Authentic Lebanese Fattoush Salad

Chopped salad with lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes in a bowl with crispy pita chips.

5 from 6 votes

Fresh, refreshing and delicious, this authentic Lebanese Fattoush salad recipe is sure to be a crowd-pleaser with its tangy dressing. Enjoy it as a side dish, an appetizer, or on its own. Best of all, it can be prepared in under 30 minutes!

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

Total Time30

Course: Appetizer, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: Levantine, Middle Eastern

Servings: people

Author: Luay Ghafari

Cost: $10

Ingredients

Pita Croutons

1 Lebanese pita - Cut into 1 inch squares
1-2 tbsp Olive oil
Kosher salt

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 fresh cracked pepper to taste - start with ½ tsp salt. You can always add more later.

Salad

1 Heart of Romaine lettuce - Chopped (or use half a head of Romaine)
½ Small radicchio head - Chopped (use less, more or none at all depending on preference)
3 Medium tomatoes - chopped into ¾ inch cubes
3 Persian cucumbers - chopped into ¾ inch cubes
4-6 Radishes - Sliced into rounds of 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. Traditionally the pita chips are fried, but I prefer to bake them. Preheat your oven to 400F/200C. Place the pita squares on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and a big pinch of salt, mix well, arrange in a single layer (don’t overlap), and bake for 7-10 minutes until golden brown. Keep an eye on them, they will burn quickly. You might need to shake the baking sheet or turn the chips over so they can toast evenly. Set aside to cool completely.
Make Dressing. Combine all the dressing ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to emulsify.
Mix. To the same bowl, add all the salad ingredients. Toss to combine.
Serve. When ready to serve, add the toasted pita chips to the top of the salad. You can also transfer to a serving platter is you prefer.

Video

Notes

Refer to the post above for step-by-step recipe phots.

A note on the radicchio. I like adding it to this salad to balance the sweetness and add some bitterness. Not everyone likes bitter greens, so feel free to use more, less, or none at all.

A few tips (for more tips and advice, see the post above):

Not too big, not too small. This salad should be chopped in bite-sized pieces.
Tomato Seeds. If your tomatoes are very seedy and juicy, consider cutting out the seed cavities and discarding them.
Peel the cucumber. If you are using large cucumbers like English or Pickling, consider peeling them before chopping.
Fry the pita. If you prefer to do this the authentic way, you can fry the pita chips in a pan with olive oil. Don’t overcrowd the pan and fry on medium-high heat. When browned, transfer using a slotted spoon onto a plate lined with paper towels. Season the pita chips with salt.

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days. The bread will get mushy so you may want to consider toasting extra pita when you go to have the leftovers. Honestly, this salad is best enjoyed on the day it’s made.

Pair it with chicken shish tawook, beef kafta kebabs, or Arayes (meat stuffed pitas).

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