If you are making a Middle Eastern meal like falafel, pita fries make the perfect side dish!
I first came across pita fries when I was at a Greek restaurant before I was vegan. Even though I had no idea what they were, they were the recommended side dish, so I got them with my meal, and they quickly became my favorite!
Not only are these crispy, seasoned pita bread slices delicious on their own, but when served with a dip like hummus, tzatziki, or tahini, they are a game-changer!
How to Make Pita Fries
Pita fries are very quick and easy to make. So if you’re making a main dish that takes a little time — such as falafel — this is the perfect side dish because it takes almost no extra time.
First, mix all of the spices together in a bowl. If you find that you like this recipe, make an extra-large batch of the spices and save it in a jar or an old spice shaker. That way when you make it next time, this step is already prepared and ready to go, which cuts the time down even more!
Next, you have to make the fries. Take a piece of pita bread (or more, depending on how many fries you are making) and cut it into four slices that are about 1 to 1-1/2 inches wide. Drop these slices into a pot of hot oil, and fry each side for about 45 seconds.
DO NOT OVERCOOK! You want these fries to be slightly crispy, but not too crispy. If you overcook them, they will be pita chips — not pita fries!
After they are done frying, place them on a plate with a couple of paper towels to soak up excess oil. While the fries are still hot and damp (with hot oil), sprinkle the seasoning mixture on top of them so that the seasonings will stick to the surface. For extra flavor, flip and season the other sides.
How to Serve Pita Fries
Pita fries are delicious plain, but to make them extra tasty, serve them with dip! The best dip to serve them with is tzatziki sauce. This sauce is usually made with greek yogurt, but you can usually find a vegan tzatziki sauce alternative at the store. If you can’t find one, try my vegan tzatziki sauce recipe, which is made with tofu!
Alternatively, you can serve these fries with tahini sauce or hummus!
Pita Fries Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 pitas
- 1/2 cup avocado oil or similar oil/enough to cover the pan
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tsp dried dill
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
Instructions
- Mix all of the seasonings together and set aside.
- Heat a pot or pan of vegetable oil on medium-high heat. Cut each piece of pita bread into four slices (or whatever size/shape you'd like).
- When the oil is hot enough to fry, place each slice of pita bread in the oil. Fry each side for about 45 seconds, being careful not to overcook.
- When both sides have been fried, carefully remove the pita fries from the oil and place them on a paper towel.
- While the fries are still hot and damp from the oil, sprinkle the seasoning mix over them. Flip and repeat.
- Serve with tzatziki sauce, tahini sauce, or hummus!
Video
Notes
- Cook time is an estimation. Cook longer for extra crispy fries and less time for softer fries!
- Meal prep: Fill an empty shaker with the seasoning mix so you don't have to make more next time!
Can these be made in an air fryer?
Hi Regina, I don’t have an air fryer so I am not entirely sure. The seasoning mixture needs something to stick to, which is why you have to sprinkle the seasonings on immediately after frying when the pita fries are still wet with oil. If you try to make these in an air fryer and the seasonings don’t stick to the fries, maybe try brushing the fries with a little bit of olive oil just to help prevent the seasonings from falling right off. Let me how it turns out if you try it in an air fryer!