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
We are on the Mediterranean Diet, and I finally made this recipe! Oh my gosh! It's amazing! We served it with chicken. I did add more molasses (we only have cane sugar molasses available, so that probably affected the flavor a bit), but besides that, perfect!
So glad you loved it, Christian! We actually now sell Pomegranate Molasses in our online shop, if you're having trouble finding it.
No garlic?
Hi, Susan. You can absolutely add garlic to this if you prefer. Enjoy!
Looks great and can't wait to try. However I'd like to verify I'm understanding it well.
Can you report parsley and mint in grams, as most people around the world have no idea how tightly you intend to pack herbs into a cup?
Also can you please show the parsley you're referring to as this refers to different things depending on location?
Hi, Franco. I'm so sorry we don't have the metric weights for the parsley and mint for this recipe. I just did a quick internet search and it looks like 2 cups of parsley is roughly 120 grams, and 1 cup of mint is about 30 grams. This recipe is very forgiving, so there's no need to be super precise with these particular ingredients. You can add more or less to suit your taste. Regarding parsley, Suzy most often uses Italian/Flat Leaf parsley in her recipes.
I was in Jordan in April and was served this and absolutly loved it. Your recipe takes me right back to that wonderful holiday. I have made it several times and always serve it to my friends when they come over for supper. They all love it. Thank you..
I wasn't able to read all of the comments, but I really want to try this salad and I am a beginner with the Mediterranean Diet and I wanted to know if there is a substitute for the sumac?
Hi, Cara. Not really a great one. Sumac is a pretty unique spice.
Absolutely Delish!!! I was sketchy about the dressing tasting it on its own, but with the salad it was perfection! Such a nice simple salad to have with anything. Looking forward to making in the summer when all the veg are local and fresh picked.
Would this be okay for a few days in the fridge once it's made? I'm wondering if I could make it ahead to use for work lunches.
Hi, Chantal. You can make it ahead, but I would keep the dressing and pita separate from each other and the rest of the salad until it's time to eat so things don't get soggy :).
My husband ate the entire bowl. Apparently he likes it.
Yay! So glad to hear!
Hello from Canada,
I love your recipes! I wonder if you might make your products available for sale in Canada. Thanks, Eileen
Hello, Eileen! That is something we have been looking into. There is just a lot to work out, unfortunately, due to the international shipping issue. Hope to find a solution in the near future. We'll keep ya posted!
Always excited to try a new, healthy salad dressing!!! Very excited to give this a try!
Really thankful how many of your recipes can be adapted for allergens. We are dairy, gluten, egg, mostly corn 🌽 and mostly conventional sugar free. 🤣 it’s very exciting for us to be able to expand our repertoire with delicious, healthy food!!! 😀
Thank you so much for the kind words, Liv :).
I LOVE this Fattoush Salad! And Suzy's right.... don't skip the homemade pita chips!!
This was BEYOND delicious! My husband and I loved the multitude of flavors and textures, I didn't have the pomegranate molasses when I made it, but just received it in the mail. It will be hard to improve on perfection, but I am willing to give the molasses a try. Once again, a stellar recipe!
Thank you so much, Nilha!
I have now made this recipe 4 or 5 times. It is really great! We typically try to do everything according to the recipe, but have been successful with some omissions. I sometimes switched the lime for lemon if that is all I have. Anyway this is a great recipe, thanks for sharing!
So glad you have enjoyed this one!
Delicious salad!! Was a hit with the family - healthy and tasty.
It is good.
Fattoush. I like that word. Sounds like a king's name. King Fattoush! Anyhoo, the salad was good but found the dressing a little bitter, so I added honey. I also used a French baguette for the croutons, since that is what I had on hand. It turned out delicious, Thans for another winner:)
Thanks for sharing, Ellen 🙂
I have not yet had the opportunity to make this salad, but I wanted to say that I have had trouble finding the videos that go along with some of the recipes, e.g., besides the Fattoush Salad, also Tabouli Salad. Even the when the tab VIDEO is pressed is does not being me to a video. Am I crazy or what?
It may be something with a setting on your computer. Sometimes, the videos are blocked for some reason.
I first had this in Baghdad Iraq at a Lebanese restaurant on Camp Slayer in 2010. I loved it. Then I redeployed and completely forgot the name of it. Flash forward to right now and I come across it on your website. THANK YOU for reintroducing me to this salad. I was looking for a good Salmon recipe and then this popped up with it. I saw the word "fattoush" and all the memories came flooding back in.
I hope you enjoy the recipe! Thank you so much for your service!!