Description
Authentic Lebanese Fattoush Salad is a vibrant and refreshing Middle Eastern salad featuring crisp romaine, radicchio, tomatoes, cucumbers, and fresh herbs, all tossed in a tangy sumac and pomegranate molasses dressing. Toasted pita croutons add delightful crunch, making it a perfect light meal or side dish with grilled meats.
Ingredients
Scale
Pita Croutons
- 1 Lebanese pita – cut into 1 inch squares
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil
- Kosher salt, to taste
Fattoush Dressing
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
- 1 tsp lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
- 1 tsp sumac
- 2 tsp pomegranate molasses
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste (start with ½ tsp salt)
Salad
- 1 heart of romaine lettuce, chopped (or half a head of Romaine)
- ½ small radicchio head, chopped (adjust to taste)
- 3 medium tomatoes, chopped into ¾ inch cubes
- 3 Persian cucumbers, chopped into ¾ inch cubes
- 4-6 radishes, sliced into half-moons
- 3 green onions, chopped
- ¼ cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh mint, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
Instructions
- Bake Pita Croutons: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Place the pita squares on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle a generous pinch of kosher salt. Toss to coat evenly, then spread them out in a single layer without overlapping. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes until golden brown, shaking or turning the chips halfway through to ensure even toasting. Watch carefully as they can burn quickly. Once done, set aside to cool completely.
- Make Dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, sumac, pomegranate molasses, kosher salt, and freshly cracked pepper until well emulsified. Adjust salt and pepper to taste as needed.
- Mix Salad: Add the chopped romaine lettuce, radicchio, tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, green onions, parsley, mint, and dill into the bowl with the dressing. Toss everything thoroughly to combine and evenly coat the vegetables with the dressing.
- Serve: Just before serving, sprinkle the toasted pita croutons over the top of the salad or transfer the salad to a serving platter and garnish with the croutons. Serve immediately to enjoy the crunchy texture at its best.
Notes
- Refer to the original recipe post for step-by-step photos to guide each stage.
- The radicchio adds a pleasant bitterness to balance the salad’s sweetness; adjust or omit according to your taste preference.
- Chop all salad ingredients into bite-sized pieces for ease of eating and uniform flavor.
- If tomatoes are very juicy and seedy, consider removing seed cavities to prevent the salad from becoming watery.
- Peel cucumbers if using larger varieties like English or pickling cucumbers to improve texture and flavor.
- For authentic preparation, pita chips can be fried in olive oil over medium-high heat until browned, then drained on paper towels and salted.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days, but note the pita will lose its crunch and become soggy. Toast extra pita chips when serving leftovers for the best experience.
- This salad pairs wonderfully with grilled chicken shish tawook, beef kafta kebabs, or Arayes (meat-stuffed pitas).
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approximately 1/6 of total recipe)
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 250mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
