9 tasty ways to use up leftover Lebanese bread and pita

From comfort bakes to zesty salads, here are some of our favourite ways to use up a few flatbreads.

Lamb fatteh

Source: Feast Magazine

Whether you've got a couple of flatbreads left in the bag and need to use them up or you've been discovering the joy of making your own pita (if you want to jump on that bandwagon, scroll down to the end for a step-by-step guide, plus a gluten-free pita recipe), here are some great ways to use them up.
This classic Sardinian 'lasagne' is made usually with , a thin Italian flatbread, but you can also make it with Lebanese flatbreads, layered with a rich, ragu-style sauce and topped with fried eggs. This one comes from Adam Liaw.
Pita with passata, pecorina and egg
Pita with passata, pecorina and egg Source: Danielle Abou Karam
A classic from the Feast magazine archives, this fatteh is perfect to serve up for a group to share. Lebanese bread is sent back into the oven to crisp up, before being layered with spiced lamb mince, chickpeas and yoghurt sauce.
Lamb fatteh
Lamb fatteh Source: Feast Magazine

Plant-based fatteh

In this recipe, the popular Egyptian and Levantine dish is given the plant-based treatment with a little help from tofu and tahini.
Fatteh
Don't forget the garlic sauce Source: Camellia Aebischer
This take on the Middle Eastern favourite, from Shane Delia's , features three kinds of beans and toasted sumac-dusted breads.
Spring bean fattoush and roast garlic dressing
Spring bean fattoush and roast garlic dressing Source: Andrew Dorn
This vibrant take on on the classic Lebanese salad, shared by Ronni Kahn in an episode of The Cook Up with Adam Liaw, features colourful tomoto and pomegranate, with crisped bread and creamy feta.
Fattoush salad
Fattoush salad Source: Danielle Abou Karam

Toasted pita with your favourite dip

It's the obvious way to use up bread - but it's also an excellent way to use up bread! Try it with the  below, where crisp toasted pita triangles are perfect for scooping up the rustic hummus. 
Hummus with spiced lamb (hummus b'lahmeh)
Hummus with spiced lamb Source: Feast Magazine
Labneh with pomegranate, baked za’atar pita

Take the bread and dip delight one step further, matching home-strained labneh with baked, fragrantly spiced pita pieces.
Labneh with pomegranate, baked za’atar pita
Labneh with pomegranate, baked za’atar pita Source: Kitti Gould
Deep-fried spiced pita strips add crunch to this warming Lebanese vegetarian soup.
Lentil soup with crispy pita
Lentil soup with crispy pita Source: One World Kitchen
This popular Middle Eastern breakfast dish is also perfect in a mezze table for dinner. Crisp shards of bread are layered with chickpeas, yoghurt and toasted pinenuts. A good choice if you don't want to fire up the oven, as the bread can be pan-fried. The recipe is made with dried chickpeas, which are soaked overnight, so it's a good one to start in advance if you know you're going to have bread to use up.
Laziz Project
Fatteh with chickpeas Source: Supplied

PLUS

If you want to make your own

“When you make pitas at home, the oven is like a magician’s cave as you watch the dough puff up and transform into bread,” says Paul Hollywood. Here's how to make like a flatbread magician:

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SBS Food is a 24/7 foodie channel for all Australians, with a focus on simple, authentic and everyday food inspiration from cultures everywhere. NSW stream only.
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3 min read
Published 4 November 2021 11:51am
Updated 13 March 2025 5:49pm
By SBS Food bite-sized
Source: SBS


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