How to Make Fattoush Salad
Fattoush is a Lebanese bread salad built on crisp vegetables, fresh herbs, and pieces of toasted or fried pita bread, all brought together with a bright sumac dressing. The key is using day-old pita that crisps beautifully and adding the bread just before serving so it stays crunchy.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Total time
- 15 min
- Hands-on
- 15 min
- Serves
- 4
- You will need
- large skillet, paper towels, whisk, large mixing bowl, chef's knife
Ingredients
- 2 day-old pita breads
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sumac
- 1 garlic clove
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 cucumber
- 3 radishes
- 2 green onions
- 1 cup mixed fresh herbs
Step by step
Fry the pita bread until golden
Cut 2 day-old pita breads into bite-sized triangles. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry the pita pieces until golden and crispy, about 2-3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and set aside.
Whisk the sumac dressing
Whisk together 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon sumac, 1 minced garlic clove, and salt to taste. The sumac gives fattoush its distinctive tangy flavor and deep red color.
Chop vegetables and herbs
Dice 2 tomatoes and 1 cucumber into small, uniform pieces. Thinly slice 3 radishes and 2 green onions. Roughly chop 1 cup mixed fresh herbs—parsley, mint, and a little cilantro work perfectly.
Toss and serve immediately
In a large bowl, combine the diced vegetables and herbs. Pour the dressing over and toss gently. Add the crispy pita pieces just before serving and toss once more.
Questions people ask
Can I use store-bought pita chips?
Yes, but break them into smaller pieces and look for ones without too much seasoning that might compete with the sumac dressing.
What if I can't find sumac?
You can substitute with a pinch of paprika mixed with extra lemon juice, though you'll miss sumac's unique tartness and color.
How long will fattoush keep?
The dressed vegetables keep for a day in the fridge, but add fresh pita pieces each time you serve it.
Should the vegetables be peeled?
Leave the skin on cucumbers and radishes for extra crunch and color contrast.
Tips
- Toast the pita until it's deeply golden—pale pieces will get soggy quickly
- Make extra sumac dressing and keep it in the fridge for up to a week
- Cut all vegetables the same size so every bite has the right balance
- Never dress the salad more than 10 minutes before serving or the pita loses its crunch
Variations
- Baked Pita Version: Brush pita triangles with olive oil and bake at 400°F for 8-10 minutes until golden instead of frying
- Winter Fattoush: Add diced bell peppers and thinly sliced cabbage when tomatoes aren't at their peak
- Fattoush with Purslane: Traditional addition of purslane (a lemony succulent green) when available at Middle Eastern markets