / triple	Read which three components the restaurant lists.
Complete combination plate	קומפלטkomplet	Ask what is included and whether the plate has egg.
Hummus with hot meat	חומוס בשר / חומוס עם בשרhummus basar / hummus im basar	Ask which animal and cut the restaurant uses.
Hummus with shawarma	חומוס שווארמהhummus shawarma	Check the stated protein and whether טבעונית appears.

Mix-Ups to Avoid

Core Chickpea Plates

חומוס / חומוס נקי / רק חומוסPlain hummus plate

What it is

The difference

Common mistake

חומוס טחינהHummus with tahini

What it is

The difference

Common mistake

חומוס גרגרים / חומוס גרגיריםHummus with chickpeas

What it is

The difference

Common mistake

מסבחה / מסאבחהMsabbaha

What it is

The difference

Common mistake

חומוס מסבחהHummus with msabbaha

What it is

The difference

Common mistake

משאוושה / משאושה / משוושה / משאואשהMashawsha

What it is

The difference

Common mistake

Ful and Combination Plates

פול / פול מדאמסFul medames

What it is

The difference

Common mistake

חומוס פולHummus with ful

What it is

The difference

Common mistake

מחלוטהMakhluta

What it is

The difference

Common mistake

משולש / חומוס משולש / טריפלThree-way hummus plate

What it is

The difference

Common mistake

קומפלטComplete hummus plate

What it is

The difference

Common mistake

Hot Toppings and Extras

חומוס בשר / חומוס עם בשרHummus with meat

What it is

The difference

Common mistake

חומוס שווארמהHummus with shawarma

What it is

The difference

Common mistake

חומוס פטריותHummus with mushrooms

What it is

The difference

Common mistake

חומוס צנובר / חומוס גרגרים וצנוברHummus with pine nuts

What it is

The difference

Common mistake

חומוס שקשוקה / חומושוקה / חמשוקהHummus with shakshuka

What it is

The difference

Common mistake

ביצה / חומוס … ביצהBoiled egg add-on

What it is

The difference

Common mistake

מחומש / חומוספיישל / מלטושהHouse combination names

What it is

The difference

Common mistake

Match Each English Order to Its Hebrew Menu Wording.

Knowing the word is half of it. Say it out loud.

How we checked this guide

Frequently Asked Questions