Fattoush

About This Recipe

Fattoush is Lebanon's answer to the question of what to do with leftover flatbread — crunchy shards of toasted or fried pita mingled with ripe tomatoes, crisp radishes, cucumber, fresh mint, and parsley, all dressed in a bright, tangy sumac and lemon vinaigrette. The result is a salad that is simultaneously light and deeply satisfying.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 2 largepita breads, torn into rough pieces
• 3 tbspolive oil, divided
• 3 mediumripe tomatoes, cut into chunks
• 1 mediumcucumber, quartered lengthwise and sliced
• 5 mediumradishes, thinly sliced
• 3 wholespring onions, thinly sliced
• 1 smallromaine lettuce or purslane, roughly torn
• 1 cupfresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 0.5 cupfresh mint leaves
• 3 tbsplemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 1 tbsppomegranate molasses
• 2 tspground sumac, plus extra to sprinkle
• 1 clovegarlic, minced
• 1 tspsalt
• 0.5 tspblack pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Toast the pita

   Toss pita pieces with 1 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt. Spread on a baking sheet and bake at 200 °C (400 °F) for 8 minutes, turning once, until golden and completely crisp. Alternatively, fry in 2 cm of oil until golden. Cool completely.

2. 2

   Make the dressing

   Whisk together remaining 2 tbsp olive oil, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, sumac, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.

3. 3

   Assemble

   Combine tomatoes, cucumber, radishes, spring onions, lettuce, parsley, and mint in a large salad bowl. Pour over the dressing and toss to coat all the vegetables evenly.

4. 4

   Add pita and serve

   Add the toasted pita pieces just before serving and toss once more. Sprinkle additional sumac over the top. Serve immediately so the pita retains some crunch.

Variations

• •

  Add 150 g crumbled feta cheese for a saltier, more filling salad.

• •

  Stir 1 tsp za'atar into the dressing for extra herbal complexity.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Store vegetables and dressing separately up to 2 days. Dress and add pita only at serving time.

Frequently Asked Questions