Which empire controlled Lebanon from 1516 to 1918 and introduced lamb as a staple?

The Ottoman Empire controlled Lebanon from 1516 to 1918 and is associated with introducing lamb as a staple in Lebanese cuisine. Ottoman rule lasted roughly four centuries, making it one of the most important historical influences on the region’s food traditions.

Lebanese cuisine developed through layers of Phoenician, Persian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Arab and Ottoman influence. During the Ottoman period, ingredients, cooking methods and dishes moved across the empire’s interconnected provinces. Lamb became especially prominent in meat-based cooking, appearing in dishes such as kibbeh, kafta, grilled meats and stews.

The wording “introduced lamb” is a simplified culinary summary rather than a claim that people in Lebanon had never eaten lamb before 1516. Sheep and lamb were already known in the broader Eastern Mediterranean. The Ottoman contribution was to strengthen and spread culinary patterns in which lamb became a defining meat.

French control followed the Ottoman defeat in World War I. The French Mandate lasted until Lebanon achieved independence in 1943, so the French Mandate is not the answer to the period named in the question.