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Cabbage Fatteh

A showstopping vegetarian fatteh: boiled cabbage and soaked Egyptian rice cooked down with tomato, pepper molasses and warm spices, layered over fried bread, blanketed in a garlicky yogurt-tahini sauce and finished with a wreath of parsley, mint and pomegranate seeds.

22 Nov 2025

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Cabbage Fatteh

Cabbage Fatteh

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Prep25 mins

Cook30 mins

ServesServes 5–6

LevelMedium

Fatteh is all about layers—crisp toasted bread at the base, something savory in the middle, and a cool topping to finish. In this version, garlicky sauteed cabbage takes center stage over the crunchy bread. It's a thrifty way to turn a humble vegetable into a full meal.

How to Prepare

1

Sauté the onion in olive oil, then add the grated tomato, garlic, pepper molasses and tomato paste.

Sauté the onion in olive oil, then add the grated tomato

2

Stir in the boiled chopped cabbage and the soaked rice with all the spices.

Stir in the boiled chopped cabbage and the soaked rice with

3

Pour in the stock and simmer, covered, until the rice is tender and the liquid absorbed.

Pour in the stock and simmer, covered, until the rice is

4

Whisk the yogurt with tahini, lemon and salt into a smooth sauce.

Whisk the yogurt with tahini, lemon and salt into a smooth

5

Layer fried bread in a serving dish, spread the cabbage-rice over it, then blanket with the yogurt-tahini sauce.

Layer fried bread in a serving dish, spread the

6

Crown with parsley, mint and pomegranate seeds, and serve.

Crown with parsley, mint and pomegranate seeds, and serve

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✦ Chef Noor's Tip

Assemble just before serving — the bread stays crisp under the yogurt only for a short while, and that contrast is the whole point of a fatteh.

Ingredient Swaps

White cabbage: red cabbage or a mix works too.

Yogurt: swap for thinned tahini for a vegan version.

Toast bread: use toasted Arabic flatbread instead.

Common Questions

How do I keep the bread crisp?

Add the sauce right before serving so the bread stays crunchy.

Can I use red cabbage?

Yes, it gives lovely color and a similar flavor.

What replaces yogurt for vegans?

Tahini thinned with water and lemon is excellent.

Hot or cold?

Best served warm, right after assembling.

How do I garnish it?

Toasted nuts, parsley, or a sprinkle of sumac.