Fattoush Salad – Tangy Lebanese salad with pita chips
Fattoush salad is a fresh, crisp Lebanese salad characterized by its mix of vegetables and fragrant herbs, tangy sumac and pomegranate molasses dressing and crispy pita crunch.
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What is fattoush salad?
Fattoush is a popular Lebanese green salad that has three main components:
- The salad veggies;
- The distinctive and tangy dressing;
- The crunchy, crispy pita croutons.
Fattoush salad ingredients
The base of a fattoush salad is naturally the vegetables. And like any good salad, you can tailor yours to include what’s fresh and seasonal, what your like, and of course, what’s on hand.
The lettuce of choice for fattoush is usually romaine. It works well here because of its crunch texture that can withstand the heavy dressing. Try using any other sturdy lettuce if you prefer.
To the lettuce, additional herbs are often added. Here, I used parsley and fresh mint. Purslane is a common choice, and cilantro can be added. Try your favorite herbs and see what works for you.
Onions are a typical ingredient- here I’ve used scallions. Thinly sliced red onion is a delicious and colorful addition option as well.
The most common vegetables used are:
- Tomatoes- I like plum or vine tomatoes;
- Cucumbers- particularly mini Persian cucumbers, if available;
- Radishes – here I used watermelon radish, but regular red radishes are traditional;
- Bell peppers – these are often used but I’m personally not a big fan or raw bell peppers so I’ve omitted them;
- Carrots – sliced thinly or cut into matchsticks add a great crunch and sweetness;
- Pomegranate arils – add additional color and texture, and juicy bursts of additional tangy pomegranate flavor
As always, use what you like and can source.
What’s in fattoush salad dressing?
While you can be super flexible with which veggies you use, the dressing has a few pretty standard components that I highly recommend you use for a traditional fattoush salad. These are sumac and pomegranate molasses.
Sumac is a spice that comes from the ground berries of the sumac plant. It has a tangy and sour taste, a gorgeous bright red-purple color, and a bright fragrant aroma. You can find my favorite sumac from my dear friend’s family village in Palestine, and purchase it here.
Pomegranate molasses, one of my favorite pantry staples, is a thick tangy reduction of pomegranate juice. It’s flavour profile is often compared to balsamic vinegar, but it has more body and sweetness. It is divinely delicious. You can find it in any Middle Eastern grocery or online.
Fresh lemon juice and high quality olive oil, like this Palestinian hand-picked and village-pressed oil, make the base of the dressing.
Along with these, you will minced garlic, salt and pepper, and optional, dried mint for extra herby flavor.
Crispy pita croutons
The other element that makes a fattoush salad a fattoush salad is the crispy pita croutons.
Crispy pita is used in extensively in regional cuisine. You can make these same pita chips for my Eggplant fatteh/Fattet betinjan recipe, or as a topping for my Egyptian red lentil soup/ Shorbat ads.
Additionally, you can also make these in larger sizes and enjoy them with your dips of choice. Try them with my Smoky, tangy baba ghanouj.
These are super easy to make, and can be bake or fry them.
Here I baked them. Simply cut your pita into small pieces, toss in oil and salt and sumac, and bake until crisp and golden.
The crispy pita topping can be made ahead of making the salad, and once cooled can be stored in an airtight container.
Assembling and serving fattoush
Once your components are all made, you’re ready to toss them together.
Start by your salad ingredients together, them top with pita chips. Afterwards, add dressing and toss right when you’re about to serve your fattoush.
Add a drizzle of pomegranate molasses on your finished salad and enjoy!
You can serve with extra pita chips, sumac, and pomegranate molasses on the side.
If you’re preparing the salad ahead, keep your veggies, pita and dressing separate until serving.
Sahtein!
Eat these salads too
Fattoush – Lebanese salad with crispy pita
Ingredients
Crispy pita croutons
- 1 large thin Lebanese style pita bread or 2 small regular pitas
- olive oil
- pinch salt preferably kosher flakes
- pinch ground sumac optional
Fattoush dressing
- 1 clove garlic finely minced
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice from 1-2 lemons
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 TBS ground sumac
- 1 TBS pomegranate molaases
- 1/2 tsp dried mint, ground optional
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt or less if using table salt
- black pepper to taste
Salad
- 1 large head romaine lettuce thinly sliced
- 1 scallions thinly sliced
- 1 handful fresh mint thinly sliced
- 1 handful fresh parsley thinly sliced
- 1 small tomato chopped
- 2 mini Persian cucumber halved lengthwise, then sliced
- 2-3 red radishes, or half a watermelon radish sliced or cut into matchsticks
- pomegranate molasses for drizzling
- 1/2 large carrot, sliced or cut into matchsticks optional
Instructions
Crispy pita croutons
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Cut your pita into small pieces -roughly 1 inch or 2-3 cm squares.
- Toss pita pieces in enough oil to cover then lightly, along with salt.
- Spread pieces onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake until crispy and golden brown, approximately ten minutes. Watch closely so they do not burn.
- While still hot, sprinkle with sumac and toss, if desired.
Fattoush salad dressing
- Combine all ingredients in a jar, cover and shake vigorously to combine.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
- If not using immediately, cover and refrigerate. Will keep for 5-7 days.
Fatoush salad base
- Combine all your veggies in a serving bowl.
Assembly
- Keep your three components separate until ready to serve.
- At serving time, add your pita crotons and dressing and toss.
- Drizzle additional pomegranate molasses over salad.
- Serve with optional pita croutons, sumac and pomegranate molasses on the side.
