This fattoush recipe is an authentic Lebanese salad, featuring a combination of sweet and tangy flavors, a bright, minty dressing, and crunchy textures of fresh veggies, and crisp pita chips.
Fattoush sounds exotic—which it is and it isn’t. Fattoush is a Lebanese salad made with toasted or fried pieces of flatbread, crisp greens, radishes, tomatoes, and onion. It’s light and fresh with minimal, familiar ingredients and crunchy textures.
But the true flavor star lies in the vibrant, herbaceous dressing with a sprinkling of sumac (a dried red spice used in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines) that delivers a bit of tart fruitiness to balance out the sweet syrup of the dressing’s pomegranate molasses. The crisp pita bread soaks in the tangy dressing for yet another layer of texture you’ll crave over and over again.
What is Fattoush Salad?
In Arabic, the word “fattoush” is derived from “fatteh” which translates to “crumbs.” This salad is said to have originated in Northern Lebanon, from farmers who would fry up leftover scraps of flatbread or pita in olive oil and then add herbs and veggies to them.
What’s In Fattoush Salad
As soon as I opened up fellow foodie Maureen Abood’s cookbook Rose Water & Orange Blossoms, I was struck. Her gorgeous book centers around the fresh, vibrant flavors of Lebanese cooking, and is full of mouthwatering recipes. This salad is just one of them.
Here’s what you’ll need to make Fattoush Salad:
- A lemony, sumac-mint-pomegranate molasses dressing that you’ll want to drizzle over everything
- Romaine lettuce
- Cherry tomatoes
- Red onion
- Radishes
- Pita chips—you can make your own but store-bought are fine
- Fresh mint
How to Make Fattoush Salad
Choose a crisp lettuce that adds crunch. Save the spring greens for another day, this salad demands the watery crunch of crisp romaine.
Use both dried and fresh mint for the most herby punch. Dried mint rounds out the dressing where fresh mint adds a bright bite.
The pomegranate molasses is fragrant and sweet, and reminiscent of a balsamic glaze but less acidic. Let me tell you, it’s a stellar addition to the pantry. Use it in dressings or marinades, especially for grilled meats, like lamb, or even use it for baking.
If you can’t find pomegranate molasses, try honey instead. Either sweetness balances the acidity of the dressing, but the pom molasses is truly the best flavor here.
Use store-bought pita chips or make your own. Cut 1-inch cubes of pita bread then toast in the oven until crisp and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt.
What to Serve With Fattoush Salad
Add protein to make it a complete meal. While this salad is vegetarian and quite filling, grilled chicken or lamb added to this would be super delicious.
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- Mediterranean Tomato Salad
- Healthy Greek Yogurt Tzatziki Sauce
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.
The Best Fattoush Salad
Ingredients
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses
- 1 small garlic clove , minced or pressed
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons crushed dried mint , divided
- 2 teaspoons sumac , divided
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 hearts of romaine , chopped into 2-inch pieces
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes , quartered
- 1/2 red onion , thinly sliced
- 2 radishes , thinly sliced
- toasted pita chips
- 10 fresh mint leaves , sliced in chiffonade
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- For the vinaigrette, in a small bowl whisk the lemon, pomegranate molasses, garlic, salt, 1 teaspoon of the dried mint, 1 teaspoon of the sumac and olive oil until it is emulsified.
- For the salad, toss the romaine, tomatoes, onion, radishes, and pita chips in a salad bowl. Dress the salad with the vinaigrette and toss. Dust with the remaining sumac, dried mint, fresh mint, and freshly ground black pepper.
Nutrition
More Salad Recipes
- Chinese Chicken Salad with Sesame Dressing
- Classic Blue Cheese Wedge Salad
- Caesar Salad with Garlic Croutons
- Greek Salad with Chicken
- Crab and Shrimp Seafood Cobb Salad
Purchase Rose Water & Orange Blossoms by Marie Abbod here.
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