A Fattoush Salad (basically a bread salad) is a Middle Eastern staple and the lemon and mint dressing just brings it all together. This crunchy and zesty chopped salad is topped with homemade baked pita chips, making it a great way to use up stale pita bread. A great fridge clear out salad and a welcome addition to a BBQ or picnic.
Fattoush Salad
The fattoush salad was born out of not wanting pita bread to go to waste. So, instead of throwing it away, people made it the star of another dish. Fattoush salad is basically a bread salad and that is music to our ears.
Ingredients for this salad will vary wherever you see it, as the leftover pita was thrown together with whatever other leftover or seasonal ingredients were on hand. So, feel free to change it up and use what you have. It usually has a lettuce base with cucumber and tomatoes and a herby lemon dressing.
Why should you try it?
✔ A light a fresh salad
✔ Jut 157 calories a bowl
✔ A great way to use up stale pita bread
✔ A delicious side to chicken skewers
Fattoush Dressing
This is a herb packed dressing, and we aren’t complaining about that. We mixed together some really good quality olive oil with loads of lemon juice (the more the better I say), a pinch of salt and pepper, a little garlic, sumac and a lot of chopped mint and parsley.
Not heard of sumac before? It’s a really versatile spice that is popular in Middle Eastern cuisine and has a subtle lemon flavour to it, but less tart. It’s a delicious addition to a salad dressing.
Baked Pita Chips
What adds a nice bit of extra crunch to this salad is the baked pita chips. One piece of advice – make loads extra as they are great for dipping in to hummus and tzatziki.
A great way to use up pita bread that is going a bit stale, chop them up in to random bits and then mix with a little olive oil, salt and sumac and then put them in the oven for 10-15 minutes until they are nice and crispy. Try not to eat them all before they get on the salad!
What To Serve Fattoush Salad With
This is a really versatile salad. If you want to keep it traditional, then it is great served with any Middle Eastern dishes. We love to serve this with chicken skewers or halloumi vegetable skewers.
Extra Tips:
- You could add some crumbled goats cheese for extra flavour and creaminess.
- Add some extra protein by throwing in some cooked chickpeas or lentils, but still keeping it vegetarian.
- Make extra pita chips and dip them in hummus and tzatziki.
- Use the best quality olive oil that you can afford. It really makes a difference to the taste of the dressing.
- Add some extra flavour and colour by sprinkling some pomegranate on just before serving.
Ingredients needed to make a Fattoush Salad (serves 6)
- 2 pita breads, cut in to chunks
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp sumac
- A heart of romaine lettuce, chopped
- Half a cucumber, cut in to chunks
- 3 salad tomatoes, diced
- Half a red onion, thinly sliced
- 6 radishes, chopped
- Juice of 2 lemons (or 1 if it is really juicy)
- A pinch of salt and pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- Half a bunch each of fresh parsley and mint, finely chopped
How To Make Fattoush Salad – Step by Step:
One: Put the chopped pita, 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp sumac in to a baking tray and mix well. Put in a preheated oven at 190C for 10-15 minutes until crispy. Set aside.
Two: In a bowl, mix together the rest of the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic, sumac, parsley and mint and mix well.
Three: Chop all the salad
Four: Put the salad ingredients in a large mixing bowl and pour over the dressing. Mix well.
Five: Divide in to bowls and top with cooked pita chips.
Want to try some other salad recipes?:
Winter Lentil Salad
BBQ Chicken Salad
Healthy Caesar Salad
Cucumber Salad
Chicken Pasta Salad
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Fattoush Salad
Ingredients
- 2 pita breads, cut in to chunks
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp sumac
- 1 romaine lettuce, chopped
- 0.5 cucumber, cut in to chunks
- 3 salad tomatoes, diced
- 0.5 red onion, thinly sliced
- 6 radishes chopped
- 2 lemons (juice only)
- 1 pinch sea salt and pepper
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 20 g fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 10 g fresh mint, finely chopped
Instructions
- Put the chopped pita, 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp sumac in to a baking tray and mix well. Put in a preheated oven at 190C for 10-15 minutes until crispy. Set aside.
- In a bowl, mix together the rest of the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic, sumac, parsley and mint and mix well.
- Chop all the salad
- Put the salad ingredients in a large mixing bowl and pour over the dressing. Mix well.
- Divide in to bowls and top with cooked pita chips.
Video
Notes
- You could add some crumbled goats cheese for extra flavour and creaminess.
- Add some extra protein by throwing in some cooked chickpeas or lentils, but still keeping it vegetarian.
- Make extra pita chips and dip them in hummus and tzatziki.
- Use the best quality olive oil that you can afford. It really makes a difference to the taste of the dressing.
- Add some extra flavour and colour by sprinkling some pomegranate on just before serving.
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Lisa Huff says
Oh that lemon and mint dressing! I want to put it on everything!
Suzy says
Hands down one of our favorite salads to make! It’s also a perfect way to use up some pita bread!
Jacqueline Debono says
I’ve only eaten a fattoush salad a couple of times but never made it. I don’t know why because it’s so good and as you say a great way to use up pita!
Natalie says
Sounds like a really interesting recipe. A healthy too. I must give it a try. It will be perfect for my lunchbox.
Pam says
I love any recipe that is versatile in its ingredient list and this one checks that box! It’s beautiful, bright and delicious too!
Julia says
This salad looks similar to Italian Panzanella. I had no idea they had similar salad in Middle East. Love it!
Toni says
Such a tasty salad! My family loved it!
Aimee Mars says
This salad is perfect for meal prep! You NEVER get sick of eating it. I can’t wait to make it again.
Demeter says
This salad is so flavorful! Loved how easy it was to make. We’ll definitely be making it again. Thank you!
kim says
I love this recipe! It was so easy and had so much flavor. I’ll be making again and again!