Vegan Sabich

Sabich is a traditional Israeli sandwich filled with a variety of fresh and flavorful ingredients. In this vegan version, the sandwich features crispy fried eggplant, creamy hummus, salty fried mushrooms, tahini and amba sauce, Israeli salad, and a medley of herbs and spices, all nestled inside a warm pita bread.

Whether enjoyed for breakfast as a healthy hangover cure, lunch, dinner, or even a boozy late night snack, this vegan sabich is a delightful and satisfying option for anyone looking for a hearty, healthy meal!

Looking for a gluten-free, low carb option? Try our vegan sabich bowls!

At Avdaye, we add lots of tips in all of our recipes – because we are a home cook without any formal training, and we find we are more confident making dishes when we understand why it works, and what each ingredient means to the flavor of a recipe. Our goal is for even the most beginner home cook to feel empowered in the kitchen.

Our Pro Tip

Jerusalem Travel Tip

How to Make Sabich

To enhance the flavors further, sabich is often topped with hard-boiled eggs (which we're skipping for this recipe and adding mushrooms instead), tahini sauce, and amba, a tangy and spicy pickled mango sauce.

Since we're not a huge hard boiled egg fan, we first tried the mushroom version at Aricha Sabich in Jerusalem, across from the bustling indoor market stalls of the Mahane Yehuda market on a tour with Visit Israel.

Sabich Ingredients

To make this recipe, you will need:

• Pitas: These are the base of your sandwich. They are fluffy, slightly chewy bread that holds all the ingredients together. Their neutral taste allows the flavors of the filling to shine. Homemade pita, or fresh-baked pita from a bakery (which is puffier, and not as dry) is FAR better for this recipe. However, if you're pressed for time like we always am, store-bought pitas (as pictured) can be used.
• Eggplant: This is the heart of the sabich sandwich. When roasted, the eggplant becomes tender and develops a rich, smoky flavor. It's a great source of fiber and brings a meaty texture that makes the sandwich satisfying and filling. We often use Chinese eggplant, as we find many American eggplants to be too large, water-filled, and often flavorless. The smaller, longer Chinese eggplants often can have an earthier flavor, so we opt for them when we can't get eggplant we love.
• Mushrooms: Mushrooms are often used in vegan cooking as a substitute for meat due to their umami flavor and hearty texture. They can provide a substitute for the boiled eggs traditionally included in sabich. You can use any kind of mushroom, but oyster or portobello mushrooms could work particularly well.
• Olive Oil: Used for roasting the eggplant and mushrooms, olive oil adds richness and ensures the vegetables don't dry out. It enhances their flavor and contributes healthy monounsaturated fats.
• Hummus: This creamy chickpea spread adds a tangy, savory note to the sandwich. It also brings protein, fiber, and healthy fats to the table, making the sabich even more nutritious.
• Tahini Sauce: Tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds. When mixed with water, lemon juice, and some spices, it turns into a flavorful sauce that adds a nutty, creamy element to the sandwich. It pairs especially well with the eggplant and mushrooms.
• Amba Sauce: This tangy, slightly spicy pickled mango sauce brings an exciting contrast to the other ingredients. Its unique flavor profile, combining sweetness, tartness, and heat, gives the sabich an extra layer of complexity.
• Israeli Salad: Usually made from chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and parsley, dressed with lemon juice and olive oil. This salad adds a refreshing, crunchy element to the sandwich. The acidity of the lemon juice in the salad helps balance the richness of the other ingredients.

Once you've gathered your ingredients, we will use the following method:

Prep

Gather ingredients, dice and slice vegetables.

Fry Eggplant

In a large pan, add olive oil and fry eggplants, salting well to encourage eggplants to give off excess water.

Fry Mushrooms

Once eggplants have started to brown, add mushrooms and continue to fry until caramelized and crispy on both sides. Remove eggplant and mushrooms and place on a paper towel to drip off any excess oil.

Hummus

Make hummus freshor use store-bought hummus as a thick spread for the pita.

Tahini Sauce

Make fresh tahini sauce to act as a dressing for the sandwich. Also grab a bottle of Amba sauce (traditional) or zhoug sauce for a spicy kick.

Israeli Salad

Make fresh Israeli salad.

Assemble Sandwich

Remove pita from oven and cut in half. Open pita and slather hummus on the insides of pita. Fill pita with Israeli salad, fried mushroom and eggplant, optional Crispy Roasted Potatoesand top with lots of tahini sauce and amba sauce.

Meal Prep

Store leftover Israeli Salad, Fried Eggplant and Mushrooms, Hummus, and Tahini Sauce separately in the refrigerator. Reheat eggplant and mushrooms, then assemble fresh sandwiches to serve as leftovers.

Kitchen notes

Frying the Eggplant: Slice your eggplant and sprinkle with salt, letting it sit for a while (around 15-20 minutes) to draw out some of the moisture and bitterness. Rinse off the salt and pat dry before roasting. When you fry it, ensure it's cooked until tender and a bit charred for extra flavor.

Marinating the Mushrooms: You're using mushrooms to replace the traditional eggs in sabich, so adding extra flavor can be a game-changer. Consider marinating the mushrooms in some soy sauce, garlic, and other seasonings before roasting or sautéing them.

Fresh Hummus and Tahini: If you can, make your hummus and tahini sauce fresh. The flavor is typically better than store-bought versions and you can adjust the seasoning to your liking. Remember, the key to a creamy hummus is to peel the chickpeas before blending.

Making Amba Sauce: If you have the time, try making your own amba sauce. It's a fermented mango condiment, but you can make a quicker version by blending ripe mango with vinegar, turmeric, and a bit of chili.

Israeli Salad: finely chop your vegetables for the Israeli salad to ensure they can be easily tucked into the pita. Dress the salad right before assembling the sandwiches so the vegetables stay crisp.

Pita Bread: If you can, warm your pita bread before assembling your sabich. This makes the bread more pliable and helps the flavors meld together.

Layering: When assembling your sabich, consider layering the ingredients in a way that ensures you get a bit of everything in each bite. You can start with a layer of hummus, then add your eggplant and mushrooms, drizzle over your tahini and amba sauce, and top with the Israeli salad.

A few answers

What is sabich?

Sabich is a traditional Israeli sandwich. The original version is made with pita bread stuffed with fried eggplant, hard-boiled eggs, Israeli salad, hummus, tahini sauce, and amba sauce. A vegan version replaces the eggs with a plant-based alternative like roasted or marinated mushrooms.

What is Israeli salad?

Israeli salad is a simple, fresh salad made from diced tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and parsley, typically dressed with lemon juice and olive oil. It's a common component of many Middle Eastern dishes.

What does sabich taste like?

Sabich has a unique blend of flavors and textures. It's both creamy and crunchy, with the smokiness of the roasted eggplant, the earthiness of the mushrooms, the tanginess of the hummus and amba sauce, and the freshness of the Israeli salad. The overall taste is savory, with a slight sweetness and spice from the amba sauce.

Is sabich healthy?

Yes, sabich can be quite healthy, especially in the vegan version. It contains a good balance of vegetables (eggplant, mushrooms, and salad), plant protein (from the hummus), and healthy fats (from the tahini and olive oil). Like with any dish, moderation is key.

Can we prepare sabich in advance?

Absolutely. You can fry the eggplant and mushrooms, prepare the hummus and tahini sauce, and even chop the salad ingredients in advance. keep everything refrigerated, and assemble in pitas when you're ready to eat. You can heat up eggplant and mushrooms by quickly pan frying, or eat them cold – whatever you prefer!

Can we add other ingredients to sabich?

Yes, sabich is versatile and can be customized to your liking. You could add other roasted or fresh vegetables, switch out the mushrooms for tofu or tempeh, or add different sauces or pickles.

We can't find amba sauce what can we use instead?

Amba sauce is a tangy, slightly spicy sauce made from fermented mangoes. If you can't find it, you could use a different kind of pickled mango sauce, or even a mix of mango chutney and hot sauce. For a different flavor profile, you could also use a different tangy, spicy sauce like Sriracha.

Is sabich kosher?

Because this sabich is vegan, and uses ingredients that can be purchased kosher, this recipe can be made fully kosher. Please buy kosher ingredients and prepare them according to Kosher specifications.

We are not Jewish, and cannot advise on keeping a kosher diet – but do know this is a meal that can easily work in a kosher home.

Serve it with

French fries or sweet potato fries: These can be served on the side, or even stuffed into the pita for a heartier sandwich. We love using Crispy Roasted Potatoesor Air Fryer French Fries.

Falafel: These deep-fried chickpea balls can add extra protein to your meal. They can be served on the side with some extra tahini sauce for dipping.

Tabbouleh: This fresh, herbaceous salad made with bulgur, parsley, tomatoes, and lemon juice can provide a refreshing contrast.

Baba ganoush: This smoky eggplant dip would double down on the eggplant flavor in the sabich.

Stuffed grape leaves (Dolmas): These can provide a tangy contrast to the richness of the sabich.

For more recipes to serve with sabich, check out some of our favorites below:

Vegan Sabich Recipe

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Ingredients

• 4 large pitas, use 8 pitas if small
• 1 large Eggplant
• 200 g about 7oz of Mushrooms (oyster or portobello work well)
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 cup of Hummus
• ½ cup of Tahini Sauce
• ½ cup of Amba Sauce
• 2 cups of Israeli Salad, made from diced cucumber, tomatoes, onions, parsley, lemon juice, and olive oil

Method

1. If making Israeli salad, tahini sauce, and hummus fresh, assemble before frying eggplant.
2. If using pre-made pita from a store, place in a lightly damp kitchen towel and place on a baking sheet in the oven and set the temperature to 250 degrees to lightly warm and soften the pita.
3. In a large pan, add olive oil and fry eggplants, salting well to encourage eggplants to give off excess water. Once eggplants have started to brown, add mushrooms and continue to fry until caramelized and crispy on both sides.
4. Remove eggplant and mushrooms and place on a paper towel to drip off any excess oil.
5. Remove pita from oven and cut in half. If using small pitas, only cut off top 1/4 of pita so you can fill from the top.
6. Open pita and slather hummus on the insides of pita.
7. Fill pita with Israeli salad, fried mushroom and eggplant, optional Crispy Roasted Potatoes, and top with lots of tahini sauce and amba sauce. Alternate as you fill pita so you get a bite of each flavor in each bite!
8. Serve and enjoy!