Fattoush Salad
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Elevate your salad game with Fattoush Salad, a vibrant medley of crisp veggies and pita chips, all bound together by a zesty sumac-lemon dressing you won’t be able to resist.
The Best Fattoush Salad Recipe
Imagine biting into a salad that’s a kaleidoscope of flavors and textures—crispy pita chips, juicy tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers, and a parade of aromatic herbs like mint and parsley. That’s what Fattoush Salad delivers; it’s a Middle Eastern classic that turns the ordinary salad into an extraordinary experience.
Let’s not overlook the dressing—a luscious blend of olive oil, lemon juice, and sumac that’s so finger-licking good, you’ll want to drizzle it on everything. In this salad, the dressing acts like the charismatic conductor of an orchestra, making each ingredient sing in perfect harmony.
Why You’ll Love This Fattoush Salad
- Texture Heaven: From crispy pita chips to crunchy veggies, this salad is a playground of textures.
- Burst of Flavors: The fresh herbs coupled with the tangy lemon-sumac dressing make each bite an explosion of flavor.
- Quick and Easy: If you can chop veggies and whisk together a simple dressing, you can make this salad. No culinary degree required!
- Pita breads bring the crunch to the salad. If you’re short on pita, croutons make an easy stand-in.
- English cucumber delivers that refreshing crispness. Regular cucumbers work too, just make sure to deseed them.
- Green bell pepper offers a mild sweetness and additional crunch. Red or yellow bell peppers can step in for a color switch-up.
- Tomatoes keep the salad juicy and sweet. Feel free to sub in cherry or grape tomatoes.
- Green onions offer a hint of onion flavor, not too overpowering. If needed, swap with thinly sliced red or white onions.
- Radishes give us that peppery kick. Not a fan? Jicama could be your crunch replacement.
- Fresh parsley introduces vibrant color and herbal notes. If you’re out, a smaller amount of dried parsley can sub in.
- Mint leaves add an unexpected freshness. You could also use a smaller amount of dried mint.
- Olive oil ties the dressing together. Use a good quality extra virgin oil for full flavor.
- Lemon juice brings the zing to our dressing. Lime juice would be a suitable alternative.
- Salt and pepper are our seasoning champs. Feel free to adjust based on your taste buds.
- Sumac delivers that special tang and color. Can’t find it? A bit of extra lemon zest can fill its shoes.
Trust me, making this Fattoush salad is as easy as pie—except it’s a salad, so it’s even easier! Let me walk you through it.
First things first, let’s get our pita bread all crispy and golden. Toss them in a pan with a dash of olive oil. Fry until they’re turning that gorgeous shade of golden brown. Oh, by the way, you can also pop them under the broiler with a sprinkle of sumac, salt, and pepper if you like ’em extra crunchy.
Now, grab your favorite knife. We’re chopping cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, and green onions. Cube ’em up nice and small, then toss them into a big bowl. Then add them all the a bowl, including the mint and parsley and gently toss them all together.
Alright, the fun part! In a small bowl or jar, mix together olive oil, lemon juice, a pinch of salt, some black pepper, and our superstar ingredient—sumac. Whisk it until it’s thick and well-combined.
Time to assemble this masterpiece. Toss your veggies and herbs with the dressing until they’re all well-acquainted. Now introduce them to the pita chips and give it one final mix. Boom! You’ve got yourself a Fattoush salad worth bragging about.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Fattoush Salad?
Fattoush is a Middle Eastern salad made with fresh vegetables and crispy pita bread. It’s seasoned with vibrant herbs and a tangy dressing featuring olive oil, lemon juice, and sumac. It’s the perfect combination of crunchy, fresh, and flavorful!
Can I Make This Ahead of Time?
You can chop the veggies and herbs and make the dressing a day ahead. But I’d recommend adding the crispy pita and tossing everything together just before serving. Trust me, you don’t want soggy pita.
What Can I Use Instead of Sumac?
If you can’t find sumac, no worries! A little bit of lemon zest can fill in quite nicely. It won’t be exactly the same, but it will give you that citrusy tang you’re after.
Expert Tips
- Choose Fresh Herbs: The fresher the herbs, the more vibrant your salad will be. So if you can, opt for fresh parsley and mint from your local farmer’s market or even your own garden.
- Fry or Broil Pita to Your Liking: You’ve got options here. Frying the pita makes it extra crispy, while broiling it gives it a nice toasted flavor. Choose what tickles your fancy!
- Adjust the Dressing to Taste: Don’t be shy—taste that dressing and adjust the seasonings if you need to. More lemon for tang, more olive oil for richness, or even an extra sprinkle of sumac can make all the difference.
- Use a Large Mixing Bowl: Trust me on this, the bigger the bowl, the easier it is to toss everything together without spilling half of it on your kitchen counter.
- Serve Immediately for Maximum Crunch: This salad is best enjoyed fresh. The pita chips add that must-have crunch, so toss them in last and serve your masterpiece right away!
Storage
This fattoush salad recipe can be stored in the fridge for 3 – 4 days in an airtight container but be sure to store the tortilla separately to prevent it from getting soggy. Unfortunately defrosted tomatoes tend to be very mushy eaten raw so I don’t recommend freezing this dish.
Discover More Delicious Middle Eastern Dishes
- Best Ever Hummus
- Shakshuka Recipe
- Chicken Shawarma
- Baba Ganoush
- Baklava
- Chicken Shawarma Tabbouleh Salad
- Moroccan Spice Blend
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Fattoush Salad
Video
Ingredients
- 2 pita breads (broken in small pieces)
- 1 english cucumber (chopped)
- 1 green bell pepper (chopped)
- 3 medium tomatoes (chopped small)
- 6 green onions (chopped)
- ½ cup radishes (sliced)
- ⅓ cup parsley (fresh, chopped)
- 2 tablespoons mint (finely chopped )
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon pepper (or to taste)
- 1 tablespoon sumac
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Break the pita bread into small pieces and fry them in some olive oil on the stove top. Take them out as soon as they are golden brown and crispy. Alternatively you can toss them with olive oil, salt, pepper, sumac and place them under the broiler for a couple minutes until crispy.
- Chop up your veggies into small cubes and add to a large bowl. Chop the herbs finely and add this to the same bowl.
- In a small bowl whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and sumac together till thick.
- Toss together the dressing, salad and pita chips. Serve up!
Notes
- Pita Chips: If you prefer a healthier version, you can bake the pita chips instead of frying them. Just toss them in a little olive oil and bake until crispy.
- Dressing: If you make the dressing ahead of time, give it a good whisk or shake before adding it to the salad to make sure all the flavors are well-combined.
- Leftovers: This dish is best enjoyed fresh, but if you have leftovers, store the pita separately to maintain its crunch.
- Sumac Substitute: Can’t find sumac? A bit of lemon zest can work in a pinch.
- Gluten-Free: Easily make this dish gluten-free by using gluten-free pita bread or croutons.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
