Try This Sabich Recipe, the Classic Israeli Street Food Sandwich (2024)

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This classic sabich recipe has all the unique layers the sandwich is beloved for: crispy fried eggplant, nutty tahini, boiled eggs, and refreshing Israeli salad.

By

Micah Siva, RD

Try This Sabich Recipe, the Classic Israeli Street Food Sandwich (1)

Micah Siva, RD

Micah Siva is a trained chef, registered dietitian, recipe writer, and food photographer, specializing in modern Jewish cuisine. She runs Nosh with Micah, her personal blog.

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Updated November 16, 2022

Try This Sabich Recipe, the Classic Israeli Street Food Sandwich (2)

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In This Recipe

  • What Is Sabich?

  • Choosing Eggplant

  • What Is Amba?

  • Tips for Sabich

  • Make It Your Own

  • Make Ahead

Sabich is an undeniably delicious vegetarian sandwich I was introduced to as a kid and have loved since. It's commonly served for breakfast or lunch on the go, but be warned: It's messy in the best way a tasty, filled pita should be, so pack extra napkins. This recipe is a classic version of sabich, but I’ve shared some ideas for how I like to make it my own too!

What Is Sabich?

Sabich is a pita or laffa (flatbread) sandwich made with fried eggplant, boiled eggs, tahini sauce, hummus, and a tangy Israeli salad—a classic chopped salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, herbs, and lemon juice commonly served across Israel.

This sandwich is a popular street food in Tel-Aviv thought to have been introduced to Israeli cuisine by immigrant Iraqi Jews. During Sabbath (also called Shabbat), Jewish people cannot participate in any cooking, so pre-boiled eggs and fried eggplant prepared ahead and kept in the fridge are the perfect ingredients to assemble in a sandwich—the pita isn’t heated—without breaking the no-work laws of Sabbath.

The Best Eggplant for Sabich

Use Italian or Globe—sometimes called American—eggplant. Their round shape is perfect for stuffing in pita, and their skin is firm enough to hold the flesh together when fried. Japanese or Chinese eggplants are too tender, narrow, and thin for this recipe.

When choosing eggplants, look for skin that is shiny and deep purple. It should feel firm and relatively heavy for its size. The stem should be green, not brown.

Our Guide to EggplantsREAD MORE:

What Is Amba?

Amba is a traditional condiment served on sabich. It’s a tangy pickled mango sauce that has roots in India, and is very popular in Israel. While you can make it at home, it’s often store-bought. Check out your local Mediterranean or Indian grocery store for brands like Shemesh or Galil. If you can’t find it, don’t worry! This sabich is just as delicious without it.

Try This Sabich Recipe, the Classic Israeli Street Food Sandwich (5)

My Tips for Making Sabich

  • Use peanut, safflower, sunflower, canola, or grapeseed oil to fry the eggplant. Heat it to 375°F to ensure that the eggplant doesn’t burn, nor absorb too much oil.
  • When boiling eggs, my rule of thumb is to boil the oldest eggs first. As the eggs age, they lose moisture, making them easier to peel. That’s why super fresh eggs tend to be difficult to peel. If you only have fresh eggs, add a pinch of baking soda to the boiling water and then, immediately transfer the boiled eggs into an ice bath. That’ll make them easier to peel.

How to Make It Your Own

The best part about sabich is that you can put your own unique spin on it. Here is some inspiration:

  • The eggs can be hard-, soft-, or medium-boiled, but have fun experimenting with fried or scrambled eggs too.
  • Add crumbled feta cheese or grilled halloumi.
  • I love tossing the components of the sabich as a salad over fresh lettuce.
  • Roast or air fry the eggplants if you prefer not to deep fry them.

How to Prep in Advance

Sabich is the perfect make-ahead meal. Fry the eggplant, boil and peel the eggs, and get your hummus ready for when hunger strikes. Store the components in separate containers for up to 4 days, and layer the fried eggplant in an airtight container with paper towels to absorb excess oil. The Israeli salad can also be made 1 days in advance, but tastes best when fresh.

Try This Sabich Recipe, the Classic Israeli Street Food Sandwich (6)

For the Love of Eggplants

  • Eggplant Parmesan
  • Baba Ganoush
  • Grilled Eggplant Sandwich
  • Grilled Japanese Eggplant with Tahini Sauce
  • Eggplant Caviar

Homemade Sabich

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time45 mins

Servings4 servings

Yield4 sandwiches

Amba is a tangy pickled mango sauce that has roots in India, and is very popular in Israel. While you can make it at home, it’s often store-bought. Check out your local Mediterranean or Indian grocery store for brands like Shemesh or Galil. If you can’t find it, don’t worry! This sabich is just as delicious without it.

Ingredients

For the eggplant

  • Vegetable oil, for frying

  • 1 medium Globe eggplant or 2 medium Italian eggplants, cut into 1/2-inch rounds

  • Sea salt, for the fried eggplants

For the Israeli salad

  • 1 plum tomato, diced

  • 1/2 English cucumber, diced

  • 2 tablespoonschopped flat leaf parsley

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon freshlyground black pepper

For the tahini sauce

  • 1/4 cup tahini

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

  • Pinch of ground cumin

  • Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

  • 3 tablespoons water, plus more as needed

For assembling the sabich

  • 4 (8-inch) pita

  • 1/4 cup store-bought orhomemadehummus

  • 4 medium eggs,hard-boiledand peeled

  • 1/4 cup store-bought orhomemadeslicedpickles

  • Amba sauce, for serving (optional; see recipe note)

Method

  1. Fry the eggplants:

    Line a baking sheet with paper towels and set it aside.

    Fill a large skillet with oil until it comes 1/4 inch up the sides. Set it over medium heat and heat to 375°F. Working in batches, fry the eggplant slices until tender in the center and golden brown on both sides, 6 to 8 minutes total, flipping them once halfway through.

    Make sure the oil comes up to 375°F before frying the next batch. You may need to add more oil too.

    Transfer the fried eggplants onto the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle them with sea salt. Set aside.

    Try This Sabich Recipe, the Classic Israeli Street Food Sandwich (7)

    Try This Sabich Recipe, the Classic Israeli Street Food Sandwich (8)

  2. Make the Israeli salad:

    In a medium bowl, mix together the tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Set aside.

    Try This Sabich Recipe, the Classic Israeli Street Food Sandwich (9)

  3. Make the tahini sauce:

    In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the tahini, garlic, lemon juice, salt, cumin, and black pepper. Whisk in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the sauce is smooth and runny. Set aside.

    Try This Sabich Recipe, the Classic Israeli Street Food Sandwich (10)

  4. Assemble the sabich:

    In the center of a pita, spread 1 tablespoon hummus. Top with 2 to 3 pieces of fried eggplant, 1 egg sliced lengthwise or crosswise, 3 to 4 tablespoons Israeli salad, and a few pickles. Drizzle in the tahini sauce and amba, if using. Assemble the remaining sabich the same way.

    Fold the pita in half and enjoy. This sandwich is meant to be messy!

    Have leftovers or want to make extras? Refrigerate each component in separate containers for up to 4 days. They make for easy meals throughout the week.

    Did you love the recipe? Leave us stars below!

    Try This Sabich Recipe, the Classic Israeli Street Food Sandwich (11)

  • Sandwiches
  • Vegetarian
  • Deep Frying
  • Eggplant
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
605Calories
23g Fat
85g Carbs
21g Protein

×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories605
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 23g29%
Saturated Fat 4g18%
Cholesterol 164mg55%
Sodium 1092mg47%
Total Carbohydrate 85g31%
Dietary Fiber 11g41%
Total Sugars 12g
Protein 21g
Vitamin C 18mg91%
Calcium 162mg12%
Iron 5mg28%
Potassium 768mg16%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.

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Try This Sabich Recipe, the Classic Israeli Street Food Sandwich (2024)

FAQs

What is Sabich made of? ›

Sabich or sabih (Hebrew: סביח [saˈbiχ]) is a sandwich of pita or laffa bread stuffed with fried eggplants, hard boiled eggs, chopped salad, parsley, amba and tahini sauce. It is a staple of Israeli cuisine, as a result of Iraqi Jewish immigration to Israel.

What is the name of the Israeli sandwich? ›

Originating from Israel, the sabich is a traditional Iraqi-Israeli vegetarian sandwich creation that is often eaten for breakfast on Sabbath morning. Nowadays, it's eaten all day and is commonly sold by street food vendors as fast food.

How many calories in a Sabich? ›

Read More
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
893Calories
42gFat
105gCarbs
30gProtein

Does sabich have potato? ›

This popular Iraqi-Israeli dish features herbs, tomatoes, roast eggplant, and boiled potato and eggs stuffed in a pita. Sabich comes from the suburbs of Tel Aviv, where an influx of Iraqi Jews settled in the 1950s.

What is Sabich in English? ›

Sabich (morning in Arabic) is a highly popular street food in Israel. It is basically an Iraqi style Shabbat breakfast in pita, meaning fried eggplant, hard boiled egg, tahini sauce and mango chutney (amba) all in one fluffy pita bread.

What is the difference between falafel and sabich? ›

Sabich is falafel's lesser-known sibling: same pita, same salads and saucy toppings, same meat-free ethos. But instead of fried chickpea mush, the sandwich is loaded with fried eggplant and hardboiled eggs.

What is Israel signature dish? ›

Falafel. Another staple food here in Israel, falafel is made of a mixture of ground chickpeas and spices, which are then formed into balls that are then deep-fried. This Middle Eastern street food is common across the region, but it's actually considered the “National Dish” of Israel.

What is Israel's national snack? ›

It is titled "Falafel is Israeli national snack" and depicts a portion of pita bread and falafel with an Israeli flag stuck on top. ...

What is Sabich in Arabic? ›

The word sabich comes from the Arabic word for morning and it's thought that the sandwich got its name because it was a typical Iraqi Jewish breakfast item.

How many calories are in a kluski śląskie? ›

Pyszne Danie Kluski Slaskie (1 serving) contains 77g total carbs, 77g net carbs, 0.3g fat, 3.8g protein, and 334 calories.

How many calories in a jambon? ›

Musgrave SmartBuy Ham & Cheese Jambon
Nutrition:Per Jambon (oven cooked)per 100g
Energy (kcal)320320
Fat (g)2020
- of which saturates (g)9.910
Carbohydrate (g)2727
5 more rows

Does sabich have meat? ›

Sabich or Sabih is a vegetarian Israeli street food made by stuffing pita with fried eggplant and hard boiled eggs. Traditionally the sandwich also has pickles, tahini sauce, hummus, cabbage and Israeli Amba sauce.

What is Israeli falafel made of? ›

Historically, early versions of falafel were made with fava beans (and even earlier versions were made of lentils). Consequently, fava beans are still the falafel “legume of choice” in Egypt and other Arab countries. On the other hand, Israeli falafel is almost universally made from chickpeas.

What is the origin of the Sabich? ›

Some say that the dish was a popular breakfast back in Iraq, and that the name is a variation on the Arabic word for morning, sabach. Others believe that the dish got its name from its originator, an Iraqi Jewish immigrant named Sabich who opened up a small shop in Ramat Gan in 1961 to sell his magical creation.

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