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
Thank you for such a clear, simple and absolutely delicious recipe. You are right, it’s addictive!
This is a simple yet delicious recipe that I love to make time and time again! The pita chips turn out delicious ans my god, the sauce is to die for. I make some extra sauce and store it as a dip to use on the go!!! So simple and delicious and no regrets as it is also healthy!
Looks delicious. Is the pita a must in this recipe? Any gluten free substitute for pita ?
Hi Asia! The pita is definitely a core component, though I don't see why you couldn't eat it without - it would just be a vegetable dish and would still taste great. Other options could be any gluten free bread you can find (kind of like croutons), or maybe you can even use potatoes instead. 🙂
This recipe was so so delicious!! And so simple, I was shocked at how quick it came together! Thank you for sharing!!
You're very welcome - so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
I can eat this on repeat it's so easy and good!
Delicious - my new favourite appetizer!
Thank you Elaf!! 🙂
Absolutely delicious! I made it for my mom's birthday, we had it for brunch and everyone loved it. Thank you for the recipe!
That's so great to hear Mariane! You're very welcome and thanks for the feedback! 🙂
I grew up in the Levant and this is my all-time favorite dish! While this is a really good recipe, I feel that it doesn't do this treasure of a dish its justice. In particular, I'm surprised that this recipe doesn't include the tomato sauce. I've had this dish dozens of times at many different households (Syrians, Palestinians, Jordanians, etc.), and never saw it made without the eggplants being based in a tomato sauce (almost always with sliced onions). Really the only variation I've ever seen with this dish is whether it's made with diced eggplants (with or without meat) vs. small whole eggplants (like the ones used to make magdoos) stuffed with minced meat.
I highly recommend you post another recipe with the tomato sauce around the eggplant.
Hi Ashraf! Thank you for your valuable feedback - it's one of my favorite dishes as well 🙂 that's really strange that you haven't had it without the tomato sauce. I am Arab myself and have only ever had it without any tomato sauce. That's the beautiful thing about fatteh - there are so many variations out there, and every household makes it slightly differently. There also variations where the eggplant is layered with chickpeas and sometimes with or without meat as you mentioned. I personally love my version that I grew up with and wanted to share it. Feel free to adjust it to your liking.
This dish is addictive and I did make it twice in the same day! So easy, fresh and healthy! xx
So glad you enjoyed it Saba!
I made this and loved it. Surprisingly, my husband who does not like eggplant, totally enjoyed it. Definitely going to make it again 😀
Yay for your husband eating eggplant! Everyone should eat eggplant. 😀 So glad you enjoyed it!
Loved it! I love eggplant and it was just so good!
Thanks so much Palwasha - eggplant obsession is real over here too!
Obsessed with this! An amazing blend of textures and flavours! So hearty yet refreshing. And that sauce can be used so many different ways! Super love
Thank you so much Isra! The sauce is definitely a staple at my house.
Very delicious and great for meatless Mondays!
Thank you so much - so glad you enjoyed it.
Best recipe ever. Once you make it, it will become a staple!
Thank you so much Sarra 🙂
Thank you for this recipe! I'm hoping to make it tonight with your lentil soup! Quick question - I'm running a bit low on olive oil. Do you think I can sub vegetable oil when preparing the pita? Should have enough olive oil for the eggplant!
Yes you can! And good decision to save the olive oil for the eggplant! Hope you enjoy it
I was craving eggplant and this recipe popped up at me! So healthy and EASYYYY to make. Few steps and I was done! Making it again definitely. Foods that my 3 year old enjoys I always go back too 😉
Thank you so much for the lovely review Tamara! So glad you and your 3 year old loved it. Always a win when our kids eat the food we make 🙂
I've tried several variations of eggplant fatteh n this is by far my favourite ???????? so perfectly balanced and bursting with flavour. Loved it!
I'm so glad to hear - thank you so much!
Love this recipe! I've made it several times and it's always a hit. Definitely my go-to when I have eggplant.
Easy to assemble and looks so pretty when garnished the way you do it.
Thanks you so much for the review Lynn!! 🙂
Love recipes where you can roast instead of fry but still get the flavor you’re looking for. Made this and it was easy and delicious.
I'm exactly the same way! So glad you enjoyed it.
This recipe was a wonder of flavour and texture! It feels so multi faceted and difficult to make but watching hungry paprika make it on Instagram step by step make you realize how smoothly it flows. Tried and tested! Love it!!!!
So glad you found it easy to make, Aisha! Thanks for a lovely review.
One of my favorite recipes! It tastes delicious and is super easy to make. The pomegranate seeds make it extra yummy!
Thank you so much Sarah! Really appreciate it. 🙂