Fatteh with Pita, Hummus, and Creamy Yogurt Bowl

Table of Contents

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Variations
• Serving Suggestions
• Tips
• Storage
• More dip ideas
• More Middle Eastern Dishes
• Fatteh (Pita, hummus, and yogurt) Recipe

Also called fatta, fette, fattah or fetté, fatteh is popular across Egypt and the southern Levant — Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, Israel and Jordan. The name fatteh means “crumbs” in Arabic and the dish always includes crispy khubz or pita that’s broken into small crunchy pieces.

This version is meat-free. It layers a base of smooth chickpea hummus with oven-crisped pita chips and cumin-warmed chickpeas, then finishes with a lemony yogurt-tahini sauce and bright garnishes.

The combination of creamy hummus, crunchy pita, tangy yogurt, juicy pomegranate seeds, and toasted pine nuts creates a balanced, colorful plate that’s both comforting and refreshing.

Pita bread

Use pita or any khubz/Arabic bread. Leftover homemade or store-bought pita works well.

Hummus

You can use store-bought hummus or homemade hummus made from chickpeas, tahini, lemon, garlic, cumin and salt.

Chickpeas

Canned or cooked dry chickpeas are fine. We like simmering canned chickpeas for 15 minutes with a teaspoon of cumin to warm and flavor them.

Yogurt Tahini Sauce

Make the sauce by whisking yogurt (dairy or unsweetened non-dairy) with tahini, lemon juice, grated garlic, water, salt, pepper and a pinch of cumin until pourable.

Olive oil

A good extra virgin olive oil for drizzling enhances the dish.

Fresh herbs

Finely chopped mint and flat-leaf parsley brighten the plate — sprinkle them on just before serving.

Nuts

Pine nuts, lightly toasted until golden, add a buttery crunch. Substitute toasted slivered almonds or crushed walnuts if preferred.

Pomegranate seeds

Optional but recommended for color and a fresh, mildly sweet pop.

Spices

Cumin is essential. Sumac is optional and adds tang; season with salt and black pepper to taste.

1. Drain and rinse 1 cup cooked chickpeas. Simmer them for 15 minutes in boiling water with ½ teaspoon cumin, then drain and set aside.

Tip: simmering warms the chickpeas and infuses them with cumin flavor.

2. Cut 2 pita breads into triangles, toss with 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt, arrange in a single layer and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 5–10 minutes until golden and crispy. You can also air fry for 3–5 minutes.

3. Make the yogurt-tahini sauce: in a medium bowl combine ⅔ cup yogurt, 3 tablespoons tahini, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 small grated garlic clove, ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon salt, two twists of black pepper and 4–6 tablespoons water. Whisk until smooth and pourable; adjust salt and lemon to taste.

4. Spread about 1 cup hummus on a large serving platter and drizzle with olive oil.

5. Top the hummus with crispy pita chips, the warmed cumin chickpeas, and pour a generous amount of the yogurt sauce over everything.

6. Finish with toasted pine nuts, pomegranate seeds, chopped mint and parsley, a pinch of sumac or paprika, and a final drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Eggplant Fatteh

Roast diced eggplant tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper at 400°F (200°C) for about 30 minutes until tender and slightly charred. Use the roasted eggplant in place of the boiled chickpeas for a smoky vegetarian alternative.

Serving Suggestions

Fatteh is hearty enough for lunch or dinner and works well as an appetizer or part of a mezze spread alongside other dips and salads.

• Muhammara, baba ghanoush or mutabal
• Roasted zucchini or grilled eggplant
• Fresh salads like Shirazi or tabbouleh

You can prepare most components — hummus, yogurt sauce, boiled chickpeas, toasted nuts and garnishes — up to two days ahead. Assemble the fatteh only when ready to serve so the pita stays crisp; it softens quickly under the sauce.

Storage

Make ahead: keep components separate and build at the last minute. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 days; discard soggy pita chips before storing. This recipe is not suitable for freezing.

Expand your appetizer menu with other creamy dips:

• Baba ghanoush (roasted eggplant dip)
• White bean dip
• Lentil hummus
• Avocado spread

Starters

Mutabal

Dips and Spreads

Muhammara

Sides

Grilled Eggplant

Salads

Shirazi Salad (Persian Chopped Salad)

For additional chickpea-forward and wholesome meals, try dishes such as:

• Fattoush (crispy bread salad)
• Chickpea stew with spinach and rice
• Mujaddara (lentils and rice with caramelized onions)
• Tabbouleh (parsley and tomato salad)

Salads

Fattoush

Recipes

Chickpea Stew

Mains

Mujaddara (Lentils and Rice)

Salads

Tabouli (Tabbouleh)

Explore more starters and mezze to complement this dish.