Living vegan in Medina is far easier than many people expect! Like most places in the world, once you know what to look for, it’s completely possible to eat and live cruelty-free here. While the city doesn’t currently revolve around plant-based labelling or fully vegan cafés, you’ll quickly realise that you don’t actually need them.
Restaurants are used to accommodating preferences, markets are full of fresh produce, and traditional food culture already leans heavily on grains, legumes, vegetables, herbs, and olive oil. Whether you’re visiting on a Saudi visa from UK, have just relocated, or have recently gone vegan while living here, Medina is a place where compassion and practicality can meet quite easily!
Saudi cuisine is packed with accidentally vegan traditional food, which makes everyday eating surprisingly simple. Many traditional dishes are built around plant staples rather than animal products. Some you’ll see everywhere include:
Rice dishes can also be vegan when ordered plain, and mezze-style dining makes it easy to build a full meal from sides!
Communication helps in Saudi Arabia, and learning a few phrases makes a big difference. You don’t need long explanations - just be clear and simple! “Ana nabati” (I’m vegetarian) is understood widely, but to be more precise you can say “La akul lahm wa la halib” (I don’t eat meat or dairy). It also helps to recognise words on menus so you can avoid them:
Accidentally Vegan Saudi Dishes
Saudi cuisine is packed with accidentally vegan traditional food, which makes everyday eating surprisingly simple. Many traditional dishes are built around plant staples rather than animal products. Some you’ll see everywhere include:
- falafel (ta’meya): deep-fried chickpea or fava bean patties
- hummus: chickpeas, tahini, lemon, garlic
- ful medames: slow-cooked fava beans with spices and olive oil
- mutabbal / baba ghanoush: smoky aubergine with tahini
- tabbouleh: parsley, bulgur, tomato, lemon
- fattoush (without yoghurt dressing): chopped salad with toasted bread
- flatbreads like khubz: usually just flour, water, salt.
Rice dishes can also be vegan when ordered plain, and mezze-style dining makes it easy to build a full meal from sides!
Useful Arabic Phrases for Vegans
Communication helps in Saudi Arabia, and learning a few phrases makes a big difference. You don’t need long explanations - just be clear and simple! “Ana nabati” (I’m vegetarian) is understood widely, but to be more precise you can say “La akul lahm wa la halib” (I don’t eat meat or dairy). It also helps to recognise words on menus so you can avoid them:
- لحم - lahm (meat),
- دجاج - dajaj (chicken),
- سمك - samak (fish),
- غنم - ghanam (lamb),
- بقر - baqar (beef),
- حليب - halib (milk),
- لبن - laban (yoghurt drink), and
- جبن - jubn (cheese).
Once staff understand, they’re often happy to adjust dishes by removing yoghurt sauces, butter, or meat toppings.
Cooking for yourself can make things even easier, especially if you’re staying longer. Renting an apartment, booking a hostel with a kitchen, or living somewhere with cooking space gives you total control. Don't forget: local markets sell lentils, chickpeas, rice, spices, dates, vegetables, herbs, and tahini at affordable prices! Many non-vegan Saudi dishes are easy to adapt:
Once you stock your kitchen with olive oil, garlic, cumin, coriander, and fresh produce, you can recreate familiar flavours without compromise!
Remember: living vegan here also extends beyond food. Medina offers plenty of experiences that align with compassionate values:
It’s worth remembering that places like zoos and aquariums (wherever they are in the world) rely on animal confinement for entertainment, which clashes with vegan ethics centred on freedom and non-exploitation of animals. Choosing cultural, historical, and natural experiences instead keeps your travel aligned with your values.
Being vegan in Medina is easier than many egg and dairy centred western countries. The food foundations are already there, people are generally accommodating, and cooking at home fills any gaps.
Veganising Saudi Food at Home
Cooking for yourself can make things even easier, especially if you’re staying longer. Renting an apartment, booking a hostel with a kitchen, or living somewhere with cooking space gives you total control. Don't forget: local markets sell lentils, chickpeas, rice, spices, dates, vegetables, herbs, and tahini at affordable prices! Many non-vegan Saudi dishes are easy to adapt:
- vegetable stews can skip meat,
- rice can be cooked in vegetable stock,
- stuffed vegetables can use spiced grains and legumes,
- and yoghurt sauces can be swapped for tahini-lemon dressings.
Once you stock your kitchen with olive oil, garlic, cumin, coriander, and fresh produce, you can recreate familiar flavours without compromise!
Vegan-Friendly Things to Do in Medina
Remember: living vegan here also extends beyond food. Medina offers plenty of experiences that align with compassionate values:
- visiting mosques,
- walking historic neighbourhoods,
- exploring markets,
- learning about Islamic history,
- and spending time in nature are all meaningful, animal-free activities.
It’s worth remembering that places like zoos and aquariums (wherever they are in the world) rely on animal confinement for entertainment, which clashes with vegan ethics centred on freedom and non-exploitation of animals. Choosing cultural, historical, and natural experiences instead keeps your travel aligned with your values.
Final Thoughts
Being vegan in Medina is easier than many egg and dairy centred western countries. The food foundations are already there, people are generally accommodating, and cooking at home fills any gaps.
Don't forget that you'll need Umrah packages from UK and with a bit of language, curiosity, and planning, living kindly toward animals here becomes part of daily life rather than a challenge! (Photo credit: Mishaal Zahed, Petr Beneš)
