Lebanese Fattoush Salad

5 from 1854 votes

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

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

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
Want to save this recipe?
Just type your email below and I’ll send it to you. And as a bonus you’ll get delicious new recipes from me!

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:

If you’ve tried this healthy-ish feel good Lebanese Fattoush Salad recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. We would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!

preorder MY book

The Feel Good Foodie Cookbook is now available everywhere books are sold!

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 1854 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

Rate and comment

Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. Omg this salad was so GOOOOOD!
    I’ve made it 3-4 times within the last week !
    I didn’t have spring onions so added feta and olives instead.
    It’s all in the dressing ! That’s what makes it sooooo Good
    Thank you

  2. 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 🙂

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

  4. 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!!

  5. 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.

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

  7. I am so grateful for this recipe. All my guests love it every time that I make it. It’s funny that I personally don’t like parsley or green peppers in my salad, but I NEVER leave them out of this recipe, and I don’t pick them out when I eat it. Thank you so much!! This recipe brings me joy!!

  8. I made this recipe for my lunch and really enjoyed it. I added turnips and pickles to the salad but the dressing is what makes this salad so delicious. Will make it regularly and no need to go to a Lebanese restaurant anymore d’or a fatoush salad. Thank you.

  9. I made this for a Middle Eastern themed dinner party. It was so delicious and very authentic! I found the pomegranate molasses at Whole Foods. The only thing I did differently was to add some pomegranate arils. Thank you so much for sharing a wonderful recipe!

  10. Made this as written except didn’t have pomegranate molasses so just used balsamic glaze as recommended. It was fantastic. I had two huge bowls and could have eaten more. Tastes almost identical to the ones served at the Lebanese grills. 🤩🤩🤩 Going into the meal rotation. Also would be awesome to share with others. Thank you for the awesome recipe.

    1. You can! But fresh mint is more potent than dried so make sure you start with a little and then build on the flavor depending on what you prefer! Hope you enjoy!

  11. Im in love with this salad!! Please tell you have a cookbook because I am ready to buy!
    Where can I find it ?

      1. Ah, that explains it. It was good, but not great. Next time I’ll omit the bell pepper. I used it this time, trying to stay true to the recipe, but I really don’t like them. I need to get some peppermint! Thanks.

  12. This salad is delicious. The dressing is my new favourite. I could not find pomegranate molasses so I simmered down pomegranate juice until it was quite thick (without adding any sugar or lemon as some recipes suggest). Just 100% juice. The juice was expensive ($10. for a bottle in Canada). Adds a GREAT dimension to the dressing. The fact that it will keep so long in the fridge is an added bonus. I quadrupled the dressing when I made it. I blended it in my mini cuisinart. I wanted some leftovers. A healthy, fantastic dressing. Thank you for the recipe. I will make this a lot. I also liked the thinness of the pita chips. Much nicer than crunching down on croutons in other salads.

  13. Made this to go with grilled kabobs and a basmati rice pilaf. The salad is wonderful! Love the flavors in the dressing and the pita bread. I was able to find the “pomegranate glaze” at my grocery store; the main ingredient is balsamic vinegar, so nice to know either could work. I want to try others’ suggestions to add real mint, and some other spices to the pita bread. Thank you!

  14. Delicious. Made a few minor tweaks. I did’t have sumac so I substituted lemon zest but probably put too much. So I then tripled the pomegranate molasses. Also used fresh mint instead of dried. For the salad, I addd chopped up parsley and for the pitas, I added Ras el Hanout. Soooo good!!!

  15. 3rd time I’ve made the fatoush salad in less than a month. I love it! I don’t like cooking but find a lot of inspiration from you ❤️🫶🏻 thank you xXx

  16. Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe. I am addicted to making it. One question, I made a large batch of the dressing then placed it in the fridge and after one or two days, it became rather solid. Is that normal? I had to throw it away as it was a mush of solid bits when I mixed it with a spoon.

    1. With the oil and the molasses, it can seize up when kept in the fridge. I would just pull it out and let it sit at room temperature for 30 to 45 before you’re ready to eat, and then it will be easier to blend back together. Hope that helps!

  17. Absolutely delicious! I used fresh mint, instead of dried, in both the dressing and a little in the salad. Also, added sumac to my pita chips. A great find just in time for summer.

  18. This sounds great. I don’t have to make it vegan, so I’ll put chunks ot Salmon or chicken right into it.

  19. Love this salad, but especially the dressing.
    A little tart and full of flavor. I make my own herb dressing, and have been looking for something different, this brings a whole new flavor that’s delicious with everything I’ve added it to.

  20. Made this salad, it was amazing! I think I had salad 4/5 times in the last two days. I substituted balsamic glaze for the pomegranate. I also use the dressing on the side so it wouldn’t gets too soggy within 24 hours. I also added chicken one time and salmon another. I also love the chopper… It sure got a work out lol.😍

  21. Hi Yumna. With the fried pita bread, do you know how long they keep for after frying? I have a lot of pitas in pantry and wanting to fry a whole batch but if they don’t last, i would just fry what i need. Thanks!! By the way I love all your recipes and thank you for sharing them

    1. They should be good for a few days in an airtight container – once they start to lose the crunch, I wouldn’t add it to the salad. Thank you so much! I’m glad you’re enjoying the recipes!

  22. Came across your website a week ago, my husband is Originally from Montreal and his favorite restaurant growing up was Amir which they serve amazing Lebanese food ! I can’t wait to make this salad which his favorite !!!!!

  23. It tasted exactly as I had hoped. It was mysteriously exotic but a familiar taste to this who’ve visited the Middle East.

    I made this salad “chop chop”!

  24. Absolutely delicious I always get to eat when Im visiting family in Michigan but this recipe was better!!!!

  25. Omg. I loved it. I have always enjoyed Fattoush. I usually purchased it from a restaurant, but now I can make it thanks to your recipe. So happy 😊. It was difficult finding sumac and the Pomegranate molasses. But now that I have it, more fattoush for me 🥳🥳🥳. Amazing recipe.

    1. I love your recipe but I cannot always get Arab bread so have tried it with country bread- that is the big round french or farmhouse bread – but without the crust and people loved it. It absorbs a lot of the flavours but do keep it authentic, that is the toasted or fried bread at the end.

      Anybody got an authentic Saudi recipe for tharid or trid. The prophets favourite food!

      Thank you,
      Jamela.

  26. This is a very complete way of presenting this delicious recipe. No wonder it’s so highly rated. Job well done! 👌

      1. No, thank YOU! 🙂
        I never realized about the pomegranate addition, and I’ll be trying that this week when I make fattoush for my mom. Excited!

  27. Very tasty. Had to make the pomegranate molasses as I couldn’t find any and only had fresh mint available but turned out very well. I like Yasmin’s idea of adding a little vinegar and some pomegranate seeds. I will definitely make this many more time. Thank you Yumna for sharing.

  28. Excellent recipe! I had been looking for a Fatoosh Salad recipe that would mirror a restaurant salad I use to order. This was a mirror image for taste!

  29. This is the best salad and dressing! I have made this several times. I have taken it to parties and family gatherings it is always a hit!! (Always get asked to bring it when we have a dish to pass) It is so beautiful, I leave all the veggies on top of the lettuce when I bring it. I mix the dressing when we get to where we are going. When I take the top of the salad there are So many ooh’s and awe’s,then when everyone is eating you hear mmmmmm🤗. I always bring along copies of the recipe because someone always asks for it. Thank you for sharing and we are making this our healthy go to salad.

  30. Great recipe but the site is beyond frustrating. I ended up scrolling to the actual recipe, screenshooting it then close the site.
    The ads are INSANE!!

  31. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this recipe!! It is the most authentic I have tried. We love Middle Eastern food, but live in a very rural area and it is not easily available. I have tried other recipes, this is the closest I have ever come to perfection! Tastes great and is very easy to put together. Definitely use the Sumac and Pomegranate Molasses!

  32. Born and raised in Lebanon, I have been making fattoosh based on my memory from my mother. Recently in trying to get more ideas in making the fattoosh salad, I discovered your recipe here. I made it and my family liked it very much.

    I use sumac, pomegranate molasses, and dried mint in the dressing. I ordered these items from a Lebanese online store. I also omitted the garlic from my preparation as family members are not fond of raw garlic.

    I love your recipe and this one is keeper for my family. Thank you (Shukran Jazila) for your wonderful recipes.

  33. I’ve been searching for a recipe that tastes like the amazing fattoush you get in restaurants and finally found it! I made a few substitutions (red bell pepper instead of green and shallot instead of green onion) and used store bought pita chips instead of frying my own and it was still amazing! The dressing really makes this dish – don’t skip the dried mint and sumac. This will definitely be on rotation all summer in our house!

  34. I love the salad, the dressing ratio was, I found, a little high in lemon juice but…aside from that, I just added more olive oil and it was great 🙂

  35. Oh my god! I made the best fattouch I have ever eaten thanks to you! Great recipe. Thank you so much. I love it!

  36. I first had fattoush about 10 years ago when I started dating this Mediterranean guy. We are now married. Made this tonight. Had to come on here to rave! Added some fresh mint to the salad but otherwise kept it the same. Amazing!! Sumac and pomegranate molasses are delish. I served it with pita on the side for my gluten sensitive family and they loved it!! Thank you!!

  37. We have just tried fattoush salad for iftar. The salad is great. I changed proportion of vegetables to my liking. We loved the dressing, it is absolutely fabulous! I guess that is thanks to sumac seasoning, that was the first time I tried to use it as a salad dressing component.

  38. This is a really lovely salad. The dressing is an absolute treat as well. Highly recommended. ⭐️

  39. Great recipe. I added shawarma chicken to the salad and replaced pita chips with farro due to health issues. The dressing was very tasty. I highly recommend it.

      1. I have been to the Middle East to visit my husbands family. This recipe is authentic and delicious as are your other recipes.

  40. Great recipe! The salad dressing recipe is perfection! My husband always complained that I never made the recipe with consistent measurements. I now make the dressing in a mason jar and triple it! I have it ready to go constantly and it helps so much!

    1. Oh that’s so perfect!! It’s such a handy recipe to have in your back pocket and make it often!! It’s my favorite dressing 🙂

  41. I had a question about the pita bread. Is it ok heat olive oil for frying to make the pita chips? Can I used corn oil?

  42. Thank you for this delicious recipe! It is exactly like the fatoush my Lebanese friend made for me in Lebanon many years ago! I have made it many times but didn’t have the pomegranate juice or sumac which really enhances the dressing. We have a wonderful Lebanese bakery here that has the best pita and ingredients. I will make this healthy, delicious salad all the time now! Do you have a good recipe for kafta? Shukran!

  43. Hello Yumna, I am very excited to try this recipe. If dried mint is used in place of fresh mint, would you still recommend using 1/2 teaspoon? I thought that dried herbs had a more intense flavor than fresh. I’m concerned about having too strong of a mint flavor in the dressing. Please advise. Thank you for sharing this recipe!

    1. Thanks for clarifying! 1/2 teaspoon should be dried (so I’ll clarify that) If you use fresh, I usually opt for 1 tablespoon fresh for every 1 teaspoon dried. Enjoy it!

  44. I’m planning a Middle Eastern-themed dinner for Saturday which will feature Persian flatbread and cold yoghurt soup, fattoush and tabouli salads, chicken roasted with zatar. It is so nice to locate an accurate and very tasty recipe. My wife loved it! Many thanks Ms Jawad.

  45. Doubled the dressing recipe and added 1/2 C. red wine vinegar + extra Tbsp Sumac. Perfection! Lebanese neighbors loved it. 🙂

  46. I tried your Lebanese fattoush salad!!! And it turned out sooo delicious, fresh, crunchy and outstanding!!! Thank you for sharing such wonderful recipes ❤️😊

  47. This was the best salad recipe I’ve had this year! Fantastic! I didn’t have pomegranate juice, so I made a balsamic glaze with dark brown sugar to substitute, and received excellent reviews. It was truly delicious, and it will be a staple in our home from now on! Thank you for making our SIP more fun and fabulous! Wish I could give you picture of how well it came out!

    1. Hi Lori – I’m so happy to hear that you loved the fattoush salad! Thank you for the amazing review. I appreciate it!

  48. I’ve been making this salad every week for the past two months, can’t get enough of it!

  49. This was a super easy recipe and the dressing is super flavorful. It brings back great memories of the Middle East. Thank you!

  50. Made this a few nights ago as part of my families Iftar and we all loved it. I didn’t have a couple of the ingredients [pomegranate molasses, dried mint or radishes] but it was still delicious! Thank you for the recipe – I’ll definitely be making it again ?

  51. I love Fattoush salad and I am so happy you shared this delight as I can now have this all the time. I have never quite managed to recreate the real thing until now….. Thanks to you!! it was perfect 🙂

  52. Thank you for this beautiful recipe! I have tried so many different fattoush dressing recipes and I never can seem to nail that zesty flavor.. your recipe was so wonderful!! Thank you for sharing!! Love love Lebanese cuisine ❤️

  53. Loved, loved, loved this.
    I also tripled the dressing and used it to marinate the shrimp that I had with my dinner and it was great!
    My family kept complimenting me on the dinner! Thanks so much!

  54. Made this a few nights ago for my husband and he raved that it was better than the restaurants and that it was a total keeper and i couldn’t agree more!! Thank you for this delicious recipe!

  55. It is really a great and helpful piece of info. I’m glad that you shared this helpful info with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thank you for sharing.