Crispy Fattoush Salad 🥗🇱🇧

Description

A bright Middle Eastern fattoush salad with crispy pita chips, juicy vegetables and a tangy lemon and sumac dressing that wakes up every bite 🥗

Hook

Crunchy, fresh and zesty – this fattoush turns simple vegetables and leftover pita into a seriously addictive Middle Eastern salad ✨

Ingredients

• For the crispy pita
• 🥙 140 g pita bread, cut into small triangles (2 medium pitas / 5 oz)
• 🫒 30 ml olive oil (2 tbsp / 1 fl oz)
• 🧂 2 g fine sea salt (¼ tsp / 0.07 oz)
• 🌺 4 g ground sumac (1 tsp / 0.14 oz)
• For the salad
• 🥬 250 g romaine lettuce, chopped (about 2 small heads / 8.8 oz)
• 🍅 300 g ripe tomatoes, diced (2–3 medium / 10.6 oz)
• 🥒 200 g cucumber, diced (1 medium / 7 oz)
• 🧅 40 g spring onions, finely sliced (3–4 stalks / 1.4 oz)
• 🌶️ 80 g green bell pepper, diced (½ large / 2.8 oz)
• 🌱 15 g fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped (½ cup packed / 0.5 oz)
• 🌿 10 g fresh mint leaves, chopped (⅓ cup loosely packed / 0.35 oz)
• For the dressing
• 🫒 60 ml olive oil (¼ cup / 2 fl oz)
• 🍋 45 ml fresh lemon juice (3 tbsp / 1½ fl oz)
• 🍇 15 ml pomegranate molasses (1 tbsp / ½ fl oz)
• 🧄 1 garlic clove, finely grated (4 g / 0.14 oz)
• 🧂 3–4 g fine sea salt, to taste (½–¾ tsp / 0.11–0.14 oz)
• 🌺 6 g ground sumac (2 tsp / 0.21 oz)
• ⚫ 1–2 g freshly ground black pepper (¼–½ tsp / 0.04–0.07 oz)

Preparation

1. 1️⃣ Toast the pita
2. In a bowl, toss the pita triangles with olive oil, salt and sumac until evenly coated. Spread in a single layer on a baking tray and bake at 200°C (392°F) for 6–8 minutes, turning once, until crisp and golden. Cool completely so they stay crunchy.
3. 2️⃣ Prep the lettuce
4. Rinse the romaine leaves, dry them very well (ideally in a salad spinner), then chop into bite-sized pieces. Place the lettuce in a large salad bowl.
5. 3️⃣ Chop the vegetables
6. Dice the tomatoes and cucumber into small, even cubes. Finely slice the spring onions and dice the green bell pepper. Add all the chopped vegetables to the bowl with the lettuce.
7. 4️⃣ Add herbs
8. Chop the parsley and mint just before using so they stay bright and fragrant. Add them to the salad bowl and gently toss the vegetables and herbs together.
9. 5️⃣ Make the dressing
10. In a small jar or bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, grated garlic, salt, sumac and black pepper until the dressing looks slightly thick and emulsified. Taste and adjust salt and lemon to your liking.
11. 6️⃣ Combine salad and dressing
12. Just before serving, pour most of the dressing over the vegetables and herbs. Toss gently with your hands or salad tongs so everything is lightly coated but not soggy.
13. 7️⃣ Add the crispy pita
14. Add the cooled, crispy pita chips on top, reserving a small handful for garnish. Toss again carefully so the pita is coated with dressing but still keeps its crunch.
15. 8️⃣ Final adjustments
16. Taste the fattoush and add a little more dressing, lemon juice or salt if needed. If you like more tang, sprinkle an extra pinch of sumac over the top.
17. 9️⃣ Serve
18. Transfer the salad to a serving platter or bring the bowl directly to the table. Top with the reserved pita chips and a little extra parsley for a fresh, crunchy finish. Serve immediately.

Total Time

⏱️ Prep: 20 min
🔥 Cook/Bake: 8 min
🛋️ Rest: 5 min
⏰ Total: 33 min

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