About this Dish
Tel Aviv's greatest sandwich — pita stuffed with fried aubergine, hard-boiled egg, hummus, tahini, Israeli salad and pickled mango sauce (amba). Brought by Iraqi Jewish immigrants, sabich has become one of Tel Aviv's defining street foods.
IngredientsServes 2
🍆Aubergine (eggplant), 1 large, sliced into 1cm rounds
🥚Eggs, 4, hard-boiled and sliced
🫓Pita breads, 4 large
🫘Hummus, 200g (store-bought or homemade)
🌿Tahini, 4 tbsp thinned with lemon juice and water
🥗Israeli salad: 2 tomatoes and 1 cucumber, finely diced, with a squeeze of lemon and pinch of salt
🥭Amba (pickled mango sauce), 4 tbsp
🧅Pickled turnip or gherkins, a handful, sliced
🌶️Zhug (green chilli sauce) or hot sauce, to taste
🫒Sunflower oil, for frying, about 150ml
Method
1
Generously salt the aubergine slices on both sides and leave in a colander for 20 minutes to draw out moisture, then pat completely dry with kitchen paper — this is key for getting them golden rather than soggy.2
Heat about 1cm of sunflower oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the aubergine slices in batches for 3–4 minutes per side until deep golden brown, then drain on kitchen paper and season lightly.3
While the aubergine rests, prepare your Israeli salad by combining the finely diced tomatoes and cucumber with a squeeze of lemon juice, a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Stir and set aside.4
Hard-boil your eggs by placing them in cold water, bringing to the boil, then simmering for 10 minutes. Cool under cold running water, peel and slice into rounds.5
Warm the pita breads briefly in a dry pan or oven, then carefully open each one to create a pocket. Spread a generous layer of hummus inside the base of each pita.6
Layer in the fried aubergine slices, sliced egg, a spoonful of Israeli salad and the pickled turnip or gherkins. Drizzle liberally with tahini and amba sauce, adding zhug if you like heat.7
Serve immediately — sabich waits for no one, and the pita softens deliciously as the sauces soak in. Eat over a napkin.User Reviews
No reviews yet — be the first!
Sign in to leave a review
Members can create lists, save favourites and get recommendations.
Find the Best Sabich Near Me
AI-powered — Google, TripAdvisor and food blogs
🔥 Viral Recipes
How the world's most famous chefs — and creators — make this dish
At the Immigrant's Table
208 views
🌍 Food Vlogs
Food vloggers eating and cooking it at the source
🌍
No videos yet
What To Eat
The World's Food Guide
© 2025 What To Eat · hello@whattoeat.world