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.
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!
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.
Other Salad Recipes To Try:
Winter Lentil Salad
BBQ Chicken Salad
Healthy Caesar Salad
Cucumber Salad
Chicken Pasta Salad
Thai Salad
Some extra tips for this Fattoush Salad:
- 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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DON’T FORGET TO RATE THE RECIPE ↓
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.
Kelley says
This salad sounds wonderful. I will have to try the meat free chicken. Thanks for sharing!
Jane says
I want to try this salad recipe. It’s been a year now since I changed my diet. I’m eating lots of healthy and wholesome food.
Kevin Chambers-Paston says
Oooh, this salad looks divine! I do try to eat meat-free at least once or twice per week, mainly for the cost benefits but also because these tend to be lower calorie meals. I’m definitely going to give this salad a try 🙂
Sylvia @ Happiness is homemade says
I always add extra amount of parsley to my salad 🙂 Quorn is a great idea to add some protein for veggies 🙂
shobha says
Healthy salad and quite a filling one.
Kavey says
I’m a big fan of fattoush, and it was one of the dishes we enjoyed regularly during our visit to Lebanon a few years ago. I tend to do it without a protein, as a side dish, but can see that adding a protein would make it a more substantial main salad instead!
Helen says
That dressing looks gorgeous! This will be a great salad for the summer.
Paige says
I have cut down on the amount of meat I eat, but started eating more fish for the oils. My skin and hair are so healthier for it.
Gingi says
Love the photos, they look like they belong in a cookbook! – http://www.domesticgeekgirl.com
Tegan says
Cumin in the dressing sounds really good. Do you have any other dressing recipes? I am gettin bored of just olive oil and cider vinegar.
Kelly - Life Made Sweeter says
What a pretty salad! I’ve never tried quorn before but it sounds intriguing. My diet is mainly vegetarian too and I had no idea World Meat Free Day existed, thanks for sharing, Dannii 🙂
Gina says
These photos are fab Dannii. Very professional.
Nafisah says
Looks delicious! thank you for sharing! xxx
Erin says
I would love some more salad recipes please Dannii. I am just about to start a new job and I want to use it as an opportunity to take healthy lunches with me.
Louise says
How often do you eat meat? Do you have any advice?
Dannii says
We always try to do meat free Monday’s and we make sure to have at least 5 meat free meals the rest of the week.
Carla says
That is just missing some avocado Dannii 😉
Becks says
A pita bread on a salad sounds good. It would make a change from just having a sandwich with it.
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
I love how fresh this salad is, Dannii! I’ve never heard of a fattoush one before, but I’m loving all of the ingredients. Definitely a nice change from the plain ole green ones that I make!