Lebanese Fattoush Salad

5 from 1823 votes

This authentic Lebanese Fattoush Salad is made with well-seasoned fried pita bread, seasonal vegetables and tossed in a zesty sumac Mediterranean dressing

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This Lebanese Fattoush Salad is the quintessential salad that you’ll find at all Lebanese restaurants and throughout the Middle East. It’s a fresh and bright salad made with seasonal vegetables and topped with the iconic fried pita bread – perfect for serving with chicken tawook or beef kafta.

Large bowl of Lebanese Fattoush Salad with small bowl of fried pita bread on the side
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What is Fattoush?

Fattoush is basically a Mediterranean fried bread salad that typically includes lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes and fried pieces of pita bread. You’ll also typically see green peppers, green onions and parsley.

In Arabic, the word “fattoush” is derived from “fatteh” which literally means “crumbs.” As you can imagine, this Fattoush Salad is basically a hodgepodge of pita bread that’s been seasoned then fried (or baked) in addition to other vegetables that are in season. For that reason, there are no rules when it comes to the vegetables you use in Fattoush! It’s a great base recipe that you can build upon and dress up how you’d like.

Recipe video tutorial

typical ingredients

  • Lettuce: You can use romaine or iceberg lettuce, and you can even throw in some spinach.
  • Parsley: Chop it up finely to add a fresh brightness to the salad.
  • Tomatoes: Very common in fattoush salads and usually it’s the large varieties like roma or vine tomatoes, but you can also use cherry or grape tomatoes.
  • Green peppers: Other types of sweet or spicy peppers work too.
  • Cucumbers: It’s a key ingredient in many Middle Eastern salads, especially this one. Any cucumbers work, but Persian cucumbers are most popular.
  • Green onions: While you can use white, yellow or red onions, green onions have a sweeter and more mellow flavor so they don’t overpower the dressing.
  • Radishes: Try throwing radishes in fattoush to add a mild spicy and zesty flavor that’s crisp and fresh.
Ingredients to make the recipe on a cutting board

How to make fattoush salad

Chop the ingredients

  • It’s a good idea to small dice all the ingredients so that every bite of fattoush is complete with all the textures and flavors of the salads.
All the vegetables for the salad in bowls chopped

Make the dressing

  • Made with extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, garlic, mint, sumac and pomegranate molasses, this zesty dressing is what separates authentic fattoush from all other fattoush. It helps the salad come together with a distinguished taste.
2 image collage to show the dressing before and after mixing

Fry the bread

  • Cut the pita into the desired shapes (triangles, squares or strips). Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and fry on medium heat.
  • Make sure to stir frequently until the pita bread is lightly golden brown.
Two image collage to show the pita bread in a pan before and after frying

assemble

  • Start building the fattoush salad by adding all the chopped ingredients to a large bowl.
  • Pour the dressing on top.
  • Toss everything to combine well. But keep the pita bread on the side so that it can be added when served to stay crisp.
3 image collage to show the salad ingredients, then with the dressing on top, then tossed

Tips for making the recipe

  1. Use the freshest ingredients possible for the best salad. It can be hard to do that during the winter months, but selecting high quality fresh vegetables will create the best results!
  2. Keep the fried pita on the side when serving. You can toss it on top right at the table or allow everyone enjoying the salad to add as much as they want.
  3. Make the dressing in a blender or small food processor. That will really help to emulsify the dressing so that it doesn’t separate. If you’re mixing by hand, it helps to press or grate the garlic to keep it fine.

Frequently asked questions

Can you make the salad ahead of time?

If the salad has not been tossed, you can store it in an airtight container for up to 4 days. If it has been tossed, it’s best to eat within 24 hours since it will be soggy after that.  The dressing will keep well for up to 1 month in the fridge.

Can you bake the bread instead of frying it?

If you prefer to bake the pita bread, you can toss the bread, olive oil, salt and pepper in a baking dish and bake at 425° for 5-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the pita bread you use.

What do you serve with fattoush salad?

This Arabic salad makes a great side that can be served along fish, chicken, meat or vegetarian and vegan dishes. It makes a great salad to serve at cook outs. Try it with:
Honey Lemon Salmon
Creamy Pesto Chicken
Vegan Creamy Tomato Pasta
Grilled Chicken Kabobs

Close up shot of the final fattoush salad with fork and spoon in the bowl for serving

This fattoush recipe is vegan, fresh and fabulous and the best part is you can make it with with any vegetables you prefer. It’s a great side salad any time of year!

More Mediterranean salads:

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Lebanese Fattoush Salad

This authentic Lebanese Fattoush Salad is made with well-seasoned fried pita bread, seasonal vegetables and tossed in a zesty sumac Mediterranean dressing
5 from 1823 votes
Servings 6 servings
Course Salad
Calories 185
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes

Video

Ingredients
  

Salad

  • 1 large head romaine lettuce chopped
  • 1 large vine-ripe tomato diced
  • 2-3 Persian cucumbers quartered
  • ½ large green pepper chopped
  • 5 radishes diced
  • 2 green onions sliced
  • ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley

Dressing

Fried Pita Bread

Instructions

  • Make the Dressing: Whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, sumac, pomegranate molasses, dried mint, salt and pepper. Slowly stream in olive oil, whisking continuously until emulsified. Set aside.
  • Fry the Pita Bread: In a large skillet, heat olive oil on medium heat. Add the pita bread and season with salt and pepper. Cook stirring frequently until the pita break becomes crispy and golden in color, about 5-7 minutes. Set aside.
  • Place the lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, radishes, green onions and parsley in a large serving bowl. Pour the dressing on top and toss to combine.
  • Add the fried pita bread to the salad immediately before serving.

Notes

Storage: If the salad has not been tossed, you can store it in an airtight container for up to 4 days. If it has been tossed, it’s est to enjoy within 24 hours since it will be soggy after that. 
The dressing will keep well for up to 1 month in the fridge.
Sourcing and Substitutes:
  • Sumac can be found at specialty retailers in the spice section or on Amazon. If you can’t find it, substitute lemon zest for the closest taste.
  • Pomegranate molasses can be tricky to find, but you’ll have the best luck at Middle Eastern Grocery stores or on Amazon. You can also make your own by reducing down pomegranate juice (with or without sugar). You can leave it out of the recipe or substitute balsamic glaze.

Nutrition

Calories: 185kcal, Carbohydrates: 13g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Sodium: 263mg, Potassium: 435mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 9666IU, Vitamin C: 27mg, Calcium: 60mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.

Course: Salad

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. Such a perfect recipe for the authentic Lebanese Fatoush! I even topped up the serving to 3x and the portion was just fine…I didn’t have green onions so didn’t add any…I added a dash of pomegranate seeds to it and it added a sweet taste and colorful look to the salad as well 🙂

  2. Made this today and it was incredible!! The dressing is 10/10. I also added fresh, chopped mint, as well as a parsley

  3. Absolutely fantastic!! I have my favorite at a restaurant, but this one may even be better.
    So glad I doubled the recipe. I am smiling and so is the family!!

  4. Thank you for such a great website. I love your Fattoush Salad – especially the dressing. Other Fattoush dressings I have tried to make were just okay. Using your dressing recipe allows me to have a restaurant quality salad at home. Thank you.

  5. This salad is absolutely amazing. It has a beautiful freshness about it and the dressing is ‘on point’.
    Thank you.

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