This Eggplant Fatteh is a Middle Eastern classic and is completely vegetarian! It's one of my favorite recipes to serve because it's so easy to put together and the flavor combinations are SO good. You get the crunch from the pita, the savory goodness of the roasted eggplant, the garlic-y and lemony yogurt tahini sauce, and a burst of flavor from the garnish. I'm warning you - this dish is addictive. You'll be making it over and over again.

The really great thing about this eggplant fatteh is that you can get away with baking everything (no need to fry) and you can make most of the components ahead of time and assemble them all just before serving. That's why it's a winner for dinner parties, because it's easy prep and very flexible. It's traditionally served as a warm appetizer or as a brunch dish, but I also have mine as a full meal for lunch or dinner.
Here's the breakdown of how this dish comes together. You start by cutting the eggplant into cubes, seasoning with sumac and paprika, and slow roasting them in the oven for about 30 minutes until they're soft and golden. You then work on the crunchy pita. Simply cut up the pita, slather with olive oil and either bake them until golden, or you can also pan fry them.
The last component is the delicious yogurt tahini sauce. You can really customize the flavors here and add either more or less garlic, tahini, and lemon to your liking. Finally comes the garnish, which is so important. We had a nice element of crunch from the toasted almonds and freshness from the pomegranate and parsley. Then you take a heavenly eggplant fatteh bite and thank me later!
If you are in love with fatteh as a concept, I highly recommend you try my Fattet Hummus which is the most classic version made with just chickpeas! Also, the chicken fatteh is not to miss if you are looking for a more filling alternative!
How to make Egglant Fatteh ahead of time:
- You can roast the eggplant and place in an airtight container and in the fridge. Before serving, simply heat them in the oven or microwave
- For the pita, you can roast them until crisp and also store in a container on the counter top. As long as nothing else is combined with them, they will remain crispy
- The sauce can also be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge. You may need to adjust the consistency as it might thicken slightly. Do this by adding a bit of water or lemon to thin it out
- The most important part is to ensure you layer the dish just before serving, to keep everything crunchy
I really hope you go ahead and try this dish. So many of my Instagram friends have loved it and made it over and over again! If you do try it, be sure to come back and leave a comment, I'd love to know what you thought of it.
For more Middle Eastern Recipes, check out:
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Eggplant Fatteh
Ingredients
For the Eggplant
- 1 large eggplant
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sumac
- ½ tsp paprika
For the Pita
- 4 8 " Pita bread
- ¾ cup olive oil
- 2 tsp sumac
For the Sauce
- 2 cups plain yogurt
- ½ cup tahini paste
- 1 garlic clove
- ½ Lemon juice of
- ¼ tsp salt or to taste
For the Garnish
- ¼ cup slivered almonds or pine nuts
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ cup parsley finely chopped
- ¼ cup pomegranate seeds optional
Instructions
For the Eggplant
- Preheat oven to 425F
- Chop the eggplant into 1 inch cubes and toss in the olive oil, salt, sumac, and paprika. Coat all pieces well.
- Lay eggplant in one later on a lined baking sheet (use 2 if necessary) and bake in the oven for 30 mins at 425F
For the Pita
- Cut the pita into 1 inch squares (similar size to eggplant) and coat well with the olive oil and sumac
- Lay them in one layer on a lined baking sheet and bake for 10-12 mins at 425F until golden OR fry in a non stick pan on the stove in batches (don't overcrowd) and continue stirring until golden
For the Sauce
- Add the yogurt to a bowl and whip to smooth with a fork. Add in all other ingredients and mix well
- Add a bit of water to thin out the sauce if necessary and taste and adjust
For the Garnish
- In a pan, fry the almonds or pine nuts in the olive oil until golden brown, stirring constantly
- Finely chop the parsley and peel the pomegranate if necessary
For the Layering
- Layer the Fatteh just before serving by laying the pita at the bottom, then the eggplant, sauce, and garnish.
Notes
- You can bake the eggplant a day ahead and re-heat just before serving
- You can make the pita earlier in the day and leave it out at room temperature. It will remain crispy as long as its left on its own
- The sauce should be mixed just before serving (refrigerating it overnight will make it thicker)
- The almonds or pine nuts need to be fried the same day but can be done hours ahead and stored in a bowl at room temperature
Comments
Scrumptious! So easy to make in the summer with home-grown eggplant and parsley
My variation: no pita layer, halved the recipe for a quick evening bite
Thank you, Amina!
Sounds perfect! So glad you enjoyed it Irene!
Hello, I loved the recipe! Thank you. I was wondering how many calories this meal is worth?
Hi! Making this for the first time today for iftar 🙂 Looking forward to seeing how it tastes! Thank you for sharing this lovely recipe. JazakAllah.
Will try it as soon as I get home !
Did you try it? How did it go? 🙂
This is now my family's favourite dish. It looks gorgeous and people always want me to make it again.
That's so great to hear! Thanks for the review 🙂
I went to a Lebanese restaurant and had something like this. Naturally I wanted to make my own at home
I made this for the second time tonight, so I guess it’s my go-to recipe for it!
So delicious, thank you!
It is one of my favs too! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
I had never had fatteh before and I really enjoyed this recipe. Each layer has its own unique flavor yet it comes together in such a complimentary way. The pomegranate is optional in this recipe but I think it was my favorite part, adding a perfect texture, crunch, and zing of flavor. Thank you Amina, this was the first recipe I have prepared from your website and I will be back for more!
I'm so glad you enjoyed this one Cassandra! Thanks for the feedback!
One of my go to recipes for quick and healthy lunch. Kids love it too! Bless you❣
I'm so glad to hear you love it Saba! Thanks for the feedback 🙂
Does it matter if the pita has a pocket?
Not at all! Any type of pita goes here. Its your preference whether you want it the thicker type or thinner. 🙂
Tried this for dinner tonight. It's so simple qnd easy to follow comes together in minutes and tastes absolutely divine.
So glad you enjoyed it Hajira! 🙂
really really delicious
I tried this out for iftar yesterday! Not only was it really easy to follow and quick to put together, it tastes divine! Definitely one il be making again and again! Thank you x
So glad you enjoyed it Nuz! Thanks for the feedback 🙂
This has become my go-to eggplant dish, so so good and I'm not usually a fan of eggplant!
Woohoo! Glad I got you converted - eggplant is so good!