7 recipes starring pita in pockets, pizzas, salad and more

Becky Krystal

Pitas are my kind of convenient store-bought food: versatile, widely available and generally relatively affordable. For those more nutrition-minded, you can find plenty of whole-grain options, too. And if you’re most interested in freshness — and fewer preservatives — you can buy them from many Mediterranean or Middle Eastern bakeries and markets (in the D.C. area, my top picks include Mediterranean Bakery & Cafe, Yellow and Mastiha). For those who are more of a DIY mind-set, pitas are an accessible, fun bread to make at home, too.

After that, pick your pita adventure. You can stuff them, top them or toast, bake or fry them for a wide variety of meals and snacks. Here are a few possibilities culled from our Recipe Finder.

Za’atar-Spiced Chickpea Pita Pizzas

Pictured above. Pitas work well as a ready-made base for pretty much anything you want. Here they’re topped with mashed chickpeas, feta, grape tomatoes and mozzarella.

Greek Pita Pizzas

This recipe pulls a lot of inspiration from Greek salads, with tomatoes, olives and feta among the toppings. A harissa-spiked yogurt is served on the side.

Falafel Pitas With Cilantro-Cashew Sauce

Falafel is one of the most common things to see tucked inside a pita. Here you’ll learn how to make your own falafel using dried chickpeas.

Charred Cauliflower and Halloumi Pitas With Harissa

These hearty meatless pockets are stuffed with slabs of cauliflower and halloumi, both of which are cooked under the broiler for ease.

Cheesy French Toast Pitas

You’ll be reminded of croque monsieur with this recipe, which stuffs the pitas with seasoned ground turkey patties, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and greens.

The Wu-Wich

Tomato sandwiches are a summer classic, but you can never have too many. This unique riff dresses the tomatoes with fish sauce, lemon juice and olive oil before combining them with mayo and lentil sprouts in the pitas.