Fattoush is a fresh Middle Eastern salad made with crispy toasted or fried pieces of pita bread jumbled with lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, radishes, and capsicum (bell peppers), tossed with a zesty lemon dressing. Serve with Lemon Garlic Chicken for a Lebanese feast at home!
When friends asked me what Fattoush is, I told them it’s the Lebanese version of Panzanella. Then they asked me what Panzanella was. So I stopped using that explanation and now I describe it as a fresh perky Lebanese salad with tasty crunchy bits of crispy pita bread instead of croutons!�
This is a good salad to have in your repertoire when you’re after a side salad for a Lebanese or Middle Eastern meal. I’m sharing it as the suggested accompaniment for a Lebanese Lemon Garlic Chicken dish that I also shared today.
What you need for Fattoush
Here’s what you need:
For the salad
Being a traditional Lebanese dish, there’s actually no strict rules for what goes in fattoush, though the combination shown below is popular and provides a great contrast of colours and textures.
Lettuce – Cos/romaine lettuce is typical though I make this with iceberg lettuce too.
Radish
Tomatoes – cherry/grape tomatoes or chop large tomatoes
Cucumber
Red onion
Mint and parsley – The mint in particular brings great fresh flavour into this salad, but I’d still make fattoush without either of these.
For the dressing
The dressing is quite tangy, which is the way it’s supposed to be. The special ingredient that makes this unique Lebanese rather than just another regular lemon dressing is Pomegranate Molasses.
Pomegranate molasses – A tart, sweet syrup made from (wait for it…) pomegranate! Adds flavour, sweetness, tang and slightly thickens the dressing. Still worth making even without, just increase lemon juice slightly and add a touch of honey.
Lemon juice
Sumac – A lemony red spice powder used in Lebanese cooking. Still worth making without.
Extra virgin olive oil – Use the good stuff!
Garlic
Salt
PITA BREAD OR LEBANESE BREAD – CRUNCHY CROUTONS!
Use Lebanese bread or pita bread (the thin type, not thicker bready type). Cut into pieces then toast or fry until crunchy!
No video for today’s recipe because I’m posting it as a quick ‘n easy side to accompany today’s Lebanese Lemon Garlic Chicken.
Hope you enjoy! – Nagi x
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Lebanese Fattoush
A vibrant and refreshing Middle Eastern salad made with crispy pieces of toasted or fried pita bread that act as croutons, mixed with a variety of fresh vegetables such as lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, radishes, and capsicum (bell peppers) with a tangy lemon dressing including a touch of signature pomegranate dressing.
Serve with Lebanese Lemon Garlic Chicken for a wonderful Lebanese feast at home!
Course Mains
Cuisine lebanese, Middle Eastern
Keyword fattoush, lebanese side salad, Middle Eastern salad
Servings 5 – 6 people
Author Nagi
Ingredients
Crispy pita bread “croutons”
2 pita bread or 1 lebanese bread
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
Salad:
5 cups cos/romaine lettuce , cut into large bite size pieces
2 Lebanese cucumbers , thinly sliced into 3mm rounds
1 cup cherry tomatoes , halved (~200g), or 1 1/2 regular tomatoes cut into large chunks
1/2 small red onion , thinly sliced
5 red radish , finely sliced
1/2 cup mint leaves , lightly packed (large ones torn in half)
1 tbsp roughly chopped parsley
Dressing:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp pomegranate molasses
1 medium garlic clove , finely grated or crushed using garlic crusher
1 tsp sumac (still worth making without)
1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
Instructions
Crispy pita bread “croutons”
Preheat oven to 220°C/425°F (200°C fan-forced).
Separate the pita bread into 2 thin sheets. Cut into 3cm / 1.2" squares.
Pile on a tray, drizzle with olive oil, toss, then sprinkle with the salt and toss again.
Spread on the tray. Bake for 5 minutes or until crispy, then cool on the tray before use.
Salad:
Dressing – Shake the dressing ingredients in a jar until well combined.
Salad – Place the Salad ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle over half the dressing, toss. Add most of the crispy pita chips, drizzle with remaining dressing and toss again.
Serve – Transfer into a serving bowl, top with remaining crispy pita and serve immediately.
Notes
Storage – Dressed salad doesn’t really keep well. It’s best to eat freshly made. To make ahead, the dressing can be made the day before and stored in the fridge. Crispy pita can be baked ahead, cooled then stored in an airtight container for 24 hours. Salad ingredients can be chopped ahead and kept in a container (don’t toss). Then assemble just prior to serving.
Inspired by various recipes found online including the Fattoush recipes by Zaatar and Zaytoun and the Guardian’s How to make the perfect fattoush.
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