Fattoush Salad makes a frequent appearance on the Middle Eastern dinner table. A simple chopped salad dressed in a zesty lime vinaigrette. Homemade pita chips serve as croutons! See the video and step-by-step for how to make fattoush below.
In the Middle East, the pursuit of fresh-out-of-the-oven pita is real, but that doesn't mean leftover pieces go to waste!
There are many creative ways people of the Middle East utilize pita scraps. In fact, day-old pita inspired an entire food genre known as "Fatta," or "Fatteh." In fatteh dishes, like this Lebanese Chicken Fatteh or fattoush salad, leftover pita is given a second chance as a main ingredient.
See video tutorial for how to make our simple fattoush salad:
What is Fattoush?
Fattoush is essentially a "bread salad," said to have originated in Northern Lebanon. Lebanese farmers would fry leftover pita scraps in a bit of olive oil for extra flavor. And to build their fattoush, they'd simply throw the pita chips in with whatever in-season vegetables and herbs they have on hand.
For this reason, the ingredient list for fattoush may vary. And you will certainly find different versions of fattoush throughout the Middle East.
Basic Fattoush Recipe
If you were to order a basic fattoush salad at a local restaurant, you likely find: cucumbers, tomatoes, purslane leaves (or lettuce), radish, and green onions. Fresh herbs like parsely or mint, or both. A simple zesty vinaigrette and a generous dash of sumac spice give fattoush its distinctly complex flavor.
Tips for Making Fattoush
As with any fresh salad, fattoush is the sum of its parts. So here are just a few tips:
- Start with selecting the best produce you find, ripe tomatoes, freshly-picked herbs, etc.
- Don't use store-bought pita chips (there is certainly a place for those, but not in fattoush salad). Take the time to toast and fry your pita at home, making sure you season them well.
- Please try not to skip sumac. It is a special spice from ground sumac berries, and it's tart flavor is very hard to replicate.
- Use the best quality extra virgin olive oil you can find. It's peppery, fruity taste is essential here. Remember, olive oils that are simply labeled “pure” have usually been heat-treated and refined by mechanical mean and, consequently, lack character and flavor.
- Lastly, remember, this is a "basic" fattoush recipe. If you like, try your own variation by adding in-season vegetables like colorful heirloom tomatoes or even green peppers. Add more herbs or crushed garlic. And if it's available to you, jazz up the vinaigrette with 1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses. Enjoy!
Fattoush Salad
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: serves 6
Description
Fattoush Salad makes a frequent appearance on the Middle Eastern dinner table. A simple chopped salad dressed in a zesty lime vinaigrette. Homemade pita chips serve as croutons! See the video and step-by-step for how to make fattoush below.
Ingredients
- 2 loaves pita bread
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
- 2 tsp sumac, divided, more as needed
- 1 heart of Romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1 English cucumber, cut in half, seeds scraped, then chopped or sliced into half moons
- 5 Roma tomatoes, chopped
- 5 green onions (both white and green parts), chopped
- 5 radishes, stems removed, thinly sliced
- 2 cups chopped fresh parsley leaves, stems removed
- 1 cup chopped fresh mint leaves (optional)
Vinaigrette/Dressing
- Juice of 1 lemon or 1 ½ limes
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 to 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses, optional
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tsp sumac
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- scant ¼ tsp ground allspice
Instructions
- Break the pita bread into small bite-size pieces. Heat 3 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan until shimmering, and add the pita bread. Fry briefly until browned, tossing frequently. Using a pair of tongs, transfer the fried pita chips to a plate lined with paper towel to drain. Season with salt, pepper and sumac.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, green onions with the sliced radish and parsley.
- To make the dressing, in a small bowl, whisk together the lemon or lime juice, olive oil, pomegranate molasses (if using), salt, pepper and spices.
- Pour toss lightly. Finally, add the pita chips, and more sumac if you like, and toss one more time. Transfer to small serving bowls or plates. Enjoy!
Notes
- Variations: fattoush salad dressing often includes pomegranate molasses. If that's available to you, add 1 to 2 teaspoons to the dressing, it really does make it extra special. For the salad, you can also add more herbs or other greens such as arugula (not traditional to fattoush but wonderful!)
- To bake the pita chips instead, follow baking instructions in my homemade pita chip recipe and season with kosher salt and sumac when ready.
- Recommended for This Recipe: quality extra virgin olive oil; all-natural sumac spice; all-natural allspice.
- SAVE! Try our Exotic 4-pack of spices or our Everyday Olive Oil Bundle!
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Category: Salad
- Method: Counter Top
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Step-by-step photos for how to make fattoush
Toast the pita bread in your toaster oven until it is crisp but not browned.
Heat 3 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan. Break the pita bread into pieces, and place in the heated oil. Fry briefly until browned, tossing frequently. Add salt, pepper and ½ teaspoon of sumac. Remove the pita chips from the heat and place on paper towels to drain.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, green onions with the sliced radish and parsley.
To make the lime vinaigrette, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil and spices in a small bowl.
Dress the salad with the vinaigrette and toss lightly.
Finally, add the pita chips (and another generous pinch of sumac, if you like) and toss one more time.
Transfer to small serving bowls or plates. Enjoy!
More Recipes to Try:
3-Ingredient Mediterranean Salad
*Post last updated: July 2017
I love this fattoush salad! A lunch I had last week came with this and I loved every bite of it 🙂 Plus the simplicity is pretty awesome too...
Thanks so much, Bri! Fattoush is so simple, and you can really make it your own. Thanks so much for taking the time to stop in.
Yet another salad I grew up eating. My mom used to make a slightly different version of this salad..
Well done!
When I was in Turkey, I recall eating a version of this Fattoush. It was so GOOD! Thank you for keeping in touch, Aysegul!
This looks so colorful and delicious!
styleandchocolates
Thank you, Celyn!
This salad looks absolutely stunning! I love fattoush. I usually make it with sumac in the salad dressing. I like your version with the sumac on the pita. Is it necessary to bake the pita before frying? Can't wait to try this one- thanks! 🙂
Sarah, thanks so much for stopping in. I don't think it's necessary to bake the pita before frying. I just like it better this way; it gives the pita a nice "toasted" taste and I don't have to fry it too long since it's already nice and crispy. It's just a personal preference. I've also done it where I simply toasted the pita and skipped the frying part for a "skinnier" version 🙂 Glad to see you here.
Looks so fresh and delicious Suzi! Beautiful pictures ! Pinned of course 🙂
Thanks, Mira! Appreciate it, friend.
This has to be one of my all-time favorite salads and yours is really attractive. I want one now.
Mine as well, Maureen! Wished you lived closer, we'd share lots of yummy salads! Hugs.
This dish looks great! Salads can be boring sometimes but this one looks over the top!
Thank you, Jenny! It's a favorite of mine. Hope you try it soon.
This looks great!
Such a beautiful looking salad. 🙂
Goodness, Suzy. I just found a salad that I'm sure will go in my Top-10 Salads of All Time. It looks fabulous and the lime vinaigrette, amazing.
Thank you, Susie! Let me know if you try it soon! Love Fattoush!
Beautiful. This lime vinaigrette sounds delish, too!
What a fantastic salad Suzy!
I LOVE this kind of salad Suzy. And yours looks gorgeous!
Yum!
You had me at "zesty vinaigrette" ... 🙂
Let me know if you ever try this Andrea! Super easy.
This looks delicious! And your picture are absolutely gorgeous - pinned!
Thanks so much, Anetta! So glad you stopped in.