This post is sponsored by Aunt Nellie’s, all opinions are my own.

Sabich: A Culinary Journey to the Streets of Tel Aviv

Embark on a culinary adventure with Sabich, a beloved Israeli street food that promises an explosion of flavors and textures in every bite. More than just a sandwich, Sabich is a masterpiece of layered ingredients, expertly combined within a soft pita pocket. Imagine warm pita bread generously stuffed with tender, gently fried eggplant, creamy hard-boiled eggs, crisp green peppers, vibrant Israeli salad, and crunchy red cabbage. But the true stars that elevate this dish are the tangy pickled beets and onions, complemented by luscious hummus and two irresistible sauces: nutty tahini and zesty amba.

Originating in Tel Aviv, Sabich is delightfully messy, saucy, and utterly drippy – a true street food experience that demands multiple napkins! It’s a symphony of squishy, crunchy, and tart bits, culminating in a flavor profile that is simply unforgettable. Get ready to dive into a gastronomic delight that will transport your taste buds straight to the bustling markets of Israel.

My fascination with Israel runs deep, extending from its vibrant markets to its rich culinary traditions. I’ve previously shared guides like the Israel Market Guide, tips for an Israeli Friday Night Dinner, insights into What to Eat in Israel, and a Visitor Guide to Jerusalem. And when it comes to the food itself, I simply cannot get enough of classics like Tabbouleh, Couscous Salad, and, of course, this incredible Sabich.

This Mediterranean and Middle Eastern-inspired dish is a celebration of fresh flavors and satisfying crunch. Every single bite offers a new adventure, where a harmonious blend of ingredients comes together to create the ultimate culinary experience. Trust me when I say, Sabich will make your tastebuds sing! Despite being entirely vegetarian, it’s incredibly filling and satisfying, making it a beloved meal for everyone, regardless of their dietary preferences.

My introduction to Sabich came during a memorable food tour in Israel last year. I was instantly captivated. Even though each day of my trip left me utterly stuffed, I made sure to seek out more Sabich from street vendors. Why? Because it’s intensely flavorful, surprisingly healthy, utterly delicious, and distinctly different from anything else. It was love at first bite.

The magic of Sabich lies in its brilliant layering. The combination of crisp, fresh vegetables, creamy hummus, tender fried eggplant, hearty hard-boiled eggs, and the delightful tang of pickled beets and onions, all brought together by two complementary sauces, creates an unparalleled taste sensation. It’s truly amazing how common ingredients, when assembled in this particular way, can produce something so extraordinary.

Beyond its classic form, Sabich is also incredibly versatile and customizable. While the core components are essential, you can easily add elements like boiled potato slices for extra heartiness, grilled chicken for a non-vegetarian twist, or even Israeli pickles for an additional briny kick.

I always welcome an excuse to incorporate eggplant into my diet, especially since it often feels like the only way we enjoy it is in dishes like Eggplant Parmesan. Sabich provides a fresh and exciting alternative to savor this versatile vegetable.

Essential Ingredients for Your Homemade Sabich

Think of Sabich as the Israeli answer to a burrito, but instead of rice, beans, and cheese, you’re layering a vibrant array of Mediterranean-inspired fresh vegetables, tangy pickled delights, and rich, creamy sauces. While Sabich boasts several components, its preparation is surprisingly quick and straightforward. You only need to cook two main ingredients: the eggs and the eggplant! The rest involves simple chopping and assembly.

Each ingredient, when considered individually, is relatively simple. However, when combined in a Sabich, they transform into a truly sensational taste experience that is greater than the sum of its parts. Let’s delve into the key ingredients that make this sandwich so special:

Key Sabich Ingredients:

• Eggplant: Sliced into rounds, lightly salted to draw out moisture, then gently fried until golden brown and tender. The eggplant forms the hearty, savory foundation of this magnificent sandwich.
• Hard-Boiled Eggs: Sliced and often seasoned with a sprinkle of sumac and Za’atar for an authentic touch (though optional). The eggs provide a wonderful creaminess and a boost of protein, making the Sabich incredibly satisfying.
• Aunt Nellie’s Pickled Beets & Onions: These sweet and vinegary brined pickled beets and onions are a game-changer. They add an exquisite depth of flavor, a delightful sweetness, and a tangy crunch. They taste wonderfully homemade, saving you precious time and effort in the kitchen.
• Israeli Salad: A refreshing blend of finely diced cucumbers, tomatoes, and fresh parsley, brightened with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a touch of spices. This crunchy, vibrant salad is an essential filler, adding freshness and zest.
• Green Peppers: Thinly sliced green peppers introduce a subtle bitterness and a fresh, crisp texture that beautifully balances the richness of the other ingredients.
• Red Cabbage: Shredded red cabbage contributes additional crunch, a hint of peppery flavor, and an earthy undertone, enhancing the overall textural complexity.
• Hummus: This creamy spread, made from mashed chickpeas blended with garlic, lemon, and tahini, is the perfect velvety layer for Sabich. It binds all the ingredients together and adds a foundational Middle Eastern flavor. You’ll typically find it in the deli or refrigerated section of your grocery store.

Essential Sabich Sauces:

• Tahini: A rich, creamy paste made from ground sesame seeds, tahini offers an earthy, nutty flavor and a luxurious creaminess. It’s widely available in most grocery stores, often located near peanut butter or in the international foods aisle. Don’t hesitate to ask store staff if you need help finding it!
• Amba: This unique pickled or curried mango sauce provides a distinctive sweet, tangy, and slightly spicy kick. Amba can be found at specialty stores, online retailers, or sometimes in the deli section of larger grocery stores like Trader Joe’s. If amba is unavailable, a dash of mustard or vinegar can offer a similar tartness, or you can simply omit it – it’s an optional but highly recommended addition.

Crafting Your Perfect Sabich: A Step-by-Step Guide

Making Sabich is a rewarding process that primarily involves cooking your eggplant and eggs, then assembling the components. It’s truly that simple! Here’s how to create this incredible Israeli street food in your own kitchen:

Step 1: Preparing Your Eggplant

• Wash a medium-sized eggplant thoroughly and slice it into uniform pieces, approximately one centimeter (or about 3/8-inch) thick.
• Arrange the eggplant slices on a cooling rack or paper towels. Generously salt both sides to draw out excess moisture, which helps achieve a crispier texture when fried and prevents it from absorbing too much oil. Let them sit for about 10 minutes.
• After 10 minutes, gently pat the eggplant slices dry with paper towels to remove any beads of moisture and excess salt.
• Heat about 1 cup of vegetable oil in a large skillet (14 inches or larger works best) over medium heat until shimmering.
• Carefully place eggplant slices into the hot oil in a single layer, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan. Fry until beautifully browned and tender, about 3 minutes per side. Flip and cook the other side until golden. Repeat in batches until all eggplant is fried.
• Transfer the fried eggplant to a plate lined with paper towels to drain any residual oil, keeping them warm while you prepare the other ingredients.

Step 2: Perfecting Your Hard-Boiled Eggs

Achieving perfectly hard-boiled eggs is crucial for Sabich. Feel free to use your preferred method. Personally, I find the air fryer or Instant Pot to be incredibly convenient and consistent:

Instant Pot Hard-Boiled Eggs:

For detailed instructions on making hard-boiled eggs in an Instant Pot, you can refer to many online guides or follow a standard “5-5-5” method: 5 minutes pressure cook, 5 minutes natural release, 5 minutes ice bath.

Air Fryer Hard-Boiled Eggs:

• Carefully place your eggs directly into the air fryer basket, ensuring they are in a single layer.
• Set the air fryer temperature to 250 degrees Fahrenheit (120°C).
• Air fry for 15-17 minutes, depending on your desired level of yolk firmness.
• Immediately transfer the cooked eggs from the basket into an ice bath. Let them cool for at least 5 minutes. This stops the cooking process and makes them much easier to peel.
• Once cooled, peel the eggs and slice them. Season with a sprinkle of salt, pepper, and optionally, a pinch of za’atar and sumac for an authentic Middle Eastern flavor.

Step 3: Preparing Your Fresh Vegetables

One of the joys of Sabich is its ability to utilize various fresh vegetables, making it a great way to use up any odds and ends you have on hand. Simply chop and prepare them for assembly:

Crafting an Authentic Israeli Salad:

This simple yet essential salad brings a burst of freshness and crunch to your Sabich. To make it, you’ll need:

• 1 crisp cucumber, finely diced
• 3 ripe Roma tomatoes, finely diced
• ⅓ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• Juice of ½ a lemon
• 1 teaspoon za’atar (optional, but highly recommended for authentic flavor)

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and toss gently. Set aside.

Unlocking Flavor with Aunt Nellie’s Pickled Beets and Onions:

These pickled beets and onions are truly transformational for the Sabich. During my travels in Israel, I experienced Sabich with various pickled items like Israeli pickles and pickled cabbage, and even sliced potatoes. For this recipe, I found that Aunt Nellie’s Pickled Beets and Onions offer a perfect balance of the pickled flavor and texture, combined with a delightful sweetness, making them an excellent and easy substitution for multiple ingredients. They deliver incredible flavor without the extensive preparation time.

Aunt Nellie’s products are a real time-saver, as all the peeling, cooking, and pickling are done for you, yet they never compromise on that authentic homemade taste. Beyond convenience, they are incredibly nutritious. These ruby-red beets are packed with antioxidants, essential vitamins like A, C, and Folate, and vital minerals including Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, and Potassium.

Aunt Nellie’s offers a diverse range of jarred beets, but for Sabich, their Pickled Beets and Onions are specifically what you need. These perfectly sliced pickled beets, thoughtfully paired with sweet onions, are ready-to-serve straight from the jar and are absolutely delicious. Their products are renowned for their quality and beautifully complement the other robust flavors in Sabich.

Aunt Nellie’s Farm Kitchen, established in Clyman, Wisconsin, in 1929, boasts over 80 years of successful production of high-quality jarred vegetables. You can find their products in stores nationwide and through online vendors like Amazon and Walmart. I always keep several jars on hand to quickly enhance salads or enjoy as a healthy, flavorful snack straight from the jar.

Preparing Remaining Vegetables:

Thinly slice your red cabbage and green bell peppers. These add vital layers of crunch and fresh flavor to the sandwich.

Step 4: Assembling and Saucing Your Sabich

Now comes the most exciting part: assembly! There’s no single “right” way to build your Sabich; feel free to arrange the layers according to your preference. Gently slice one end off each pita bread to create a pocket. If desired, warm your pitas in the microwave for 10 seconds on HIGH to make them softer and more pliable before filling. Then, let the layering begin!

I personally like to start by spreading a generous smear of creamy hummus inside the pita, establishing a flavorful base. Then, I carefully layer in the tender fried eggplant, followed by the vibrant Aunt Nellie’s pickled beets and onions. Next come the sliced hard-boiled eggs, the refreshing Israeli salad, crunchy red cabbage, and finally, the thinly sliced green peppers. To complete this masterpiece, I drizzle generously with both tahini and amba sauces.

This strategic layering ensures that every bite of your Sabich is a delightful medley of crunchy, creamy, tangy, and intensely flavorful goodness. These layers truly offer everything you could possibly want in a sandwich, and much more. It’s hard not to be convinced that this is indeed one of the world’s greatest sandwiches.

And of course, such an exceptional sandwich begins with the world’s greatest ingredients, prominently featuring Aunt Nellie’s Pickled Beets and Onions.

Don’t miss out on #ANBeetWeek, Aunt Nellie’s third annual celebration of the incredible versatility of beets! Throughout Beet Week, you’ll discover creative and innovative recipes, perfect for various healthy eating plans including gluten-free, low-carb, vegan/vegetarian, and of course, Mediterranean diets. Visit www.Auntnellies.com for exciting recipes and to explore their full range of delicious beet products.

Our recipe card software calculates these nutrition facts based on averages for the above ingredients. Different brands and quality of produce/meats may have different nutritional information. Always calculate your own based on the specific products you use to achieve accurate macros for this recipe.

Nutrition information per serving (1/4 of recipe): 680 calories; 21g protein; 72g carbohydrate; 37g fat; 1270mg sodium; 185mg cholesterol; 14g dietary fiber; 6.01mg iron; 0.62mg thiamin; 146.03mcg vitamin A; 62.72mg vitamin C.

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