What Is Fattoush?
Fattoush is a popular salad in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine, and especially Lebanese cuisine, as that’s where this dish is said to have originated. You’ll find this salad served in homes and restaurants all across the Levant, and across the world! In Arabic, the word “fatteh” means crumbs, and so you can loosely translate the name for this salad (fattoush, fatoosh, fattush) to mean “a salad with pieces of crushed bread on it”. In this way, fattoush is sort of similar to Panzanella, which is an Italian version of bread salad, but the flavors are very different. This fattoush salad recipe features fresh greens, crunchy vegetables, and fried pita bread croutons, all with the most amazing and authentic homemade dressing flavored with sumac and pomegranate molasses. Be sure to try my Shirazi Salad and Tabbouleh Salad recipes too! I have tons of authentic Middle Eastern recipes for you to make.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredients In Traditional Fattoush Salad
Here’s everything you need:
Lettuce: Traditionally, fattoush is made with Purslane, which is a seasonal lettuce available in the summer (I attached a picture below for you to see). In this recipe, I’m using Romaine instead since it’s easier to find. You can also use other greens such as iceberg, baby spinach, or butter lettuce.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
How To Make Fattoush Salad
First, I’ll show you how to cut and prep all of the fattoush salad vegetables. Next, we’ll fry pita bread to make delicious homemade crispy croutons. Finally, we’ll make fattoush dressing and put everything together!
How to Cut Vegetables for Fattoush
Cucumbers, tomatoes, and bell pepper: Chop them into ½-inch pieces. Romaine Lettuce: I like to chop the lettuce into small pieces, but you can also tear it if you prefer. Fresh Mint and Parsley: First, measure the herb leaves by packing them into your measuring cup. Then roughly chop the fresh herbs. You don’t want them to be chopped too finely. The best bites have plenty of earthy, herby flavors. Onions: Slice green onions into thin rounds, discarding the tops. Dice the yellow onion. Radish: Cut each radish in half, then thinly slice to create pretty half-moons.
How to Fry Pita Croutons
To Assemble and Serve The Salad
Recipe Tips
To make the very best fattoush salad, be sure to use the very best, freshest ingredients that you can find. This includes using fresh herbs, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and good quality olive oil. Feel free to include other vegetables in your version of fatoosh. This is a great recipe to use up extra garden veggies or farmer’s market finds like cabbage, red bell peppers, micro greens, or carrots. There are a few different ways to serve this salad. The crunchy pita pieces can be tossed in with the dressing so that they are well-incorporated, or added as a topping, or served on the side. Either way is fine!
Storing Tips
Fattoush salad is best enjoyed fresh! The vegetables, the dressing, and the croutons are at their best that way. I use a salad spinner to do this. It’s easy and fun to use! If you prefer your veggies chopped differently, that’s fine too! The key is to make sure that everything is cut in a way that makes the salad easy to eat without anyone needing a knife. If you haven’t yet tossed the salad with the dressing, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 or 4 days. With the dressing, you should try to enjoy it within 24 hours. You can make pita croutons ahead of time. They will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can store Fattoush salad dressing in the fridge for up to 1 month.
What to serve with fattoush salad
This authentic fattoush salad will be delicious with all of your favorite Middle Eastern dishes! Create a selection of small dishes, or “Mezze” with this salad and other Middle Eastern appetizers. You’ll definitely want to have dips, like classic Hummus, Baba Ganoush, and Labneh, and plenty of pita or homemade Yogurt Flatbreads for dipping! Cook an amazing meal like you’d get at your favorite Lebanese restaurant with this salad, and pair it with Shish Tawook or Beef Kafta. Fattoush salad is also delicious with simple proteins like Pan Seared Steak, Baked Salmon, or Grilled Chicken. I know you’re going to love this easy recipe for Fattoush Salad that you can make at home, whenever you have a craving for some fresh, delicious Middle Eastern food! © Little Sunny Kitchen
