This spiced lamb and pine nut fatteh is my go-to "I want something comforting but still bright" lebanese fatteh recipe: crunchy toasted pita, warm chickpeas, tangy garlicky yogurt, and a shower of buttery pine nuts plus deeply seasoned lamb. It's the kind of dish that looks fancy in the bowl but is secretly weeknight-friendly once you get your little assembly line going. The best part is how every bite hits a different note: crisp, creamy, lemony, and just enough spice to feel like a real treat without being heavy.
Spiced Lamb and Pine Nut Fatteh with Toasted Pita (A Cozy Lebanese Fatteh Recipe for Dinner)
A layered fatteh recipe with toasted pita, chickpeas, garlicky lemon yogurt, and spiced lamb topped with browned pine nuts.
Prep Time 25 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 55 minutes mins
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Lebanese
Large skillet 10 to 12 inch, heavy-bottomed if possible for better browning; a stainless pan gives great fond, but nonstick works if that's what you have
Sheet pan half-sheet size is ideal for toasting pita evenly; a toaster oven tray also works for smaller batches
Mixing bowl medium bowl for the yogurt sauce; a large measuring cup can substitute if you're short on bowls
Small saucepan for warming chickpeas gently without scorching; you can also microwave chickpeas with a splash of water in a covered bowl
Microplane or fine grater for grating garlic into the yogurt so it melts in smoothly; a garlic press is a good alternative
Chef’s knife and cutting board for chopping parsley and slicing pita; kitchen shears are great for quick pita cutting
For the toasted pita base
- 3 pita bread medium rounds; day-old pita toasts up extra crisp, but fresh is fine
- 3 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin; substitute with ghee or avocado oil for a slightly richer flavor
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt use less if your pita is already salty
For the chickpeas
- 2 cup cooked chickpeas canned is easiest (drained and rinsed); if using home-cooked, make sure they're tender, not al dente
- ½ cup water or low-sodium chicken broth for extra savory depth
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice fresh; bottled tends to taste flat here
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin optional but lovely with chickpeas
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt adjust to taste depending on your chickpeas
For the garlicky yogurt sauce
- 1 cup labneh for a thicker, tangier sauce; substitute with full-fat greek yogurt for an easy middle eastern recipes shortcut
- 1 cup plain yogurt full-fat is best for a smooth, non-grainy sauce; if using greek yogurt, thin with extra water
- 2 garlic clove finely grated for the smoothest bite; start with 1 if you prefer it milder
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice fresh; add more at the end if you want extra tang
- 3 tablespoon water to loosen the sauce to a drizzly consistency
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt season boldly; the pita and chickpeas need it
For the spiced lamb and pine nuts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or ghee for a more traditional richness
- 1 yellow onion small, finely diced; shallot also works
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 lb ground lamb 80/20-ish is ideal; substitute with ground beef if lamb isn't your thing
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice the signature warm note in lots of lebanese recipes
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin earthy backbone
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon adds sweetness and depth without tasting like dessert
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander optional, but it rounds out the spice blend nicely
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper freshly ground if possible
- ⅓ cup pine nuts toast until golden; substitute with chopped almonds or walnuts if needed
- 1 tablespoon butter helps the pine nuts brown evenly; substitute with olive oil
For serving
- ½ cup chopped parsley flat-leaf is best; mint is also great
- 1 teaspoon sumac optional but highly recommended for a lemony finish
- 1 tablespoon olive oil a final drizzle makes everything taste more lush
Toast the pita
Heat the oven to 400°F and set a rack in the middle. Split the pita rounds (if they have pockets), then cut into bite-size squares or rough shards. Spread on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and toss with salt until lightly coated.
Toast for 10 minutes, tossing once halfway through, until crisp and golden at the edges. Keep an eye on them near the end: pita can go from perfect to bitterly dark fast. Leave on the pan to stay crunchy.
Warm and season the chickpeas
Add chickpeas, water, lemon juice, cumin, and salt to a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
Cook for 6 minutes, just until the chickpeas are hot and lightly seasoned. You want them moist (so the pita softens in a pleasant way) but not soupy. Cover and set aside off the heat.
Make the garlicky yogurt sauce
In a medium bowl, whisk labneh, yogurt, grated garlic, lemon juice, water, and salt until smooth and pourable. If it feels too thick to drizzle, whisk in 1 more tablespoon water.
Taste and adjust: it should be tangy and well-seasoned because it's the main "sauce" for this fatteh lebanese bowl. Set aside at room temperature while you cook the lamb (cold yogurt straight from the fridge can dull flavors).
Cook the spiced lamb and toast the pine nuts
Set a large skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil. Add onion and cook for 4 minutes, stirring often, until softened and starting to pick up color. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
Add ground lamb, allspice, cumin, cinnamon, coriander (if using), salt, and pepper. Use a wooden spoon to break the lamb into small crumbles. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lamb is browned and any excess fat has rendered. If the pan looks greasy, spoon off a little fat, but leave enough for flavor.
Push the lamb to one side of the skillet. Add butter and pine nuts to the empty side. Toast for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the pine nuts are golden and smell nutty. Immediately remove the pan from the heat so the residual heat doesn't over-brown them.
Assemble the fatteh (the fun part)
Grab a wide serving bowl or build individual bowls. Scatter half the toasted pita on the bottom. Spoon over half the warm chickpeas and a few tablespoons of their cooking liquid to lightly soak the pita (this is the sweet spot: tender-crisp, not mush).
Drizzle on half the yogurt sauce. Add the remaining pita, then the remaining chickpeas. Spoon on the rest of the yogurt sauce, making sure you get some into the nooks so every bite has creaminess.
Top with the spiced lamb and all the pine nuts. Finish with parsley, sumac, and a final drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately while the temperature contrast is still doing its thing: warm lamb and chickpeas against cool, tangy yogurt.
This version uses ground lamb, which is fast and consistently flavorful (and it soaks up spices beautifully). If you want a more traditional, shredded-meat vibe, you can braise lamb shoulder and pull it, but that turns this into a longer weekend project.
Yes. Ground beef works 1:1 and is the easiest swap. For chicken, use boneless, skinless chicken thigh (it stays juicy) and chop it finely after cooking, or use ground chicken thigh if you can find it. If you use chicken breast, cook gently and don't over-brown it, or it can taste dry next to the yogurt.
Toast the pita until it's truly crisp, and don't drown it. You want just enough chickpea liquid to soften the edges. Also: assemble right before serving. Fatteh lebanese dishes are at their best in the first 10 to 15 minutes after layering.
Definitely. Toast the pita and store it airtight at room temperature for 1 day. Make the yogurt sauce up to 2 days ahead (keep it covered in the fridge, then whisk with a splash of water before serving). The lamb can be cooked 1 day ahead; rewarm gently with a tablespoon of water so it doesn't dry out.
It's a close cousin. Chickpea fatteh typically leans more heavily on chickpeas as the main protein, sometimes without meat. Here, chickpeas still play a key role for texture and warmth, but the spiced lamb and pine nuts make it more of a centerpiece lebanese dinner bowl.
